What age did you put your child in a top bunk?

[Liz]

It's time to set up Kayla's big bed. She can safely climb off, and has been co-sleeping for ages now, so I'd like to start putting her in her own bed again.

We actually bought bunk beds that can be used as separate beds. But I was thinking, watching Tallon on the play equipment at the park the other day, I reckon he could sleep in the top bunk already! He doesn't fall out of bed at night and doesn't move much through the night.. unlike Kayla who flips and turns and ends up at the bottom of the bed etc hehe. The instructions on the beds say not to use the top bunk until they're 5, but that'd be them covering their butts for kids falling off the top bunk hehe.

So realistically, what age would you use a bunk bed? It would make much better use of their small room to use it already. Altho, can't say I'm looking forward to making the bed all the way up there LOL.

Opinions? experiences?

[Liz]

[~Raven~]

I wouldn't let Caleb sleep on Masons top bunk He climbs up there fine enough though.

[christy]

We put Matilda in the top bunk at 4 yrs old. In fact it was a birthday pressie for her. I was a bit nervous because of the guidelines but she's good now.

[Phteven]

I think that Yasin could safely sleep on the top bunk now that he's 4 but I won't set it up yet because I know that him and Imran will play on it and Imran has no idea of danger.

[christy]

Yeah Chloe we have to monitor it closely here... Jovie can now climb up & it freaks me out.

[Liz]

Tallon's pretty good with danger. We have a dangerous retaining wall outside and he's been really good with it, knows not to play near it etc, and has always been really good if you tell him something is dangerous.

he also doesn't play in his room. We have all the toys and books and things out in the family room out the back.

argh.. i dunno. Would just be nice not to have to squish two separate beds in the room. hehe.

[mrsmac]

I think Jess was 9 when she slept in the top bunk and Erin was 7 but that was more cause we didn't need to before that , than any age thing.

[Visitor8]

Chase has been sleeping up there for the last 6 months, so just after his 3rd birthday.

[Liz]

Aah Mel - excellent. That's what I needed to know.. that I wouldn't be the only one to put a younger kid up there! haha.

We'd have to have a training day or something hehe so that when he's half asleep he still knows to get to the ladder to get down. In case he comes in to us through the night or something.

hmm.. I'll have a chat with DH about it.. see what he says.

Has anyone had their kids share a bed, one at each end? That was on my list of possibilities for a while there, but DD possibly moves around too much for that.

[Visitor8]

Yup, most nights the boys both sleep up the top. they are very close and have always shared, even when they have had their own beds. They tend to sleep next to each other though
The only problem I thought I might have with the top bunk is getting up and down to use the toilet, but it hasnt' been a problem yet
We haven't had any accidental falls or anything either

[[M]umma[M]ia]

My neice has a top bunk and she is now 6.. she has been sleeping up there for about 3 years.. so yeh she was 3. She hasnt had a fall at all.

When i had a top bunk when i was little (mayb about 10) i fell off all the time.. never broke anything.. but hay it wasnt the top bunk.. i would fall of anything as a kid! lol

[feeb]

I was in a top bunk at age of 4 and a bit and I fell out and broke my arm.

sorry to be a negative

[Liz]

Yeah, it's a long way to fall. But so far he's quite sedate in bed. He does all the bed jumping on our bed (people probably have broken bone stories from letting their kid jump on the bed too hehe) so I'm not concerned about him fooling around up there.

i think it might be worth a try just to gauge how he behaves up there. If there's anythng that makes me nervous then we can just separate the beds.

[feeb]

i wasnt mucking around was a roll out in middle of night!!!!

[Liz]

heh.. I had a friend roll off in the night, and promptly rolled under the bottom bunk.. they couldn't find her in the morning! She was fast asleep under there LOL.

[feeb]

Lol ooops

[Visitor8]

lol bunks these days are made with pretty darn good safety rails, have to be houdini to roll out