Until What Age Can a Child Sleep in a Toddler Bed?

Hi J.

We found some toddler beds at IKEA. They are almost 10 inch longer than the standard size toddler beds in the US, so the kids can sleep in them till they are at least 7 years old.

Just remember to buy the sheets at IKEA as well since you can't find that size in other stores here.

You can see the different designs at www.ikea.com

M.

Hi J.. We also live in a very small apartment and my little guy is 3. We got him a toddler bed from a friend, so we didn't have to buy it. If I were you I'd ask around. There were so many people getting rid of toddler beds! If you could get one for free, or there are also a lot of posts on craigslist for them. If not, then I would go with a twin if you can fit it in there. But my 3 year old loves his bed. He was very attached to his crib, so I was worried, but I guess because the toddler bed is still small he loved it.

Funny you ask this... my twins are turning 4 and they each have a toddler bed, but they don't really use them b/c they prefer to sleep on the floor (don't ask). But my 6 year old daughter wanted a sleepover in the twins' room last night so she slept on one of their beds. She fit, but just barely if she stretched out all the way. So you potentially could use it for a few years, although a regular bed is obviously more comfortable. I wouldn't spend a lot of money on the toddler bed... you can get fairly inexpensive ones (we had a plastic Dora one for my daughter that she used for about a year) at stores like Buy Buy Baby or Babies R us. I have "fancier" wooden ones from pottery barn for my twins, but they were hand me downs from a friend.

Hi, J..

My 19 month old son rejected his crib very early on and was sleeping on our queen size bed between my husband and me. This recently became a problem and I knew we had to get him into his own bed, in his own room. We also have a very small house and are saving for a bigger one, so I needed a solution that would grow with us. I bought a twin size trundle bed. I pull the bottom mattress out and my son sleeps there. I don't have to worry about him falling off the bed because I don't pull the mattress up, he is only 8 inches off the floor. During the day the bottom mattress rolls under the top and we have one twin size bed and room to play. This was the best thing I ever did. We are all sleeping well and my son loves his new big boy bed.

Oh, BTW, I chose a trundle instead of just a twin mattress on the floor so we would have the extra twin bed for over night guests.

So to answer your question, if you are comfortable with the arrangement, I would say a three year old would be just fine either in a toddler bed or a twin size bed.

Good luck,
R.

I wouldn't go by age but by the size of the child. My son, now 14, slept in his toddler bed until he was six. He's tall and lean. When he got his twin size bed he could stretch out and was happy. He is now 5' 11" and still in the twin bed. His bedroom won't hold a larger bed and he will only be home for another 3 years before journeying off to college. Saving and preparing him for college is important to both of us and while there he probably will be sleeping in a twin bed too.

Keep your child in the bed that fits the child's size and your lifestyle until one or the other can change. Hopefully this is helpful to you.

I moved my son out of his crib and into a toddler bed at just over 3....then back to his crib minus the rail a month later (convertible crib to toddler bed to twin bed). We finally moved him to a "big boy" bed just before he turned 4 only because I needed the crib for a new baby (who doesn't use!). My older boy would have stayed in his toddler crib/bed much longer. He only just sprouted and got very tall, but at 4.5 years and 38.5 lbs, he still might fit in it. If you can pick one up at a consignment store for CHEAP!!!!, then I'd say to do that if it saves you space. Then maybe you can transition to the two of then to a twin bed with the pull out/pop up bed underneath later with a rail for the younger one.

A toddler bed uses a crib mattress and so can fit a five year old if they're willing to stay there, lol. Can you take the side off your crib and make it into a toddler bed?

I would advise getting a twin bed with storage built in. I did that when my son was 3. I was worried that the bed would be too big. I put a safety rail on it and he loved it. Let him pick out his bedding. By personalizing it, he is more likely to take to it.
Good Luck.

I'd advise you not to spend your money on a toddler bed. I moved my children (twins) directly to twin beds at 3 1 /2 & I couldn't imagine them going from a crib into a toddler bed at that age. A toddler bed uses a crib mattress, so as long as your child still fits in it it'll work, but you probably won't be using it for more than a year & then you'll still have to buy a twin bed anyway.

They can sleep in a toddler bed until they are too tall for it. My 3 1/2 year old loves her toddler bed, she is very comfortable in it. She tosses and turns in her sleep sometimes so the toddler bed keeps her in the bed as it has rails and if she did fall it is low to the ground, she will be in it for at least another year.

My daughter will be getting her toddler bed this weekend. I guess it depends on how much your child grows. If his feet are hanging over the end and he feels like he's a sardine, it's past time for a big boy bed.

Nanc

skip the toddler bed!! I wish I did. they def. out grow them. the mattress you use in a toddler bed is from the crib...so it's not any bigger. I would do a twin and either get the side things or just leave it on the floor with a box spring...easy for her to get in and out. :)

I have 4 yr old twin girls. They have been in toddler beds since they were about 2 1/2. If I had it to do over again I would not have used them. I think they have about another year maybe. I don't think the mattress's are particularly comfortable. We are in NYC too and space is limited but a twin bed with a trundle would have been better I think. Good luck.

just go straight into a regular bed with a guard rail. why waste the money on a toddler bed

My son just turned four, but wears size 5 clothes because he is on the tall/big side for his age. He still sleeps comfortably in his toddler bed, as he has for about two years now. I think we can get at least another year out of it unless he has a miraculous growth spurt between now and then :-)

We found that shortly after my son turned 3 the toddler bed was just too small for him and moved him into a twin. It would probably depend a lot on your son's size as my 3yo is pretty big for his age. That's our experience though! Good luck in your decision!

i moved mine from crib to toddler bed at 27 months. i could have done it earlier. they didn't outgrow the crib at that point but they were ready. transition went without any problems. good luck

I have a 4 year old who sleeps in a toddler bed.
my 3 year old is still in a crib, mainly because he still fits in it and can climb out no problem LOL.

I wanna say tho that maybe you wanna look into a trundle bed.

http://www.mybobs.com/RIO.aspx

this is something similar to what I will buy for my boys when we are ready.

M