Your toddler has outgrown the cot this year, climbs over the bars at night, and you're facing the bedroom question almost every family hits eventually: which kids' bed now? One look at a furniture shop shows the problem right away — classic beds with a fall-guard rail, low Montessori-style house beds, growing beds that claim to last all the way to school age. They all sound reasonable, and none of them quite explains why it's better than the other two.
This guide sorts out the three common types of children's beds, shows at what age the switch actually makes sense, what matters for safety, and which models from the Nestling range fit which situation.
At what age does a child need their own bed?
The honest answer: there's no fixed date. Austrian mattress maker Träumeland states explicitly that the switch from a cot to the first proper children's bed usually happens between 18 months and three years — and that the child's own readiness matters more than a specific age. If your child climbs out of the cot on their own, is starting to use the potty, or is clearly asking for more independence, those are the real signals, not the calendar.
A house bed or floor bed follows different logic. According to the Austrian home magazine hausbaumagazin.at, a low floor bed can be introduced as soon as a baby crawls securely and can sit independently — often between the fifth and tenth month — while also stressing that there's no fixed age limit. Many families deliberately wait for the classic 18-to-24-month transition instead, and that's just as valid.
Three bed types compared
Classic children's bed with a fall-guard rail
The classic children's bed is the best-known option: a child-sized bed frame, usually with a removable guard rail on one or both long sides. Look for a rail you can take off for daytime play, a slatted base that lets the mattress breathe, and a clearly stated maximum load. Sleeping areas of 140×70, 160×80 and 180×80 cm are common, so choosing the right size already builds in some room to grow.
Many families now pick a house-shaped frame for this step instead. The YappyTrygg Toddler House Bed 160×80 at €398.99 has raised safety rails with a lower entry section on one side, so your child can climb in and out alone, and the slatted base is included. If you'd rather buy the full length straight away, the YappySole House Bed 200×90 from €418.99 comes with a guard rail that locks onto either side of the bed, in solid pine with a natural wood wax.
House bed or floor bed (Montessori style)
A house bed sits directly, or almost directly, on the floor, often without a surrounding frame, so the child can climb in and out independently. The idea: if the child does fall out, the distance to the floor is minimal. The YappyCasa Montessori Floor Bed 160×80 from €348.99 is built exactly around that — low to the ground but raised just enough for air to circulate under the mattress, with a safety rail along the long side whose gates you can leave open during the day, close at night, or take off completely. Even lower is the Low Wooden Floor Bed for a 140 × 70 cm Mattress at €461.99: a sleeping height of just 23 cm and gently rounded edges, with no need for high rails or steps.
An important point from hausbaumagazin.at: a floor bed on its own doesn't make a room child-safe. That also means anchoring tall furniture to the wall, covering electrical outlets, and making sure the mattress is firm and leaves no gaps to the wall or nearby furniture, since gaps like that create a trapping hazard.
Growing bed
A growing bed changes its length or shape instead of being replaced outright — some extend in length, others fold into a sofa. Before you buy one, check how many configurations it really has, how much floor space it needs in each, and whether the mattress has to change along with it. We don't currently carry a growing bed, but the same idea exists one step earlier, at the cot stage: the Baby Cot NUBI 120 × 60 in solid oak from €270.99 has three removable rungs so your child can climb in and out alone, and later converts into a sofa, with the protective barrier included.
For older children: a bed without a guard rail
Once a child reliably stays in bed — usually from primary-school age — a guard rail is no longer needed. If you bought a full-length bed early, you don't need a new one at this point: the YappyHytte 200 House Bed 200×90 at €448.99 comes with a guard rail that locks onto either side, and its 200 × 90 cm sleeping area leaves room to grow for many years.
The four bed types at a glance
| Bed type | Usually makes sense from | Guard rail | Sleeping area | Price from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toddler house bed with rails (YappyTrygg) | approx. 18 months–3 years | Yes, raised rails with a low entry | 80 × 160 cm | €398.99 |
| House bed / floor bed (YappyCasa, Petinka) | possible from crawling age, often from 18–24 months | Optional (YappyCasa gates open, close or come off) | 70 × 140 – 80 × 160 cm | €348.99 |
| Growing bed | approx. 2 years to primary-school age | Depends on the model | adjustable | varies |
| Full-length bed (YappySole / YappyHytte 200) | from leaving the cot into the school years | Yes, included, fits either side | 90 × 200 cm | €418.99 |
Good, better, best: three budget paths
Good (~€349): the Montessori floor bed
The YappyCasa Montessori Floor Bed 160×80, from €348.99, sits low to the ground with a safety rail whose gates you open for play and close at night. It covers the first big milestone — moving out of the cot — without jumping straight to the highest price bracket.
Better (~€399): the toddler house bed
The YappyTrygg Toddler House Bed 160×80, at €398.99, adds raised safety rails with a lower entry section, so your child climbs in alone and stays protected at night — and the house frame is roomy enough for you to sit beside them at bedtime.
Best for long-term use (~€419): the full-length bed
The YappySole House Bed 200×90, from €418.99, has the highest upfront price of the three, but its full 200 × 90 cm sleeping area suits a toddler moving out of the cot just as well as an older child who wants space to read and lounge.
Bed safety: what actually matters
Children's beds for home use fall under the European standard EN 716 (children's cots and folding cots for domestic use). This standard isn't just a formality: the Austrian consumer protection association (VKI) recall archive lists a 2006 case where a furniture retailer had to recall children's bed slat bases because they weren't glued correctly and therefore didn't meet EN 716. If in doubt, ask whether a bed meets this standard — reputable manufacturers state it in their product information. The ATB Meble cots in our range, for example, list EN 716-1:2017.
One clarification worth making: bunk beds and loft beds fall under a separate, stricter standard (EN 747) with different rules for rail height and ladder spacing. The low beds discussed in this guide — classic bed, house bed, growing bed — don't fall under that standard; they sit at floor level or only a few centimetres above it.
Unlike toys, which fall under the EU Toy Safety Directive and require CE marking, furniture such as beds isn't required to carry a CE mark. Instead, look for compliance with EN 716, for child-safe materials and finishes — the YappyKids beds, for example, are made of solid pine finished with a child-safe natural wood wax — and for a stated maximum load rating.
A few more practical points:
- Choose a mattress that fits exactly: there should be no gap between the mattress and the bed frame or an adjoining wall where an arm or leg could get trapped.
- Anchor furniture to the wall: this matters especially with a house bed, since the child is moving around the room independently — tall wardrobes and shelves should be fixed to the wall.
- Childproof electrical outlets: a low bed means more freedom of movement at floor level.
- Don't remove the guard rail too soon: as long as your child still moves around a lot during sleep, a removable rail is the simpler solution compared with a fall in the middle of the night.
Choosing the right mattress size
The common sleeping-area sizes for children's beds are 70×140 cm, 80×160 cm and 80×180 cm, plus the full adult length of 90×200 cm. A 70×140 cm bed fits well in smaller rooms and suits a direct switch from the cot, but depending on the child's height it can become too short by primary-school age. If you'd rather not buy twice, go straight for 80×160 or 80×180 cm, or a full 90×200 cm — sizes a child can use for many years. For the slat base, look for enough flex and good airflow under the mattress, and for the mattress, check the size and thickness the manufacturer recommends — the Petinka floor bed, for example, is made for a 140 × 70 × 10 cm mattress.
Assembly and care
Every bed featured here arrives for self-assembly, so plan for a second pair of hands. Clean lacquered or waxed surfaces only with a soft, damp cloth, without abrasives or harsh cleaners, so the finish doesn't dull. On beds with a guard rail, check regularly that all screws and fittings are still tight, especially if the bed gets disassembled and rebuilt often, for example when moving to a bigger room.
Buying checklist for a new children's bed
- Is the sleeping area large enough for the next 3 to 5 years?
- Does it have a guard rail, or can one be added, if your child still needs it?
- Does the bed meet the EN 716 standard, and is the material tested for formaldehyde?
- Will a properly fitting mattress leave no gaps to the wall or nearby furniture?
- How much floor space does the bed need, including room to get in and out?
- Themed design or neutral — which will outlast your child's current favourite colour?
- Does it fit your budget, including a mattress if one isn't included?
For the rest of the room, it's also worth checking our kids' wardrobe buying guide (German-language edition also available) and our night light buying guide — both topics that come up naturally right after the move into a first proper bed.
Frequently Asked Questions
At what age does a child need their own bed?
There's no fixed age. The switch from a cot to a first children's bed usually happens between 18 months and three years, depending on the child's readiness rather than the calendar — for example, once they climb out of the cot on their own or start asking for more independence.
What's the difference between a house bed and a classic children's bed?
A house bed or floor bed sits directly on the floor and usually has no frame, or only a low one, so the child can climb in and out independently. A classic children's bed sits higher and typically has a removable guard rail to prevent falls.
Does every children's bed need a guard rail?
Not necessarily, but it's advisable for most children in the first few years, as long as they still move around a lot during sleep. On a house bed, which already sits at floor level, a guard rail matters less because any fall happens from a much lower height.
Is a growing bed actually worth it?
Yes, if you value a single piece of furniture that lasts for many years and means fewer new purchases. Growing beds cost more upfront but save money long-term, since they adapt from toddlerhood right through to school age.
What mattress size fits my new children's bed?
Common sizes are 70×140 cm, 80×160 cm and 80×180 cm. For a child moving straight out of a cot, 70×140 cm is often enough; if you're planning long-term, go straight for 80×160 or 80×180 cm.
Is there a safety standard for children's beds?
Yes, the European standard EN 716 applies to children's cots and folding cots for domestic use. Bunk beds and loft beds instead fall under the separate EN 747 standard; the low beds discussed here don't fall under that one.
The bottom line
There's no single "best" children's bed — only the one that fits your child's age, your room, and your budget. If your child is just moving out of the cot, a toddler house bed with rails like the YappyTrygg is the simplest choice. If Montessori-style independence matters to you, the YappyCasa floor bed is hard to beat. And if you're thinking long-term, a full-length 200 × 90 cm bed like the YappySole covers several developmental stages in one piece of furniture.