My son and his family will be coming to my home for Christmas this year, and my granddaughter will be 18 months old. I’m trying to figure out a sleeping arrangement for her. Seems like she’s a bit too young to be using the travel cot style beds that she could fall out of, although they are close to the floor. I am leaning towards getting a playpen sort of thing.
Since she was born, I have always done the traveling to them, so I don’t have any baby gear at my house. They are unlikely to do many visits here in the future, as they are expecting again! Is there something I’m overlooking? I could buy a crib. The bedrooms in my house are small, so I’d rather not have anything bulky. I could store a mattress under the bed. Any suggestions?
FWIW, our baby kiddo slept on a twin bed since the tender age of 9 months, before she learned to walk (never crawled). We placed the box spring on the floor against the wall and put a rolled up towel between the box spring and mattress along the edge to create a lip, so the baby would not roll out. It worked just fine! One night of crying, but she got over the loss of her crib (we found out that the crib was unsafe but decided against investing in a new one for just a few months).
I agree with Thumper1. I would also consider a futon on the floor, but an inflatable mattress maybe better for your place. I just think futon maybe more comfortable.
Ask her parents. They may travel for vacations, weekends, or just stay overnight at friends’ homes. So, they may already have something they plan to bring with them, in which case, it’s not necessary for you to buy anything.
Every 18 month old I know sleeps in a sleep sack, in large part to disable him/her from climbing out of a crib. If your grandchild uses one, a pack n play will be just fine.
Other things that may work…put the child on a mattress on the floor with pillows on either side in case she rolls off. Put the mattress in a child safe room…or with mom and dad. Then get one of the toddler locks for the door. My older grandchild has her own room now and sleeps in a regular bed that’s close to the floor. Her room has a toddler lock…I’m not sure that’s what it’s called. It’s this gizmo that is high up and is sort of like a hook and eye type lock some bathrooms have. It lets the child open the door a couple of inches so (s)he can call out and be heard, but the opening is too small to get out.This isn’t the kind my married kids uses, but it should work .https://www.amazon.com/Door-Monkey-Lock-Pinch-Guard/dp/B004ECJWK4?th=1
Frankly, IMO, it’s not the place the child that sleep that matters. We used to just put a blanket on top of a rug with regular “night night” stuffed animal friends and that worked just fine. What you need to guard against is having the child wander around and hurt herself.
I’d buy an aero bed. They’re comfy, use normal twin sheets, are close to the ground, and suitable for any guest including an adult. And they take up little room when deflated. Great guest sleeping option withough a regular commitment of space.
The other alternative would be to give her a gift of her own child sized sleeping bag. Kids need these for sleepovers, etc. Kids are light enough that they are comfortable on a rug without any other sleeping pads. (Unimaginable for middle aged adults!).
@jonri, I’ve never heard of a sleep sack but that would have been great for my S who started climbing (falling) out of his crib at 9 months old. I had to take him out of the crib and put him on a mattress on the floor. Then there was the problem of him leaving the room in the middle of the night. Eventually I put him in my room to keep an eye on him.
Crazy idea but I just bought a tempurpedic “premium” topper for my son’s dorm bed (Twin XL). We laid it out to air out and it was comfy enough to sleep on, even sitting on the floor. You could slide it under another bed when not in use.
I’d ask what the parents would prefer for their daughter and then ask around and see if you can borrow what, if anything, is needed. One of my kids was sleeping in a toddler bed at about that age and a mattress of some sort would have been fine. The others were still in cribs and we would have travelled with a pack’n’play.
ask around among your friends. They have have something for their grandchildren that you can borrow. My 18 month old granddaughter uses a pack and play to sleep in at my house (once a week) and it works well for her. Her parents borrow it when they travel. I will note that she is not a climber. I got it as a hand me down from a friend who was done using it.
My very active 21 month old grandsons sleep in separate pack’n’ plays while traveling. Even though they wear a wearable sleeper, one of them can unzip and get out of it at 18 months. Without the deep sides of the pack and play, they will undoubtedly crawl out in no time and play in the room…who wants to nap or sleep?!
They will be visiting me at Christmas when they will be 2. I’ve bought 2 pack’n’plays already.
If she is sleeping in her parents room you could buy a very small piece of memory foam and a
toddler sleeping bag.
Agree ask the parents. If you need a playnpak you can get a used one off of your Nextdoor forums.
Thank you all for the suggestions! I talked to my son and DIL today, and they say she sleeps in a pack and play when they visit her family. I don’t think they will be bringing it when they travel to my home because they’re flying. I do have a neighbor who can loan me one, though.
She took her first steps today (yay!), but now I’m worried about keeping her contained while we’re sleeping. It’s been a long time since I’ve had to outsmart a toddler!
I could climb out of a crib at 9 months. I had an older brother and sister and they were up doing things I wanted to do… my nephew could also outsmart a crib at a young age and they put a mattress underneath the crib to cushion the landing.
I’d ask the parents, borrow a pack and play if that’s what they want, but a mat or mattress on the floor will be fine.