If you have a newborn or toddler, you’ve undoubtedly spent a lot of time looking for information on sleep-related topics, such as how to put your child to sleep, how to handle naps, and where they should sleep. You most likely came across the Montessori floor bed choice during your extensive Google searches and pondered whether they may work for your family.
Floor beds are not at all novel. Although they have been used for millennia in other countries and cultures, they have recently become more common in the United States as more families choose to implement Montessori at home. Dr. Maria Montessori is an advocate for a child’s freedom of movement beginning at birth, including their choice of sleeping location. She discusses the “Secret of Childhood” in her book.
But practically, in the year 2022, what does that look like? Although Dr. Montessori’s understanding of child development through the lens of a scientist, the world has changed in the last 100 years. That being said, it is still very possible to follow this piece of the Montessori method if it feels right for your child and your family. If the idea of going the non-crib route comes with a lot of safe sleep concerns and questions, you are not alone.
Here are the answers to some common questions when deciding if a Montessori floor bed is the right choice for your family.The concept of a Montessori floor bed is almost all in the name. A floor bed is truly a bed that is placed on the floor, or low enough to the ground so that a young child can safely climb in and out of it on their own. This can be as simple as a crib mattress placed directly on the floor (for children under the age of 2 a firm crib mattress should be used), or a mattress in a bed frame specifically designed as a Montessori floor bed. How you choose to set up the floor bed and which option is best depends on the space you are setting it up in, as well as the age of your child when first beginning to use it.
