The Montessori way of learning is one that has freedom at its forefront. There are many ways to incorporate Montessori into your child’s life, many of which center around the child’s own living space.
One of the things all children have in common is how much time they spend in their bed.
Ideally, to get the most out of the Montessori way of life, you will want to incorporate it into as many different aspects of your daily living as possible. Luckily, Montessori is easily adapted to fit however you live.
The type of bed that best lends itself to Montessori is the floor bed. Floor beds are a fantastic addition to any bedroom, but especially for those parents who adopted a Montessori parenting style. There is a wealth of choice when it comes to choosing a Montessori floor bed for your child’s bedroom.
So much so that it can feel quite overwhelming trying to choose the right one. A simple internet search will bring up dozens of beds all claiming to be the best. We understand these overwhelmed feelings, and to help with that we have decided to research for you!
In this article, we are going to be telling you all about the top five Montessori floor beds that we have found based on our in-depth research.
Whilst compiling our research we quickly realized that there were a number of important factors that needed to be taken into consideration regarding the purchase of a Montessori floor bed.
With these factors, we have decided to create a handy Buyers’ Guide for you to use and refer to when buying your own Montessori bed.
As if that wasn’t enough, we have also included a section where we answer the most Frequently Asked Questions, allowing you to put all of those niggling worries to bed once and for all!
So without further ado, here are our top five products!
In a rush? Here’s our top pick
Our top pick just had to be KD Frames Twin Trundle. That’s right...the top pick is not even a bed frame, but a trundle. Here is why we loved it so much:
- The design of it lends itself well to the ideal Montessori floor bed style as it allows freedom of movement
- It has wooden slats to allow adequate airflow under the bed to ensure the health of your child
- It is super easy to assemble
- The wood is sturdy and durable
OUR TOP PICK
The first product on our list is less of a bed and more of a trundle… However, this should definitely not put you off as it is hands down the best option we have found for your own DIY Montessori bed!
This bed has been made from poplar hardwood, ensuring it is durable and will last long.
It comes with four sturdy wheels that can be attached if you want to, but they can also be left off to create a Montessori Bed Frame.
The design is subtle, allowing for a simple bed to give focus to the other parts of the child’s bedroom.
The slatted design allows for adequate airflow, and the frame is a twin size, meaning it can be used from newborn onwards.
Whisky the original purpose was not for Montessori, the reviews are overwhelmingly from people using it for this.
Pros:
- Super easy to assemble
- High-quality materials used to make it
- Simple design means it is easily adaptable
- It comes with detachable wheels to easily turn it into a Montessori style bed
Cons:
- It is not officially a true bed frame, which may put off some customers. However, reviews have shown that it works perfectly as a floor bed.
EDITORS CHOICE
This simplistic bed frame with its sleek design is the ideal frame for those wanting to introduce Montessori sleeping into their lives.
The bed is made from natural wood and is of a strong and sturdy finish.
The design allows for complete freedom of movement for your child and encourages open plan living and exploration. This is, of course, the central aspect of Montessori.
It allows you to either place your mattress right inside the frame onto the floor or to set up a box spring or trundle bed within it, depending on your preferences.
The design is super versatile and will fit into any room design easily.
Pros:
- Well designed to ensure it will be sturdy and durable
- Made from natural wood
- Simplistic design
- Allows for freedom of movement
Cons:
- Lots of reviewers have found that a twin mattress is too small. To solve this it is a good idea to size up to a twin XL mattress.
BEST VALUE
We love this House Floor Bed Frame by UHOM because of its simplistic design.
You can easily fit your child’s mattress into the bed frame, allowing them to be close to the floor and giving them the freedom to get out of bed and explore when they want to.
The wood is premium pine imported from Finland and it has been painted with environmentally friendly paint.
It comes in two sizes so that you can choose the option that best suits your needs.
The house style is both simple and fun, and as your child grows older they are bound to enjoy playing make-believe in their bed as it will be able to double up as a play area.
Any hardware on the bed is hidden so that it will not harm your child.
Pros:
- Durable premium wood is used to make this bed, ensuring that it will be strong and sturdy enough for your child
- It comes in two size options
- The design is simple in order for it to suit any room
- The fun house design will be enjoyed by children of all ages
Cons:
- Some reviewers commented on the fact that the instructions were a little difficult to follow at times
RUNNER UP
This bed by Meritline is ready to pop your mattress right on without the need for a box spring or trundle to boost it up.
It has slats on the underside to ensure adequate airflow, as well as having a simple but sturdy design to ensure safety and security for your child.
It is a twin size frame, meaning it can be used for many years, from newborn onwards.
It is functional and fun, giving your child a play space as well as a sleeping space, and giving them that all-important freedom of movement that is so important in the Montessori method.
Set up is simple thanks to the easy to follow instructions. It is sure to be a hit with your children!
Pros:
- Everything you need for the bed comes in just one package with easy to follow instructions
- It comes with a slatted underside so there is no need for a box spring to use it. It also means the mattress does not need to go right onto the floor
- It encourages adequate airflow thanks to the design
- It is durable and sturdy
Cons:
- Even with the easy to follow instructions, the assembly of this bed is tedious and can take a while
RUNNER UP
Last but by no means least is the South Shore bed from Sweedi. This is the second bed by this brand to be featured on our list, and for good reason.
This simple but sturdy bed is made from solid poplar wood, ensuring it will be stable.
It is an excellent bed to use as a transition bed from a crib as it was designed with toddlers in mind. This will make your Montessori journey easy as can be.
The crossbars can be removed if that suits your needs better. This frame allows the mattress to fit right on to the floor, but you can buy a box spring if you wish to ensure more airflow.
Functionality is key with this bed, and it allows for excellent freedom of movement for your child.
Pros:
- A great transition bed
- Easy to assemble
- Simple but sturdy design
- Removable crossbars
Cons:
- It does not come with slats on which to put a mattress, and so to ensure adequate airflow you must purchase them yourself or use a low box spring bed.
Best Montessori Floor Bed Buying Guide
Consider airflow
One of the most important considerations to make is that of air flow.
As tempting as it can be to just put a mattress on the floor, this can have negative impacts on the room in which your child sleeps as well as the health of your child.
Air flow is important as it can help stop mold, mildew, and dampness from occurring. This is even more important if you live in an environment that is prone to becoming very humid, or if your house is prone to damp.
To ensure adequate air flow is allowed, you need to use some simple wooden slats underneath the mattress at the very least. However, it is preferable to choose a simple floor bed frame that elevates the mattress off the floor a little.
This may seem like it defeats the purpose of a floor bed but actually, the floor bed frames that can be bought do not look or feel as though they are elevated. They just provide enough room underneath for air to flow freely.
The design
Linked to the factor of airflow is the design of the bed. Not only must the design allow for proper airflow underneath the bed but it also may be important to you that you choose a Montessori bed that is aesthetically pleasing.
There are many different types of Montessori bed frames, but typically they are all made from wood with a simple, clean design.
You can get some that are simply a bed frame to hold the mattress. These types of Montessori floor beds can not usually be seen, giving the illusion that the mattress is on the floor.
As well as this, there is also the option to get a bed that has been shaped to look like a tent or house. These types of floor bed frames are becoming very popular.
Some of the bed frames come with mattresses already, whilst others need to have mattresses added to them which you can buy separately from a retailer of your choice.
If you are purchasing a Montessori floor bed that comes with a mattress you may also want to consider the mattress itself, thinking about what type of mattress you want, whether that be firmer or softs, with springs, memory foam, or a mixture.
Size
The size of your chosen Montessori floor bed should also be an important factor for consideration.
The beauty of Montessori style sleeping is that you can tailor it to suit your own and your child’s needs. For a non-Montessori parenting style, a parent may buy many different types of beds between birth and teenage years.
From their first crib to their very first double bed, the type of bed that they have can change as they grow and mature.
However, this does not always need to be the case. The beauty of Montessori means that you can keep the same bed for many years, provided you start with a full-sized bed and mattress.
Of course, for a newborn, you may want to stick with a crib or co-sleeping, and you should follow guidelines and professional advice for how best to do this.
However, from around the age of 6 months, Montessori style sleeping can be introduced. Some parents do introduce it much younger than that, but remember that is a personal choice!
Consider whether it is the right choice for your needs to get a full-sized bed right from the start, or whether you want to start off with a smaller bed. There is no right or wrong choice here and it is all down to the needs of you and your child.
The only thing you should bear in mind in regards to the size of the bed is that it needs to be big enough to give the child freedom to explore, rather than have them feeling cooped up in a too-small bed.
Is rolling an issue?
One concern that a lot of parents have before starting their Montessori journey is safety issues. This is especially the case when it comes to the bed they sleep in.
Cribs are designed with high sides on them, making it almost impossible for a child to roll out of bed (although climbing out of bed is a different story). If this is a worry you have - and let’s face it, it’s a valid one - then there are steps that can be put in place to ensure this does not happen.
You can buy Montessori floor beds that come with short sides on them to eliminate the chances of rolling out. Often these small sides can be removable so that the parents can take them off when the child gets older.
However, most parents find that actually because a Montessori floor bed is much bigger, the child has more space and is less likely to roll out anyway.
Another thing that may ease your worries is the fact that even if they have a tiny bit of height to them, Montessori beds are practically floor level, meaning that if your child did roll out they are unlikely to sustain any injuries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Montessori floor beds safe?
Yes, as Rowenna Oesch points out in their blog post, Montessori beds are safe, provided safety measures are taken in the room in which the bed resides too.
Montessori beds are designed to be safe whilst still giving your child the freedom to move and explore without the constraints of a crib.
As with any children’s bed, you should follow safe sleeping guidance with regards to bumpers, sheets, stuffed animals, and swaddles.
Montessori sleeping is meant to be very simple and stripped back, without the need for any of these things.
At what age is it appropriate to start using a Montessori floor bed?
There is no one answer to this question as it is something that is a very personal choice. As Nicole Johnson says in her article for Montessori Rocks, it will be largely down to your child’s sleeping pattern and history.
As we mentioned in our Buyers’ Guide, some parents choose to introduce Montessori bed sleeping from the moment their child is born.
There is no reason that they cannot do this, provided safe sleeping guidelines for newborns are followed in line with what your midwife/ birthing team suggests.
Other parents may wait until the child has reached 6 months. This is common and you will find a lot of Montessori parenting practitioners start at around this age. Others may choose to wait until their child is a toddler to introduce Montessori floor sleeping.
There is no right or wrong way to do it. As Christie Stanford writes, many parents do not agree with crib sleeping because “Approximately 50 infants each year are killed and another 9,000 are injured in crib-related accidents in the U.S.” (Source). For this reason, many parents prefer Montessori sleeping for their child.
Why are Montessori beds on the floor?
Montessori beds are on the floor as this is the best way to allow the child to have freedom and access to everything in their room. Montessori parenting encourages children to learn through their own intuition and curiosity.
As Chloë Marshall points out in her journal article on Montessori Education, Montessori learning is all about giving the child the opportunity for “self-directed” education. The child will be able to make independent decisions about waking up when they feel ready.
They will not have to wait for you to remove them from their crib, they can just leave the bed themselves as they will safely be able to step onto the floor. The idea is that they will then be able to access their toys or books and entertain themselves in that way.
As well as this, there are also the safety benefits of having a floor bed. As Cinelli writes in an article for the popular parenting website, Family Education:
Montessori floor beds are not raised off the floor so that the baby can get in and out once she starts crawling, and so that she won’t hurt herself if she rolls out.
The bed is designed to keep her safe without caging her in like a crib would. (Source)
Final Verdict
We hope that you have found the perfect Montessori floor bed to suit the needs of you, and of course, your child.
As you can see, there is a wealth of choice when it comes to Montessori floor beds, but we have made that far easier by handpicking five of the very best.
We are sure that the Buyers’ Guide and Frequently Asked Questions section has proved very useful for you, and answered any final burning questions you might have.