Beds for kids

Divan beds or bunks are popular space-saving option for children's bedrooms. You can use a foam mattress on them to see a child through the early years, but as they approach the teens you should look for a mattress that offers decent support.

If you're buying bunks, consider the safety issues. In 2010, according to the Injury Prevention Research Unit at the University of Otago, 101 children aged four years or younger were admitted to hospital after falling from a bed or bunk. Don't let children up there until you're confident they're old enough to cope.

There is a standard for bunks: AS/NZS 4220:2010 Bunk Beds. It specifies safety requirements including material, construction, design and performance. If you're building bunks, you should design and build them to this standard; you can buy a copy from Standards New Zealand.

A guard rail and fixed ladder are key features. There should be no sharp edges, or protrusions which might catch clothing and create a strangling risk. Metal tubular bunks should have the tube ends plugged. The standard sets out what are safe gaps in the structure.

Trundle beds are a good option for sleepovers and should be safe for a child just out of the cot, but they're not a permanent solution. If the lower bed has a thin mattress it won't give enough support.

Whatever the type of bed, the mattress should always fit the frame so there are no spaces where a child's arm, leg or, most importantly, head can become trapped. A bunk bed will have a recommended mattress size and this is what you should buy. If you use a mattress that's too deep, you'll increase the risk of your child rolling off the top bunk.

Be careful where you place the bed. Don't create a space between the bed and a wall which could trap a small child.