Montessori Floor Bed Options

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I get a lot of questions about our floor bed. You can read all about it here. Mine is is a crib converted into a floor bed but I would not recommend that option unless you already have a crib you want to keep using.

UPDATE: at 14 months we switched to a twin-sized floor bed. We now have the Sprout Sosta bed and I highly recommend it. It is the most versatile floor bed I have seen. The one downside is it does not have a crib-size option which I discuss. We also now have the Sprout original floor bed for my daughter. Code OnTheWay10 gives 10% off either of those.

What Type of Montessori Floor Bed Would You Like

There are a few considerations regarding what sort of floor bed you would like. The first is the size. Generally, crib-sized mattresses are recommended for babies under a year. Not everyone follows that but we felt safer doing it (this applies to babies sleeping alone- if you are cosleeping you do not need a crib mattress just a very firm adult mattress).

The trade-off on buying a floor bed in crib size is it means investing in a bed twice versus a bigger bed that could last throughout childhood. If you are cosleeping anyway it might make more sense to just skip the crib-sized floor bed. A bigger bed is also more comfortable for parents to lie with the baby. We made it work in the crib-sized bed but a bigger one will be easier when we size up.

There are ways though to still get the crib mattress without it being too expensive. Just a mattress on the floor works and that saves some of the money of buying a crib-sized bed and a twin. If you already have a crib-sized mattress you can use that. This was the reason we DIY’d our crib. If you are unsure whether you want a crib or floor bed there are some cribs that have screw-off legs which are ideal for making the transition. With ours we were able to do by removing the full bottom, but on some the legs are attached to the sides which wouldn’t work.

The next consideration is what sort of sides. Again, there is the mattress on the floor option. However, if you have a bed against the wall it should have bars on the side (or sides designed for that such as the Sprout bed). Having a mattress up against the wall poses a suffocation risk up until the preschool years. Most experts recommend it being 1-2 feet from the wall if it is a plain mattress or in a bedframe not specifically built for being against the wall.

Bars keep the baby from falling out as readily but babies learn the edges of the bed quickly and will not continue to fall out even without bars. The more classic Montessori floor bed approach is no bars at all. However, having the bar worked for us and I don’t believe in avoiding them just for the sake of purity.

The final consideration is ventilation underneath. Our mattress is directly on the floor. This means it should be aired out from time to time and cleaned under. It also is a Newton Baby mattress and I feel like that one is less likely to mold. We also don’t live in a very humid apartment. Slats underneath can be nice for avoiding this issue altogether though. Dedicated floor beds will have slats as likely will some crib conversions (the crib conversions shared here should be able to keep the slats).

These recommendations are a mix of recommendations from the community on Instagram and my research into options.

Floor Beds with Bars/Rails

Sprout Sosta Bed: You can have it with or without rails and the rails can be chosen to your liking. You only need to buy the rails you actually want. If you don’t want front rails you can buy without, if you do, they sell them. It is the most versatile floor bed I have seen but is only available in twin at this time.

Ikea Kura: This one takes some DIYing but this is a popular “hack” turning this bed into a floor bed with the sides from the top bunk. Available in twin size.

Delta Sleep and Play: this is a very affordable option if you don’t mind the characters. Available in twin size.

Etsy: there are a lot of options on Etsy. I do not know much about many of them since I have not had them nor heard details about most of them from followers. I would definitely read reviews before buying but there are options in a variety of sizes.

House-style bed: this house-style bed has bars and is loved by some friends on Instagram! Available in twin.

Floor Beds without Bars/Rails

Sprout: This is a classic in the Montessori world. You can get one side higher if you are putting it up against a wall. Available in crib-size, twin, and full. Code OnTheWay10 for a discount!

Teepee Bed: I’m not exactly sure why but teepee beds seem to be particularly popular in the Montessori Instagram world. They’re cute but obviously the decoration isn’t necessary. This one is available in crib, twin, and full.

Cribs That Easily Convert

These cribs have legs that come off easily to be a floor bed.

Babyletto Gelato: followers told me this one is very easy to convert.

Babyletto Hudson: according to followers the legs simply screw off.

Delta Sloane 4-in-1: another option with legs that just come off easily!

Do you have another favorite? I would love to add it to the list!