What age for bunk beds

[SleepForTheWeek]

We are going to do up our spare room for DD1 and move her out of the nursery she is currently in for her third birthday (in two months).

DD2 is 3 months old and ideally, when she's older (perhaps 1 year) we'll move her out of our room and in with her sister, and we'll turn our nursery into a (cramped) spare room. We have family visit us a lot and it's important for us to have a spare room to accommodate them.

I have seen a bunk bed that I think would be ideal, it's low and has proper stairs rather than ladders. DD1 has been very reluctant to move out the nursery but has recently been getting excited about the idea of a bunk bed.

Is she too young? I would want her on the bottom until her sister moved in, so she would be 3.5/4, but I know she'll want to sleep on the top!!

I've included a link to the bed I mean. What to do you think? Is she too young? She currently wakes during the night and comes in with us but doesn't come through herself. She waits in her bed and shouts us through to carry her (thanks DD1! 🙄)

kidsfuntimebeds.co.uk/product/deluxe-funtime-bunk-bed-single/

most bunk beds say 6yo at least for top bunk.

Agree usually 6yrs and up.

I would put a 4yo there. The bunk is low with high guard rail, so not likely to roll over there. And with stairs also no risk to fall on ladder.

Can you assamble it without the stairs first, if you want her in the bottom bunk? That's what we did, had the bed but until DC2 needed it, I blocked the ladder so DC1 could not climb up.

My DS was in the top bunk before he was 4. Obviously it's your decision though.

Thanks - I'm in two minds! Her toddler bed has broke so she needs a new bed one way or the other, we could just get her a standard single now then a bunk when she's a bit older for her sister to share too, but then that would mean buying a bed twice iyswim. I don't think this can be assembled just with the bottom bunk.

No I meant assemble entire bed, just leave the steps out so she can't get up to the top bunk - would this be possible?

We have beds from that company, one bunk for the boys and a playhouse high sleeper for DD. DS2 was just turned 3 when he went into it, and DD was about to turn 4. They're bloody brilliant beds, well made and the company are really lovely too. They even brought wee pressies for the kids and the installers stayed to see the kids' reactions and seemed to take genuine joy from seeing them.
On a practical note, they're solidly built and you can add a stair gate onto the stairs if you're worried.

It wouldn't be possible to leave the stairs off, the panel runs the length of the bed frame and the stairs are built into it.

how about a thuka bed. they are modular so you can have a single now and add the top bunk later.
the bars are also quite high so there is less danger of falling out.
very sturdy too.

I'd put my 3.5 yr old in that. It's not as high as a full high bunk and has a good rail.

Thanks everyone- that's good to hear @Notreallyarsed, I've been eyeing them up for ages. How long did it take for yours to arrive? Unfortunately we live in an area where they can't offer installation 😩

That bed is ace!
We will have a four, nearly five, year old by the time the new baby is ready to leave our room, and that looks perfect. We only have two bedrooms and I'd be happy for the eldest to sleep on the top bunk. (Thanks for posting the link!)

I've bought a Warren Evans bunk, really nice and sturdy, that at the moment we are using as two singles. We plan to get it set up when we feel the children are ready and like you are trying to plan when that will be. What worries me - and this is something you might want to think about too - is not when they're ready to sleep in it but when they're responsible enough not to injure themselves playing on it in the daytime! Ds1 has just turned 5 and ds2 will be 3 at xmas. I'm thinking waiting until ds1 is 6 next summer as hopefully ds2 will be a little bit less crazy by then.

There's not enough room in the spare room to either have two singles or a single and cot unfortunately, which would mean DD2 would have to go into nursery and we wouldn't have a spare room.

I love the look of this bed, quite pricey though still need to convince DH. They also do 0% finance!

Yes @Freetodowhatiwant I know what you mean with regards to playing on the bed and that would be a worry. You can get them with a stair gate built in which could be an option

We had a rule in our house of no top bunk bed until 5yo - which we then broke as got an option of free bunk beds from family when we needed a new bed and DC was only 4yo! Its been fine - first thing we did was create 'rules' together which she then wrote out (with help) and that helped with no dangerous behaviour like playing on the top bunks.

@Wheresthattomoibabber they told me 8 weeks but it ended up being more like 6, and they kept me updated all the way through via email which was comforting. I tend to panic if I've paid a lot of money and companies go quiet. We saved for 3 years to get the beds and they are worth every penny. Solid wood, and really well made. The kids love them too!

Those beds are fantastic, easily suitable for your DD. I know you get the people saying they're not suitable for children under 6 but with that style I think they are. As a child I was the 'Big' sister and I was in traditional straight ladder bunk beds from the age of 3.5 my sister had the bottom bunk as an 18 month old. I loved the climbing up to bed 😊. My sister was very jealous that I got the top bunk.

Btw please don't put them up without the steps. I guarantee someone will climb up if you do and they will be much more likely to fall! I was a little monkey and could easily have climbed up there as a very young child.

My biggest concern would be putting DD2 in the bottom bunk when she's still so wee. I'll obviously put up a bed rail and she'll be in a sleepyhead but it still seems s but young to be going into a big bed

I might have to rethink this

What about the ikea kura? You can have it as a single bed with canopy (like this www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/childrens-ikea-products/children-3-7/childrens-textile/kura-bed-tent-with-curtain-grey-white-art-90332458/) then turn upside down when you're ready for bunks?

www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/childrens-ikea-products/children-3-7/childrens-beds/kura-reversible-bed-white-pine-art-80253809/

Thanks @PocketNiffler that actually looks quite good!

It doesn't have any pics of it as bunks, or describe it as such - but I assume you would just put a mattress on the floor underneath?

the kura has very low rails though