I do not consider it an option when moving to a big bed from a crib/toddler bed for a child around age 2-3, it is just too dangerous, they stand and can easily fall out, no matter if it is semi-raised or fully raised.
However, for a child starting around age 6 I have found it ideal. In addition to the wow factor, it also accomodates a bed or desk underneath, the bed is very good for visiting friends or family. At that age, I find they like a bit of personal space to read, etc. and changing the sheets is not a problem. Since the age of 7, I make my daughter climb up there and change them herself, it is part of her chores. Works very well.
Yein. Depends on the type of bed. Our son was 4 when he got his raised bed, which by Swiss standards is pre-school (not sure what the OP's son's age is). The mattress is ~1.5 m high, but the bed frame itself extends to 2 m, so his sleeping area is enclosed, with only the entrance point "open".
The whole "motif" is like a castle/fortress (not gory at all, honest), so they can't really fall out.
3 year-old, and he doesn't fall out of the bed anymore. The one he has now is similar to what you describe Carlos, with part of the frame enclosed. Actually, that's part of the reason why 70cm or so isn't enough when there's also a part-enclosure. Enclosure plus something wider is probably the best bet if it's a higher bed.
To be honest, we were less worried about falling out of bed when asleep - usually the body gets injured when you try, literally, to break a fall. If you brace yourself for impact it'll hurt more than if you are relaxed.
That said, playing/romping around could result in a child falling out of bed. I did put an extra slat across an open access to stop this happening, but at the same time, the old saying is true: you can't wrap up your kids in cotton wool, and a couple of falls from low heights usually teaches children a valuable lesson.
nice to see this thread. I am currently looking a bed for mine too and I found a lot of useful sharing here.
My daughter is 3 years old too. We pretty much decide to buy a 120cm wide (not raise up) since long ago. This is basing on a few chat with friends, personal experience and a serious discussion with my husband.
- first of all, we want a bed to be able to last for next 10-20 years before the kid decides to move out and live alone one day.
- as such, we are prepared to pay a bit more and also a bigger size 120cm which is more comfy for teenager .
- in considering the current need (an age 3 kid), we still stand for 120cm because we think it's nice to do bedtime story reading. More importantly, when the kid is sick at this age, we don't want to leave her alone, neither do we want her to come to our bed (it is disaster, she could hardly sleep due to the different environment). it will then be good for one of the parent to sleep next to her, and let the other half having a good sleep for the next day work.
-in terms of space, I agree with another member talking about the less need to play on floor. Actually, as my kid is free to walk around, she enjoys a lot in the living room, or sitting on the couch, and when she does play, we do it in the living room as i need to watch her other brother as well.
Yep, reading and sniffly cuddles is my biggest draw with a bigger bed.
However, the matter seems partly settled for me as when I approached the idea with the wee one this morning he nearly had a fit -apparently he loves sleeping with half body hanging off the sides. Silly me.
Yes, I was talking about the waking hours, not the sleeping hours. In particular the horseplay, jumping, climbing, etc. And for my son, the one second warning before needing to get to the toilet would result in a lot of injuries or wet beds if he has to navigate steps/height at a moments notice.
Haha! Indeed. We ended up putting a spare mattress on the ground during the *ahem* wet season (when he was learning to go dry through the night). Changing sheets* at 3 am in the morning was not an option...
90cm is the standard single size and the easiest to find fitted sheets for. If you want any irregular size, like an Ikea 80cm or 120cm, then you'll be limited to what bedclothes you can choose... just a thought. This also goes for duvets and pillow cases - if you go for Ikea sizes, then you'll have to get the bedclothes to fit there too.
Oh yes! The 'wet season'! Definately wait until that's over before even considering a raised bed! My son went into his aged 5 and its got high sides all around except the entrance. He's got great balance and has no problem navigating the ladder in the dead of night even! I think he might've been a monkey in his previous life!
Daytime antics are banned on the top bunk...!
Also, when we have many visitors we use the bottom bunk for guests, or when my husband is snoring too loud or just plain hogging too much of the bed and is immovable for me to regain sections of the covers, I too have been know to migrate!
I personally wouldn't go for a raised bed until later and you're sure of your kids night-time habits. My oldest (now 6) regularly gets up in the night to go to the loo and most of the time he's half asleep when he does it - if he were in a raised bed I think this would be pretty dangerous. And I think the recommended age (at least for a proper "top bunk") is 6 years.
So, anyway, my younger one (age 3 and a bit) is still in a toddler bed (an Ikea one - probably the same one you've got!) and this seems to suit him fine - he's quite small for his age so he still has a lot of space in it and it's quite in proportion to his size so no plans to move him up just yet.
My older son moved to his normal single sized bed at 3 1/2 - mainly because that's when my younger son was born and we were doing the whole "big boy" thing with him to get him used to the idea of son 2 coming along.
And hey what is this with the 120cm (or double!) beds for single teenagers??? I don't sleep in one that big . My husband and I have a 2 x 100cm bed and we have plenty of room (for two people!) I'm sure I never had a bigger bed than 90cm as a teenager and my kids won't be getting one either (wouldn't fit in either of their rooms for one thing).
My kids played on the floor throughout their teens. Actually, I still think it's the best place to spread out for monopoly.
We really are a decadent society, aren't we? MOst of the world=s kids sleep on mats on the floor and here we are, saying that a mattress on the floor will not be good for a child. Actually, I suspect that a firm mattress on the floor is probably the best thing for most of us.
And double beds? NO way. That's just asking for trouble later when they decide that the bed may be big enough to share...... I can just hear the teenage arguement now "You bought me a double bed, so why can't I have my boyfriend/girlfriend over to sleep with me....
Personally, I go for the idea of beds being as small as possible, at least until a child is old enough to be able to make the bed alone. The smaller the beds, the easier for me to be making them up each day.
No, your son does not NEED a bigger bed. He's probably pushing the current one out from the wall simply because he can and/or because it is part of an imaginitive game he is playing in bed. But, if you want to buy a bigger one, that's okay too. He's fine, either way.
If space permits, I still think a double bed is the way to go. They can sleep in that bed throughout their teens and beyond. Guests can use that room too either by moving 1 kid in with another for that time or when your kid is on camp/uni/ or moved out and comes back to stay. Both my husband and I had double beds in our teens and when we go back home, our beds are always there for us
I changed my son to a high bed before he turned 2. He plays underneath and he sleeps very well up there. I is a standard 90x200 cm size.
If you are going to get him a new bed, make it attractive from the beggining. Get curtains, the slide or the tunnel to put on it. Also don't do it in front of him. They get very annoyed when you take the old one away.
I myself don't like restricted spaces and my son's sleeping behaviour (i.e. how he lays when he's alseep) like knocking his head on the side, raising legs up on the wall, flipping and flopping to find a comfortable position mirrors my own actions when I'm sleeping uncomfortably. This restlessness could be for many reasons yes, exploring the need for a wider sleeping space is fair.
As for the lure of teenage lust... well, I'm not so sure if double-bedding initiates sexual activity, or that a lack thereof insures abstinence. It may get them to change the sheets though (I'm being cheeky, I really don't mean offense).