Bunk Beds Under Age 6

My boys are in toddler beds and, while they still fit, we want to get them into twin beds. We just think they'd be more comfortable (especially since their animals are quickly taking over those little beds!). However, we're torn as to what to do. Their room could fit 2 twin beds, so that's not a problem (although having bunks would leave more room for us to put toys/table & chairs/desk type stuff in there). My husband really wants to get bunks, but I'm worried because they're under the recommended age of 6 for top bunks (they'll be 4 in July). There are the 2 bunk options...the ones with the ladders & the ones with the stairs (like this). The stair ones seem safer, but they have no option to ever split (as they may want to do in the future) & they're much more expensive. I'm leaning towards buying the bunks that 'un-bunk' into 2 twins so that we could set them up that way now & bunk them when they're older. I'd LOVE the space saving option of bunks, but I don't want to worry about their safety. My boys are wild, but are usually good in their room. I'm not worried about what trouble they'd get into after we put them to bed...it'd be the trouble they'd get into during the day. Plus, if they have to use the bathroom at night, I worry about the ladder/stairs (they do have a night light in their room).

So, have any of you bunked your kids under the age of 6? What are your thoughts? Experiences? Pros & cons? Any advice???

 

No way I would do it. Heck even at 6, lol. I would just keep worrying...

 

At 5 1/2 Jess still falls out of bed once a month. Since she also sleep walks I don't think rails would stop her. I don't think I'd ever put the girls in bunks. How about trundles or captains beds. We have captains beds and it helps eith storage space

 

Well, I'll go against the norm and say we moved to bunk beds just after 3. They LOVE their big kid beds. DS is in the top because we felt he would transition easier up there. We have the ladder style, and a one that's a little lower I think than most. (Could be wrong about that though.)

Ours had been in toddler beds for about 6-8 months before the move and already knew what we expected of them in their beds. Granted they still played, but so far they've been the type to go buck wild in their room. The most they'll usually do is drag all their books (which is a lot) to DD's bed and set up camp.

DS bed has railing all the way around it except where the ladder is. We chose to put his pillow by the ladder. We've not yet had any issues with him. While he's fine with climbing up and down during the day, for whatever reason he calls for us when he has to potty in middle of the night. (But he did that in his toddler bed too.)

They love it and we love it! And, yes, it does give you so much more room!


This is their bed.

I think it really comes down to each child and how they respond. For us it's been great.

 

I thought I wanted bunk beds when I was a kid. Then it was SUCH a pain to get down to go pee!

I wouldn't put my boys in them. I'm too afraid!

 

We were looking at bunks for the girls and the guy at the furniture store pointed out that I'm short and it will be a pita to change the sheets on the top. Now we are probably going to get them two full size beds (one in each bedroom) and if they want to sleep separately they can, and if they don't they can sleep in one bed together. We already have one full in our guest bedroom and they are sharing the other bedroom. With this option we can still have people stay over, and have room in both rooms for their toys. Gl with whatever you decide.

 

I bunked my boys' bed when they were a little over 5. The only reason I didn't do it before then was just pure laziness! I've never had any problem with them in bunks. I did worry in the beginning but I don't anymore. Before we moved, we had them in two twin beds on the floor and I just never bunked them, as I said, out of laziness! But we moved right after they turned 5 so we went ahead and bunked them at the new house. It definitely opens up a lot of room for them! Now we don't have a separate playroom, they have all their toys in their room with them. My husband did secure the top bunks railing more than it's really made for, but I'm good with that.

Changing the sheets is a pain in the butt, but I do the same trick I used with their cribs. I just put on two or three sets of sheets and peel one off at a time. And to change the sheets from the top bunk, I just take the whole mattress off and then throw it back up there.

 

If I were in your shoes I'd go with the option of getting bunk beds that can un-bunk and keep them separated for another year or two. It's not very much longer and then you would be able to put them as bunks and have the extra space. It would also give you the option, once you bunk them, of telling your boys that the beds will be taken apart again if they mess around on them.

Both my sets of twins got bunk beds a few months before turning 6 (the ladder type) and they've been fine. Although even at almost 6 and being pretty average for height they found the last step down (between the floor and the first rung) to be quite a big stretch for their legs. I'm not sure they would have been able to do it at 4. That might be something to consider depending how tall your boys are.

 

Put our kids in bunks when they were about 3 years and 1 month old. I put one of those mesh side rails (as well as the bunk side rail) on the top bunk. We never had a problem. I would definitely recommend it.
You can always buy the bunk beds that separate into 2 beds and keep them as 2 separate beds until they don't fall out of them then stack the beds when they are ready.

 

We've got a similar space problem in our house. Don't know if you have an IKEA store near you, but here are the beds I am considering once we outgrow toddler beds: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10123996. If that link doesn't work, just go to Ikea.com and search for the Kura reversible beds. Basically, you just flip the frame over when your kids are older and they become loft-style beds with space underneath for a study area or toy storage or whatever.

 

We moved and bunked our kids at age 4y 10 months due to space. We have one much like the Ikea on...I also , like a PP, added an extra mesh guard rail on the top bunk.


It works out great in our small apartment!

 

Mine have been in bunk beds since they were 3 and we never had a single problem. The boys sort of took turns between who gets the top and it always just worked out fine.
Now, at 6, they decided they wanted them side by side (they like to "look" at each other while they sleep So I am glad we got ones that could separate.

 

I just attended a twin panel discussion and all 4 sets had bunks and they all said don't do it!!! HAHAHAHAHA...obviously space can be an issue though. However, I would buy the ones you can unbunk. They talked about fighting about the top. Trying to push each other off. A couple were scared to sleep up high but felt claustrophic underneath, yadda yadda. Made me laugh because we were thinking about bunks in a couple years just to allow them more space in their room. Now I am having second thoughts though. At least if you could separate the beds you would have flexibility. Those loft beds with the slide are advertised here a lot on craigslist...here is one pic. http://denver.craigslist.org/bab/2321727231.html Kinda cool because there is a guard around the top and you could put a desk or store toys underneath...at least they both would have bed space high and you wouldn't totally lose floor space. Probably unrealistic but it sounds good in my mind right now.

 

We have had them in bunk beds since they turned 3yo, we put Ryder on top because he's a much more sound sleeper and Reese wakes and gets up at night more often. Although, I will say that Ryder only slept on the top a handful of times and prefers to sleep down below with his sister...this is working fine for now.

 

We have bunks, put them together at just over 4 yr. Our 'Monkey' has NO problem climbing to the top, and we don't even have a ladder! The top has an enclosed rail all the way around. At night I'll throw her up there (She likes that) and in the morning she'll climb down no problem. She's also our much more sound sleeper and doesn't ever have to wake up to go pee unless we forget to make her before bed..

I'm 5' tall, and all I do to change the sheets on top is, well, climb up there! It's much easier than trying to balance myself on the bottom bunk and make the bed at the same time....

Ours do unbunk, but I wanted them bunked to begin with. We just got rid of side-by-side twin beds and lemme tell you, the amount of space saved is AMAZING! Lol Before I only had room for 1 dresser. Now I have 2 dressers and 2 nightstands in the room. I also bought 2 underbed storage drawer units, even though I can only use 1 right now. The nightstands are a little pointless right now too, but they both have 2 drawers in them, so I've configured them with the dressers and we utilize them for play/dance clothes. works great. Before we would have clothes strewn everywhere, now they are all nice and neat (well sorta!) in the drawers!