What Size Mattress Is A Toddler Bed

As babies grow into toddlers, there are a handful of large changes and challenges, one of the biggest beingness how to transition from a crib to toddler bed. The exact time that this happens will vary betwixt every kid, but your little bundle of joy will probable know when his or her fourth dimension in the crib is coming to a close.

This guide takes you through a few tips and tricks to assist make the transition from crib to toddler bed a picayune easier.

Mattress and Bed Size Dimensions

When infants are first built-in, many may spend the commencement few weeks in a bassinet or co-sleeper, but it isn't long before they have outgrown their cramped quarters and are ready for something larger. Some babies may start out in a crib from nighttime one.

Every babe is dissimilar and all parents are different regarding what they feel comfy with. Any you determine to do, the smallest bed dimensions begin with a mini-crib and go upwards from in that location, as the child grows.

Mini-Crib Size Bed Dimensions

This is the smallest mattress you lot can get, at 24"West x 38"L. This mattress is typically used for newborns and children up to 2 years old and can be a great option for rooms that are tight on space. This size of mattress can fit into portable cribs that are narrow enough to fit through doorways or be stored in pocket-size areas.

They are too typically 5″ or less.Many mini-cribs are besides collapsible and so they can fold upwardly when not in utilize.

Crib Size Bed Dimensions

The minimum size for a standard crib size mattress is 27.25" W x 51.625" Fifty and 6" thick (maximum). This size is mandated by the federal government through the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) guidelines to ensure a safe sleeping environment for your petty one.

This generally puts crib dimensions around 28" W ten 52" L. When selecting a mattress to fit into a crib, be sure that information technology is a snug fit. Avoid any air gaps on the interior of the crib, which a baby may become stuck in. When considering firmness, a crib mattress will more often than not need to exist firmer than what an developed sleeper might prefer and contain no loose or soft bedding.

Firmer mattresses assistance prevent babies from suffocating on soft surfaces and are fifty-fifty said to lower the risk of SIDS (sudden babe death syndrome) according to the Mayo Clinic.

Toddler Size Bed Dimensions

A toddler size mattress is a little bit of an oddball as far as bed sizing is concerned. With dimensions a minimum of 27.25" Westward x 51.625" L, a "toddler mattress" is actually the same size as a crib mattress. The main differences betwixt the two are compactness and frame blazon.

A toddler mattress may exist softer than a crib mattress. Toddlers have total head control and may slumber in any number of sleeping positions. Since you don't have to worry so much about suffocation, softer mattresses may be used for toddlers, if they prefer the feel.

Some crib mattresses may fifty-fifty be flippable, with one firm side for infants and one softer side for toddlers. Young children quickly outgrow most things, and then to accept a mattress that can terminal a couple years longer can be a nice feature to any mattress.

The other master difference between crib mattresses and toddler mattresses is frame type. Crib mattresses sit within the track of a crib, often on a raised platform to go far easier to access younger babies.

BEST: Best mattress for kids

In one case a child is ready for the toddler bed, this mattress is simply put on a small-scale bed frame without the rails and closer to the ground. These bed frames are even available in fun shapes and styles, like an plastic race car, a pirate transport, or princess bed.

Nowadays, many cribs are convertible cribs, meaning they can transform from a standard crib to a toddler bed to a Twin-sized bed. Some may fifty-fifty expand all the fashion up to a Queen-sized bed.

When to Transition from Crib to Bed?

The historic period at which a child may outgrow his or her crib and need to transition to a "large child bed" varies from child to kid. If your child is safely sleeping through the nighttime in his crib, at that place is no need to move him to something larger.

Around the age of ii, some children seek to escape the crib, which tin can sometimes pb to unsafe situations every bit they try and maneuver their bodies over the safety track. It is important to brand that sensitive transition to a toddler bed before safety becomes a business.

How to Ease the Transition to a Toddler Bed

There are a couple things yous can do to ease the transition from crib to toddler bed." Following a couple like shooting fish in a barrel tips will help to ensure that information technology is a polish process for both y'all and your toddler.

Make certain it's their idea – Toddlers are a special kind of emotional human being, who are just learning their place in the earth. They can get from happy to sobs in an instant. With so many changes happening daily, some things of comfort may be hard to let go of. When toddlers are fix to give up the crib, they will begin to show some signs of readiness, so information technology'south important to wait for those signs before attempting a large move. If your child is trying to climb out of the crib or asking for a "big child bed," these are 2 great signs that your child may be ready to brand the transition.
Avoid Eviction – Moving from the crib so that a younger sibling can use it is often a troublesome procedure. In many cases, it would be better to buy or borrow an extra crib until the older child is set up to make the switch. The nascency of a younger sibling may cause some new emotions from your older child, and then be prepared. To make certain the loss of the crib is not associated with the new nativity, attempt to make the transition at least 6-8 weeks prior to the due date. This volition give everyone plenty of time to arrange.
Let them get involved – When yous're setting up the new bed, let your child bank check out the procedure while it's being assembled and maybe even assistance on the child-safe steps. You lot tin can besides invite them to come along and assistance pick out their new bedding. Bedding that features a favorite color or character may help your child to accept the new bed more hands.
Throw a "big kid bed" party – Some other way to help get your child excited for the first nighttime in his or her new bed is to throw a "large kid bed" political party. Talking upward the event in the days earlier the party is a fun manner to allow your kiddo know a "big kid" change is coming. Having family or friends over to celebrate the occasion volition help to reinforce to the child that the new bed is exciting and fun—non a punishment.

baby sleeping in crib — Graham Sleeping In Crib

How to Choose a Toddler Bed

When selecting a toddler bed for your child, at that place are a few important characteristics of the new bed that yous may desire to consider. Following these tips volition help to ensure that your kid's new bed is a safe, fun, and comforting identify to be.

Consider a depression platform bed – Bed height may play an important part, now that your child is free to roam. While it is dangerous for children to scale the sides of a crib and spring out, it may also be unsafe for them to jump out of a bed that is besides high. Low platform beds provide comfort and safe, allowing your kid to easily become into and out of bed.
Consider adding toddler rail – A toddler rail, sometimes included with convertible crib sets, is a short rails that tin can keep one or both sides of the bed. This rails is usually 12" or less and extends well-nigh halfway down the length of the bed. For children who take merely recently made the switch from crib to toddler bed, this rail helps to go on them from rolling out of bed and gives them a sense of familiar security.
Avoid frames with gaps or precipitous corners – For a child with newfound freedom, sharp corners or gaps in the frame may exist a hazard. Some kids volition not have a trouble with these types of frames, while others may exist prone to bumping their head or getting a leg or arm pinched by the frame.

FAQ: What is a platform bed?

Toddler Bed vs. Twin Bed

Maybe the largest selection when making the switch from crib to toddler bed is choosing between a toddler mattress or a twin mattress. There is no correct answer here. Choosing the best mattress size for your kid is dependent on a variety of factors, including your child's behavior, temperament, and personal slumber habits.

One of the benefits of the toddler bed is that it is the aforementioned size as your child's old crib. You tin even use the same mattress.

GUIDE: Kid's Guide to Understanding Sleep

This helps the bed feel more familiar and leaves more space for play in his or her room. The downside of the toddler bed is that your kids will outgrow it quicker and and then will accept to transition from a toddler to twin bed, peradventure reliving a grueling transition menstruation.

The benefits of the twin bed are that it is larger and will last them longer. A twin mattress is 38"W x 75"Fifty. That's almost a pes wider and 2 anxiety longer than the toddler bed.This provides nice room to grow and even provides some extra infinite for yous to read or snuggle in bed with your footling ane.

The downside of the twin bed is that it may provide too much space, making the transition from cozy crib to giant bed feel unfamiliar and uncomfortable. In addition, a twin bed also takes up a lot more surface area in the room. For small bedrooms or rooms being shared past siblings, a twin bed may not be a practical choice while children are even so so niggling.

If y'all decide that a twin mattress is the best option, be sure to check out our guide for Best Mattresses for Kids. One of the best options is Nest Bedding's Big Child Bed (BKB) which is designed specifically for children making the fragile transition from crib to twin bed.

Summary

Regardless of what style of bed y'all cull, what size you pick, or when you decide to make the switch, shifting from crib to a toddler bed is a big change. Taking your time, waiting for signs of readiness from your child, and keeping information technology fun are just a few tips to help make this change go smoothly.

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Logan is the content director of Sleepopolis, which means he not but reviews new mattresses every week, but also curates all the comparisons, best of pages, and video guides on the site. He takes a straightforward, honest approach to his reviews and endeavors to give viewers an objective look at each new product he tries out. Logan has perfected his method by personally testing over 200 different mattresses, so he'southward not only able to discern the overall vibe of a specific bed, but to contextualize its experience within the bed-in-a-box market equally a whole. When he's not hopping on a new bed or working with our editorial squad to whip upward an engaging sleep education guide, you lot tin discover him reading books on world history, walking his dog Pepper, or searching for the best cheeseburger in New York City.