Kids Beds 101

It used to be, when kids messed up and did something that needed discipline, they got sent to their rooms to “think it over”. Today kids rooms can be more like a playground and sending them to their rooms isn’t very effective discipline. Parents have to be more creative, like take away some of their favorite privileges. In fact, sending kids to a room that induces creative play can give parents some much needed alone time while the kids are having a great time. The challenge is decorating a room that will serve as a bedroom and a playground. The challenge is not because of lack of resources, but because of so many choices. Establishing the character of the room starts with the choice of bed your child will sleep in. There are a multitude of kids’ beds to choose from. Several Internet ads listed over 450 kids beds.

Rooms that are chosen for bids’ bedrooms are often quite small. Choosing a bed that can help utilize the space best is important and bed manufacturers have stepped up to help you solve this problem. A kids’ loft bed may be the solution for you. A loft bed is a raised platform bed, allowing the space under the bed to be used for storage, play area, study, lounging, or even another bed, which is placed at an L shape under the loft. This still leaves room for a desk or shelving for storage. The raised loft also allows for a ton of creativity in decorating the room. Again bed manufacturers have helped. You will also want your child to help you with the choices. Theme beds are available, from castles to jungles, playhouses to trains.

A few safety issues will have to be considered. Rails around the loft should be higher than 5 inches from the mattress. Make sure there are no more than 3 and ½ inches between the mattress and the rails. The ladder to climb the loft must be sturdy. Some of the beds will have a slide to go down.

Kids Bunk Beds

Another space saving choice you have is kids’ bunk beds. If siblings are sharing a room or if you want the room to have an extra bed for a friend’s sleepover, kids’ bunk beds might be your best choice. Again you will find lots of style choices. Surf the net before you take off on a shopping trip around town. Do some price comparisons before you make any choices.

There are some safety issues to consider. Accidents can occur, but making sure the beds are built to comply with safety standards and establishing some firm safety rules for your children will assure safety for your children. Make sure the railings (which need to be on both sides of the bed-even the side against the wall) are at least 5 inches above the mattress. Keep toys or sharp edges away from the bed. Make sure that children don’t leave sharp toys lying on the floor around the bed. Also, establish with your children that the bed is for sleeping and is not a place to play on. Children under 6 should not be put on the top bunk. A nightlight in the room will help when children have to get up during the night.

Kids’ Twin Beds

One nice thing about kids’ bunk beds is that they can be taken apart to make two twin beds. As kids get older, they may like to rearrange their room and create separate spaces for their belongings. If you are purchasing a single kids’ twin bed, you will find a lot of different styles that can establish the character of the room and also remain appropriate as the child grows. You will find kids’ twin beds in platform beds, captains’ beds, sleigh beds (that is a bed with curved head and foot boards), and platform beds.

Unique Beds for Kids

You can be as wild and creative as you want choosing beds for kids. Just search the web for choices and you will have a hard time deciding which direction to go. If the bedroom décor is going to be a surprise gift, you need to be sure of your child’s interests and desires. Otherwise include your child in the decorating decisions. A whole thematic room can be designed around the bed. You can choose car beds, train beds, jungle beds, playhouse beds, castle beds, tent beds—the list of choices goes on. Do your homework and check out all the unique beds for kids on the web. You might wish you were a kid again.

Cheap Kids’ Beds

Obviously the unique kids’ beds are going to be more expensive that a more practical choice, but if you are looking for cheap kids’ beds, they are out there too. They can be sturdy and built to last, but minus all the frills. If you are handy and creative, you can design the frills yourself.