The Montessori Floor Bed: Would You Try It?

By Lauren

For over a year now, I've been reading up on Montessori theory, techniques, and activities for my going-on-two-year-old son. Many Montessori ideas involve observing your child ("follow the child" is a Montessori mantra) and offering your child freedom to make choices within defined limits.

A third aspect of Montessori method, though, deals with the "prepared environment," the carefully arranged, perfectly orderly, and -- I think -- simply lovely Montessori classroom, full of beautiful child-sized wooden furniture, with activities meticulously arranged on accessible shelves. Ideas from the classroom carry over into home life, as well, and Montessori educators suggest simple adaptations to make the home more child-friendly: Low hooks for the child's coats, art displayed at his eye level, orderly shelves instead of a toy box, and so forth.  As my son becomes more capable and more independent, I'm trying to incorporate some of these ideas into our home, which naturally affects some of my style and decor choices. 

I wasn't familiar with Montessori theory when I was planning my son's nursery, though, and I wonder whether I would have made different furniture and decorating choices if I'd read up ahead of time. I find pictures of Montessori-inspired nurseries very soothing and welcoming (my favorite was designed by Meg at Sew Liberated; you can check out her son Finn's gorgeous room here). There's one aspect of the rooms, though, that I'll admit I might be too scared to try if we're ever planning another nursery: The floor bed.

 

Finn's nursery, at Sew Liberated.

The floor bed is pretty much exactly what it sounds like: a bed right on the floor.  It can be a twin mattress or a futon, and it's used in place of a crib. 

Montessori floor bed at Sunrise Rants

The idea behind the floor bed is the notion of freedom within limits. The low mattress allows the child the freedom to move in and out of bed as he chooses, but he does so within a room that must be well child-proofed, and usually would have a baby gate across the doorway to keep him away from stairs or any non-child-proofed rooms.

I love, love, love that these rooms are truly designed with the child's needs and development in mind, instead of the parents' decorating preferences. (Note: my son's room is all about my decorating preferences.) I've read lots of pros and cons about the floor bed. (Pro: falling asleep on the bed yourself when the baby is tiny and needs soothing. Con: inability to keep the baby in bed once he's mobile--which is the point, but still.)

So I can't decide -- would I be brave enough to give it a go? Would you ever in a million years consider using a floor bed in your child's nursery?

{Image credits: Sew Liberated and Sunrise Rants, via Pinterest.}

Comments

[Holly]

I'm probably outting myself of Style Lush as an uber-hippie now, but I'm already schemeing about a floor bed. I definitely plan to try it ;)

[Lisa]

not in the infant stages, but at 2yrs old I would.

My 5yr old is going into her third year at Montessori (kindergarten) and it is AMAZING how much she has grown and learned in the program. We are looking at continuing Montessori at our public magnet schools now.

And yes, their prepared classroom is respected by the kids and everything stays neat and organized.

[Lauren]

I don't find that too hippie at all.  But I nursed for nearly 21 months and use cloth diapers, so I'm already a little on the hippie side! 

[HollyLynne]

We have fallen into the habit of laying out a ton of blankets on the floor and having me lie down w/ mr. man at bedtime because a) he needs a boob to fall asleep and b) he's the lightest sleeper in the history of the universe, so I used to get stuck in an infinite loop of nursing him down only to wake him up when I tried to move him to his crib, nursing down again, etc. etc. ad nauseum.

I didn't realize I was being all enlightened and Montessori about it . . . was just doing what works for our family. I feel a little bit better about the arrangement now that I know it is officially sancioned by someone :)

[Kendall]

My 15-month old goes to Montessori and has been sleeping at school on a floor bed since he was 6 months (when he first began attending.)

I was super apprehensive at first but the alternative was another school with sleepers that I swear, looked like monkey cages. It was awful and when I saw where the children slept, I walked out and said no thank you.

We have not had any problems with him sleeping on the Montessori beds. I'm thinking of changing his bed at home to a floor bed since we seem to be having problems with him in his crib at home since he is used to the freedom of a floor bed at school.

Good luck and keep us updated!

[Catherine]

I like the idea but isn't anyone concerned about mold? I think that's mostly a problem with carpeted floors though... That being said, when I was a baby, I got kicked out of the crib at 15 months (my younger sister was born) and I slept on a twin mattress on the floor with no problem.

[Cassie]

I like the concept, but my brain keeps saying "yeah, but... what if he won't sleep? What if he stays up playing? What if..."

My son is 17 months and I am anticipating when he doesn't want to be in the crib anymore. This seems like such a simple (and cost-effective!) solution, but.. BUT

Has anyone transitioned from crib to floor bed? Do you take off the door and put up a gate? I'd be worried to go in his room, in case he was right behind the door. But with a gate, my husband and I couldn't turn lights on and off without worrying about waking him up.

HOW DO YOU DO IT? I'd really love to hear the logistics. What happens at bedtime? When he wakes up? If he doesn't want to sleep? It seems like too much freedom.

[Colleen]

My husband attended Montessori school through 3rd grade, loved it & so we considered this, but I just couldn't do it (I think I'd already spent so much time justifying our hippie choices to other people, I wasn't up for one more thing). However, now that I've mistakenly referred to the crib as a cage and a kennel several times, and seen more info about floor beds (not to mention cute pictures), I think it's something we may do next time around.

[Lauren]

To answer a couple of the questions in the comments:

Catherine, there are wooden box-type things that the mattress can sit in, so that it's not just on the floor. They're available from the Michael Olaf catalog.

I have NO IDEA how one would transition from crib to a floor bed, although I suppose it be akin to moving to a "big girl/boy" bed--i.e., it could be a big pain.

I've also heard of people (not Montessorians, although I don't see why it wouldn't be okay) who turn the doorknob around on their kid's room when they switch to a big girl/boy bed. If the child gets out of bed, fine, but he can't leave the room. Sometimes they fall asleep on the floor or on a pillow, and that's fine.

But again, I haven't done it! There are blogs whose writers have described their experience with the floor bed (including Sunrise Rants, linked in the post). From what I've read, it can be quite challenging sometimes.

Thanks for the comments!

[A'Dell]

We actually did this with Claire (totally on accident, not b/c of Montessori notions) and she could not handle it. She was about 18 months old and just could not. stay. in. bed. She would stay awake until midnight because she just could't turn her brain off and LAY STILL. Resulted in some really ugly mornings and days.

I think now though, she could probably do it (almost-three). The thing is though, she can get in and out of her bed freely anyway, so I am not sure what a bed on the floor really buys you in terms of perceived freedom past a certain age.

[Drop Side Crib]

Love that tiny mattress in the corner! Very chic!

[agirlandaboy]

Not no way, not no how. My son (2.5) has been out of a crib for over a year, but I just don't get what difference it makes in his development at this age whether his mattress is on the ground or six inches off it. (Anyone? There must be reasons, right?) I'd prefer he be off the ground and not freezing. (Our house is poorly insulated.)