Maria Montessori, believed that children thrive when given the freedom to move and learn independently. So, generally speaking, a Montessori bed is a mattress without restrictive railings around it, close enough to the floor so that the child can get in and out of it by himself.
Having the bed on the floor will strengthen your baby's decision-making skills and offer him the freedom to explore and move around once he wakes up. The floor bed will also translate into peaceful mornings for the parent and the child since your child can get out of bed without assistance.
Safe bed sharing guidelines recommend (among other things) that the bed is close to or preferably on the floor to reduce the risk of injury from falling. Floor beds are a great option that grow with babies because as they become mobile and start crawling around in the night, there's no fall risk. No Need to Transfer.
While some recommend ages as young as five to ten months when children begin to sit up and independently support their own bodies, many others suggest transitioning your child from a cot or crib to a Montessori floor bed sometime between the ages of one and three years old.
They can boost your child's confidence and sense of self
"They also have a positive association with sleep because their bed is not something they are stuck in and can't get out of," she notes. "It is a place they go to rest and can get up when they are done resting."
The inventor of the method, Dr. Maria Montessori, believed that children thrive when given the freedom to move and learn independently. So, generally speaking, a Montessori bed is a mattress without restrictive railings around it, close enough to the floor so that the child can get in and out of it by himself.
Floor beds are wonderful tools, but safety is essential. For babies under 12 months, a crib mattress makes the safest floor bed if your baby is sleeping independently. Using a larger, adult mattress can work well if you are bedsharing with your baby or setting up a toddler floor bed.
The Montessori bed is suitable for children from 0 to 12 years of age, although it is most popular between 0 and 6 years. In addition, the resting space is adapted as the child grows. This is because it aims to meet the needs of the child, taking into account the infant stage.
What ages do Montessori schools serve? Currently, most Montessori programs begin at the Early Childhood level (for children ages 2.5 – 6 years). However there are also programs for infants and toddlers (birth – age 3), Elementary-aged children (ages 6 – 12), and Secondary students (ages 12 – 18).
Floor beds are generally recommended for those who sleep on their back or stomach, as these positions place less strain on the spine. If you sleep on your side, you may find that a floor bed is too firm and doesn't provide enough cushioning for your hips and shoulders.
Without a bed frame, your mattress is in closer contact with the floor, making it easier for pests like dust mites or bed bugs to reach your mattress. Additionally, dust and allergens from the floor can accumulate on your mattress more easily, which may pose challenges for individuals with allergies or sensitivities.
Around the age of 2 months of age or when the baby is a few weeks old is the ideal time to transition to the floor bed. There is no set age. If possible, you'll want to do it before your baby starts rolling. But some people do decide to wait until their children are toddlers to introduce a floor bed.
Floor beds promote independence in that babies and toddlers have free reign of their entire (baby-proofed) bedroom, rather than confined to a crib. This allows them to play with quiet toys and books as they wind down before sleep and upon waking up. Floor beds also promote freedom within limits.
Well, my answer is still maybe. For tiny toddlers, a floor bed allows them to get in and out of bed independently, and to have freedom of movement when they need it. If your toddler, is more adept at climbing or is taller, a regular bed might be just fine. Or maybe somewhere in between with a small toddler bed.
Converting the Crib
The first step of converting our crib into a Montessori floor bed was taking off the legs and removing one side. Obviously, the mattress had to be closer to the ground and we didn't want the bars all around it. Our crib had crossbars with legs on the bottom which we removed.
Whereas many traditional classrooms use brightly colored plastic desks and chairs, Montessori classrooms mostly stick to natural wood furnishings. The furnishing arrangement is also less strict and tends to include more circles than rows. Soft lighting.
Keep unsafe items out of reach or in baby-proofed cabinets, while leaving other shelves and drawers open with toys or safe household items for them to explore. If they need to climb, provide safe furniture, cushions, or climbing toys that you can redirect them to.
Many Montessori families choose to cosleep and nurse to sleep. An overarching principle of Montessori that can be applied to sleep is “follow the child.” In Montessori, we are encouraged to give as much help as necessary and as little as needed. This requires observation of the individual child.
However, each child is unique and has their own sleep requirements that might be more or less than the norm. Montessori preschool students often have a nap in the middle of the day, while a Montessori kindergarten will shed the nap to spend more time exploring.
The Montessori method of sleep training is a gentle and holistic approach to helping children develop healthy sleep habits. It emphasizes independence, respect for the individual, and a supportive environment, and encourages parents to support their child as they learn to fall asleep on their own.
If your child is under the age of 2 years old your floor bed should be a firm crib mattress per AAP recommendations. A regular twin or full size mattress is too soft and can cause suffocation risks. The floor bed should be just a flat fitted sheet and away from the walls so that your baby can't become trapped.
More Comfortable Sleeping Surface
One of the reasons why toddlers may prefer sleeping on the floor during naptime or bedtime is that they may find it more comfortable than sleeping in their crib. Unlike a soft mattress, a firm surface like the floor provides better support for their growing bodies.
A Montessori bed is a type of floor bed that is low to the ground and easy for young children to enter and exit without adult assistance. The concept of free access is inspired by the Montessori method, an educational philosophy championed by Italian physician, Dr. Maria Montessori in the early 1900s.