Choosing a child seat

For a long time beds - "folding beds" have proven to be a practical and compact piece of furniture in small apartments. With their help, you can successfully organize the space by replacing the crib with such a sleeping place for a child.

Older models of the chair-beds were not very comfortable - the geometry of their pillows was imperfect, which made it unpleasant to sleep on such a construction because of the joints and “differences” between the segments of the bed.

In addition, sleeping on such beds did not harm the fully formed children's spine and was fraught with problems with posture in the future.

Modern modifications have become more reliable and comfortable and are very popular in families with preschool children from 3 years.This article will tell you about the pros and cons of such beds, about their main varieties and materials, about the rules of choice and the most popular models.

Advantages and disadvantages

As already mentioned, families with small children living in small apartments appreciated the advantages of folding beds.

The advantages include:

  • the possibility of successful organization of space in the daytime;
  • the compactness and ease facilitating transportation when moving;
  • the simplicity of the mechanisms, which helps children to fold and fold such beds independently;
  • environmental Safety;
  • a complete set of some models a box for linen;
  • interesting and diverse design options that allow you to choose a model specifically for a boy or girl;
  • the possibility of acquiring a sample with replaceable covers in order, if necessary, to “renew” the look of the chair or replace a damaged cover.

However, this type of furniture and disadvantages are not without:

  • the sleeping surface often has joints, so the rest on such a bed will not be complete, and the infantile spine may bend;
  • wear of this furniture is higher than ordinary, "adult" sofas and chairs. The mechanism unfolds at least twice a day, and it is impossible to keep hyperactive children from jumping on elastic pillows;
  • for children under the age of five or six, spring-loaded models will not work - their rigidity will not be sufficient;
  • if the model is not equipped with interchangeable covers, the appearance of the chair, especially in the form of an animal, a car, or a cartoon character, may soon become bored by an older child;
  • often the price of a quality chair is very high;
  • It should be emphasized that as a permanent bed for a sufficiently adult child, a folding chair will not work, and you will have to replace it with a full bed.

Therefore, the choice of children's folding chair should be approached with particular responsibility and weigh the pros and cons, going to make a purchase.

Types and device

Manufacturers of children's furniture offer a wide selection of types of folding chairs, equipped with a variety of mechanisms.

All models can be divided into three groups:

  • equipped and not equipped with armrests (which play the role of protective bumpers);
  • with orthopedic mattress or not;
  • with sliding or withdrawable mechanism.

Each classification attribute is worth considering in more detail. Not having armrests, the samples, as a rule, look more graceful and neater, but for young children who turn over in their sleep, it is easier to fall off the unprotected bed side.

There are two variants with armrests:

  • With closed armrests. The sides of such models are quite high, and the armrests are made of wood or are made soft. The second type is safer because there is no risk of getting hurt about them;
  • With open armrests. These are models with low or missing sidewalls and “through” armrests. Of course, they will not block the review to the child, and they will protect him from falling at night, but during the day he may get stuck in them during the game.

Serious requirements for orthopedic mattresses. They are equipped with beds consisting of several segments, and they are designed to ensure a comfortable and comfortable position of the child’s body during rest.

Therefore, its surface should be smooth, without folds and distortions. To assess the quality of such a mattress, you can lie on it yourself and relax - then it becomes clear whether to buy it (or buy a bed with such a mattress).

The arrangement of the mechanisms of the chair-beds is different in complexity. It is important to choose an easy-to-manage mechanism that ensures the convenience and orthopedic reliability of the bed.

The ideal option in this regard is the mechanism of "accordion", really when folded, resembling a harmonica. Two-thirds of the mattress fold into the back of the chair, one in the seat. When unfolded, such a chair does not have uncomfortable joints and will be ideal for sleeping. By the way, most of these models are available without armrests, however, it is better to find a sample with sides.

A chair with a vykatny type of mechanism to prepare for the time of sleep will be a force even for a child. Pushing the bottom panel over the loop and turning the backrest is possible without much effort - and the bed will be ready. Since beds with such a device consist of three sections, it is worth purchasing an additional orthopedic mattress. The main advantages of these models are a small height and the presence of a built-in linen drawer in some of them. Thus, you can save space in the nursery.

You should not buy models with click-fang, dolphin and French clamshell for small children - they are difficult to apply and are suitable for teenagers.The main requirement for the mechanism, regardless of its type, is the ease of transforming a chair into a bed, without difficulty and noise. If the mechanism “sticks” and creaks when laying out, this indicates its low quality and warns of imminent damage.

There are still such unusual varieties of folding chairs, as bunk beds and models with a berth in the "attic" (the lower tier is allocated under the playing area). However, for children from 3 years old they are not suitable, as the sides will not always be able to prevent a fall from the “upper floor”.

Now a chaise lounge or, for example, rocking chairs is often placed in the baby’s room. This is becoming increasingly popular.

Materials and fillers

Since the child's health almost directly depends on the quality of the chair-bed, you need to pay special attention to the composition of materials and fillers for this furniture.

The most cheap are models with a frame made of particleboard, but they do not meet the requirements of strength and are unsafe for the child's body. Therefore, it is better to give preference to structures made of wooden lumber or metal tubes. Their wear resistance, durability and environmental friendliness are very high.

As a rule, the best and quality wooden beds are made from an array of needles. Special impregnations (environmentally friendly), which are used for processing the frame, do not allow such beds to become covered with mold if it is damp in the room.

However, in terms of strength, folding chairs on a tubular metal (steel or aluminum) frame are leading. For resistance to moisture, tubes are coated with anti-corrosion compounds that have been tested for safety. In addition, special metal treatment reduces the risk of deformation and mechanical damage to the frame.

When choosing a mattress filler, it is important to find materials:

  • quite tough and durable;
  • hypoallergenic;
  • quality;
  • whenever possible natural.

One of the best options is considered polyurethane foam filler. At the same time, a sheet of this material should be solid, “monolithic”, dense (which provides medium or high rigidity of the mattress) and have a thickness of at least 10-12 cm (without springs). The thickness of the spring version should be 15-17 cm.

There are models in which the combined filler is used - polyurethane foam with coconut coir (cloth from interfruit coconut fibers).Such fillers are recognized as the best in both orthopedic properties and safety for children.

It is worth remembering that the bed should not be too hard to the child to sleep comfortably.

It is also not recommended to purchase models with a synthetic filling material or polyurethane in the form of individual pieces due to their zero orthopedic qualities.

Separately, it should be said about the upholstery material. It should be pleasant to the touch, durable, non-staining, not to fade when cleaning (if it is a removable cover), do not contain toxic substances. Covers are made of combined absorbent fabrics, which makes them “breathable” and hygienic. If removable covers are not provided, you can consider the option of upholstery made of water-repellent fabric.

When buying this furniture in the nursery, you must require a certificate from the seller for the product to make sure that the purchased product is safe and of high quality.

How to choose?

Choosing a baby bed is often difficult for parents. After all, it is quite difficult to find the most successful model among those offered by online stores. The range of models and prices is currently very wide.

It has already been said about the criteria for the selection of a folding chair with good orthopedic properties, durable and safe. However, these characteristics should not be limited. The furniture should also be aesthetic, because it is the age of three that teaches children to see the beauty around.

Manufacturers of child seats, beds, produce these products in a variety of design solutions, and “getting lost” in the range has become easier than ever.

Therefore, you can use some tips. As you know, boys from an early age are addicted to all sorts of equipment. The best choice in this case could be a model that imitates a car, a ship, a locomotive, an airplane, a fire engine. Popular folding chairs with "space" theme, famous comic book characters.

Armchair beds for girls are usually performed in a fabulous style, in the form of a palace or castle (one of the armrests plays the role of a “wall” with a window). You can also offer a chair with images of the heroines of your favorite cartoons.

Prints and upholstery colors can also tell for whom this chair is better suited. Surely the girl will choose butterflies, flowers or cats on a gentle background, and the boy - dogs or other animals, or, again, the technique, and the background will be darker.

There are, however, and "universal" models - with a neutral upholstery color, geometric or floral patterns. Constructive features and differences in the "girl" and "boy" models do not.

It is worth emphasizing that the most suitable solution for a one-room apartment would be an option that, by design and color, would best fit into the interior. Therefore, you can pick up a chair with a plain upholstery interesting texture.

In any case, the choice of the most suitable model should remain with the child, and this will not necessarily be the recommended color or gender variant. The main thing is to make the chair durable, comfortable and like to the baby.

Beautiful examples

As already mentioned, the range of children's furniture surprises with its diversity.

It is necessary to give examples of the most popular and well-proven models.

  • Armchair "Thumbelina 85" - model on a wooden frame with fabric upholstery and roll-out mechanism. Equipped with a box for linen and two cushions. Stuffing - polyurethane foam, periotek. The dimensions of the chair are 120 x 87 x 94 cm, the sleeping area is 85x190 cm.
  • Chair "Nick" - has dimensions 123x100x73 cm. Berth dimensions - 70x190 cm.Solid wood frame, roll-out mechanism, leather or fabric upholstery.
  • Chair "Lycksele" - on a steel tubular frame. It is added by armrests, has the vykatny mechanism. Comes with removable covers. In the form of a chair it has dimensions of 80x100x87 cm, bed sizes are 80x188 cm.

In addition to the above examples, there are other models from various manufacturers. As already mentioned, the main selection criterion is the quality characteristics and preferences of the child.

According to customer reviews, folding children’s beds with orthopedic mattresses are very popular with young children - they are bright, elegant, and comfortable. It is at the age of three in the baby a craving for independence awakens, and such a bed can be disassembled on its own. Therefore, a chair with a folding or retractable mechanism will be the best "transition" from a baby crib to an adult bed. And also a chair with interesting prints on the upholstery and a furniture box will be not only beautiful, but also a functional piece of children's furniture.

Properly chosen folding chair during the day will be a great area for games and daytime rest of the child, and at night - a comfortable bed.Therefore, adults should take care of the comfort and health of their baby and not save on children's furniture.

An overview of the Fusion-A child seat in the video below.

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Information provided for reference purposes. For construction issues, always consult a specialist.

Entrance hall

Living room

Bedroom