The 10 Best Kids Beds
Special Honors
West Elm Nash Loft Bed With Desk The wood in the West Elm Nash Loft Bed With Desk has been kiln-dried for extra strength and to resist cracking, and it's been covered with water-based finishes. It has a built-in desk, shelves, and a ladder to get to the upper bunk, beneath which there is space for an additional bed, should you choose to add one. westelm.com
Pottery Barn Kids Charlie Low Footboard Bed The hand-applied finishes on the Pottery Barn Kids Charlie Low Footboard Bed allow the wood's natural grain to show, giving this a rustic charm. It's made with a combination of several kinds of real wood, as well as medium density fiberboard, for durable construction, and the minimalistic aesthetic should complement most decor effortlessly. potterybarnkids.com
Editor's Notes
August 26, 2020:
In selecting our kid's beds, we kept in mind that children have different needs and can have evolving taste, based on the age range they're in, so we picked a variety of styles and sizes of models. Even if a child may not use one of these for long, they are notoriously rowdy, so strong construction was also a priority.
For young users who still like to have favorite fictional characters nearby to lull them to sleep, we chose the Delta Children Plastic Toddler, which has several superhero designs, and the Delta Children Marvel Twin, which comes in various models featuring icons from graphic novels and comic books. As for older children who might be moving into a stage of life when they want more mature-looking furniture, like the pieces mom or dad have, there is the Dorel Living Braylon and the DHP Canopy Metal. The latter can accommodate curtains for a nice private sleeping environment.
In terms of durability, the Merax Platform Twin With Storage caught our attention, as it can hold 300 pounds. We also like the strong steel supports on the Zinus Hani. The wood of the Discovery World Furniture 2818-2890 tends to crack, so we removed it during this update.
When floor space is limited, the Donco Kids Low Study Loft, which has drawers, a desk, and a bookshelf built-in, can be very useful. The Max & Lily 180213 can also help you make the most of space, as it has a lot of clearance beneath the upper bunk, leaving room for a desk or play area.
July 26, 2019:
As with any piece of furniture designed for children, safety must be a top priority. It is no secret that there have been numerous injuries from bunk and loft beds throughout the years, but as long as you take the proper precautions, there is no reason they can't be a fun and safe addition to your a kid's room. While we recommend that you read all the manufacturer's warnings with any piece of furniture you buy, this is doubly important with bunk and loft beds, as each one may have different guidelines.
That being said, there are few rules of thumb you should always stick to. Without exception, no child under the age of six should ever be allowed in the top bunk or a loft bed. In fact, any bed elevated more than 30 inches of the ground is not considered safe for kids younger than six. It is also important that any raised bed have a sturdy guard rail that rises at least five inches above the height of the mattress, and has no wider than a 15-inch entry point near the footboard or headboard. To ensure your bed always meets the safety rail guidelines, it is vital that you only use the manufacturer's recommend mattress size.
Additionally, only one person should ever occupy a raised bed at any time, and the edge should never be closer than eight feet from a ceiling fan. While on the topic of a raised bed only having a single occupant, it is important to note that roughhousing on a loft or bunk bed, even in the lower portion, can be very dangerous and should be strictly prohibited. Make sure to periodically reinforce bunk and loft bed safety with your children, especially on nights when a friend sleeps over. And finally, loft and bunk beds should not be positioned adjacent to a window.
Now that we have all of that out of the way, let's talk about some of the great options we have included on this list. Loft beds are a great way to conserve floor space, which makes them a smart option for small bedrooms. For example, the Donco Kids Low Study Loft includes a desk, bookshelves, and storage draws, essentially allowing you to eliminate two or three other pieces of furniture.
If multiple siblings will be sharing a bedroom, a bunk bed like the Bedz King Stairway can be a good option. It may seem a bit bulky at first glance, but once you realize it includes six large drawers and two spacious shelves, you'll see that it actually makes great use of every inch of floor space it takes up. The Discovery World Furniture 2818-2890 is another great choice for a shared bedroom. This bunk bed even features a pull-out trundle bed on the bottom, so there will always be somewhere for a friend to sleep. If you only have one child, but want to ensure they can comfortably accommodate a sleepover, the Stork Craft Broyhill Marco Island is an attractive model that also features a pull-out trundle bed.
The Delta Children Frozen is a good pick for a child transitioning out of a crib. It is very low to the floor, so climbing onto it won't be difficult, and it comes with guard rails. If you think your two- or three-year-old may appreciate a different design, take a look at our dedicated toddler bed list. For the child who is still young enough to enjoy a themed bedroom, but too old for a toddler bed, we have included the Delta Children Upholstered Twin, which comes in a variety of superhero motifs.
Sleeping Their Way To Better Health
Ask any parent and they will tell you that a well-rested child is a good child.
Ask any parent and they will tell you that a well-rested child is a good child. It is a well-known fact that tired children are moody, short-tempered, and just generally not that much fun to be around. It turns out it isn't just behavior that is improved when a child gets enough sleep, but their health, too. Pediatric research indicates that getting the right amount of restful sleep is as essential to a child's good health as nutrition and exercise.
If you've ever felt like your child sprung up an inch overnight, you may actually be right. Sleep has a direct effect on growth. When a child sleeps, their body secretes somatotropin, commonly referred to as the human growth hormone. This means that a child does the majority of their growing at night, while they sleep. Researchers in Italy studied a number of children with deficient levels of somatotropin and found the common link to be inadequate sleep.
Sleep also helps protect a child's heart from vascular damage. Children who have trouble sleeping have excessive levels of the glucose and cortisol circulating through their system. This is due to their body triggering the fight-or-flight response hundreds of times during the night. High levels of glucose and cortisol are linked to higher rates of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.
There is another reason that sleep deprivation can lead to obesity besides just higher levels of glucose and cortisol. The human body secretes the hormone leptin when we have eaten enough to satiate our hunger. This signals to the body that we are full and should stop eating. Researchers have found that lack of sleep impacts the production of leptin, resulting in children continuing to eat long past the point at which their body is full. Even one or two hours less than the required amount of sleep can be enough to inhibit the production of leptin.
Why Kids Really Need Their Own Bed
There are numerous reasons why children should sleep in their own bed rather than yours, and not just for the benefit of the child, but also for the benefit of your relationship with your significant other. Children must learn boundaries. They must also learn that their parents share an intimacy that they are not a part of, and that this is natural and healthy. Children who grow up seeing their parents involved in a happy, intimate relationship are more likely to create happy and healthy relationships for themselves later in life.
Children who learn to overcome their fears at a young age grow up to be more confident adults.
Children have different sleep needs than adults, as well. As we covered in the previous section, getting the adequate amount of sleep is vital to a child's physical health. A three- to five-year-old child requires an average of 10 to 13 hours of sleep a night. If you are like most adults, between work, running errands, and raising your children, you are lucky to get seven hours of sleep. Each time you enter your bedroom or climb into or out of the bed, you will be disrupting your child's sleep, potentially waking them up and increasing the chances of them experiencing sleep deprivation.
It is also important that children learn to be responsible for their own behavior during the night. They must learn to calm themselves, whether after waking from night terrors or quieting their mind before initially falling asleep. Allowing your child to sleep in your bed because they are afraid of the dark or monsters in the closet makes it harder for them to overcome their fears. Children who learn to overcome their fears at a young age grow up to be more confident adults.
Tips For Choosing A Bed For Your Kid
Buying a child's bed can be intimidating, especially if it is your child's first big kid bed. One of the most important factors to consider is mattress size. You don't want to purchase a bed that is too big for your child's room and takes up the majority of the floor space, leaving them with nowhere left to play. Yet it is just as important to buy one big enough that your child won't outgrow it too quickly. If you buy a mattress that perfectly fits your child's current height, there is a good chance you will replace it within a year. Ideally, you should choose a model that is between two and four feet longer than your child is tall. This provides enough space for pillows, while leaving them with enough room for growth.
Yet it is just as important to buy one big enough that your child won't outgrow it too quickly.
Most kids will use their bed as another surface to play on. For this reason, it is vital that you choose a bed with a sturdy frame that can stand up to all kinds of monkey business and horsing around. After all, what child doesn't want to jump on their bed?
Buying a bunk bed or trundle bed is often a smart choice for young kids. Most children like to start having sleepovers between the ages of seven and 10. Bunk and trundle beds provide a place for their friend to sleep, without taking up any extra floor space when not in use. With bunk beds, there is always the risk of a child rolling off in the middle of the night and injuring themselves, so make sure to choose one with high guard rails to minimize that possibility. Trundle beds don't offer the same risk of falling, but they do require a lot of extra floor space, since the second bed extends out from under the primary bed.
Loft beds are another smart choice for a kid's room. They are similar to bunk beds, in that they have an elevated bed, but instead of having a second bed on the bottom, they have a desk area or drawers. These are a great choice if your child's bedroom is on the small side. A themed bed can also make nice addition to a child's room. Having a bed that your kid loves can make putting them to sleep easier.