A Toddler Bed – An Exciting Transition!
Transitioning your child into a toddler bed from their crib can be made easier by getting your child involved in the decision process. Once you, as parents, have decided what kind of material and construction you’d like, what color you’d like the bed to be, and what your price range is, give your toddler a few choices and let them have the final say.
As far as material and construction, you have a few choices:
- Plastic toddler beds come in many different colors and shapes. Some resemble cars, some are made to look like princess beds. At the most basic, plastic toddler beds are generally the least expensive choice, but you must watch the quality of the bed also. If your child tends to do a lot of rocking in bed or rough-housing in his or her room, a plastic bed may not be the best choice.
- Metal toddler beds are generally constructed of powder-coated aluminum and come in a variety of colors and styles. These beds tend to be more noisy because of the metal used to build them. Construction varies, and you want to be sure to check the joints on a metal bed very regularly because they can come loose easier than in other beds.
- Wood toddler beds are usually the most expensive, but also offer greater quality and generally better construction. They offer a variety of finishes from light to dark stain, and come in many painted colors as well. These beds are the most sturdy and will last the longest. Wood toddler beds can also be found in such high qualities that they can be handed down from generation to generation as a family heirloom.
A toddler bed has the same sized footprint of a standard crib and so can simply be placed in the baby’s room where the crib used to be. It is safer, though, to place the headboard rather than the side of the bed against the wall, thus preventing your child from getting stuck between the side of the bed and the wall.
A toddler bed is an exciting new phase for your child and he or she will spend many restful nights in their new “big kid” bed!
