Before purchasing a toddler bed, there are considerations you need to factor in to ensure you have made the right choice. These are a few question you need to answer before making the big purchase:

– How long will the bed be used?
– What’s your budget?
– What type do you want – convertible or non-convertible?
– What’s your child’s preference?

Toddler Bed options

There are two choices for your child’s new bed:
A toddler bed with small frames that fits a crib size mattress and most often comes disguised in spaceship, aircraft, princess castle, sports car etc.

A twin size bed with twin mattress and bed frame with portable safety rails.
Both of these two options are safe but what really is the difference? Let us learn about each of the options to see what differences they have so we can make a better choice when we shop for a toddler bed.

1. Toddler bed:

They comein fun designs and colors that most toddlers will love. In most cases, they come fully furnished with rails and frames so you don’t need to spend more on buying extras. Most toddler beds are low to the ground allowing your child to easily climb on and off the bed on their own teaching independence.
While it is easy to think only of the beautiful side of the toddler bed, they come with some limitation that one should know of before buying. These include:
– Their weight limit is 50 pounds which in most cases today, children outgrow them fast enough. It also limits the parent from getting on the child’s bed for a cuddle during their bed time.
– The effect of the toddler bed being too low and the child learning how to easily climb on and off gives them room to intentionally become mischievous at some point. Watch out for this as it may cause injury to your child.
– Many toddler beds are plastic, which make them less durable, invest wisely.
What to look for in a toddler bed?
– A sturdy structure tough enough to hold your rough and tumble tot or maybe visiting babies if any in future.
– A frame that holds a standard size crib mattress, do not leave gaps between the mattress and the frame as this poses as an entrapment hazard.
– One that has side rails or that allows you to attach some to prevent falls from your child.
– A smooth finished, rounded edges to prevent injury from rough edges that stick out.
– The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association Certification sticker should appear on the bed and on any safety rails you buy, it guarantees the product has been certified for meeting the safety standards.

2. A twin bed:

A twin bed allows you to make more use of it than the toddler bed since it can be used all through to teenage years and beyond. The frames are steady and firm to host visiting kids or you when you want to snuggle with your child or teenager. They come with beautiful shades of color and designs fitting the likes of most kids.

As cozy and it sounds, it has a bad side too that you need to learn of before blindly making a purchase. Some of these are:
– A twin size bed requires a twin size mattress and twin size bed frames that may cost you a lot of money.
– A twin bed is too high for toddlers to easily climb on and off on their own, you have to be there to help them all time which creates a dependability when they should be learning independence.

What to look for in a twin bed?

– Steady firm frames is nothing to compromise on, ensure there is the right finish with all edges smoothened out for the safety of your child.
– Ensure it has the sticker showing the products safety standards haven’t been compromised.
– Ensure it has rails or allows you to install some for your toddler to protect them from rolling out in their sleep.

With the above two options and what to look for in each of them, we are at a better position to choose what best fits our toddler, our space and our budget!

Baby stuff have become so expensive in today’s age, furniture is one thing we cannot even dare touch on when it comes to price. Manufacturers have seen the future by innovating convertible cribs that will grow along with the baby. It does not cost as much to convert as it would for a new toddler bed. A four-way crib easily coverts to a toddler bed, day bed and full-size bed that creates a hassle-free economic transition for both you your toddler.

Convertible cribs are full sized wooden cribs that can serve both as a toddler bed and twin sized beds when adjusted. They are a little more expensive that the normal non-adjustable crib but with future planning in mind, they end up being more of a saver than a rip off. Most parents have learnt that in most cases cheap turns out expensive, the more reason many are going for the convertible cribs today.

What’s required for conversion?

• Convertible crib
• Toddler conversion rails/kit
• Instruction manual
• Screwdriver
• Bedding

How to convert

All convertible cribs come with different instructions for converting into a toddler bed depending on the design of the crib but similarities overrule. In all convertible beds, the long sides of a crib measure about 54 inches.
• Use the simple instructions from the manufacturers to disassemble the crib and put together the full bed frame. The tall side of the crib becomes the headboard and the shorter or lower side becomes the footboard for the new toddler bed.
• Remove one side of the crib and replace it with a low safety rail designed to protect a toddler from rolling out of the bed. Leave one end with rails low enough to allow the toddler to crawl in and out of bed with ease. These side rails can be removed once the toddler is comfortable sleeping on the new converted bed.
• Attach the bed rails of the frame to the headboard and footboard and add a new box spring and crib mattress.
• You will end up with a tall head board, footboard, one high side and the low toddler rail side, your toddler bed is ready for use by your toddler and can be used all through to 3-4 years.

How much weight can the converted bed hold?

Most convertible cribs and toddler beds weigh about 50 pounds; it is important to consult your manufacturer in order to find the recommended weight of the bed or refer to the instruction manual that came with the purchase of the bed to be sure.

Most toddlers weigh less than 30 pounds by the time they are 24 months although there are individual differences based on genetics and diet. By age 3 to 4 years, an average toddler may weigh between 33 to 37 pounds which is still safe to use the toddler bed. However, when your child grows too heavy for the toddler bed, it is time to get him a new adult bed that can use temporary rails and one that they will use for their entire life.

Why use a convertible?

Convertibles are the same old beds that your toddler was used to since they were very small. They have become attached to them and have been formed sleeping patterns that they enjoy. Three reasons why you should consider a convertible:
1. The toddler is accustomed to it – this keeps the child happy and motivated to enjoy their time of sleep because there is no much change around them except the sides of the bed that look different. It also serves as a great lesson to the child early in life about becoming a minimalist and a recycler in future when they grow up.
2. The cost doesn’t hurt your pocket – Initially the cost may have hurt your pocket when you purchased the convertible as they tend to cost more than the normal non-convertible cribs but they serve you a long time and lessen the budget of buying a toddler bed which might actually cost double what you paid for the crib.
3. The transition is easy – For both the child and the parent, the transition is easy as no new bed is introduced just an improved one. This helps the child adapt to the improved bed easily as everything else is just the same. Better nights of sleep follow for both the parent and the child.

For these and many more other reasons, you can enjoy using the convertible on your toddler with the assurance that sleep is prevalent.