When does a toddler bed get babyish?

[Hadeley]

Such a dumb question but: we are considering buying a floor bed for our 1,5 year old. She is young, but precocious and determined, and she has started trying to climb out of her crib, so we think it's time. We have our heart set on a montessori floor / house bed, because it feels safe (considering her restlessness and climbing antics), cosy and just because we like the look of it. It's a bit of an unnecessary expense because we could just get her a normal single, but it should last her quite a while because she is small for her age, and it has a 160 x 70 mattress. The only thing that worries me is that even though it suits her now, she will find it babyish way before she technically grows out of it. She is still more or less a baby now, but how will she feel about a floor bed like that at age 6 or age 9?

Any advice?

The width may be an issue in a couple of years. Standard width is 90cm. Mine actually have double beds (8&9) and fill them with extended limbs in starfish mode.

I wouldn't count on it being sensible past fourish.

Small beds are okay to about 5.

Our eldest hated having a bed low down (cotbed) and would end up in our bed most nights. Once we swapped her to a standard single she stayed put. Yes she fell out a few times but not for very long and she didn't get injured by it as we'd put soft things on the floor at the sides.

Hm, that's not very encouraging. I hadn't thought about the width, and yeah, I can't be sure if she will take to a floor bed, but I'm just not comfortable with an 18 month old in a normal single, especially since I still find her in crazy positions at all hours. Thanks both for your responses!

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Yeah I imagine she might be asking for a big girl bed before she's 4. Especially if she gets to see other kids bedrooms.

Here is my DS's he has been in it for 2 years, he's now 3.

He loves it, as do I - it was a great transition from co sleeping.

He could sleep in it for several more years as it's a double but we will do a "big boy room" once we have a bit more cash!

His is a double btw

I would say 5 too. We kept our Dc in an IKEA toddler bed, which I'm pretty sure is the same size, until 5 and half, and it was getting a bit snug then.
I think a 9 year old might be uncomfortable.

@Hadeley

Hm, that's not very encouraging. I hadn't thought about the width, and yeah, I can't be sure if she will take to a floor bed, but I'm just not comfortable with an 18 month old in a normal single, especially since I still find her in crazy positions at all hours. Thanks both for your responses!

We out the cot base and mattress on the floor,and popped a bed side guard rail on the side not near the wall, worked just fine:)

The only reason we used the base was to allow air to flow,but you could easily just flip/prop the mattress up every sheet change.

I'll start by saying both my DC are big for their ages. They moved out the toddler beds at 4 and 2. At the same time. We bought them both normal singles and put a bed guard on the two year olds.

Hmm, I am not too worried about the size, actually. I'm barely 160 now and would probably still fit, lol - I remember being 4'5" (135) when I was 11 or 12. I cannot imagine the bed will be too small for her by age 5. It's purely the fear that she will think it childish.

@itsharderthanithought89 - really love that! DD's room is too small for a double, unfortunately, but I could look out for something a bit wider so she can stretch out.

@00100001 - that is definitely another and probably much more sensible possibility.

Can you take the sides off the cot so it's more like a bed?

Or just put the cot mattress on the floor? Lift it every few days to make sure moisture doesn’t build up I suppose.

Can you take the sides off your cot? I've done this with my 2 year old. The cot mattress is on the lowest height, barely off the floor. She fell out of it once so far but didn't get hurt. She will stay in this until she goes into a normal bed. Saved money not buying a toddler bed.

I can definitely do that, but I really like the floor / house bed. :-)

We replaced my sons toddler bed for a single for his 5th birthday but that was because it broke. He still had quite a lot of room left in it though! I reckon it would have lasted him until he was 7.

When he moved to a single I put a small flat cushion folded over to make a lump under his sheet, on the edge of the bed (other side was against the wall) to stop him rolling out of bed.
I've read that a pool noodle under the sheet works quite well too if you did think about getting a single

Not a floor bed but my daughter (who is small for her age) had a standard toddler bed until age 7!

No need for a bed guard if using a bed off the floor unless it's ridiculously high - a rolled up bath towel (like a sausage) or swimming pool noodle / woggle under the sheet on the outer edge will stop a toddler rolling out in their sleep.

@stuckinarutatwork that towel/pool noodle idea is genius!

@halfpasteleven It's a fab idea that I got from someone on here when mine were small. Also very portable as you can always have access to a bath towel when visiting family / staying in a hotel etc.!

DD was in a toddler bed until she was 5, she would have stayed in it another year I think but she broke it by jumping on it.

Only just moved 3 year old DS out of his cot and got him a toddler bed, hoping for at least two years use out of it.

We moved DS into a single bed straight from his baby cot when he was just about to turn 2. Bought a bed guard for one side and pushed the bed up against the wall on the other so he couldn't roll off. He looks tiny in it but he loves it! Ends up in all sorts of weird positions because there's so much room 😂

Argos sell house beds that are a standard single size. My 2.5 year old loves hers. She does fall out sometimes but just climbs back in by herself.

Hi there, would you mind telling me where you got your floor / house bed from? Our son needs something a little lower to the ground as he keeps rolling out! Many thanks