House bed for kids – multifunctional furniture in Montessori kids’ room

Why house beds for kids gain so much popularity? There are many ways to arrange a practical and functional nursery room. However, parents often forget that it should be child-friendly as well. Yes, it can be challenging to furnish a room in a way that provides sleeping, playing, learning areas as well as storage for clothing, books and toys.

Here the pedagogical concept of Maria Montessori for the best environment for children comes to help. What is special about Montessori nursery? Well, it is easy to answer that. In a Montessori nursery room all furniture is designed for a small person. Not only the usual children’s tables and stools, but also racks, cabinets, paintings and mirrors, bookshelves and of course, the bed. The main goal is to create a safe environment that will meet the needs of the child and allow him learn and develop.

House bed for kids and the principles of Montessori approach

Maria Montessori was born in Italy in 1870 and studied medicine at the University of Rome. At that time, medicine was banned for women, but Montessori was admitted thanks to her outstanding achievements and graduated successfully. Shortly after that, she began work as a doctor in the university hospital and worked with disabled children. This inspired her and she soon began to develop her own pedagogical method. The method was a sensation in Italy and soon became popular in other countries.

The concept of Montessori is aimed at the development of independence in a child from an early age. When furnishing a room for a baby, divide it into separate zones and consider that all items are within the reach of children’s hands. In fact, a Montessori nursery is a small world in which a child will feel confident. This confidence will also be given to him by the fact that in his room he can do everything himself, without the help of his parents.

Montessori rooms look unusually empty compared to ordinary children’s bedrooms because most of the furniture pieces are of low height. There are no items that can hurt the child and the room is organized in accordance with the daily activities of the child – a place to sleep, eat, change clothes, read, learn and play. However, the room is adapted with the level of child’s development. All toys, learning materials, books and other materials are arranged within reach, so that the child can always access them and bring them back.

The freedom of the child to discover the world is a fundamental part of Montessori’s concept. The parents should allow and encourage children to learn independently. The child eventually learns to solve problems and constantly tries out something new.

The child has complete freedom of choice and can decide for himself which topic it wants to focus on, what it wants to try and whether someone should support it. For example, the child can choose a partner while playing.

There are certain rules in the nursery. The parents have made the room child-friendly, but the child must take care for the order and always return all toys, books, etc. to their place.

A house bed for kids is a part of the concept as it allows a barrier-free movement in the room.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of house bed for kids?

The thing that parents have on the top of their nursery furniture shopping list is, of course, a cot with high sides. It is believed that this is the most convenient and safest option for the baby. Maria Montessori, however, disagrees. She calls the traditional crib “a prison for a child” and advises to replace it with a low bed just above the floor level. So, let’s have a look at the advantages and disadvantages of house bed for kids.

Safety is the first and most obvious advantage of house bed for kids. We all fear that the baby may fall out of the high bed. For a child, a low house bed will be not only a practical option, but also a safe one. Such a bed provides the child an opportunity to to climb on his own bed and get off of it. As per Montessori method, the child should be able to move and have space from the very first months. On a low bed, he will not feel as if in prison. The baby will have the opportunity to examine all the space around, to learn, explore and develop. Having learned how to crawl, the child will crawl to the floor to learn more about the world that surrounds him. This opportunity is very stimulating for babies to learn to crawl, which is extremely important for their harmonious growth. Parents who worry that the child may fall from the low house bed can place pillows or a small carpet in front of the bed.

Visibility is another huge advantage of house beds. Children can clearly see the whole room. After some time, this will allow the child to build an entire map of his very first space in his mind.

The bed becomes a place where the child comes not only to sleep, but to play and rest with pleasure. The most remarkable is that the child does not consider the time spent in bed as something bad and undesirable. On the contrary, due to the fact that the little one is not limited in movement, after waking up he can independently slide out of bed and choose a toy nearby. In this way the free movement gives the child the feeling that he controls his sleep, which will allow him to develop the habit of going to bed when he gets tired.

A house bed for kids is beneficial for creativity as well.

As far as nursery room interior is concerned, you can decorate the house bed with fabric, garlands, cuddly pillows and toys in the shades of the overall color scheme.

The market offers a variety of options but a house bed is also ideal for a DIY project. The construction is extremely simple and can be quickly assembled and disassembled.

House beds are multi-functional. They are a sleeping place, they can be a cozy reading corner or a daybed, where the little ones can sit down comfortably and look through their favorite books. Last but not least, a house bed can be a playhouse if you decorate it properly.

Disadvantages of house bed for kids:

• Especially for toddlers, the whole room should be childproof. In other words, wardrobes, chests of drawers and all larger pieces of furniture should be fixed to the wall. Parents should always take care that the little ones do not leave the room unattended.
• A house bed takes up much space and is not suitable for small children’s rooms.
• Due to the fact that the mattress of the bed is almost directly on the floor, the parents should consider heating. You also need to avoid draft.
• If the mattress lies directly on the floor, there is a risk of mold forming over time.

House bed for kids – construction and decoration ideas

A main feature of a Montessori room is environmental friendliness. When it comes to choosing the material for house bed for kids, natural wood is the top choice! Wood is pleasant to the touch, which is important for a child who is acquainted with the outside world. Wood remains pleasantly warm at any temperature, unlike plastic and metal, which are very hot in the hot weather and vice versa – they become unpleasantly cold in the cold season.

Usually house beds are made of solid wood, mostly pine or birch. The construction itself is very simple. Crafty parents construct a house bed easily by themselves. The market offers several versions – with or without protection with or without mattress frame. Fall protection is necessary for infants 1-2 years old otherwise you can do without it. For children of preschool age, a floor-frame house bed with a mattress on the floor is a good option. It is completely safe for kids. For children older than 6 years, a bed house on legs is recommended. It can serve for quite a long time, up to 13-14 years.

As far as decoration is concerned, you also have several options to choose from. You can opt for a bed canopy form cotton or linen fabrics, garlands, banners, even fairy lights.

As you see, choosing a house bed for kids made of natural materials offers many advantages and has a lot of benefits for your child. These beds are environmentally friendly, durable, reliable and affordable and will satisfy your needs and desires of your child. Look at the photos in the gallery below for ideas how to arrange the nursery room in your home.