ot-toddlers in bunk beds?

[dana1003]

does anyone have toddlers in bunkbeds? my girls are just turning 4 and growing out of their toddler beds.a bunk bed would free up lots of space but dont know if they are old enough? any feedback

 

[GEM]

I have a 4.5 year old son and I wouldn't even consider putting him in a bunk bed yet, or at least not in the top bunk. He's still up at least once most nights for a drink or to go to the bathroom or to come in and get in bed with us (which we allow). There's no way I'd trust him to get up and down in the dark while half asleep. Even if he was the kind of kid who slept all night straight through, I don't think I'd chance it.

 

[dana1003]

yes your right about the getting up thing..they dont get up every night but once in a while they do get up to go to the bathroom. i didnt even think about that?(stupid me) thank you for helping make that decision real quick. its a no.

 

[SpoonfulofSugar]

yes your right about the getting up thing..they dont get up every night but once in a while they do get up to go to the bathroom. i didnt even think about that?(stupid me) thank you for helping make that decision real quick. its a no.

They have bunk beds that come apart to make two seperate twin beds. This is what he got for our sons, although we do keep it as a bunk bed now but neither sleeps on the top yet, we got a full bed on the bottom that they share for now. (The full on the bottom can be changed back to a twin later-- just have to get a new mattress.)
You may want to look at this kind and use the two twins now and you can make them bunk beds later when the girls are older---- just another option.
Oh-- the recommended age for the top bunk is 6, I believe.

 

[drivencrazy]

Really depends on the child.

My soon to be 5 year old has had a loft bed for over a year now. So he was almost 4 when we got it for him. He has only had one problem getting down, it was when he was really "out of it" and he just called for me and I got him down. He loves his bed and I love that he has the whole floor to play on!

Now he has a friend that is a week younger, there is NO WAY that he could handle a bed like that right now.

My oldest girl slept on the top bunk when she was about 3 as well... only once and a while though! She could have handled it as well, but there was really no need for her to be up there. Now my 2nd girl.......... there is NO WAY she could have handled sleeping up there at a young age, she is now 10 and all over the place when she sleeps (although does sleep on the top bunk sometimes now with no problems).

You are really the only one that knows your children and if they could handle it or not.

I remember being around 10 or 11 and sleeping on my brothers top bunk and falling off. I guess there was reason my parents let him have a bunk and I never got one in my room!

 

[Aneille]

This may work for you. When my oldest turned 4 and my middle was 3 we got a University Style bunk bed.

Right now the top bunk is only about 4.5 ft up and the bottom bunk is on the floor. They are in an L.

We can if we want raise them both up to a full bunk in an L formation and then use the space underneath like college kids do or set up like a traditional bunk bed.

It was similar to these ones but we set up so the top bunk is lower more like captain bed height and the bottom one is ankle height. It was perfect for our kids ages.

http://www.morebunkbeds.com/Univers...m-Extra-Long-Senior-Crew-Loft-Bed.htm#Details

It looks like the picture below in its set-up. But ours is a honey wood color. And we have a rail on the top bunk.

http://www.universityloft.com/produ...ryid=78&parentcategoryid=163&maincategoryid=1

This is another way it can be set up.

http://www.universityloft.com/produ...ryid=78&parentcategoryid=163&maincategoryid=1



We like it because it will grow with the kids.

 

[WantToGoNow]

My daughter will be 4 in about a month and has been sleeping on the top bunk for about 9 months. My ds6 originally was up there but he is afraid of heights and dd was thrilled to sleep up there. She has fallen 2x - both times off the ladder, not the bed. Watch blanket sleepers and the stairs -- they're slippery. She did have some good bruising the one time when she hit the window sill just below her underarm but otherwise she was not hurt.

 

[crisi]

I believe peditricians recommend the age of six. You could probably google search it up.

I had bunk beds for my kids young, but they were not bunked until the kids were older - before they were six though.

My sister broke a collar bone falling off a bunk bed - they are a good source of emergency room trips.

 

[HelenePA]

my girls are in bunk beds. the youngest girl is actually on top, she is a much sound sleeper than her sister! She has been up there since 4, with NO problems at all! I would have actually put her up there at 3. She is a much better sleeper than her sister who is older. There are times when I find them both up top. As long as they sleep, I really dont care who sleeps where anymore! I think it all depends on the child more than age. Our beds also come apart into 2 twins.. have you thought about getting something like this?
http://www3.jcpenney.com/jcp/Produc...t.aspx&CmCatId=SearchResults&Search1Prod=True

 

[Just(donald)Ducky]

My two sons are in bunkbeds: They were 3 and 4 when we put them in. The older one sleeps on top, the younger on bottom. There have been a couple of falls, but those are more attributed to "Little boy courage" and an unhealthy obbsession with spidermn then falling out while sleeping: Turns out at the age of 4 a little boys hands can't shoot webs. A lesson well learned.

The younger one falls out of bed almost every night, but he would do that in everything save a crib. We've considered putting him in the top bunk, but don't want him to fall if he gets up at night, and he usually sleeps right through falling out of bed. Cutest thing too.

 

[LisaNJ25]

I prefer the trundle beds over buck beds. My 3yo has the trundle and my 8yo has the bed.

 

[Magpie]

My two started using a bunk bed when my oldest was about four and a half. We knew we were taking a chance, but it was either that or have them keep sharing a single bed. And the local children's aid gets really squirrelly about opposite sex siblings sharing a bed.

So we bought the sturdiest bunk we could find, and the oldest went up top. She never had any trouble climbing down from the top for midnight bathroom breaks. However, she did fall off the top at least once, maybe more, while playing. For some reason she decided she had to touch the opposite wall, couldn't reach and overbalanced.

We always said it's a good thing kids that age bounce! She had some bruises, but managed not to kill herself.

That said... do I think it's a good idea? Not if you have other options. If I'd had two little girls, I'd have let them sleep together a few years more.

 

[Not so Dumbo]

We started using them when my son's were 3 and 1. The bottom bunk we didn't put the mattress or bunky boards together, instead we put DS1's crib inside the frame. DS4 didn't have any problems falling off until he was 6 and wasn't quite as careful about getting down. The bunkbeds that we bought had a pretty extensive railing system, there was no way DS was going to fall off the bed or slip under the railings.

 

[megthewonderful]

We bought bunk beds for our 3 and 4 year old boys, but we have yet to actually bunk the beds. We've been using them as separate twin beds. We plan on bunking them when the oldest turns 5. The beds come with a pretty extensive and sturdy rail system, so we aren't too concerned about them falling off the bed. We're worried more about the ladder up to the top bunk. We'll probably leave a night light on for awhile until they get used to going up and down the stairs at night. Our pediatrician thought somewhere between ages 5 and 6 was the earliest we should bunk the beds.

 

[JJ&JSMOM]

Our peditrican said age 6 as well. We're redoing our kids' bedrooms and when we went to the furniture store the kids were allover the bunk beds. DH and I talked about it and we both agreed not to get them. DS8 sleep walks so thats a definite "no" and DD2 & DD5 are too young in my opinion. DS8 thought they would be fun for sleepovers but personally I only see a liability. I don't want to be a downer but personally I don't see us ever buying them. I've read one too many horror stories about these. Friends can sleepover on an aerobed. I'm sorry to be a downer I guess I'm just not comfortable w/it but to each their own. But my niece has had a bunk bed since age 3 or 4 & she did fine. I'm just a worry wart I guess.