Little Tikes Toddler Bed - Should You Get It Or Not?

Little Tikes, an American company based in Hudson, Ohio, is a recognized global leader in the children's toys market.  One of its more popular products is the Little Tikes toddler bed, which is part of the furniture line including picnic table and chairs as well as drawers.  As can be expected, a Little Tykes bed is made from durable, colorful and beautiful molded plastic.

Depending on your child's gender, you can choose from a Lightning McQueen or a sports car bed for your son while the Disney princess or storybook cottage bed belongs to your little girl's bedroom.  The colors of these Little Tikes beds are, of course, in accordance with the appropriate hues for the girls like pastel pinks and violets while the boys get fiery reds and vivid blues.  Just to give an example, the Disney princess toddler bed has a pink frame with a violet headboard while the Lightning McQueen bed is in a fiery red.

With a few minor differences, the Little Tikes toddler beds share commonalities that include:

• Molded plastic frame - Almost everything from the footrest to the headboard are made from molded plastic.  With advanced technology, this is one of the most durable materials for a toddler bed.  Your worries about toxic substances in the plastic especially in relation to lead paint are unfounded since the components used conform to US safety standards on the matter.

Still, it is worthy to note that molded plastic may not be for everybody.  It can be hard to the touch, not to mention too "plastic" to the eyes unlike wooden toddler beds.  Plus, some parents find it difficult to assemble the Little Tikes toddler bed particularly when it came to the drilling of holes as well as in the lack of mattress support.  You can use either the support rails of a crib or purchase separate mattress support for the purpose.  

• Toddler specifications - Expectedly, the dimensions of any Little Tykes bed for toddlers are, well, for toddlers.   You can lie down on it for reading time but, hopefully, not for long since the maximum weight capacity can be overloaded with your adult frame.

The height, however, is just perfect for your toddler to easily get on and off the bed.  You had better possess good knees since it can be difficult bending down to the level of the toddler bed.  The length of the bed is just sufficient until your kid reaches the age of 5, which means that it may only be used for a maximum of 2-3 years.  But since you will find the bed to be very durable, you can store it in the attic to await your next toddler or you can give it away, almost as good as new.

Depending on the bed, your child can either be protected by side rails or not.  If it is the latter, you can always purchase the side rails separately, if you want.  Fortunately, the decals that complete the look of the bed come with the unit.

If you are looking for a molded plastic bed that will last for many more years to come, think of the Little Tikes toddler bed first.  It may well complement the other Little Tyke furniture your child has in his room, too.