Toddler Bed Vs. Twin Bed - Petaluma,CA

Go straight to the twin. He won't be in the toddler bed long enough to be worth it and you have to buy two beds! Have him pick out new sheets for his big boy bed. Ross has a great selection of kid sheets.

Toddler beds seem like a waste of money. If you buy a twin bed, with safety rails, it's a better investment. My duaghter's crib converted to a toddler bed, otherwise she would be in a twin. If space is a problem, try a loft bed. They leave room for storage underneath. If you must buy a toddler, try second hand stores, as he won't be in it for long. His crib mattress should fit.

Why buy two beds? Besides I like to snuggle with my boys and I don't fit into a toddler bed so we too (as I saw on one response) went from the crib to a single mattress on the floor - no falling out of bed too far.
Good luck
T

These are the few things I learned:

- Depending on how fast your son is growing, it may not be worth getting the toddler bed. My son was only in it for two months before we had to get the twin bed.

- It's easier to find, and in some people's cases, affored the bedding for the twin bed over the toddler.

- They have more options now for the rails or bubmpers for twin beds.

One pro for the toddler bed is:

- They are smaller and lower to the ground and can be better for your child when they're learning to sleep in a bed.

There are alot of options. Just pick which one calm your fear and makes you feel better. Get your sons opinion too if you can't decide.

Dear S.,

I too am a single working mom with a 34 month old son. 2 months ago I decided he needed to move from his crib (which he loved). I opted for the Little Tykes Roadster toddler bed. It is shaped like a little blue racecar and Dane loves it. Being a working mom this choice was a practical one. I could use the existing crib mattress and I got the bed from craigslist (people are always looking to unload these)so from a financial point of view it was a great idea. Dane tends to thrash around a little at night but he is large for his age (42 lbs. 41") and will probably need a twin within a year or so. But your 22 month old should love it. The day I brought the bed home, my son and I got out the tools and took his crib apart. It was a sweet experience to have, little boy getting bigger. Being a single mom and it just being he and I, we do everything as a team. Sorry to prattle on, I hope this has been useful, please let me know if you have anymore questions.

Hi S.!

Awwww...how cute...he's getting a Big Boy Bed!!!!
I actually don't think there IS a correct universal answer for this question. I think I would ask myself "Does he sleep well already in his own bed?", "Is he a climber, and will he be better off in a Toddler bed first for safety reasons?"
Actually, there are so many questions for you to ask yourself. My experience with 2 boys was they both went from Crip-Toddler-Twin-Full. I think the thing that made either of these transitions work "like a charm" is the fact that I asked my boys what kind of Big Boy Room they wanted to have. A simple $40 purchase for new bedding, and the room was transformed (until I could get to the details). When they had a "say" in their rooms, everything was more exciting about getting a "big boy room", and it wasn't just about the bed, it was about growing up. My 5th grader has had the same "theme" for the last 6 years! My 5 year old has only expressed his opinion once or twice since he started Kindergarten, so it's cute, but very "boy basic". They are happy , though, and they sleep in their rooms......most of the time, anyway :o)
Have fun!
Good Luck in your decision. In my opinion, there is no wrong choices for this. Just decide on what's best for you and your son!
:o) N.

I wouldn't bother with a toddler bed. If you are concerned about the falling out factor, this is what we did: we put a twin mattress only on the floor of the room. We didn't buy the bed frame and box spring until they were sleeping in the twin bed completely (naps and nighttime). Then after we got the frame we also had the thing(can't think of what it's called) that goes on the side to make sure they dont fall out.
This way you won't have invested in a bed yet if they aren't ready.
Good luck!

Dear S., A cute little toddler bed can be fun to get, but they don't last long. You will get much more use out of a twin or full size bed. Try to find a cute little bedspread and s
sheets of a favorite character or person to help the transition.God bless your little boy as he grows into a big boy bed.

I don't know if you've thought of it, or if space or money permits it, but one of my boys went straight from a crib to a double and the other went straight from my bed (he hated the crib) to a queen. Both beds were hand-me-downs, which obviously saved money, but the other bonus is that for those sick nights or even snuggly times, there's enough room for the three of us to lie down together (my husband works nights). Especially now, since I'm very pregnant, large, and really fatigued at the end of the day, I can comfortably lay with them, read, tell stories, sing songs, and sometimes I even fall asleep with them! So that we felt better about their safety we didn't use a bed frame at first (so they were closer to the floor for easier access) and also used and (still do for one) a portable railing to help protect them from rolling out. I don't know if this helps you or makes it even a tougher decision, but it's what's worked for us! Good luck!

I too, was not sure about a toddler bed when my son out grew his crib. We were afraid he would fall/roll out of a twin or regular bed since he moves around alot, so we bought a trundle and put his twin mattress in it! Now when we convert his crib into the full bed, he can have extra storage as he gets older or invite friends over. So at least now I don't worry about him falling too far out of bed!

My mother bought our daughter a toddler bed for her second birthday. We decided to go with the toddler bed, because every time we went into Toy'R Us, our daughter would climb up into the display bed and either sit and read, or lay down.

Before she got the toddler bed, we had converted her crib to a day bed. It was a little high off the ground, and she did fall out of it (we scattered pillows all over the floor) a couple of times. I think she's only "fallen" out of the toddler bed once, and that was more of a scoot/push onto her feet sort of thing. She just curled up on the floor and resumed peaceful sleeping.

Our daughter has been able to get in and out of our queen size bed for quite some time, so we could have transitioned her right into a twin... but she seems to really like the toddler bed. (When I put it together, she wanted to lay down on it before I'd even put the mattress in it.)
We used her crib mattress, and the same sheets from when she was in the crib, so the frame was the only expense.

My son went straight to a twin bed at 18 months. The trick is training him to get on his belly and slide feet first to the floor. We had him getting off our queen bed by 12 months while we were there. Once he mastered that, getting him into a twin was easy. Toddler beds only last about six months and are a waste of money in my opinion. Put one side of the twin against a wall and get a guard rail for the other until he can sleep without one, or you feel more comfortable. Guard rails are less expensive than toddler beds.

Good luck!

Toddler beds are convenient for two reasons, they are lower to the ground so if your baby falls off the edge, he may not even awaken. Also, it is helpful for when your little guy begins potty training as he will be able to easily get in and out of the bed himself and the mattress is already covered in plastic to protect from accidents. Also, since a Toddler bed uses a crib mattress, it will be a little more familiar to him. Then you can transition him to a twin bed once he is night time potty trained.

Hi S.,

If you have one of those cribs that transforms, it would be easy for you to try that for a while. But if you are considering purchasing a toddler bed or a twin, I would say go with the twin. Friends of mine only used their toddler beds for maybe a year or so. What we did with our kids was set up the twin without a boxspring so it is really low and if it is still too high you think you can use one of those kid bedrails. Hope that helps!

We got a toddler bed for my son, but only because it was so much fun to have a race car bed. He thrashed it and so for my second son we put him into a twin bed right away.

My advice would be that if you are doing the toddler bed for the fun shape AND if you have the money or someone is buying it for you, go for it. Being a single mom myself, I don't have extra money and would say just go for the twin bed if that is your situation. Either way, my boys did well in the twin bed, but it was more fun for my oldest having had his fun race car bed.

Put the mattress directly on the floor, not on the frame for awhile utill you feel comfortable about his get in and out of bed. Put some plush toys or blankets so that the bed doesn't feel so big,

Hi...We JUST did this with our 23 month old son. Luckily our crib is a convertable, so we just turned it into a day bed until we transition him into a crib. We tossed both ideas (twin vs. toddler bed) around for a while, but after factoring in the total cost of the toddler bed ($100 for the bed, $75ish for a new mattress, $50 for EACH set of bedding--you need more than one sheet set in case of those middle of the night accidents), and the fact that they will only fit in the toddler bed for a year at most (then what do you do with that bedding and the bed???) Anyway, for us, we will go straight from the daybed/crib into a twin.

BTW, I was so stressed about the getting out of bed and hard nights during the transition, but he's done fantastic. We just finished our 2nd week in the day bed, and he really doesn't get out--it's pretty amazing. Even in the morning he calls for me when he's ready to get up instead of just getting up on his own.

Good luck!

In my opinion and experience, a toddler bed is just a waste of money --- and from a purely "measurement" standpoint, the toddler bed and it's mattress is only slightly longer than a regular crib mattress and will only fit the size of your toddler for a short period of time before he grows out of it. Unless your crib is one that converts INTO a toddler bed (many of them do, you might want to check and see if yours does as well), go for the twin bed as your son will be able to use it for YEARS and years (I was in my twin bed until I moved out of my parents house at 18!) and you will definitely get your money's worth out of it.
There are a few things you can do to make that twin bed toddler friendly, though. I know some parents who just take the twin mattress and box spring and just put them on the floor without a bedframe so that the child can climb into it more easily AND there is less height for them to fall from if they fall out. If you DO choose to use a twin bed frame, babies r us, the first years (internet catalogue), or one step ahead (also internet) sell a small "fence" that has a part that slips beneath the mattress and prevents the child from rolling out during the night.
When I was a kid, we all just transitioned right into twin beds because no one USED toddler beds 26 years ago. We were all also kept sleeping in our cribs for much longer than parents keep their children in cribs now (my mother says all of her friends with children kept their kids in their cribs until they were at LEAST 3 and could handle the responsibility that comes along with sleeping in a big bed) and so there was no need for toddler beds. Total waste of money.
Plus, kids always get such a kick when finally allowed to do things like their parents! He will probably LOVE the idea of a big bed. Good luck! I wish my toddler was mature enough to handle being out of the crib!!!

Toddler beds are not as sturdy and don't last as long. Start by letting him take a nap on your bed or on the sofa to observe any extreme turning which will give you an idea whether he'll roll over and fall to the floor. That's a good indicator that he's ready for a twin bed. Do you plan on having other children? Save some money and get a bunk bed set. Their even more sturdy and solid and can be used as bunks or twins. Hope this helps.

Someone with experience.

Dr B.

go with the twin size bed the Toddler bed is a waste of money they dont stay in it that long

I am a mother of 2 girls ages 3 and 7. For both of our girls we purchased a toddler bed first only because they are only around $60 and that was much more affordable at the time for us rather than purchasing the whole twin bed and mattress. If you are able to purchase the twin bed and buy the sides for it so he can't fall off that is my suggestion because my youngest grew so tall so fast she was only in the toddler bed for a year and now at 3 has been in a twin bed for 4 months and also sleeps much better at night not being on the hard crib mattress. It just seemed like a waist of money when we bought 2 beds within 1 year. Hope this helps some & Good Luck:)

I've done this both ways. My two older kids, now 8 and 9, went straight from cribs to twin beds. Bunk beds, actually. That worked out just fine and I did not have to buy them a 3rd bed! My littlest, age 2, got a Thomas toddler bed for Christmas. The bed was a little pricey, although you can get a plain one for pretty cheap, but we didn't have to buy mattresses or new bedding. He loves the bed! It was easier to transition into this because it's smaller and lower to the ground. So it's really a matter of whether or not you want to buy one bed, or two. And of course, how much space you have ,as a toddler bed takes up very little space!

We used toddler beds, mostly because I thought they were cool. We had a dollhouse bed for my daughter and a racecar bed for my son. I can't think of any cons related to going from crib to toddler bed to twin bed but one of the big advantages was when we went from the crib to the toddler bed we didn't have to get a new mattress at the same time. Oh wait... this could be a "con"... when my daughter was born my son was still in the toddler bed so we had to buy a new crib mattress. I liked the toddler beds because they were low to the floor so I didn't have to worry about serious injury if one of them fell out of bed. Plus, they could get in and out easily on their own. I guess that could be a "con" too. LOL

I guess the important question is "would I do it again?" The answer is yes.

Hey S.,

I have three kids, a 5 year old girl, 31/2 year old boy, and a 11 month old girl. I would honestly say that starting them in a toddler bed is the way to go. A twin bed is so very much bigger than their crib, and a toddler bed is combatiable in size. Let them help choose it out, and it will make the whole experience easier to adjust to. You will definetly find him out of bed, alot, but this is just part of the new program. Keep as close to your schedule as you can, and he will do fine. Good luck.

I never bought a toddler bed for either of my sons, because I

Hi S.,
I bought a toddler bed for my older daughter, because she started climbing out of her crib around 18 months. She was just too little to climb all the way up into a twin bed though! We ended up using the toddler bed until she was almost 4. Then my youngest moved into it and has been there ever since (she's 2.5). She is on the short side so we'll probably keep her in the toddler bed until she's about 4 also. They have loved the toddler bed; it's just the right size for a little child and has cute little built-in rails. They can even make the bed themselves every morning, too cute!

SO... by the time we're done here, our toddler bed will have had more use than our crib! If you are planning on having more kids, I recommend the toddler bed. It's easier for really little ones. You may be able to get one cheap on Craigslist, eBay, or a kids' consignment store. You won't even have to buy a mattress, since it uses the same one as the crib. (And therefore, you also don't have to buy new bedding!)

If you are done having kids for now, then it may be a different story. If cost is not an issue, I think toddler beds are way easier but a twin could work too with some bed rails and a step stool so they can get in.

Hi There,
I had the toddler bed for my daughter and a big bed for my son.....the only draw back is that they can so much easier roll out of the toddler bed because it is so low to the ground On the onther hand that is a good thing so they dont hit the floor too hard on the way down. I would try both if the room allows. Then as he gets used to the tiny bed hecan move on up to the big bed or
make a choice on his own. The first big boy choice. How sweet. Good luck! S. C

I recomend getting a twin because because that way you can lie down with your son when he's not feeling up to par or is having difficulty sleeping. With a toddler bed you cannot stretch out as far. Also, you wont have to go and get another bed in a year and a half when he has outgrown the toddler bed. You can get rails to go on the twin bed. This is what I did with my now almost 3 year old when he was about 19 months. (He moved up because we had another baby). I hope htat this helps.

Toddler bed was a great "cheap" way to segway into the bigger bed world. Biggest draw back is no one else can sleep on it. Meaning, if you have guests, or if your little one wants you to lay down for a bit with them....or if you end up playing musical beds in the middle of the night noone over 50 lbs. can be on it. My husband found this out when he scrunched his body onto it one night and woke up with both him and the bed contorted!
I'm not sure I'd go twin unless you know they'd fit on it for a while and you'd get your money's worth. My son outgrew a twin before middle school (he's now 6'3"). Was better to go straight to full or more. Then, if they have friends sleep over or a sibling wants to sleep in there on the weekend, they can bunk up. Twin with a pop-up trundle works good, too.

Hi S. S.,

My twins went from their cribs to twin size beds with no problems. We were going to get the toddler size beds but the way kids grow we decided against them. Sure glad we did. I've seen my friends scrambling later to get rid of their toddler size bed in order to get a regular twin size. The toddler bed ends up taking room in the garage. So my vote would be for you to get the twin size. You'll save time, space, and money in the long run.

N. R :o)

I'm not against twin beds, just thought I'd share why we love a toddler bed instead.
1. Our son has a lot more space in his room without a twin bed in there.
2. Toddler beds are inexpensive and you already have a mattress from the crib (provided you don't need it for a new baby).
3. They are so low to the ground that even if he did fall out of his bed around the built-in rail, he's not likely to be injured.
4. It's not too big of a change at once (especially with the same mattress and sheet).

Our son is 3 1/2 and is still in his toddler bed. He's old enough for a twin, but since he's still small enough for the toddler bed, we'll keep it as long as we can just so he can have that extra space to play in his room. Also, I don't have to worry about him and his little brother climbing up on a bigger bed and jumping off!

Don't waste your money. The best is to get a twin or a full if you have room. We put the mattress on the floor for two years and it was great! Able to climb in and out by themselves, no worry at night or at nap time of falling out and easy transition to the frame when it is time. ALWAYS use a guard rail anyway even on the floor so they get used to that and how to get out of bed with it. When up off the floor, waking at night to use the restroom, they are able to do it safely. Don't take the rail off until they are much older. Even in to early elementary years. Good to take one on trips too or at least have one at grandma's house. Have fun!

We went straight to the twin bed for our son. It worked great! We just had both the crib and the twin bed in the room together for awhile, so that his transition was easy... he made the choice which bed to sleep in for awhile, as he needed that extra security having the crib as well. Eventually, and naturally he gave up his crib and now he sleeps in his twin bed only and has for quite some time.

We have a rail guard on his bed, which you will need with a twin.

Perhaps though it may, in parts depndend on your childs temperment/personality. It worked for him and us. He likes his bed! We will do the same for his little sister, as she loves pretending to sleep in his big boy bed, and playing on it as well.

Twin beds also are useful for years longer... if you think it would work, save the $$ and get a twin to start.
C.

Hi S.,

We have a crib that converts to a toddler bed then a full size bed. We tried the toddler bed for a few months but our son seemed to keep crawling out of it and coming to our room or wanting to sleep on the floor. The conclusion we came to, is that he didn't like the mattress (which of course is the same as a crib mattress), so we went to the full size bed. He sleeps much better at night and stays in his own bed. We also decided to put the mattress and box spring directly on the floor so he in able to get in and out of bed by himself. He has only fallen off once and that is when we first got the mattress. Good luck!

I would say to get a twin bed because they will be able to sleep in it longer. Toddler beds are only good for a couple of years, and then they will need a twin bed anyway. Just something to think about!

The toddler bed is lower to the ground and smaller, giving the youngster more freedom in being able to manuever in and out of the bed. They have a guard rail and seem to give confidence to my granddaughter (2yrs).
N. D

We started with a toddler bed for about one month and ended up selling it. It was too cramped for our little guy. He was constantly turning sideways and hitting his head or his feet were dangling off the side. We went to a twin bed and bought some side protectors so he wouldn't fall off. He is four now and is still in it. I wouldn't waste my money on a toddler bed again.

Hi S.

I like to think in practical terms. Eventually your son will need a twin bed as he will continue to grow. Might as well get it now and get more bang for your buck. Those toddler beds are cute and all, but realistically, not financially worth it. Kids already outgrow other things soon enough such as clothes and shoes so if it were me and it has been, we never bought one of those and just used and continue to use a regular size bed. good luck :)

I would recommend going straight to a twin bed instead of spending the money on a toddler bed. Granted the toddler beds are lower and easier for your child to get in and out of, but he would be much better off in a twin bed and purchasing a bed rail so he won't roll out. My son didn't sleep well or through the night in the toddler bed. They use the same mattress as a crib, and as you know, those aren't very soft and comfortable. Good for baby, not for kids. Plus if he has trouble sleeping and wants you there with him, they are very uncomfortable. Once my son got into a twin bed, "Big Boy Bed", he's been sleeping through the night since. In addition, what I found, is the lower to the ground (toddler bed) its much colder, too. I felt guilty that he slept in that bed for two months, I never realized how much cooler it was. I say go with a Twin Bed! On that note, I have a metal frame toddler bed and mattress for sale! (smile!)

Unless your son is itty bitty, go with the twin bed - it's a long time investment that can stay with him until he graduates from high school.

Hi S.,

When I was making this decision for our daughter she was only 15 mo old. I did not feel she was big enough for a twin bed but was climbing/falling out of her crib so I had to do something. I still did debate the whole toddler bed verses twin bed thing though because she was really good at getting on and off of high surfaces (the couch, our bed, etc.) and I wanted to save the money and number of transitions in her life.

What I read was when they are in their crib they know their boundaries are limited by rails and are use to resting against them and being stopped by them. If you transfer them to a big twin bed with toddler rails http://www.securebaby.com/bed_rails_all.html then they will still have that false sense of security, and still run the risk of falling out once you remove them. If you transfer to a toddler bed first then the half rails that are pretty standard to come on toddler beds, allow them time to adjust to the feeling of staying in the middle of the bed and obviously the fall is a lot closer to the ground. If you find that your toddler is always in the middle of the crib then their transition will most likely be pretty easy and by following a few simple rules about big bed placement you could probably go straight to a big bed.

In our situation my toddler, if you could even call her that yet at 18 months, was quite a restless sleeper and still so little that I did op for the toddler bed first. Even so she only fell out of it once.

In your situation since you are dealing with a child who you feel is ready for a toddler bed, then I don’t see why you could not go for the twin bed right off the bat. There are many tips out there on making the transition easy and positive for the child and making the bed safe too…there have been a few others asking more specifically that question in the past…

Follow your instincts on this one…there really is no one way is the right way on this one.

I did the toddler bed thing with my first son and I have to say it was fun for him because we did the whole car bed thing. With our 3 year old we went right into a twin bed. We bought bunk beds so we could have the guard rails and so each boy has his own bed. Having had both experiences going straight into a twin bed was more economical because now he has a bed that he will enjoy for years.
L. M

don't waste your time or money on a toddler bed. you see how fast they grow.

Hi,
I wouldn't bother with a toddler bed, unless you have extra money to spend. It is something that is simply transitional and you won't get much future use out of it.

I would use a regular single bed with a rail, so he doesn't fall out. You can make the mattress lower and easier to climb into by using a single mattress, instead of having a box spring underneath.

I am a recycle and re-use kind of gal, and would rather put money into something they will eventually graduate to anyway.

Have fun! He will be so proud :-)

They grow so fast - why bother with a toddler bed? Just get him a twin and put one side against a wall and put one of those mesh rails on the other side until he gets used to sleeping within the edges. I recommend that you get a trundle bed as well. They come in handy because you can pull them out about a foot, and then if he rolls out of bed, he just lands on the trundle. And when your baby is sick, you can lie on the trundle and sleep in between medicine breaks and refilling the vaporizer, etc.

Think about what you want for his room. If you would like it to double for a guest room, you can even get a double or queen bed if you have the room. They are just as easy to put the portable mesh rails on for a while, and then you are done with bed purchases for years!

Just don't get a bunk bed. I don't know anyone who has done this who hasn't ended up with a broken bone or a cracked head, no matter how safe they try to make them these days. Kids horse around regardless...

Twin bed for sure! Save money in the long run! My son went straight to one and never had any issues. There is a wonderful book we got him too "My big boy bed" by Eve Bunting. Good luck!
J.

We went straight to a regular bed. Our first went to a low double bed (in case she fell out). Our second went straight to a regular twin bed. They grow so fast. A friend of mine regretted getting the toddler bed.

Hi S.!

From a cost effective point of view, moving right into a twin bed & using a guard rail/netting is the way to go. Most of our friends with our first child invested in the toddler bed if the crib wasnt convertible, then 6mos later bought the twin bed. With their siblings, they skipped right to the twin bed.

Also, from a "big kid" perspective, you might be able to positively reinforce what a big kid thing it is to have a big kid bed. I commonly hear that kids will get up from their toddler beds at night & not so much the case with the twin beds. And what's nice is you can crawl into bed with him for bedtime stories, so he has this entirely new space.

Have fun!
C.

Pros of a toddler bed:

Small
child might feel safe and secure
easy to get in and out of

Cons of a toddler bed:

Child will outgrow in a few years and you will have to spend money to buy another bed.
No one else can use a toddler bed.
You can't get in bed with your kid to snuggle or monitor/help when child is very sick.

For my 2 boys, I bought a full size and queen size bed for their rooms. These beds will last them until they are adults (and presumably leave home). Also when I have guests they can sleep in one of the boys' rooms.

Hope this helps. And by the way, once the kiddo is out of the crib he or she will likely just get in bed with YOU every night no matter if you buy a toddler bed or a real bed anyway.

You have the mattress for the crib. You can go to a thrift store and find a toddler bed frame for just a few dollars and you will have the blankets and bedding from the crib. Later you can get the twin when he is potty trained and bed wetting is not an issue.
If you want to put a lot of money into it right now get a twin. My children all used a toddler bed and they did great! I used their mattress so no big change on feel and everything felt great! Enjoy him so much! He sounds like such a great blessing and you're a great mom!

HI S.,
For our son, we bought a twin mattress and put it on the floor then a few years later we bought the bed frame with drawers.

The mattress gave us a good step into the future... He is now 13 and still sleeps in the twin bed. He grew really fast so we felt that it was a good way to go.

Good luck with your decision.

I don't see the point of a toddler bed. They just outgrow it soon enough and then you have to buy another, twin bed.
If your child is ready to move out of the crib, the get a regular one. If falling out is a concern, you can purchase the crib rails that work well.
Good luck!

The good thing about a twin bed is that you won't have to buy it again when he gets too big for the toddler bed. I think that a toddler bed is good for a child who is a little tenative about new things or who would have trouble climbing up into a twin bed. One thing that you can do is get a twin mattress but don't buy a boxsprings. That way the bed is at least six inches closer to the floor and may seem more child friendly to a little guy. It will still be plenty comfortable for the child.