When shopping for toddler travel beds, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the options almost immediately. From an inflatable toddler bed to a toddler air bed and everything in between, understanding the difference and finding the best portable toddler travel bed to suit your needs can be rough.
In this article, we’ll talk about toddler travel beds, what to look for when shopping for one, and what some of the best toddler travel beds of each type are. You will be able to decide with some ease after going through this extensive article.
Why use a toddler travel bed?
If you travel a lot or visit family that doesn’t have a crib or a toddler bed available for your child, then you may be one of many parents who find going on vacation, camping, or visiting family a hassle instead of a great time.
Fortunately for you, however, there is an entire market out there for toddler travel beds. All you have to do is determine the best toddler travel bed which suits your needs.
What to consider when looking for a toddler travel bed
When it comes to toddler travel, there’s nothing worse than getting to your destination, be it a hotel room, family member’s home, condo, or campground, only to discover that there is nowhere suitable for your little one to sleep.
Finding somewhere safe and secure for a toddler to sleep while away from home can result in some very long nights.
This is why trying to find the best toddler travel bed possible is a great idea. But where to start?
There are a lot of options, and the best toddler travel beds for you are the ones that can suit both your needs and your budget.
Portable toddler bed
Assessing your specific needs is the first step in finding the perfect portable toddler bed for your family.
You’re going to be taking it with you when you travel. Therefore, the following are a few things to consider first to narrow down your options so as not to be overwhelmed.
1. Size of toddler
The size of your toddler (age and height) will factor into your decision about a portable travel bed.
Look for one that will grow with your toddler but not something that is far too big or unsafe for your child. Safety should always be your first concern.
Small children still in cribs
Suppose your little one is still sleeping in a crib, then trying to find something close to that as a toddler travel bed will be your best bet.
Something with walls, such as a Pack n’ Play, playpen, or play yard, is a great choice.
Always ensure that you abide by Safe Sleep Guidelines no matter where you go.
Doing so not only keeps your child safer when sleeping, but it provides parents with the peace of mind that will enable everyone in the family to get better rest.
Toddlers who use a toddler bed
However, if your toddler is in a normal toddler bed at home, you may be better off opting for an inflatable toddler travel bed.
Portable toddler beds of this variety often still have lips or bumpers that are inflatable and soft and keep your child from rolling over the edge. They act as bed rails and can even be used in hotel rooms, where the beds are often relatively high.
There is also often a central part of inflatable travel beds for toddlers that pull out or are slightly raised and can be fitted with standard crib sheets. This is great because you don’t have to buy extra bedding if you have a fitted sheet or crib-sized sheets at home.
Older toddlers in a regular bed at home
If you have a tall toddler or one who sleeps in a regular bed or toddler bed without bed rails at home, then you may find that you have more options as far as a portable travel bed is concerned.
An inflatable toddler bed will most likely work well, as will travel cots or even a sleeping bag with a pillow.
A regular air mattress may be suitable as an inflatable toddler travel bed if your child doesn’t risk injury if they roll in their sleep. They make a small-sized toddler inflatable bed that many parents prefer for small children.
2. Traveling lifestyle
Regarding travel toddler beds, you must consider how frequently you plan to travel. If you think you’ll most likely be driving or taking road trips and have the space for it, a cot, portable toddler bed, or foldable toddler bed is a perfectly satisfactory travel bed.
If you often fly, you may consider an inflatable bed as your toddler travel bed since many have a carry bag and built-in air pump. They roll up when deflated into a small size that can easily be checked with your luggage or stored in a carry-on bag.
Inflatable toddler travel beds are often a family favorite, as they often have bed rails to keep your little one safe, is very easy to travel with by any means of transportation, and are quick to set up.
3. Durability
A travel bed needs to be durable enough to suit your needs.
For instance, travel beds need to be sturdy and durable if you are a frequent camper. An inflatable bed such as an air mattress may not be a great travel bed if it’s not made of solid material.
Rocks, sticks, and other debris inside a tent may make these beds a poor choice.
A fold-up toddler bed or travel cots for toddlers may be a better choice for a portable bed if your toddler isn’t too small and won’t roll off it in their sleep.
4. Ease of use
A travel toddler bed shouldn’t be challenging to set up and take down.
If you plan to use a travel cot or inflatable mattress for home use that won’t often be taken down, it doesn’t matter if it’s easy to set up or take down.
However, if you are going to be traveling, the last thing you want to do when you get to your destination is spend a lot of time on a toddler blow-up bed that didn’t come with an electric pump or one that takes some custom or specific bedding that aren’t standard sized crib sheets.
Make sure that any blow-up toddler bed you purchase has an electric pump. You don’t want to spend hours of your vacation blowing up a toddler mattress with your mouth.
The same can be said of a toddler camping cot. You want the travel cot to be sturdy, especially if its intended use will be as a toddler camping bed.
At the same time, you don’t want to purchase something overly complex to put together and then take down.
5. Price
Another factor that you may want to consider is the price point of the travel bed and if it warrants the price based upon how often you travel or how long you will be traveling.
For example, suppose you only go on one vacation a year, and this year your little one needs a travel bed to keep them on the mattress or bed. In that case, you may opt for a cheaper play yard instead of a more expensive bed with inflatable bed rails that you’ll only use once before your child outgrows it.
What are the toddler bed travel options available in the market?
1. Toddler air mattress
There are several different types of inflatable toddler mattress options on the market. If you think going with toddler inflatable beds is your best option, then the next step is simply narrowing down which features you like the most.
Shrunks inflatable toddler bed
Shrunks inflatable toddler bed, for example, has several positive toddler travel bed reviews, and the inner mattress is soft and most likely takes the sheets from the toddler bed your child has on their bed.
This adds comfort and familiarity to the inner mattress, meaning that your child will most likely sleep better.
The Shrunks toddler travel bed is sure to please most families if inflatable travel beds are your preferred option. It also has a removable inner mattress, which takes this bed slightly higher than some competitors.
Any inflatable air mattress should come with a travel bag for easy storage.
Intex kids
Intex kids inflatable air mattress is an excellent option if you want to consider inflatable toddler travel beds, but your child is still too little for something without a bed rail.
It will grow with your child and has an inflatable bed rail that spans the entire bed.
It also has a pump and a travel bag to transport it easily.
2. Portable travel crib
Regarding travel beds for toddlers, the best portable bed is the one that gives you the best piece of mind.
If you have a little one who isn’t used to sleeping in something that doesn’t have sides, like a crib or a bassinet, then a travel bed like a play yard or Pack n’ Play is probably your best option.
This baby travel bed is often a collapsible toddler bed with a carry bag.
Bulkier than most other options, it’s still the best travel toddler bed for little ones that sleep in a crib at home, as it offers security and safety, and your child will sleep better in it.
These are also great because you can purchase a pre-loved one and send it to grandma’s house so that you can be sure your little one will get a good night’s sleep when visiting.
3. Toddler travel cot
If a toddler travel mattress or inflatable travel bed isn’t your best option, and you need a kids’ travel bed for an older camper growing quickly, a folding travel bed like a cot will work great.
Kids’ travel beds like these are typically the same size or slightly smaller than a standard toddler bed, and this foldable toddler bed means that your toddler sleeps off the ground but isn’t in something that may pop or become deflated quickly.
Many child travel bed options come with a travel bag for easy storage and transport. You can use a sleeping bag with an inflatable pillow or standard pillow instead of the traditional crib sheet that would fit on inflatable kids’ travel bed.
Choosing a toddler travel bed
Many toddler travel beds will be suitable for your child’s age, your child’s needs, and the price point or budget you have available.
This is why it’s essential to consider all sorts of things, such as how you most often travel, how often you travel, and what types of places you travel to.
Hopefully, this article has explained the bedding options for small children on the market today and provided you with everything you need to think about to get the most out of your money and enjoy your travels with a toddler who will sleep well.