I originally wrote this post two years ago to rave about the Montessori floor bed I bought for my toddler. While I still love this bed and have had no issues, it was recently recalled due to two safety incidents. Thankfully, neither child in question was seriously injured and one had only minor injuries. But the recall made me realize an important caveat that the company neglected when it started selling a elevated bed: the spacing between the spindles. So here we’re going to discuss some other great floor bed options and how to make the safest and most informed purchasing decision. That way, you can choose the best Montessori floor bed for your child with some added peace of mind!
Spindle Spacing and Elevation Hazards: the Reason for the Recall
Both recall incidents involved a child whose head got stuck between the spindles after fitting their body through. This poses a serious safety hazard when the bed is elevated. If a child wiggles their body through the spindles of a floor-level bed and their head gets stuck, it’s bad enough that they are stuck in an uncomfortable position until they can pull their body back through the rails, whether independently or with an adult’s help. But if that bed is elevated off of the floor and gravity has their body hanging from the bed, they are in fatal danger of strangulation. I would not recommend an elevated bed for young children to begin with, as the whole benefit of a Montessori floor bed is for toddlers to easily and safely go in and out of their bed on their own.
After learning of the Zipadee Kids bed recall, I measured the distance between our Zipadee Kids floor bed’s spindles. They are spaced at 4.25 inches. While that isn’t something I’m personally worried about for my child since his bed is floor-level, that spindle distance is definitely concerning for the company’s newer elevated bed. I found standard crib spindle distancing from this govinfo.gov webpage which states: ‘the distance between components (such as rails, spindles, crib rods, and corner posts) shall not be greater than 6 centimeters (2.37 inches) at any point.’ So even though the floor bed was not marketed for babies, we learn that there are still hazards for toddlers and young children – and certainly when the bed is elevated.
Responsible Construction and Instructions
The Zipadee Kids beds were advertised for toddlers aged 18 months and older. But when any product marketed at pre-puberty-aged children poses potential hazards, best practices include relevant warnings. That’s why almost every piece of plastic packaging has a warning that it poses a hazard to young children. It seems redundant, but if practically every manufacturer is including these messages, there must be a reason. Obviously, nobody plans to give their baby the plastic packaging that came with whatever random household item. But these warnings remain as extra reminders to cover all bases and ensure that all consumers are educated and warned.
Beyond including such warnings (which would have at least been a cautionary help), the only truly safe and responsible construction of a bed with spindles – especially an elevated one – is to follow standard safety code and meet the same maximum space/distance measurement that cribs require, or at least that toddler beds require. Because at the end of the day, toddlers are of course going to do adventurous (read: potentially dangerous) things, so if something is constructed for young children (and especially if it’s elevated), it needs to at least pass safety protocols.
One Option if You Already Own the Recalled Floor Bed
My friend who bought the same Zipadee Kids floor bed decided to dissemble her son’s bed to take out every other spindle when she learned of the recall. I think that’s a great way to prevent any risk of your child getting stuck in the rails. You may then wonder what’s the point of having rails at all, but I think they would still provide a buffer from rolling out of bed onto the floor while asleep. Of course – this would obviously not apply to an elevated bed!!! Only a floor bed where falling out would not cause injury. You can go even further to line the inside of the rails with pillows. That would certainly keep your child contained (of course these beds are for toddlers and not infants, but just a reminder that no pillows should be in an infant’s sleeping space).
Why a (Safe) Floor Bed is a Great Bed for a Toddler
Now that we understand how important spindle distance is on a bed rail, let’s explore why Montessori floor beds are so awesome! My son started sleeping in his when he was fifteen months old because I wanted a safe twin bed where I could lay down next to him to help him fall asleep. Because he is neurologically diverse, his sleep journey has involved years of helping him to become comfortable sleeping by himself. I needed an adult-sized bed in which I could lay down beside him to help him settle at night. Unlike neurotypical kids, he was not ready to self-settle at such a young age despite all our efforts. Having a safe co-sleeping space with my toddler was essential and right for our family.
Through the years of my son’s sleep journey, I am extremely happy with our Montessori floor bed experience. There are many reasons why I remain confident we made the best choice in choosing this type of bed for his sleeping space. Below are four main primary lifestyle reasons.
1. A Twin-sized Bed is Large Enough for a Parent to Share
The primary reason I purchased a floor bed was so my husband or I could lie down next to our son to help him fall asleep at night. While our son was still mostly dependent on nursing to sleep, he would fall asleep lying on top of or beside my husband if he was already very sleepy from nursing. That way, we could gradually teach our son to fall asleep after nursing instead of while nursing.
Most mainstream parenting advice disapproves of nursing babies/toddlers to sleep because they don’t learn to fall asleep independently. We tried other methods to help him learn to fall asleep and after realizing how inappropriate those were for our son, I followed my intuition to do what works best for us. While nursing to sleep did keep him dependent on me to fall asleep, it didn’t mean he would continue to do this beyond toddlerhood. By 28 months, after nursing and brushing teeth, he was independently and happily hopping into bed himself.
Mothers of cultures worldwide nurse or cuddle babies to sleep, typically in conjunction with co-sleeping. Only in the past century have conventional Western opinions deemed it detrimental to sleep hygiene, typically in regards to parents’ sleep quality. (People worry about infants’ safety – as they should – but infant co-sleeping risks are caused by also-primarily-Western trends of obesity and excess alcohol. Plus, this post regards toddler sleep). Our son always slept solo once already asleep because we all sleep better that way; we just helped him get to sleep. And while it would have been less time-consuming to not cuddle him to sleep, it wasn’t some unbearable burden. I cherished the cuddle time because I knew it wouldn’t last long. Even if the evenings went by slowly, the years went by quickly!
Pay Attention to Design Features for Parents’ Needs, Too
The best Montessori floor bed is one that serves all of the purposes you seek for your child’s sleep space. For me, the primary purpose was to have a safe bed in which an adult could also comfortably fit. My friend used to occasionally curl up in her baby’s (standard-sized) crib to help him sleep. At one point her husband was wandering around the house looking for her until he finally found her there! Scrunching up in a crib with your baby isn’t very comfortable, and impossible in a mini crib. For the best Montessori floor bed experience, pay attention to all the bed’s design details. For instance, my son’s bed rails have smooth, rounded spindles through which my feet and arms could poke through if I was trying to lie next to him while he was positioned halfway down the mattress.
2. A Twin-sized Floor Bed is a Safe Sleep Transition from a Mini Crib Without Having to Buy a Toddler Bed and New Mattress
During babyhood, our son slept in a mini crib. I chose a mini crib over a conventional crib because I wanted something more compact that wouldn’t use as much space in our bedroom. This worked great while he was an infant: it fit halfway in our open closet next to the bed. But I later realized he would outgrow it sooner than a standard-sized crib and then need something larger. While those with a conventional crib can purchase a toddler bed frame and use the same mattress, I didn’t have this option because a mini crib mattress is smaller than a toddler bed. Purchasing a toddler-sized bed and mattress seemed like a pointless expenditure since he would later outgrow it as well.
Since we already owned a comfortable twin mattress, I figured our son could just sleep on it on the floor à la Montessori floor mattress. He could remain on this mattress through teen years, with any frame.
But even though rolling off the mattress onto the floor shouldn’t actually harm a toddler, it’s an unwelcome sleep disturbance.
Enter Montessori floor bed with rails! Like conventional bed frames, Montessori floor bed frames come in multiple sizes. Those with slats position the mattress just off the floor so children still have easy access in and out of bed. Even without bed rails, they won’t be in danger if they accidentally roll out of bed onto the floor. But bed rails conveniently keep them contained while they sleep. Already owning a twin-sized mattress made this floor bed a convenient option for us. And even if we didn’t already own a twin mattress, we’d have to buy one eventually since children grow!
3. Autonomy and Freedom of Movement (Within a Child-Safe Home)
The whole point of a Montessori floor bed experience is to give children the autonomy and freedom of movement to get in and out of their bed on their own. This frees them from relying on a parent to get them safely in or out of a crib. I love this concept and fully agree with it, even for someone like my son who still woke at night for the first three years of his life. Better that he woke fussing and crawling out of his bed to come into our bedroom for our attention to comfort him back to sleep, than for him to sit confined in his room while crying and waiting for us to hear him. It’s not like any of us can sleep through that anyway! I strongly support children’s autonomy of mobility within appropriate and safe limits (our house is reasonably childproofed).
Benefits of Independent Mobility
Could my son choose to wake up one night and, instead of coming to get me or my husband to help him fall back asleep, start playing with his toys? Yes. And while that isn’t ideal, I don’t know that sitting in a contained bed and staring at the ceiling is any more helpful for getting back to sleep. I’ve tried that many times myself; it never worked for me! I purposely designed my son’s bedroom with a calming environment in mind, because a calm nursery facilitates relaxation before bedtime. All toys except books and stuffed animals stay in the living room or in toy bins in his closet so there are fewer visible distractions in his room. If he ever does wake at night and decide to play independently, his immediate options are books and stuffed animals. These are neither noisy nor stimulating.
If it ever became necessary to prevent my son from wandering out to the living room at night, there are other options we could have employed such as baby gates and door locks. At that stage in his development, we had no legitimate reason to keep him physically contained in his sleep space at night. He only ever left to come get us to help him go back to sleep. We wanted to remain accessible to him. We wanted him to be able to get up and sip his water bottle in his room if he was thirsty (which he did). Giving him a bed that allowed him to get in and out autonomously helped to foster his independence. It allowed him the freedom to come seek help on his own when he realized he needed it.
A More Convenient Segue After Naptime
After my son’s nap, he would quietly leave his bed and go greet me wherever I was working in the house. Sometimes he was unhappy and needed after-nap cuddles, but many times I’d hear a small sound and peek over to see his big grin at the doorway. Nothing compares to that greeting! And he didn’t have to cry out to get my attention while stuck like a sitting duck in his crib.
Many people use a baby monitor to keep tabs on their baby/toddler’s nap time. That makes a little more sense because then they can quickly respond once they see/hear that their child is awake and ready to leave the crib. But I didn’t use a monitor, and I wanted him to have the freedom to get up on his own.
4. A Floor Bed is Fun for Daytime Romps
My son still loves to romp around on every bed in the house, including his own. Every time he has a friend over and they end up in his bedroom, a happy bed romp inevitably ensues. There is something about his bed that makes toddlers want to tumble and fall on the soft, accessible mattress. And the smiles! The giggles! It is the cutest exchange. My son and his friends have such a good time bumbling and giggling around on his bed. I think a toddler-height bed that is accessible to them, unlike most furniture items in our houses, is an extra-special and joyful thing for them to explore.
My son’s Montessori floor bed is certainly a fun place to romp. He often prolonged diaper changes when he climbed into the bed with a big grin and started acting silly. I’d get down and give kisses or tickles through the bed spindles for a full giggle-fest. He always loved sitting up and falling down onto the mattress and pillows over and over again. And every time I try to make his bed while he’s in the room, he comes and romps on it. But it is such a happy interruption!
Features to Look for When Choosing Your Child’s Bed
When choosing the best Montessori floor bed, safety and quality are key. My son’s bed is well built. All of the other beds highlighted in this post are likewise handmade by small companies with care and quality craftmanship. But beyond quality alone, carefully consider which features best suit your lifestyle. Pay attention to bed design so you check off all of your boxes. Consider what will provide the best sleeping experience for your child. You’ll want to consider other aspects such as aesthetics and play, too. Below are the main reasons I chose my son’s bed and the similar beds that we’ll cover shortly.
Removable Bed Rail to Prevent Rolling Out
While there are plenty of cute Montessori beds available on the market, some come without a rail. Sometimes rails are an optional addition. I definitely wanted a Montessori floor bed with rails so my son wouldn’t roll out of bed in his sleep and land on the floor with a thud. It isn’t a very far fall and we have carpet, but still. And the rails are are removable to allow a wider and easier access to the mattress when kids grow older (options!).
Constructed with Responsibly Sourced and Safe Materials
Having a non-toxic bed is a major feature for me since we spend so much of our lives sleeping on our beds. The last thing I want is my toddler breathing off-gassing toxins all night for years. So the wood of his bed is made from sustainably harvested Appalachian poplar trees. No glues or veneers were added during the construction process, so there were no harmful or smelly chemicals for the bed to emit. For a while after we first assembled the bed, the wood retained such a sweet and pleasing honey smell. It smelled like a fresh honeyed biscuit, or faint honeysuckle. What a comfort knowing that no harmful chemicals were used to treat the wood, and with a sweet smell to attest to that fact!
Included Clear Instructions and Easy Assembly
After years of purchasing (cheaper, lower quality) furniture with the most confusing and terrible assembly instructions, I was very impressed at the quality of instructions provided with my son’s bed. Not only were the steps explained clearly and understandably, but diagrams were colour-coded to better distinguish pieces. I felt fully confident beginning assembly on my own. (My husband later joined and easily finished the rest, but I totally could have done it.) I can honestly say I haven’t purchased any piece of furniture with instructions that were as clear and helpful.
Classic Design that Ages with Your Child
The design of my son’s bed is simple and classic. The majority of Montessori floor beds consist of a tall wood frame that serves no other purpose than a preferred design aesthetic. People drape sheer fabric, lights or decor overtop of the frame to create a pretty canopy. That can make a cute bed for kids if that look is what you are going for, but it doesn’t serve any real function otherwise. My son’s Montessori floor bed with rails is a more classic design that continues to suit children’s bedrooms as they get older. Once they are at an age where you can optionally remove either one or more bed rails, the frame retains a casual and attractive structure. Your teenager is less likely to want to continue sleeping in a bed frame shaped like a little house!
Choosing the Best Montessori Floor Bed: Four Great Options
These four Montessori floor beds are similar in design to my son’s and are all great options. I noticed that many other floor beds have hinged gates, and while one of these listed does include that option, I didn’t list any beds that only include a gate because I would worry about toddlers’ little fingers getting squished. But the four listed below do all have rails, simple openings to go in and out of the bed, and are floor-level. All but one have at least optional slats, which raise a mattress a couple of inches off of the floor. (Without slats, a mattress simply rests directly on the floor inside the frame). All of these beds are handmade and sanded smooth with no toxic materials or coatings and have wonderful customer reviews. Let’s compare them to find the best Montessori floor bed for your child!
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means I may earn commission if you click through the link and finalize a qualifying purchase. This does not affect the price in any way.
1. Montessori Floor Bed with Rails by Simply Sori
I especially like this bed because the corners at the opening are extra-rounded. And though it’s the most expensive on this list, the shop owners currently include a note in the bed description to message them for a discount. What’s also fun is that you can choose different paint colours for this bed.
There is an option to add feet to the bed which elevate it by six inches. That provides some space underneath while still keeping it relatively low. (In contrast, the Zipadee Kids beds that were recalled included a version that elevated it by several feet). As with my son’s bed, any of the rails can be removed to change the bed into a daybed, head and footboard, or headboard.
The owners are clear in their adherence to safety standards. As they explain in the bed’s description: ‘Our beds are NOT intended for infant use. We recommend 2 years and older as we follow CPSC Guidelines for toddler/child beds and not for infant/crib beds.’ That level of transparency (and liability) provides some purchasing peace of mind – which we parents need!
Company/Maker: Simply Sori
Sizes: twin, full, and queen
Slats: optional (slats raise the mattress about 2 inches off of the ground)
Spindle spacing: not specified but meets CPSC Guidelines for Toddler Rail Spacing
Wood: Appalachian poplar
Tools needed: a white rubber mallet (black rubber will stain the wood), and a drill
Delivery timeframe: Orders will ship 7-10 weeks from date of purchase. Shipping cost is included in price at the time of this writing.
2. Montessori Floor Bed with Rails by Tyke-N-Tots
This bed can be optionally coated in tung oil, and can optionally include feet to elevate it by six inches. The two long side rails are removable to create a daybed or head and footboard. You also have the option to include a gate with a set of hinges and slide bolt latch. While I’m personally not into the idea of a gate, it may be a neat addition for an older child!
Company/Maker: Tyke-N-Tots
Sizes: twin, twin-XL, full, queen, or king
Slats: included (mattress lies on top of slats spanning the bottom of the bed frame)
Spindle spacing: 2-3/8 inches (meets the federal standard for crib rail spacing)
Wood: pine, poplar or red oak
Tools needed: a square #2 screw driver, and a rubber mallet. All pieces slot and/or screw together
Delivery timeframe: Beds are made within 5 -15 days and shipping takes 2 – 10 days. Shipping cost is included in price at the time of this writing.
3. Montessori Floor Bed with Rails by Coastal Hippie Design
The main difference between this specific Montessori floor bed model and the others is that this one doesn’t include slats. Honestly, this makes very little difference in the mattress height. As long as there isn’t a reason you don’t want a mattress lying directly on the floor, this bed is a great option for simpler and quicker setup!
The spindles are spaced apart to be under 3.25 inches. I tried to find the specific federal standard for toddler bed rail spacing but haven’t found an exact measurement at the time of this writing. For exact inches/centimeters, I only found the crib spindle spacing standard listed above. But the toddler standard must be close to 3.25 inches because I can’t imagine a toddler successfully wiggling their body through a gap that narrow. For reference, that’s shorter than the length of my computer mouse. So for a bed that’s only mattress height as it is, that spindle gap spacing seems completely safe to me.
Company/Maker: Coastal Hippie Design
Sizes: twin or full
Slats: not included with this bed (mattress lies on floor, nestled within bedframe)
Spindle spacing: under 3-1/4 inches apart
Wood: poplar, with two optional non-toxic finishes in either jojoba oil/beeswax or Osmo Hardwax Oil
Tools needed: a dead-blow hammer (padded hammer), and a 7/8″ socket wrench
Delivery timeframe: Please allow 2 weeks build time and 3-5 days ship time.
4. Montessori Floor Bed with Rails by Bash & Timber
This bed doesn’t list the spindle spacing distance. The reason I’ve included it here anyway is because I believe it’s a great choice and it doesn’t include optional feet, only optional slats. So at the most, it would only be elevated a few inches. Otherwise, without slats, it’s only mattress-height. A toddler who gets stuck between these slats wouldn’t have anywhere to fall or hang, so to me that eliminates the strangulation hazard. However, if you don’t feel comfortable about ordering a bed without knowing the spindle gap distance, here are a couple of options:
- Contact the family and ask for the specific distance between spindles
- If the spindles are spaced too far for your comfort, only install every other one
My son’s floor bed has individual spindles that may be removed or included. While I imagine that’s the same with most beds including this one, I would still ask the owners just to be sure if you want that choice. As with any floor bed, if you can remove some of the spindles, using fewer of them in the bed’s assembly should remove any concern with their spacing.
Company/Maker: Bash & Timber
Sizes: toddler, twin, full, or queen
Slats: optional
Spindle spacing: not listed in description (contact seller)
Wood: Canadian pine
Tools needed: a No.2 Robertson/square screwdriver to assemble the frame as well as a No.1 Robertson/square screwdriver to install the brackets of the twin, full or queen sizes (only the No.2 is needed for a toddler-sized bed frame)
Delivery timeframe: After your bed is made and packaged, it should arrive within 2-6 business days.
Buy a Bed That Meet Your Child’s Current and Long Term Sleep Needs
As with any major purchase, do your research before you make a final decision. I outlined the features I love about my son’s Montessori floor bed with rails. And we covered a few similar options from other small business owners who build these beds with quality craftsmanship. My goal is for this information to help you make the most informed choice and narrow down what I think are some of the best Montessori floor bed options. However, if none of these beds are quite what you’re looking for, you can find plenty of other similar twin-sized Montessori floor beds with rails. There are likely even more available by the time you read this! Consider the options based on your family’s lifestyle before choosing a new bed. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me or comment below. Everyone, most of all our children, deserves the best bed!