Beds for shared kids' bedrooms: bunks, triples & trundles

Two children

With a younger and an older child, the older one (6 or over) takes the top bunk. EN 747, the European standard for bunk beds, requires a warning that the upper bed is not suitable for children under six.

Three children

A triple bunk stacks three beds, or puts a wider bed at the bottom with a single on top and a third alongside. Two of the three sleeping levels are raised, so both children on the upper levels need to be 6 or older. Triple bunks are also taller than standard bunks, so check the overall height against your ceiling: the child on top should be able to sit up comfortably.

If the youngest is under 6, a bunk bed with a pull-out trundle keeps one child at floor level while the oldest sleeps on top.

Trundles and sleepovers

A trundle is a second bed base on castors that slides out from under the main bed. It's the easiest way to add a bed for a sibling who sometimes shares, a cousin at Christmas or a sleepover, without losing floor space the rest of the time. Check two things: there's enough floor in front of the bed for the trundle to pull out fully, and which mattress depth the trundle takes (usually slimmer than the main bed's).

Making a shared room work

• Give each child their own storage: a drawer each under a cabin bed or bunk, or their own shelf.
• A curtain or a bed tent on a bunk gives the child below a bit of privacy.
• Put the bunk against a solid wall, away from the window and blind cords.
• Agree a lights-out routine; an older child reading late is the classic shared-room fight.
• Secure wardrobes and drawers to the wall (see the CCPC's furniture safety advice).

• Bunk beds (77)
• Triple bunk beds (24)
• L-shaped bunk beds (14)
• Beds with trundles (29)
• Bunks with stairs (21)

Try the kids' bed finder for a shortlist based on your children's ages.