9 Crucial Tips to Provide Bunk Bed Safety for Your Kids
Beds provide us with a way to escape from our hectic day-to-day lives, and to power-up our bodies, like recharging cell phone batteries. Bunk beds can also help your kids to rest up for their busy days. The added benefit of bunk beds is that they can provide a sense of wonderment and excitement for little ones. However, we must always remember that bunk beds and safety should go hand-in-hand.
Bunk beds provide the perfect bedding for your son or daughter. They are available in a wide variety of styles and prices, are space-efficient, and are fun! In addition, following these tips will help to ensure that the “safety first” rule is always followed:
1. The age of limits. Never allow children below six-years-old to sleep on the top bunk.
2. Show your support. Verify that sturdy supports attach the top bunk to the lower bunk, to prevent injuries created when kids push up on the top bunk bed.
3. Climbing Jacob’s (or Jacky’s) ladder. Teach your child to always use the ladder, rather than a chair or other furniture, to get to the upper bunk.
4. Seeing the light. Use a night light in the room, so your child can see the ladder well, if he or she needs to climb down during nighttime.
5. Breaking in the bed. Check if the bunk bed contains any breaks or cracks, and particularly if your child sleeps in a metal bunk bed. Speaking of metal bunk beds, also verify periodically that the bolts are secure.
6. Putting roughhousing to bed. Instruct your children that roughhousing on beds and other pieces of furniture is dangerous. Such behavior often results in accidents linked to bunk beds.
7. Guarding your child. Children have a greater tendency to roll around while sleeping, than adults do. It is vital to always secure the upper bunk’s two guardrails on the sides. Regardless of the age of the child, the guardrails must be secured 100% of the time.
In addition, check the height of the guardrails. Many websites like this one provide the measurements necessary to determine the height of the guardrail above the matress.
8. Falling through the cracks. Many accidents involving children and bunk beds are linked to the gap between the top bunk’s frame and the mattress. Verify that the maximum amount of space between the mattress and the guardrail is 1.2 inches (3 centimeters), to prevent your child from slipping through. The solution to this problem begins by choosing a mattress that fits snugly onto the frame of the bunk bed.
9. Meeting at the crossties. Each of the bed’s crossties must always be positioned and secured underneath the foundation of the mattress.
Space-saving bunk bends are available in a variety of convenient styles and sizes. To top it all off, they can be a barrel of fun for your kids. There is something special about sleeping in a bed that seems like two beds! By following some basic safety precautions, the only problem kids will have is deciding who gets to sleep on the top bunk!
Tags: bunk bed safety | bunk bed safety | bedroom safety | bedroom safety | kid’s safety | kid’s safety
February 17th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
they are great they are very room saving….
August 21st, 2009 at 4:23 pm
Thanks for the info about bunk beds. I don’t think most people realize how many bunk bed options there really are out there. I went to http://www.simplykidsfurniture.com/shop-by-brand-southshore.html’ rel=’nofollow and got my child the bunk bed from the Logic collection. It’s so gorgeous and has so much storage that we didn’t even need to get a dresser. She loves it and really likes having a big space where her friends can sleep during sleepovers. I’m a huge fan of these beds. We even use the bottom bunk for guests when they come to stay. It’s a gorgeous bed!