Bunk Beds? What age did you?

[Leigh Ann]

We have bunk beds that we've had set up as two twins, and then the little one (19 mo) is in a toddler bed. But I also have a crib that sets up as a full. I'd like to put DS (3 yrs) in the full and set up the bunk beds for the girls because they share a room and need the extra space. DD1 is 5 yrs old. She is a very relaxed sleeper and has only fallen out of her bed once, several yrs ago. The top bunk has a full safety rail all the way from the headboard to about 10 inches from the footboard. So, would you or wouldn't you? I just can't decide.

[cowgirl76]

I probably would, as long as she's ok with it and has no problem with the ladder. My ds is 28 months old and we just moved him from his toddler bed to a low loft bed (the top of the bed is about 4' from the ground). We were going to wait a bit longer, but ds was fine going up and down the ladder, and it has a full safety rail.

[tallanvor]

I would. We had our older two in bunk beds for several months while staying with my in-laws while DH was deployed. DD was 4 and DS was 2 when we moved in with them. They did fine.

[Psychomom]

I would for your 5 year old.

Side note: several years ago, bunk beds came with a warning that the top bunk should not be used by children under 6 years old due to suffocation risks. I never see that warning anymore. Are bunk beds made differently now? I do have a friend who lost one of her twin boys many, many years ago due to a bunk bed accident (the surviving twin is about 20 years old; this happened when they were 3.)

[trilliank]

We just put my 2 oldest in Bunk Beds in Sept. DS was 5 and DD was 18 months. They have to share a room because the newest LO arrived in Oct. DS is fine on the beds, however DD (who is now 2) has fallen 2 times, once over the rail because she was standing and once down the stairs ( we didn't want a ladder) We have now made it very clear that you are only in bed when it is time to sleep, not play and if she goes up the steps my son now comes and tells me so I can get her down. Set down the rules from day 1-learn from my mistakes! All is good now

[Icryinbaseball]

We just got them. Even though it is the 5 and 7 year old that use them i still have a 2 year old that loves to climb. We set the rules when we put them up and after 2 days he was over trying to climb them, and has no interest in them at all.

[Leigh Ann]

Thanks so much everyone! We went ahead and set them up today, and I can see now that I'm gonna have to set the rule to stay off unless sleeping. They are all very excited about it right now, but I'm hoping that the new will wear off and things will be fine. I've already told them that if they don't behave on it we'll take it down and put DD1 on the bottom and DD2 back in her toddler. Hopefully we won't have to though. The extra space sure looks nice in there!