Slide Bed Checklist - Sleep & Slide Safely

Looking at kids’ beds with slides? We understand... children love sliding out of bed in the mornings. It's a great way to greet the day with smiles and laughter. With the joy that comes along with owning a fun slide bed, there are also understood safety concerns. We've addressed them with our top slide bed safety tips! For room inspirations, see our top slide beds for kids post.

1- Address the Slide Base of your Slide Bed

First, make sure there is ample space in front of the slide so children land without bumping into walls. Remove any furniture in front of the base, and make considerations for furniture pieces that might take up more space when in use (i.e. chair that rolls out, drawers that pull out, etc.). We recommend at least four feet of space in front of the base of the slide to avoid any type of impact.

2- Create a Soft Landing

Consider using an area rug under your loft bed or bunk bed and slide, especially if you have hard wood floors. Rug pads and area rug materials help to create a padded, soft landing for your children. As parents, we quickly "size up" slides on playgrounds by looking at side height and steepness. The same applies to indoor slide beds. Opt for curved ends, which help create that soft landing.

3- Consider the Bed Entrance

Kids need to climb up beds in order to slide down, right? Therefore, don't forget about the bed entrance. Are ladders and staircases sturdy and deep enough for easy climbing? Do the steps have grooves to help keep little feet in place? Choose the right entrance - whether angled ladders, straight ladders or staircases.

4- Opt for a Platform

We love the slide platform option with monkey bars as they provide even more safety at the top of the slide. Small hands hold on while sitting down and prepping for take-off. Also, slide platforms provide the ability to angle the slide more in front of the bed so the slide can run parallel to the bed, rather than attaching it to the end facing into the room. With this setup, you can add a slide even into narrow rooms where traditional slides won’t fit. For high loft beds and bunk beds for kids, the slide platform is a step down, making the slide height the same as a low loft. So, even tall bunk beds for kids can safely transform into bunk beds with slides.

5- Address Side Panels

Once kids are on top of elevated beds, parents can sometimes become concerned about them falling out (which we totally understand). Minimize those concerns with elevated side panels, which keep kids on the straight and narrow. While Federal Minimum regulations require that safety rails are 5” (13cm) higher than the mattress surface, we strongly recommend you look for a bed and mattress combination that exceeds this limit.

6- Use Manufacturer Products Only

When adding rails or bed accessories to loft and bunk slide beds, only use manufacturer approved products to ensure the right fit and maximum safety. Avoid adding a slide from a different manufacturer than your bed.

7- Choose a Low-Profile Mattress

Use a low-profile mattress to maximize bed rail height at the top of slide for safe take-off. Remember that the taller the mattress you use, the lower the safety rail becomes, so look for low-profile mattresses for the top bunks or loft beds.

8- Create House Rules

Involve your kids and create family "house rules" for your slide bed. Teach and enforce safe behavior like climbing up the ladder one person at a time, sliding down after the last slider is completely out of the landing space, no jumping on top bed, sitting on bottoms when sliding, etc. Be careful to never encourage unsafe playing. Make sure you block access to unsafe areas and that your children are aware of what’s safe and what’s not.

9- Set Age Limits

While slides fit on low, mid and even tall bed heights, we suggest waiting until age 6 before including a slide for loft bed or bunk bed in your room design. (However, you know your child best.) Also, keep in mind that sliding off a low loft is safer than a mid or high.

10- Remove with Guests

Unsure if friends and guests should use the slide bed? Detach the slide and/or ladder when small kids are in the home. This eliminates any possibility of slide injuries occurring.

Slide Bed Safety Design Team

The great news is that all Maxtrix Kids slide beds check off these safety boxes. Kids sleep comfortably and safely while also enjoying fun playtime during the day with the slide. Additionally, these convertible bunk beds and loft beds grow with your kids, and slides can be removed to suit their needs as they age. Add a slide to almost any Maxtrix bed and create the perfect custom bunk bed or loft bed configuration for your child's bedroom or playroom. Consult our design team for help!