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There’s a clear bottom line of when children are just too young for bunk beds, but the upper limit is hard to establish – the answer might depend on your children, how fast they grow and mature, but also on their personal preferences, and when they feel like they outgrew the bunk bed. What’s the recommended age for bunk beds? Let’s find out.
What age for bunk beds is acceptable?
Kids from 6 to 16 are generally able to sleep in bunk beds, with 6 being the absolute minimum and 16 a very flexible maximum.
Minimum age for bunk beds
The minimum age for sleeping on the top bunk is six. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, about half of all bunk bed-related injuries occur in children younger than six. The accidents most commonly include injuries to the head and neck.
This is why you shouldn’t allow a kid younger than six to sleep in a bunk bed. Ideally, you shouldn’t even have a bunk bed in a room where a child so young could be playing because you can’t force them to stay on the lower bunk all the time – children can climb while playing and it only takes a few seconds for an accident to happen.
Maximum age for bunk beds
There really isn’t a maximum age for bunk beds. These beds are often recommended for teens up to 16, but that’s mainly because the teen might stop wanting to sleep in a bunk bed or start wanting to get a separate room. Some request a different bed at about 12. Otherwise, there’s no technical reason for your teen not to use a bunk bed until college; this is especially the case if your kid has a loft bed – many adults have loft beds, too.
But you do have to ensure that the bunk bed is secure, sturdy enough, and of the right dimensions for a young adult.
Bunk Bed Safety
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), nearly 36,000 children receive treatment in emergency departments every year because of bunk bed-related injuries.
Children also get injured due to falling from standard beds, but these injuries are not as bad as bunk bed injuries.
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Center for Injury Research and Policy have comprised the following list of bed bunk safety tips:
- Bunk beds should be placed in the corner of the child’s room so that there is a wall on each of the two sides.
- Guard rails should be installed on both sides of the top bunk, and they should rise at least 5 inches above the mattress.
- If there is a gap of over 3.5 inches between the bottom of the mattress and the guardrail, another guardrail board should be added to fill the gap.
- The mattress on the top bunk should be secured with slats on the sides to prevent it from falling.
- Tell your children that they should solely use the ladder and no other furniture for getting into or out of the upper bunk.
- The ladder should be secured so that it cannot slip.
- There should be a night light near the ladder so your child can see if there’s a need to climb down during the night.
- Make a rule that prohibits children from having pillow fights or any other horseplay on the bed.
- Any dangerous objects should be removed from around the bed. The bunk bed shouldn’t be near ceiling fans.
- No objects should be hanging from the bunk bed. This includes items like belts, scarves, and ropes because there’s a risk of a child getting strangled by them.
Follow all these guidelines to make sleeping on the bunk bed safer and to eliminate any safety concerns.
How to Choose a Bunk Bed for Your Kids
Most bunk beds for kids on the younger side are themed and you can find a cornucopia of designs and colors. Fun things aside, there are four big factors you should have in mind before going into all the details:
- Age
- Height
- Weight
- Size of bedroom
Any bed you’re planning on buying should first pass through these four filters. They will help you make a sensible decision and end up happy with your purchase.
Age
Kids grow fast and they might change their preferences so that they quickly “outgrow” their bunk beds not because they got physically too big, but because they might not want to sleep in them anymore.
This is why you need to take their age into consideration. If you want to take a bunk bed with a special theme like sports or fairytales, your kid will almost certainly request a new bed as a teen. If you take a simple, more neutral bed, it could stay in your house longer.
That being said, boys are typically OK with their bunks until about 14 years of age, while girls often want to switch to regular beds a couple of years earlier.
This might be because girls want to use their beds as a play area and if they have friends over, the top bunk becomes a problem.
Height
The bed height of the top bunk should be such that the top mattress is far away from the ceiling. The child should be able to sit up in the bed. The minimum space between the mattress and the ceiling should be 36”, which is enough for a young person under 5’11” to sit comfortably.
This means that you need to measure the height of the child’s room from the floor to the ceiling.
Weight
Talking about the right weight, a bunk bed should have enough weight capacity for a child and an adult, because you might want to join your kid for story time or when they’re sick.
This means at least 300 lbs of weight capacity.
Size of bedroom
If the bedroom is really small, but the ceiling isn’t too low, you might even look into the triple bunk bed options. You’ll be able to fit both kids and a guest, or three of your own kids on the same surface area of the room.
Some bunk beds come with room for storage underneath and this can be another way for you to save more space.
FAQs
A four-year-old child should not be sleeping in the top bunk and it might even be a bad idea to let him sleep in the bottom bunk because four-year-olds could end up climbing up when they’re playing. You should introduce a bunk bed into your child’s room only after he is six, or if you have more kids, wait for all of them to be at least six.
Two-year-olds are way too young for bunk beds. They should not be sleeping in one because bunk beds are for much older children. Even a regular bed frame is too high for most two-year-olds since the child could fall and end up hitting the floor or nearby furniture.
No, bunk beds are not suitable for children under six. Being so young, it’s easy to fall and get hurt. Parents should make sure their child is old and mature enough for a bunk bed.
Yes, an eight-year-old child can sleep in a bunk bed quite safely. A parent should explain all the safety rules and make sure that the child is able to understand and follow them conscientiously.
Every bunk bed carries some risk with it. Seven-year-olds are generally old enough to sleep in the top bunk (or lower bunk) but they should know not to play in bed and to use the ladder/stairs carefully.
Preteens are not too old for bunk beds. In fact, it is generally recommended to have kids sleep in bunk beds until the age of 16, but if they like it when they are even older, they might sleep in bunks until college. However, if you’re concerned about them changing preferences, you might get one of those bunk bed types that can be separated into two regular beds. This way you’ll be able to save by not having to buy new beds.
Conclusion
The minimum age for kids to use bunk beds safely is six. The maximum is when they decide they’ve had enough – girls typically around the age of 12 and boys around 14. However, the actual, “technical” upper limit doesn’t really exist, unless you get a bed that’s short, so your kid literally outgrows it.
You should follow safety guidelines from the AAP, which include informing your kid about proper behavior, but also where to place the bed, how to secure it, and what items should be away from the bed itself. When choosing a bunk bed, look at factors like age, bed height, weight capacity, and size of the bedroom.
Next step: Read our guide to pop-up trundle beds. Trundles are a great alternative to bunk beds if you need to save space in a small bedroom. Our guide gives you the pros and cons of pop-up trundle beds so you can decide for yourself if they’re the right choice for you.
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