When your baby has grown into a cute, hyperactive toddler, it’s time for you to start thinking about their new bedroom and how to upgrade the whole room to their new needs. Shifting from a cot bed to a proper bed is a step not to be taken lightly and also an opportunity to enjoy choosing a new furniture piece for your child.
Buying a child’s first bed may become challenging at times, considering you’ll have to make sure it comes with all the specs, comfort and safety features that are right for your toddler in that moment of their life and throughout the years that follow. Failing to do so may put you through the same process again and again until you find your satisfactory end result.
To avoid that and ensure you find the best first bed for your toddlers, follow this simple guide on choosing your child’s first bed and what to consider.
Child’s first bed and upgrading to a proper bed
On average, children move from a cot to a proper bed when they’re between two to three years old. You should be able to easily interpret the signs as to when’s the right time to make a change.
Say your child has started climbing their cot trying to make their way out or rolling sideways, showing the need for more space and to be able to hop off more easily to either get up in the morning or go to the bathroom. Or you simply have your second baby joining the family and it’s time to make adjustments for the newborn. It’s all instances to consider before buying a baby first bed for your toddler.
Moving your child from a cot bed to a bed also implies maintaining the elements of safety, comfort and, to never disregard, style and functionality. These four go hand in hand if you wish to find the best solution for your child’s sleeping spot as well as the overall room.
As soon as you identify any of the following behaviours, be prepared to look into buying your baby first bed:
- They have outgrown their cotbed
- They start asking for a bigger bed
- They attempt to climb over their cotbed
- They have begun to go to the bathroom by themselves
- They require less supervision while sleeping
A child’s first bed: safety, comfort, style and function
Your child has shown signs they’re clearly ready for their first proper bed and you too think it’s time to upgrade but you still want to make sure their new cradle has all the right features that guarantee a safe and comfortable sleep and bring along an element of style and functionality.
First of all, let’s make sure that their new bed is safe. Always choose quality wooden frames as they tend to remain solid and sturdy for a long time, and keep an eye out for safety rails which are the ideal feature to prevent your child from rolling out of bed.
Comfort is among the main characteristics, given that your toddler will literally grow into that that bed. Choose mattresses that can support your child’s back and provide relief to their growing bones.
Try to involve your child in the decision making process of buying their first bed. Let them choose a bed they like, the style they most see themselves into and create some kind of a bond with it. You’ll be guaranteed they won’t make a fuss about bedtime but will in fact look forward to it.
Other than its main function, which is of course sleep, their new bed may carry extra features that can come in handy. For example, having an under-bed drawer that can be pulled out to extend the bed if they have a friend sleeping over or some built-in storage option where to keep all bed linen and bedding in general are characteristic features that will provide an all-in-one solution and improve the room layout.
What type of bed should I choose?
We have a broad range of beds that parents can choose from. We provide kids’ beds with storage space that improves the entire bedroom layout from a functional point of view. At Dragons of Walton Street, we present you with solutions that perfectly fit your child’s age and needs and match any other preferences parents may have, whether it’s about the very structure and the employed materials or the style, colour and artwork.
From our range, we suggest you to explore the following options:
Single Wiliam Bed.One of our classics beds with its hand-turned posts and inlaid footboard provides the perfect frame for our artwork - especially some of our adventurous scenes!
The sturdy design can cope with even the most boisterous of boys, but just in case we ensure you have peace of mind with a seven-year guarantee. This bed includes a quality pocket sprung mattress but there is also a optional trundle bed (or drawer) to fit underneath (mattress 87cm x 176cm).
Single Oliver Bed. More than 20 hours of painting by our expert artists go into decorating this amazing Oliver bed and it makes a fabulous first proper bed for when your children have graduated from a cotbed.
Cavernous drawers, which can hide a multitude of sins, sit comfortably underneath. You can have our nautical design with sailboats, or any Dragons artwork with details to match. Small size will suit children from age three to nine, while our standard size will last them until they're 12.
Single Sleigh Bed. Our artists' favourite bed - and we know why. The curved ends of this wonderful sleigh bed provide the perfect platform to show off the famous Dragons of Walton Street brushstrokes. Whether it's one of our classic artworks or simply a slice of your child's imagination, this bed is the perfect canvas to help turn their bedroom into a fantasy. The bed comes with a pocket-sprung mattress, measuring 90cm x 190cm.
As ever, we have combined luxury with practicality as this characterful piece of furniture is more than just a bed. Hiding a trundle underneath (sold separately), this is perfect for sleepovers. Having said that, sleepovers tend to involve very little sleep these days so perhaps it's best to say 'perfect for get-togethers'!
Double Sleigh Bed. When your children get to that age when lying in is one of their favourite past-times, this double sleigh bed is just the answer.
Shown in our elegant roses and ribbons artwork, it's perfect if you have a budding early teen. The double bed gives extra space for them growing up and provides a perfect spare bed for when they've flown the nest.
Painted at our showroom in Sussex, the bed comes with a fabulous pocket-sprung mattress and artwork of your choice. A great addition to our range and looks stunning side-on against the wall piled high with cushions.
We have two mattress options:
Standard: The Dragons Standard mattress has over 1000 individual pocket springs offering individual support and superb comfort. It features 2 rows of side-stitching, traditional tufting and an attractive hard-wearing damask cover.
Luxury: The Dragons Luxury mattress is luxurious and extremely comfortable. It has over 1,600 individual pocket springs and layer upon layer of sumptuous upholstery. Finished in an attractive hard-wearing damask cover with a traditional tufted finish and three rows of side stitching, this mattress offers an exceptional night’s sleep.
Turn their bedroom into their dreamroom
A child’s bed is where they mostly sleep and rest but even when it’s not used for its primary purpose, it will still be an important part of the whole bedroom. It is therefore essential to make it look gorgeous and a key part of a furnishing set alongside the rest of the room’s furniture.
You can achieve this through the gorgeous designs our talented artists create relentlessly. They know that when a bed is not being used for sleep, it’s still part of the overall look of the room and has a massive impact on its entire design. By choosing one of our amazing artwork, our children wooden beds can turn your child’s room into their dreamspace.
Kids use their imagination a lot and it’s imperative to make the space they live in as much inspiring as possible.
When choosing your child’s first bed, don’t miss out on the opportunity to create a dreamroom where you and your child can build unforgettable memories.