The Best Portable Toddler Bed

Traveling with small children is never easy. Getting them to sleep at night away from home is one of the greatest challenges of any trip.
For everything from sleepovers at Grandma’s house to family vacations with several stops, portable toddler beds are must-have items. Parents appreciate their versatility and many benefits, and kids find them fun to sleep in.

This guide will explain your options and help you choose the best product for your child.

Defining Your Needs

Before you start browsing, consider how you will most often use the bed:

- For transition from crib to twin bed

- To avoid crowded, unsafe sleeping conditions in your own bed

- To save money in hotels

- For camping

- For seating or napping on the grass at outdoor events

- For napping at preschool
- For sleepovers with friends

- To enable a child with special needs to sleep close to you or a caregiver

Narrowing Your Search

The first choice you face is whether to get a foldable cot or an inflatable bed. There are advantages and disadvantages to both.

Since they sit several inches off the ground, cots with padded canvas or nylon stretched over foldable frames are ideal for soccer games, concerts in the park and other outdoor events.
Inflatable mattresses are more like real beds, but they’re best for indoor use or sleeping in tents. Unless they’re waterproof, they’ll be harder to clean after a day at the beach, and sharp objects on the ground could puncture them.

In addition to design, quality and value, there are other things to consider:

- Weight

The most convenient travel beds are made of materials that are durable yet lightweight. If you choose a cot, however, don’t get something rickety just because it’s light. The frame should be constructed of sturdy steel.

- Ease of assembly

Unpacking the bed and setting it up shouldn’t take more than two or three minutes. Some models assemble in seconds. The bed should also be easy to collapse and repack.

If you choose an inflatable mattress, make it easy on yourself. Buy one that comes with an electric pump.

- Storage
Some beds are compact enough to fit in airplane overhead bins. Think about how much room a bed will take up in the car or a closet when it’s not in use.

- Ease of cleaning

The importance of frequent cleaning can’t be overstated. An accumulation of dirt, sweat, spilled drinks or nighttime accidents poses serious health risks. Packing a bed while it’s still moist invites mold, mildew and dangerous bacteria.

Look for inflatable beds with removable padding and liners that are machine washable. Cots may also come with removable canvas or plastic. At the very least, cots should be easy to wipe down and sanitize.

- Comfort

Make sure that the padding is adequate. Materials used on sleeping surfaces should be soft and breathable.
- Safety

The designs of almost all portable travel beds are perfectly safe. Even if little ones roll off of raised cots, they fall only 6 or 7 inches.

The greater safety concern involves the bedding materials. It’s nearly impossible to find products that contain no toxins whatsoever – for example, some flame retardants required by the government are harmful in themselves – but reputable manufacturers are trying their best to limit toxins. If the avoidance of harmful chemicals is a company priority, it will probably be stated in the product description.

When you receive the bed, carefully read the manufacturer's instructions. Remove all the packaging, and allow the bed to air out for a day before your child sleeps on it.

Choosing Features

Products that include these bells and whistles might be worth paying a little extra for:

- A carrying case, preferably with a shoulder strap

- Raised sides for safety or a recessed mattress surrounded by bumper cushions
- Side pockets for storage

- An electric pump

- Removable pieces for easy cleaning

- A removable mattress for use with standard crib sheets

- Matching sheets or a sleeping bag

- A choice of colors or patterns

Take the time to read plenty of verified-purchaser reviews. Some inexpensive beds are rated very highly by consumers. Try to find reviews written by customers who have used the product a number of times.

Matching the Child to the Bed

Your child’s unique quirks have great bearing on what kind of bed you should buy. Here are our top recommendations for various kinds of kids:

- For rough-and-tumble types

The Regalo My Cot Portable Bed is the No. 1 best-seller of its kind. The all-steel frame and reinforced bed liner can stand up to even the rowdiest kid’s abuse.

The canvas is soft, breathable and easy to clean. If you like, you can cover it with standard crib sheets. The cot takes just seconds to set up or collapse for storing. It’s priced at $25.

- For kids who are traumatized by squeaking

The description of the Shrunks Toddler Travel Bed states repeatedly and rather forcefully that it’s guaranteed not to squeak.

Shrunks won several awards for this bed's design. It’s an inflatable mattress with two raised sides for keeping your toddler snug and secure. It comes with a powerful electric pump, convenient carry bag and repair kit.

It will set you back around $80, but preventing squeaky nightmares may be worth the extra investment.
- For future couch potatoes

This generously sized Leachco BumpZZZ Travel Bed comes with a sheet and folds out rather than inflates, so there’s no need to pack linens and a pump. The center pad and outer bumpers detach for laundering.
Depending on how it’s configured, this model could be useful for years to come. You may fully extend it to make a floor mat or partially fold it for conversion into a lounge chair.

This is the ideal product for any child who plans to spend the formative years loitering about on the floor. The $146 price tag reflects the bed's versatility.

- For high-maintenance babies

The Premium PeelCo Le Petit 3-In-1 Baby Care Bag is a travel bed, diaper bag and changing station wrapped up in a lightweight shoulder bag. There are numerous storage compartments for various baby accoutrements. The only thing that it lacks is an inflatable bounce house.

- For escape artists

If you’re worried about your young Houdini leaving the tent and wandering through the campground at night, the BabyBjorn Travel Crib Light may be your best option. Its high, inward-leaning sides would be difficult to scale.

The crib lifts from its travel case and assembles in one swift motion. The manufacturer recommends it for newborns to 3-year-olds.
- For kids who are undeniably brats

Consider the aptly named Brats On Board Traveling Crib Toddler Inflatable Air Mattress. It’s lightweight and moderately priced, and the design allows for neatly tucking in standard crib sheets and blankets.
Sleepover hosts and scoutmasters will see the Brats On Board label and appreciate your honesty. When it comes to other people’s children, it always helps to know what one is in for.

Top Rated Portable Toddler Beds

The Lowest Price We Could Find

The Portable Toddler Bed With the Most Reviews

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This page about Portable Toddler Bed was composed by V. Tobies and published by Alternative.me.
It was last updated on 2024-04-19 08:13:57 and has been viewed 3383 times.