Toddler Beds

November 22, 2009

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Toddler Beds

by Susan E. Davis and Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P.
reviewed by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P.

One of the age-old questions that parents have about their toddlers is when, exactly, they can safely allow their children to graduate from a crib to a bed. According to recommendations provided by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), a toddler should be moved from a crib to a bed when she reaches 35 inches in height or can climb and/or fall over the sides.

The next question you might have is, "What type of bed should it be?" For many parents, the answer is a toddler bed, which looks like a twin bed but is only large enough to hold a crib mattress. Such beds aren't absolutely necessary; plenty of children go from cribs to twin beds. But toddler beds do have several features that parents and children alike find appealing:

Toddler beds are designed to use a crib mattress. This can not only save you money in the short term (you won't have to go out and buy a new mattress and you can use all the same crib bedding that you already own), but it can also make your child's new sleeping arrangements more closely resemble what she was used to, thereby easing her transition.

For some people, space is a consideration. Toddler beds take up less room than do twin-size beds.

Toddler beds generally sit lower to the ground, so it's easier for your toddler to get in and out of bed. This also benefits children who are not yet accustomed to sleeping without four "walls," as it offers a shorter fall to the floor if your little one rolls off the bed. (Many of these beds also come with side rails--some detachable, some not--to help guard against falls.)

Manufacturers now offer toddler beds in a multitude of styles, from plain designs to those shaped like cars and princess beds--which can do wonders to help tempt a resistant toddler to give up his crib.

Most children can go from a crib to a twin bed (perhaps with a railing attached) without any problem. But you certainly can use a toddler bed if it suits your needs. Just be sure to watch out for the same safety hazards that cribs can pose, including corner posts, cutout headboards, and the too-wide spacing of slats or bars.


RELATED INFORMATION

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Created July 19, 2001
Reviewed September 18, 2004

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