July 16, 2008
Are Your Kids Ready For Bunkbeds?
Are your kids ready for bunkbeds? bunkbeds can be the ideal sleeping arrangement for kids who have to share a room with siblings. If you have two kids sleeping in the same room you should consider bunkbeds to save space.
Bunkbeds are an old concept that are very popular in bedrooms where siblings have to save space. If you have two children of the same gender and are limited on bedroom space, chances are that they are going to share a room. Although many parents today do not have the large families that parents did in the past, there are cases where there are blended families more than ever today.
Children should be at least 6 years old before they can sleep in the top bunk of bunkbeds. Bunkbeds are two beds that are stacked vertically on top of one another. They are such a popular option for kids’ rooms that they come in many different shapes, sizes and styles. Some of the most popular styles of bunkbeds for kids’ rooms include:
Twin Over Twin Bunk Bed
A twin over twin bunk bed is the most popular style when it comes to bunkbeds. These beds can be made of metal frames or wood and are the ideal choice when you are limited on space. You will find these bunkbeds in various institutions where sleeping space is limited. The twin over twin bunk bed is a fair bet for the bunkbeds because it really conserves the most space. Rather than putting two twin beds in the same room, you can save room by stacking them as bunkbeds.
You can usually find bunkbeds at any store that sells mattresses or bedding. You can even find them at online stores. Metal bunkbeds are usually less expensive than their wooden counterparts. If you choose a twin over twin bunk bed, you can choose a maple bunk bed or a walnut bunk bed as both types of bunkbeds are made of very sturdy wood. If they are for a girl’s room, you will probably choose a white bunk bed.
Twin Over Full Bunk Bed
The twin over full bunk bed made its appearance in the 1990s and has been going strong ever since. Technically, this sleeps three people. The full bed on the bottom is enough for two kids to sleep in and the top bunk is good for the third. Many parents who have one older child and a younger child opt for the twin over full bunk bed.
If you are unsure about one of your kids and their ability to sleep in the top bunk of bunkbeds, you may choose the twin over full bunk bed for your kids’ room. This way, the older child can sleep in the top bunk and the younger child can sleep with the safety of a full bed. A child who is old enough to sleep in a bed can sleep in the bottom bunk of a bunk bed.
Futon Bunk Bed
The futon bunk bed is one of the newest styles to come out with regard to bunkbeds. This is a sofa on the bottom and a bed on the top. The top bunk is a twin bed with a twin mattress. The bottom converts from a sofa to a bed and has a futon style mattress. The futon bunk bed is the ideal choice for the older child who does not necessarily need to have additional sleeping space but wants to have a sofa on which to sit or some seating area in his room. Because it has the ability to convert from a sofa to a full sized bed, it can sleep two additional people, making it ideal for sleepovers. The futon bunk bed will also work well if your child has a room of his own and you have other children visiting from a prior marriage or relationship who often spend the night. Even if they are young, they can sleep in the bottom bunk of the futon bunk bed.
With so many blended families, it is no wonder that the bunkbeds industry is booming. Your children are ready for bunkbeds if they are old enough to sleep without falling out of their bed. Although bunkbeds have guardrails that prevent someone from slipping off of the bed, if your child is too young to understand that he or she is sleeping on the top bunk, or gets up during the night repeatedly, they may get confused and try to step over the railings and fall onto the floor. This can end up causing the child harm, so this is one of the things you have to consider before buying bunkbeds for very young children.
Children are normally considered to be old enough for beds when they are two years old. There are starter beds that many parents use for toddlers that are low to the ground and just have a mattress but no box spring. By the time the child is four years old, they should be able to sleep in a regular bed without any sort of railings.
No child should sleep on a top bunk of bunkbeds without railings, however, as we never know what we are liable to do in our sleep. Although falling out of bed during sleep is a rare occurrence, getting up in the night and feeling a bit disoriented is not unusual and a child can get hurt if they fall out of their bed if they are sleeping in the top bunk.
Wait until your child is 6 years old before you allow them to start sleeping in the top bunk of bunkbeds. This is an age when they should be able to understand that they can get hurt if they fall and should have their wits about them if they wake up in the middle of the night. Always affix the guardrails to the bunkbeds so that you do not have to worry about any of your kids falling from the top bunk.
Tags: twin over full bunk bed | futon bunk bed | futon bunk bed | bunkbeds