When in holiday accommodation, kids often love sleeping on the top bunk. There is something really attractive about that option. Will a bunk bed work as a long-term solution in a kids’ room? We have some main advantages and disadvantages of bunk beds to make it easier for you to make a decision.

Advantages of bunk beds

From a practical point of view, bunk beds are fantastic space-saving solution. Whether it is an actual (double) bunk with one high and one low bed, or a high or mid sleeper that leaves the space on the floor usable for other purposes, there is an obvious advantage to moving the sleeping area few feet up and utilising space gained in this way.

In a small bedroom, a bunk bed will make all the difference, and even more so if such a small bedroom has to be shared by two children.

But even if the bedroom is used by one child, a high or mid sleeper with a play space or a desk underneath the bed will let you use the space more rationally.

Bunk beds are definitely fun for the users but they also play an important psychological function if a small bedroom is shared by two children: each bed (and especially the upper bunk) is a clearly designated and ‘’easy to defend’’ personal space. A little bit like a crow’s nest on a mast of a ship, or a castle on a hill. You can enhance this effect by using distinctive bed linen or cushions on each of the beds.

Disadvantages of bunk beds

Let us be honest about it: changing the upper bunk is much harder than changing a floor level bed, especially on a high sleeper. If you do opt for a bunk bed, best thing will be to train the occupant of the bunk to change it!

For similar reasons of access, looking after a sick child in a bunk bed is even less fun than looking after a sick child in a normal bed. Especially if the child needs frequent changes of bedding, is vomiting or has mobility problems. It’s often the case that in such situations the child needs to move to another bed, sometimes even in a different room, which further disturbs their life in addition to the illness.

Bunk beds are not suitable for children under 6 years old, due to the risk of falls, so you can’t get one as the first ‘’big bed’’ for a child graduating from a toddler bed.

Although generally safe, bunk beds do have a higher risk of injury than normal beds. Make sure the ladders are stable and have strong handholds and the guards are securely fastened and high enough.

Higher bunks cannot be used for sitting and lounging during the day as easily as normal beds/lower bunks. As children grow into their teenage years, when they often spend a lot of time ON their bed rather than IN it, and treat it as an equivalent of a couch, the beloved top bunk of the childhood might become a liability.

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Ultimately, the right choice will depend on your circumstances. Why not browse our selection of beds suitable for children and teens?