Feeling ready to transition from crib to bed? It can be a fun new step, and picking the right furniture will certainly help. By providing an encouraging and exciting environment we can ease this phase for everyone in the family. Making sure the new bed is safe is surely important, but so is providing a certain level of independence in order for the little ones to be able to get in and out of their new beds on their own — it’s all part of the adventure!
We want to share a few ideas to show that what can sometimes be perceived as a challenge can turn into a fun game for the kids and a great creative mission for the parents.
Check out this fantastic creation by Rafa Kids: their R toddler bed, a great compromise between safety and playfulness for the modern children’s room. Every detail of its outline is fully thought-through so that you feel safe with this important choice. You will notice that the elevated sides are for protection purposes, but they’ve also got holes to make the design more dynamic and offer opportunities to play with it. The wheels provide an additional playful note but they also make the bed quite functional since they allow for it to be moved around easily. Finally, there is plenty of space under the bed which can be used as storage or as a secret game area — up to you! In any case, we think this is a memorable first bed.
Finally, there is plenty of space under the bed which can be used as storage or as a secret game area — up to you! In any case, we think this is a memorable first bed.
Oeuf‘s Perch Toddler bed could be a great choice, too. Fully surrounded by elevated wood planks on three of its sides, this bed will certainly provide extra comfort when transitioning from the crib. The fourth side is also protected with a security rail in order to ensure safety but, at the same time, its design allows for your child to easily climb on the bed on their own.
Another aspect we love about this item is its functionality: it can be turned into a sofa by removing the rail and it’s also got plenty of storage space under the bed. Finally, because of its neutral colours and minimalist design, it provides a great background for bright accessories such as cushions, carpets or decorative book piles.
Our most minimalist and adorable pick is Let lit Junior by Mum and Dad factory. Its proximity to the floor makes it much easier for the little ones to grow accustomed to getting into bed on their own without any worries. This is also a truly versatile item since it can be used as a guest bed or as a couch. Such a simple yet ingenious piece of furniture! Available at Camomile London.
Looking for a long-lasting, high-quality first bed? Caravan Divan by Kalon Studios guarantees all of that plus gorgeous looks. This bed is surrounded by elevated planks on three sides and its last side is completely open. Safety and accessibility come from the fact that it is positioned very close to the ground. As some of our previous examples, Caravan Divan would also work perfectly as a seating area — you could even turn it into a reading nook during the day! Get it at Camomile London.
If you are trying to fill a larger space and provide an extra playing corner, Toddler Bed from Kutikai is one of the best options. Your children will fall in love with this little home within your home. It meets safety requirements due to its proximity to the floor and it also gives a sense of shelter in order to ease the transition. During the day
During the day it will encourage their imaginations by providing a dynamic background for different stories and games, the possibilities are truly endless! There is also a shelf on one end for practical purposes such as keeping some of their favourite stuffed animals nearby or leaving some water during the night.
Kalon Studios presents another fabulous minimalist low-rise bed — their Echo Toddler Bed — that would fit perfectly in a Scandinavian style children’s room due to its simple yet trendy nature. Its size and shape mean you can easily move it around the room and, for instance, place it in a corner so that it can turn into a cosy reading nook during the day. 
Oeuf offers another remarkable model: the Classic Toddler Bed. Modern yet closer in looks and design to a traditional bed, this is a great first transitional piece since the holes in the security fence make it very easy for the child to climb onto it.
Nobodinoz is responsible for another good first bed: the Junior Bed Horizon moonlight which you can find on Baby Bottega. Only the sides stand out in order to protect the child from falling while sleeping, the rest is open which facilitates climbing onto it. The retro lines add a timeless touch to this bed and you can pick from 5 different colours for the bottom part that compliment perfectly the gorgeous light wood on top.
Toddler Beds: Adaptable Beds
If you like to have a 5 year plan and tend to stress about the unpredictability of child growth, there is no need to worry! There are very many adaptable beds these days so that you can make that initial investment and be sure that it will work perfectly throughout your little one’s different stages. This is also a great idea for kids to tend to get attached to objects they love since the same bed can be their comfort zone for many years.
Nido Bed by Krethaus is a perfect example since it’s adaptable to literally any age. While your child is still very young, there is a set of 3 boxes which you can easily place at the foot of the bed to make it shorter and cosier. They come in gorgeous white, grey and vintage pink shades. As your child grows you can remove them and make space for a new larger mattress and keep this beautiful light wood frame.
If you would like to have more options to play around with, Oliver Furniture‘s Wood Junior Bed is a fantastic choice. While your child is young the rounded edges will act as a perfect safety barrier which allows light to come through the thin rails. Once you are ready for the next stage you can purchase a conversion kit which will allow you to turn the bed into a Single Bed, a Single Low Loft Bed, or a Bunk Bed. Such a fun project for everyone to get involved with — it’s like an evolution story! You can find this model on Nubie.
For our last adaptable bed suggestion, we’ve picked Children’s Bed VII from uuio because it stands out for its sober style and timeless yet modern and clever design. The best part is that it’s very easy to adjust: all you have to do is exchange the long frame parts as your child gets older so it can grow with him. We love how much personality this bed displays with the contrast between light wood and black bedposts and struts.
Toddler beds: House beds
This is a category of toddler beds we couldn’t miss since it’s such a fun, safe and incredibly adaptable idea. What better way to create a sense of comfort and safety than mimicking a small house? Children love hideaways so we might as well provide them with the cutest one we can find.
It’s hard to resist Nobodinoz’s adorable little Mallorca Home Natural, found on Baby Bottega. Halfway between a tent, a refuge and a cosy sleeping place, your little one will find a million uses for his new sanctuary. Wait until they see it — they will be running away from their crib! This is also such a great space to play and read during the day, plus there is no need to ever worry about them falling from this bed.
If you are looking for a more open design, check out House Bed at Bobby Rabbit. This bed frame is the perfect canvas for you to go wild decorating with fun accessories and for your little one to play house all day. Also placed at ground level, the bed is as accessible as they get. We love how cosy this one looks with all the blankets, different shaped cushions and a combination of simple elegant neutral colours with bright and exciting extras.
A very similar but much larger version of the previous model is Lit Maison from Bonnesoeurs. It would work perfectly in a bigger room and it gives plenty of space for your children to roll around in their sleep without any worries. We absolutely adore the idea of hanging lights from the “house” beams to add a whimsical note and also in case your child is scared of the dark. There will be no fears inside this little comfortable home!
Finally, we couldn’t leave you without the Tipi Toddler Bed which you can find on Nubie. How cool is this Wild West-inspired bed? Your kids can come up with so many stories and games inspired by this fun design. We love that you’ll be able to decorate and redecorate as many times as you wish since it’ll be so easy to hang all sort of decorative items from the A-shaped bed posts. How about some hanging lights like the ones we saw in the previous example? Whatever you do, this will definitely be a winner.
We hope you enjoyed these ideas and that they will help your research on this important transition stage in your child’s development. It’s crucial to keep in mind that there are plenty of options out there and that you will certainly find the perfect fit for your toddler. Enjoy and let us know which on is your favourite!
First picture: Perch Toddler bed – Oeuf
Do you need more ideas? Have a look at our Top 5 Kid’s Beds post.
