Junior Beds Can Save You Money
Can a junior bed save you money? At first glance a junior bed may seem to be very expensive. They cost more than a few hundred dollars and it seems like an expensive investment for your child. However, if you are having your first baby and you do not have a crib, you may want to consider buying a junior bed that converts from a crib to a small bed for your toddler.
Most babies will spend approximately one year in the new crib that you buy for them. Of course every new parent considers having a new crib since that seems to make your baby’s room cute and comfortable. Plus, a crib allows you to feel safe and secure while your child is sleeping. However, do you have the money to spend on a new crib? Really good cribs may cost you up to $1000 or more, especially if you want the really good, stable, and secure kind. Therefore, instead of investing that much money in a crib that your child will only sleep and for one year or less, consider buying a junior bed that converts from a crib to a regular little bed.
As your child gets older he will want to have a bed that is similar to what he sees in everybody else’s rooms. He will want to copy you in everything he does. When your child is really young people need things that will influence him are the people around him. Therefore, consider getting a bed that can be used for a longer period of time. Junior beds can be used until your child is six or seven years old and sometimes older. Therefore, buying a junior bed that that converts allows you to save a lot of money.
It may sound like a surprise that junior beds can save you money. At first glance they seem like they are very expensive. However, compare that cost to buying a crib, and then buying a little bed in between, and you may find that it will be more economical to buy one item instead of two. Having a baby cost a lot of money and there are lots of places where you want to try and save money so you can spend them later on your child as he grows up. Making sure your child has a comfortable and good place to sleep is very important. However, trying to make sure that you don’t spend bundles of money just to give your child a comfortable bed is also very important. Consider buying a junior bed such as the Stokke bed to save you money.
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Junior Ready Bed
I just bought my son a junior ready bed and he is ecstatic. He already has his little junior bed in his room, but after buying the bed, he started asking to sleep in our room or the living room or his playroom. At first, I didn’t know what to do. Where would he sleep in all of these different rooms? Should I let him do that or should I make him sleep in his own new bed? If he were to sleep in another room, would I just give him a sleeping bag? Should I even make an exception for this or would this lead to bad habits or fussiness later on?
Cars junior ready bed from Amazon
After doing some research online, I figured out that one way to get around this was to buy him a junior ready bed and allow him to use it on the weekends to sleep in different rooms. This way, he could get used to sleeping in different places if we ever went on vacation or took him to someone’s house for a sleepover.
A junior ready bed is basically a sleeping bag with an air mattress on the bottom. Usually, they come with a pump for the air mattress. It feels a little better than sleeping on a regular sleeping bag because the air mattress is a bit more comfortable. Lately, many children have been using junior ready beds for sleepovers instead of the traditional sleeping bag.
The great thing about these ready beds is that they come in so many different styles and characters. Disney has an entire line including the Disney Cars and Disney Princesses. They also come with other characters such as Dora the Explorer, Spiderman, and even High School Musical. So, whatever age your child is, you will find something that fits. For my little one, I chose the Disney Cars Ready Bed since he loves cars. He actually hasn’t seen the movie yet since his attention span is so low, but I know he’ll love the movie when I show him.
This past weekend, I let him sleep in his play room for 1 night and he was ecstatic. We made it sort of a game where he helped me roll out his bed and lay it on the floor. Then, I read to him, the same way we do every night and then told him it was time for bed. He was actually fast asleep after a few minutes and slept perfectly well in his junior ready bed all night long.
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Race car bed for my son
We did it! Last weekend, we bought my son a Little Tikes Race Car bed. We went to look at a lot of junior beds, particularly race car beds. We took him with us since everyone recommended that he will take to the bed better if he gets to help in the selection process. Basically, we went to a few furniture stores in the area, Toys R’ Us, and even Pottery Barn Kids to see what they had. The thing he liked best was the Little Tikes Race Car bed.
The bed he chose is blue, my son loves blue. The second he saw it, he climbed up into the bed and lay down, right in front of the salesman. Then he proceeded to climb all over it and play in it. The funny thing was, he sat on the car with his little legs sticking out and started making “vroom, vroom” noises. I have no idea who taught him that since neither me nor his dad nor his grandparents have ever said that word! When we were about to leave the store, he wouldn’t leave! I had to convince him that we had bought that bed for him and that it was going to come to our house in a week. I explained to him that it was going to be like when Santa Claus brings over gifts. We had to wait a little bit, but then it would come. In the end, he left with us, but was slightly teary-eyed.
Example of the Little Tikes Race Car Bed
We really liked the Little Tikes Race Car Bed because it was really sturdy. My husband sat on it and knocked his hands against the entire bed. At one point, he knocked and pushed so loud that the salesman looked over. Apparently, lots of parents do it, so he didn’t mind. It is really sturdy and the raised edges made us feel better about our son sleeping in it since it will help prevent him from rolling off the side. My husband characterized it as “pretty good detailing” in terms of the tire and the body so clearly, he thought it was a good enough replica of a car to buy for our son. Both of them loved the car and my husband joined my son while he was pretending to drive around in it and I saw them both steering a fake steering wheel while driving by cows and sheep and mailmen and all sorts of words that my son had remembered from the books we read to him.
If you’re looking to buy a racing car bed, I would highly recommend the Little Tikes Race car bed.
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Types of junior beds
There are many types of junior beds ranging from ones for toddlers to those for kids ages 5 and up. Below are the types to consider when shopping for a junior bed.
Stokke junior bed
Convertible crib to junior bed
The convertible crib to junior bed is made for babies to grow into. Starting with the crib, the bed can be converted by removing the front railings and making it more like a toddler or junior bed. The most famous of these is the Stokke Sleepi Crib with the Stokke Sleepi Junior Bed System. This bed starts as a crib with railings on all sides. The railings are adjustable as your child grows. Then, when the child is around 2 or 3, the crib’s railings can be removed in the front or back or both, making the bed into a toddler or junior bed. Finally, when the child is over, the Junior Bed kit allows you to convert that crib into a 67.5” junior bed made for 3-7 year olds.
Not all junior beds come with this complete system, so make sure you check what type of bed it is before you purchase. Also, check to see how long your child will be able to use it and how easily convertible it is. The benefits of the Stokke System and other beds like this is that the child keeps the same bed for many years. The familiarity of the bed allows them to more easily transition into each stage of sleeping. You also save a lot of money since you don’t have to keep buying a new bed.
Junior bed with railings on the side
Another type of junior bed comes with railings on the side. Sometimes, the railings extend half way across, while other times, the railings just extend out a little, just enough to help the child feel secure. These beds are also lower to the ground so they are easier for a child to climb into them. When deciding whether or not to buy these, think about how independent your child is. Is your child transitioning from a crib? Does your child tend to roll around while sleeping? Is your child usually afraid of the dark and have a hard time falling asleep in his or her own bed? Does your child sleep fine in a regular bed or have you even tried that before? Answering these questions will help you determine if you need a special junior bed with railings. Not all children need it, but some do to feel more secure. Others need it if they tend to roll around in bed. Finally, having the railings sometimes remind the children of their own crib. If they slept comfortably in that and are transitioning to a junior bed, you may want to consider one with railings.
Junior bed without railings
This junior bed is almost exactly like a regular twin bed. The one difference is that it is smaller and oftentimes lower to the ground. Again, like the one with railings, the lower height helps the child get in and out of bed more easily. This makes them feel more independent, especially when sleeping in their own bed. Consider this junior bed if your child is pretty independent, doesn’t roll around a lot while sleeping, and feels pretty comfortable in his own bed.
Junior loft bed
Junior loft bed
This bed is like a loft. The bed is raised up and underneath there are drawers or cupboards or an area that can be converted to a children’s play area. These beds usually have ladders or steps that children have to climb up on the side. There are also added elements such as slides that children can play on. This type of bed looks sort of like a child’s jungle gym except the bed is on top. They are great for rooms that don’t have enough space for a play area or if you want to add an additional play area for your child. These junior loft beds come in many types for girls and boys like the castle bed or the fort bed. Finally, these beds can be pricier, anywhere from $200 – $800 for ones made of solid wood.
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