Skip to main content

How to choose the right bed for your toddler

It’s always a bittersweet thing to watch your child grow up. We’re proud and a little sad that they can’t stay small forever. One big transition comes when children outgrow their cribs and switch to their very first big-kid beds.

Choosing the right bed may seem simple, but when you’re faced with choosing something your child will spend a ton of time in, it can be daunting. Luckily, we have a great list of things to consider when selecting the perfect toddler bed. Let’s take a look.

Convenience or longevity?

Your first fundamental choice is the size of your mattress. Right now, your child has a crib mattress that can transition straight to a toddler bed. If you and your child already love the mattress you choose for the crib, this could be a great way to get more use out of it.

Use a crib mattress with a toddler bed if:

  • You chose a high-end crib mattress and want more use.
  • The mattress is still in good condition and supportive.
  • Your child is on the younger side (2 and a half or less).
  • You don’t have another baby who will need the mattress right away.
toddler sleeping
Matt Carr/Getty Images

Choosing a regular-sized mattress can also be a great choice under the right circumstances. New twin-sized mattresses are supportive and can grow with your child. If you have a baby on the way that will be using your current crib mattress, or you’d like something with longevity, a regular mattress is a better idea.

Use a standard mattress if:

  • You need to use your crib mattress for a child on the way.
  • Longevity is the most important thing about your decision.
  • Your child is on the older end (3 or older).
  • You’d like to be able to use standard-sized sheets.

Consider safety and security

Regardless of whether you choose a toddler or standard-sized bed, there are security considerations. Toddler beds are often easier to childproof than standard beds, but both have pros and cons.

A toddler bed must fit your crib mattress exactly, or it poses an entrapment hazard. However, these beds are low to the ground and come with rails to prevent small children from rolling off. Most toddler beds have a weight limit of around 50 pounds, so you’ll have to consider your child’s growth.

A standard bed can support a much more considerable amount of weight, but you’ll have to put some precautions in place. Many parents choose simple railings that attach to the sides while a child is getting used to a big bed. If the bed is too tall, it could be difficult for a child to get in and out of bed easily, but some can come with stairs.

The overall design of your child’s bed should be rounded corners and no protruding screws. If there are slats, be sure that your child cannot get their legs or head stuck between the slats. The best choices are smooth finishes with curves and no gaps.

Think about the materials

Mattresses can be a significant source of allergies for both children and adults. Cheap mattresses sometimes produce fumes and can gather microbes and skin cells — common sources of allergies.

Organic materials can help reduce the number of allergic reactions and help children sleep better at night. These materials can be a bigger investment, but they often last longer than cheaper, synthetic materials.

Look for certified organic materials through organizations like CertiPur-US and OEKO-TEX. Take a look at the manufacturer’s label and consider materials such as organic cotton covers or latex interiors, a naturally antibacterial material.

toddler asleep
twomeows/Getty Images

As far as the bed goes, give priority to natural materials like real wood. Composite materials and paints can also cause toxic fumes and potential allergic reactions.

Consider the design

Toddlers often need help learning how to go to sleep and stay there. While a race-car bed isn’t a necessity, it can be a way to get your riled up toddler interested in getting into bed. Colors could be a great way to entice your child to go to their bed and stay there.

You should also look at the measurements of the mattress you have. Standard sizes are more convenient for bedding and could prevent you from having to special-order sheets.

You may also want to stick with a simple platform design so that you don’t have to use a box spring. You cut down on the materials you need, and it may also reduce the height of the bed to prevent falls and make it easier for your child to get on and off.

Choosing a mattress type

If you’re investing in a new mattress, you might consider the type of mattress available. Right now, your child may not be heavy enough to be concerned about support, but longevity is a consideration.

  • Innerspring mattresses – innerspring mattresses are often the most budget choice. They’re accessible, and younger children don’t have to worry about pressure points yet.
  • Pocket coils – Pocket coils aren’t interlinked the way standard innerspring coils are. They’re a bit more expensive, but they help reduce motion and often last longer than conventional innersprings.
  • Memory foam – Memory foam mattresses reduce motion and provide comprehensive support. However, they can be a more significant investment, and lightweight children may not need that type of relief yet.

Your best chance for the right bed

mother with toddler in bedroom
Maskot/Getty Images

As your toddler grows up, a quality bed can be one way to provide support and get them started on a lifetime of good sleep habits. You can provide your child with the right tools for excellent sleep and maybe even get them excited about going to bed each night.

This list offers our best tips for choosing the right bed and mattress, and now, all that’s left is to snuggle your child in with a bedtime story.

Editors' Recommendations

NewFolks
How many presents should your child get for Christmas? Here are some insights
Less is more when it comes to holiday gift giving
Family decorating tree

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and nothing brings more joy on Christmas morning than watching your children excitedly run towards the tree to see what Santa brought for them. (A quick cup of strong coffee also helps.) A child's wish list can seem endless and although no parent wants to disappoint their child, they often find themselves asking how many presents should a child get for Christmas.

Before arriving at that point, you’ve been planning and shopping for the gifts on your child’s list for Santa. If you have ever wondered just how many presents an average child gets at Christmas, we have a few insights to share with you about gifting your little ones.

Read more
Your baby fell off the bed! Do these things immediately to ensure proper care for your child
Have a little roly poly? Here's what to do if baby rolls off the bed
A mother changing a baby on a bed.

Parents are only human and sometimes things happen in the blink of an eye. If you've ever put your baby down on a bed and turned your back for even a quick second only to have your baby fall off the bed, you know this is true. In fact, babies falling off beds is the leading cause of injuries for children. You happen to have your baby lying there — away from the edge, no less. You turn around for just a few seconds and then you hear that telltale cry.

What do you do? First, you’ll need to keep from panicking. Taking a deep breath and making some initial observations is a vital step to ensure your baby gets the right help. Once you've calmed down imagining your little one going over the edge, we have advice for you to follow in case this unfortunate accident happens to your child.

Read more
8 incredible tips to get a toddler to sleep quickly
Here's how to help your toddler get the sleep they need
Sleeping toddler

Getting a good night's sleep isn't just important for your toddler but for everyone else in the house as well. Having a well-rested household means everyone functions better and is in a better mood. If your toddler takes forever to fall asleep, that can affect everyone's sleep. Fortunately, there are some bedtime hacks and tips to get your toddler to sleep that can help.
Setting up the right timing and routine and sticking to a consistent schedule make a big difference in deterring kids from getting out of bed to ask for a snack, water, or song every few minutes. When toddlers know what to expect at bedtime, they're much more likely to have an easier time drifting off to dreamland. Read on for our eight best tips to get a toddler to sleep.

8 tips to get toddlers to sleep
1. Time bedtime perfectly
If you start trying to put your toddler to bed for the night at 4:00 p.m., you'll probably have a very long and terribly frustrating bedtime process. It's the same if you don't start until 11:00 p.m. In general, you can't force a bedtime. It's best to make bedtime the time that your toddler naturally gets sleepy but isn't yet overtired. You can control when your toddler gets sleepy by letting them nap or not and when you schedule the nap, but by the end of the day, you pretty much have to go with the flow.
2. Keep bedtime consistent
While you want to go with your child's natural rhythm as we just discussed, once you know the time your child typically gets drowsy, pick that time on the clock to be bedtime every night. Staying up an hour later one night and an hour earlier the next won't encourage a successful bedtime routine with minimal resistance.
3. Time dinner appropriately
Does your child come out of bed asking for a snack? Make sure they haven't eaten too early so that they're hungry again after the bedtime routine. Time dinner to be over an hour or less before bedtime to avoid this issue. The digestion will also help make them sleepy.
4. Wind down
Kids shouldn't go straight from running around outside into bedtime. After dinner, wind down with books, chatting about their day, quiet music, stretching, or even breathing exercises or meditation. This isn't a good time for tablet time since the light can mess with their circadian rhythm. Bedtime starts long before bedtime, prepping the mind to be quiet and restful.
5. Set up the space for success
Make sure your child's bedroom encourages sleep. You want them to feel safe and calm, so some soothing music or a white noise machine can help. Some fairy lights or a night light that projects stars onto the ceiling can also make a child less scared of the dark. You can even put a lavender spray or sachet under the pillow to encourage sleep. Invest in blackout curtains so natural light doesn't keep your child awake or wake them up too early (they might also be scared of the dark out the window, so keep the curtains closed).
6. Stick to a consistent routine
The repetition of the bedtime routine should cue your child's brain every night that it is time for bed. For most kids, this involves brushing their teeth, washing their face, going potty, and then once in their room, putting on PJs and having some books read aloud to them. You may also add rubbing their back or another soothing and calming part of the routine after story time. Even the number of books and length of the stories should be consistent.
7. Attend to every need preemptively
If you are potty training or post-potty training, you might not let your child have unlimited water overnight. In this case, having their last drink of water should be part of the bedtime routine. Make sure going potty is one of the last parts of the routine before heading to the bedroom so they can't come out saying they have to go again. Whatever they come out asking for nightly, attend to it right before going to bed to avoid the request coming after bedtime.
8. Leave them with a recording still entertaining them
Your child likely misses you once you leave. Record your voice telling them a story on an old phone (or a tape recorder, tablet, or whatever you have available), and let the recording of you telling them more stories continue as you leave. They can fall asleep to your voice without you needing to be there. If you don't want to record or don't have a device for that, there are many audiobooks, bedtime podcasts, and pre-recorded short stories for kids (many specifically for bedtime) that you can leave playing.

Read more