As a parent, you know everything there is to know about worries. It goes with having kids. As a mother, I often worried about my kids – even when they are sleeping soundly. Why is it so quiet in there? Have they stopped breathing? I better go in and check on them! Yes, I can by a bit over the top at times – I will be the first to admit. But there is nothing wrong with having genuine worries for the safety of your children, and they should certainly be safe when they sleep too. We don’t want our kids to get hurt in their sleep, or while playing in their beds during the day – as most kids do from time to time. So we need to do our homework before buying kids beds. Some of the important things to look for are:

Build quality Is the bed solidly constructed? No matter what material is used, a bed should not feel rickety or flimsy. I always say, that a good kids bed shouldn’t feel unsafe, even while supporting the weight of a grown person. If you climb into it and it feels like it could collapse any minute, stay away from it. Think about the quite likely situation of 2 or more children jumping up and down in that bed – does it look like it would stand up to that? If it can be broken, chances are kids will. Not out of bad intentions, but because kids are still learning and will often misjudge what an object in their environment will stand up to before breaking apart. This also means that surfaces should be well finished, repelling water and resisting prying fingers. Particle board is often used for beds, but it is very vulnerable if not covered with veneer, vinyl or laminate. Remember to check screws, nails, nuts and bolts. They should be tight and all the way in. Also look for sharp edges on wood, steel or plastic. Unfinished wood can generate lots of splinters; especially if it is not sanded properly. Screws, nails, nuts and bolts should not protrude or have sharp ends and edges. Nuts and bolts anywhere near a surface that the child may come in contact with regularly should have softly domed ends for best protection.

Safety in design Make sure a bed is not dangerous in the way it is designed. This includes safety rails – especially on bunk beds and loft beds, but also on low beds – certainly for smaller children. Even with a safety rail in place, my daughter has sometimes managed to take the foot-high fall from her single bed once or twice. Not an enjoyable experience. Look closely at the bed to see if there might be anywhere a hand, foot or other body part could get stuck. Look in the instruction manual for the bed, to see if it conforms to safety regulations in effect where you live. This should cover specific distances between the parts of the bed, making sure kids up to a certain age can’t get stuck in any way. Remember – if there is a hole, kids will stick something in it. Beds4U Direct have a great selection of safe, kids beds for you to chose from.