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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Recommendations for first 'big' toddler bed?

27 replies

ilikeyoursleeves · 08/05/2009 14:20

DS will be moving out of his cot some time soon (still need to work out when!) but I was wondering what type of bed to get next. A smaller toddler bed would take up less room (he will be sharing with his soon to be here brother who will have his cot), but would it make more sense to buy a bigger bed that would do him for years? Plus, can a toddler bed bear an adults weight? I have dreams of snuggling in with him reading stories etc rather than having to sit on the floor!!!

Where did you get your bed and is it decent? Thanks.

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FrankMustard · 08/05/2009 14:23

I never bothered with toddler sized beds for my boys as they are tall and I didn't want to spend money twice IYKWIM.
I got Silent Night's My First Bed - brilliant as they're full size beds but low off the ground, so not far to fall out (as they invariably do, even with a bed guard) and the novelty headboards are fun and exciting but can be taken off once they're older.
Can get various options - PJ holder in headboard, letters to stick on, under bed storage, novelty shoes to put on bottom of bed legs etc.

ramonaquimby · 08/05/2009 14:27

novelty beds apols to frankmustard

with regards to a toddler bed - will you get your money out of one? Our 7 year old was in one until last year (so def got our money's worth!) and now our 2 year old has that, and got same one from friend for a 4 year old. I can snuggle up in one for reading books tho is a bit squashy.

they came from Ikea. Vicare, not sure if they still do them.

kwaker5 · 08/05/2009 14:30

I just went straight to normal single bed. Most of my friends had moved their kids from the toddler to big bed by 3.5, so they seem a bit of a waste of money (didn't make them when I was a child apparently!). I don't think they are that well made unless you spend a lot on them (but then why bother if it's not going to get much use?).

Depends really what you think you might do when DS2 needs to go into a big bed. Move house or go for adult bunk beds?

Sorry if this hasn't really answered your question!

FrankMustard · 08/05/2009 14:30

lol ramonaquimby
I know what you mean, but it's helped all my lot to have something a bit more fun and interesting than a plain wooden bed- and the novelty bits come off anyway!
My home isn't a smorgasbord of novelty tat, honestly but niether is it a home devoid of childish effects!!
Anyway, isn't that part of having kids - some bright colours around the place and things they think are fun???

FrankMustard · 08/05/2009 14:31

ps the reason I liked the silent night ones was also because you get a REALLY decent mattress with it and I was keen for dcs to have a good quality mattress to sleep on - lasts longer than a cheaper one too.

Original poster

ilikeyoursleeves · 08/05/2009 14:38

kwaker I hadn't even thought about what to do once DS2 is ready for a bed, so that's a thought that they could maybe go into bunk beds. Mind you the cot DS1 is in just now is actually a cotbed so DS2 could just stay in that but as a bed...

I think I will need to measure the room and see what would be best. It's a fairly small room for 2 to share so I'm a bit worried that a single proper bed will swamp the room.... but a small bed won't look like it will last that long either!

OP posts:

kwaker5 · 08/05/2009 15:10

I just thought that, longer term, it is something to consider. A friend of mine has 2.6 yo twins still in their cots because she's hoping to move them straight into adult bunks if she can hold out that long!

You might get away with cotbed and toddler bed for quite a while and when the time comes to look at up-sizing your circumstances might be completely different!

sachertorte · 08/05/2009 15:17

Ikea do a bed that starts off as a toddler bed and you extend to a full size simgle. It´s fine..

Sunshinemummy · 08/05/2009 15:27

DS has an Ikea one and I think he'll be in it for a while (he's 3). We snuggle up in it every night and I've even slept in it once when DS got in our bed and was wriggling too much for me to sleep. It was really comfy.

madeindevon2 · 08/05/2009 16:20

well ive just got LO a fire engine bed and he LOVES it.
i nearly bought a plain white one but had a reality check at teh last minute - he really loved the fire engine one and hes going to be a child for such a short time.....its a full size single and mattress with 5 yrs guarantee.

Dottoressa · 08/05/2009 16:24

I never bothered with 'proper' chilren's beds. Mine both went straight into an adult single bed at nearly two (we had a couple lurking in the cellar, so it was a good use for them). They were very high, so we chopped the long legs off them in case the DCs fell out (we didn't go in for rails/bed-guards, either).

DamonBradleylovesPippi · 08/05/2009 16:24

mine went from cot to regular single bed.

FrankMustard · 08/05/2009 17:11

OP - looks like it's a resounding NO to toddler beds! Good luck choosing which fullsize bed to go for!

JoeJoe1977 · 08/05/2009 17:18

John Lewis here. We got the sprung mattress not the foam one that is shown on the page, as we know that we'll be using for 2 DCs (not at the same time though)

SugarSpike · 08/05/2009 17:21

We are wondering the same, DD needs to move out of her cot really, but she has the box room so we thought oh we will get her a toddler bed save some space, but I have no idea how much bigger they are to a cot in length will it be worth it.
DS has a full size bed but we want to get him a high bed with the cupboards desk etc underneath to make the most of the space, so it would make sense to give his bed to her and just buy a new one for him, but DF insists he wants her to have a toddler bed.
I think a trip to ikea is in order

AlexanderPandasMum · 08/05/2009 17:25

IKEA do quite a few extendable beds - that is, they can be toddler sized but then extend to a bigger size and up to a full size single bed. We have one for DS (2.2) and he loves it. Very good prices too. The mattress comes in 3 pieces - one toddler bed sized one and 2 that add about 1 foot each to the length of the bed.

KashaSarrasin · 08/05/2009 17:26

We have an Ikea one - it's 170cm long so plenty of room for DS1 (4 in a few weeks) to grow into. We were short of space (box room) and there wasn't really room for an adult size bed. I've actually slept in it when DS1 decided he preferred to sleep in our bed clinging to DH and kicking me so I escaped to his room, it's actually quite comfy.

vesela · 08/05/2009 17:49

We've got an IKEA extendable one (Leksvik) and I like it because the wooden edge is just enough to discourage DD from getting out of bed unnecessarily (she moved into it at just under 2 and has to get out of it quite carefully).

pranma · 08/05/2009 21:02

Next do a beautiful oak bed full length,lower than average single but takes adult easily

Original poster

ilikeyoursleeves · 08/05/2009 22:17

I made a scaled floor plan (how sad!) and I think that a full size single bed will just be far too big for the room so despite the disadvantages it looks like it will have to be a toddler bed. But I have spied one near me on ebay going for £5 just now so I'm watching that, it's a Mamas and Papas one and looks fab so at least if it doesn't cost too much then I won't lose!

OP posts:

BernardsCat · 08/05/2009 22:18

buy a normal bed

pointydog · 08/05/2009 22:27

oh just get a normal sized bed. Waste of money these in betweeny ones

PinkyMinxy · 08/05/2009 22:29

WE moved Ds out of the big big cot into a full sized single at age 3. He's pretty tall, though.

dd1 was just past 2 when she was fed up of the cot,and really needed a bed. We were going to get her a set of bunk beds thatet could be split for now (she'll be sharing with DD2 in due course), but when we came to try her in a full size bed she just looked too tiny. SO we got an extendable toddler bed from Ikea. it's really lovely. Given that they won't actually be in full size bunk beds til they are 7 I think it will be cost effective enough.

It sounds like ours is the same a vesela's dd has. DS is 3 but more the height of a 5 year old and he fits in it fine.

PinkyMinxy · 08/05/2009 22:30

he fits in it fine as it is now, on the 'shortest' setting.

pointydog · 08/05/2009 22:32

the dds moved into full sixed beds when just over 2. They might look small but it don't matter

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