Thinking about a floor bed for your toddler? Believe in the Montessori approach to child rearing?

This post has tips and images of floor beds to help you make your decision!

Today’s post is all about one hot topic–floor beds for toddlers! There is one thing all parents have in common. The inevitable switch from a crib to “big kid” bed!

Low beds, or floor beds, are a concept created by Italian physician and educator Maria Montessori. The Montessori method centers on a child’s innate ability to initiate her own learning within a prepared environment.

Along those lines, a floor bed is thought to allow children to exercise independence and follow their natural cues where sleep hygiene is concerned.

A floor bed also promotes a child’s freedom of movement. Children are not confined. They are free to move and to get in and out of bed.

WHAT AGE ARE FLOOR BEDS FOR?

We usually recommend transitioning to a floor bed somewhere between 2 and 3 years.

Typically parents start to think about this when their little one begins climbing out of their crib or generally show that they are craving their own independence.

For us it was a lot more cut and dry than that. I was pregnant with our second baby, and although our first would only be 16 months old when she came, I wasn’t about to buy another crib!

After much research I came across this idea of a floor bed  and I am so thankful I did. From that moment on I wondered why anyone did anything other than a crib to floor bed transition! After a year in her floor bed I can honestly say the idea is genius.

BENEFITS OF A FLOOR BED FOR TODDLERS

1. The first benefit of a floor bed for toddlers is probably the most obvious of reasons. One of the first worries you have as a parent is his or her child rolling out of bed after transitioning them out of a crib.

This is something you don’t have to stress about with a floor bed because even if they do roll of, it’snot much of fall at all!

2. Probably the second biggest concern I hear is that they won’t ever fall asleep or stay in bed. And honestly, that’s a concern with any bed but a floor bed almost encourages them to get up and move around BUT that’s not a bad thing!

The idea of a floor bed stems from Maria Montessori’s way of thinking which stresses independence and freedom for the child within limits. You can read more about those specifics HERE.

So yes, they may get out of bed and wander around the room (which is why it’s so important to baby proof the room first) but this is what they’re supposed to do!

They may take longer to fall asleep at first, or they may fall asleep on the floor for the first few attempts but eventually they WILL fall asleep and they WILL stay in bed.

How long that takes varies per child. This is all part of their natural development that teaches them their own sleep cues and boundaries.

3. This option can be a much cheaper option than buying a whole new bed. You can make things super cheap and simply put a mattress on the floor and just like that, you have a floor bed. Or you can get creative and make one which is still a money saving idea.

There are so many possibilities when it comes to floor beds and you can truly do as much or as little aesthetically as you want!

4. Their newfound independence will surely be your morning’s savior! Instead of crying from their crib, or crying to get down from bed, they will be freely able to explore and play in their bedroom.

This independent play is not only good for them but also GREAT for the tired parents! I can get a solid 30 minutes extra in the mornings by not needing to go grab her right away.

5. Their bed becomes an inviting place where they are eager to go. Not only just for sleep but for relaxing too. I can’t tell you the amount of times my two year old has been found just sitting on her bed with all her stuffed animals close by reading a book.

She LOVES her floor bed and it’s not a place she dreads being. This also helps when it is time to sleep because she is happy to crawl into bed and get some rest.

As she grows, her bed will always be accessible and her own little hang out space. I will also never have to ease her fears of monsters under the bed because that would simply be impossible (kidding, kind of!)

If you want an independent child who doesn’t look at bedtime as a bad thing, then a floor bed is right for you!

I hope you enjoyed this read all about floor beds and let us know what you think below!