Travels with Toddlers: Toddler Bed, Sleeping Bag, Air Mattress, or _____?

Parentberries
1

See the results of this poll: What is the best sleep option for a toddler guest?

Respondents: 6 (This poll is closed)

  • Toddler bed: cozy “real” bed, won’t take up much space, short-term solution. : 2 (33%)
  • Sleeping bag: at what age will a LO “get” that the sleeping bag is their bed? : 0 (0%)
  • Air mattress: storable, transportable, low to the ground, but not very “bed-like.” : 2 (33%)
  • Your ideas and suggestions: 2 (33%)
2

[name_m]Hi[/name_m]! I will say we travel a lot over the holidays this year even more since everyone wanted to meet the new LO. When our oldest was a toddler we had the same struggle, so I understand the struggle. We recently invested in a Leachco BumpZZZ Travel Bed and tried it out over Labor [name_u]Day[/name_u] when we went to visit DH parents, [name_f]Harlow[/name_f] slept in it like a angel. I would really recommend it. My first ready beds are not bed either but just were not for our kids (they are a more budget friendly option). Thought I would answer another question you had my Father and Mother purchased a twin bed for my oldest to use when he sleeps over which is not often (we live in NY and they live in California).

3

[name_f]Do[/name_f] the grandparents/relatives have a spare room with a normal single bed? We’ve always just put our daughter in a full-size single, if there’s one available, and put pillows all along the edge so that she can’t roll out. No additional packing required!

4

My younger sisters loved their sleeping bags when they were little. I’m not sure if they would’ve been comfortable sleeping in one at 2yo but they carried them around everywhere like some kids do with their blankets.

I distinctly remember my youngest sister using the pack n play until she was at least 2.5yo but it was the same on my parents had had since I was a baby so maybe it’s bigger than yours?

5

My children sleep with us as little ones so have expected to sleep with granny etc also! Recently grandparents made a bed out of two armchairs for 4yo. He loved it.

6

My son always sleeps in a travel bed when he’s staying with grandparents or he traveled with us. We considered a sleeping bag, but we were afraid that he wouldn’t like sleeping in it. He always tosses and turns when he sleeps and he doesn’t like the sheets to be too “tight”, so that probably wouldn’t have worked. But he loves sleeping in the travel bed.

7

DSS gets so excited over the idea of “sleepovers”. We’ve tried lots of different options and he loves and understands that it is his (temporary) bed. Among the options are:

  • layers of pillows/cushions/comforters spread out in a pallet style. He loves this option because it’s just him on this giant sized comforter. Also is easy to set up and takes up very little space.
  • sleeping bag. He likes it when he’s in the mood to “go camping” but it isn’t his favorite. It’s a nice special treat, though. The most minimal option and nice for when space is a concern.
  • air mattress. Again, he likes it because it’s something different and makes him feel special. It’s not worth the set up and space it takes up, though. An occasional treat but not the greatest overall.
8

When my daughter was too big for a pack n play, we started using an air mattress on the ground and blankets. She was a bit older than your LO, probably closer to 2 1/2, but she had no trouble at all understanding that it was her bed and that was where she was supposed to sleep.

A word of warning though, sleeping bags could be a struggle. The few times we’ve tried one with our daughter, she was up multiple times a night needing help getting back into the sleeping bag, getting it adjusted, etc. But she’s used to sleeping with blankets in her bed, so when we gave her blankets with the air mattress, she could adjust them as needed and hasn’t any help in the middle of the night.