The best toddler beds get little ones excited to sleep in their own rooms, are low to the ground and keep kids safely contained so they don’t fall out and hurt themselves.
“Kids are going to have larger beds for the rest of their lives so it’s fun to keep them small while you can and give them a toddler bed for that short-but-sweet phase,” says Heather Fujikawa, principal designer and co-owner of House Sprucing, as well as a mom to four. “Toddler beds are a bit smaller than a standard twin bed, so if you’re tight on space these can be a great option to put in the nursery to replace the crib and allow for more room to incorporate a reading nook or play area.”
To hold up to a rowdy toddler, Larisa Mashaal, founder of Soeur Interiors, recommends looking for a toddler bed made of solid wood with a metal spring base.
“There should be a water-based, non-toxic finish and no VOC (volatile organic compounds).”
The best toddler beds are easy for little ones to get in and out of on their own and have two guard rails. “With kids, you really want to make sure that there are no sharp or abrupt edges and that everything is pieced together securely so you don’t have to worry about it falling apart,” adds Fujikawa.
Whether you’re drawn to more modern, gender-neutral styles or are contemplating a character-themed frame if it will actually get your toddler to sleep in their own room, we’ve curated the top toddler beds for every budget and design preference.
Best toddler bed picks 2023
Best overall
DaVinci Jenny Lind Toddler Bed
Mashaal is in love with this gorgeous, vintage-inspired toddler bed from Jenny Lind. With an impressive 4.8-average star rating on Amazon, “It manages to feel both traditional and contemporary at the same time, perfect for all nursery designs,” she says. “It’s also made with 100% sustainable New Zealand pinewood.”
Super solid and low to the ground, little ones can easily climb in for bedtime and out for middle-of-the-night potty breaks. It has two sturdy side rails to contain wild sleepers who are at high risk of falling out. It makes the transition to a toddler bed extremely easy.
There are no toxic chemicals for your child to breathe in as they snooze, and the entire bed is finished in a non-toxic, multi-step painting process so you can sleep sounder too. It’s lead and phthalate safe and fits a standard-sized toddler mattress—purchase a new one or flip your dual-sided crib mattress over to the softer toddler side and reuse.
If you dread the assembly of all things kid-rated, we’re happy to report that plenty of parents note how easy-breezy this bed is to put together. And you can’t beat the darling design for the price, honestly.
Pros
- Beautiful, vintage-inspired design that works in modern kids’ rooms too
- Superb value
- Made with solid, 100% sustainable New Zealand pinewood
- Two side rails to prevent falls
- No toxic chemicals, lead or phthalates
- Easy assembly
Cons
- The maximum weight recommendation is 50 pounds
