Shopping Tips For A Toddler Ready Bed

If you are planning on shopping for a toddler ready bed, these quick tips can help you make the best choices.

1. Be sure any toddler bed, regardless of type, is well-made. By that I mean that it is sturdy, has rounded edges and not sharp corners, the finish is smooth and the hardware doesn't stick out. Also, there should never be any kind of cutouts or holes in the headboard or footboard.

2. Get a mattress that fits. While most toddler beds will hold your crib mattress just fine, there are beds which will require a larger mattress.

You want to avoid having large gaps between the mattress and the headboard and footboard. It could easily create a serious accident.

3. Do you need toddler bed rails? This is a personal choice, but rails can certainly help keep your child from falling out of bed at night. If you have a child that is all over the bed when they sleep, it may be a good idea to have them. For bunk beds, rails are an absolute must.

If you do get them, be sure the bed rails fit up against the mattress snugly.

4. Buy a toddler ready bed that is certified safe by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA). There should be a sticker on the bed or packaging with this certification.

This does not apply to full-size or twin beds because JPMA doesn't certify those.

5. According to the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASIM), the industry standard for toddler bed's corner posts or finials should never be over 0.06 inch higher than the upper edge of the side or end panel of the bed.

Toddler ready beds and accessories from these manufacturers all meet or exceed U.S. Safety Standards:

• The First Years
• Summer Infant Products
• Simplicity For Children
• Dex Products
• Dorel Juvenile Group
• Delta Enterprise
• Stork Craft
• KidKraft