Are you looking for a cot and wondering whether a Montessori cot is the best option for your child? Then you’ve come to the right place: In our parents’ guide, we’ll take a closer look at Montessori cots for you. Here you’ll find answers to the following questions:
- What is a Montessori cot?
- From what age is a Montessori bed suitable?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of a Montessori cot?
Firstly, I’ll give you a brief insight into Montessori education and explain why Montessori cots are more than just a modern piece of furniture.
At the end of the article, you’ll find a hand-picked selection of five sustainably produced, pollutant-free and timeless Montessori cots↓.
What is a Montessori Cot?
“Help me to do it myself” This well-known phrase by the Italian doctor Maria Montessori summarises the core principle of Montessori education. The focus is on promoting a child’s individual development and independence – in an environment in which children can discover and learn in a self-determined way.
”It’s not the child that should adapt to the environment, but we should adapt the environment to the child.“
Maria Montessori
Maria Montessori’s advice for furnishing a nursery is that all objects should be within easy reach for the child. This allows them to decide for themselves what they want to do and when: everything should be robust, natural, free of harmful substances, in soft colours and stimulate the imagination.
A Montessori cot has three characteristics distinguishing it from a normal cot:
Low to the floor: This means that it is built very low. The slatted frame of the Montessori children’s bed is usually close to the floor.
Open: Montessori cots deliberately have no bars or high side walls that restrict the child’s freedom of movement. (However, younger children usually sleep better with a bit of a frame around them, which is why we have also included such cots in our selection).
Promotes independence: The open, floor-to-ceiling design allows your child to climb in and out easily and without help. This encourages independence, motor skills and self-confidence from an early age.
With these three features, the Montessori cot encourages children’s independence, development and desire to explore. A Montessori cot offers much more than just a place to sleep: it is a small, safe space from which your child can explore the world on its own. During the day, your child can also play, dream, explore and romp to their heart’s content.
Ettino by ‘ettomio
What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of a Montessori Cot
A Montessori cot is a wonderful way to encourage your child’s independence. At the same time, it creates a much-loved retreat in your child’s room. This helps your child to fall asleep peacefully and to sleep through the night in a familiar environment.
Advantages of Montessori Cots:
Independence: Even babies under the age of one and toddlers can crawl or climb into bed and climb out again, once they’re awake. This strengthens your child’s self-confidence and independence.
Safety: Montessori cots are low to the ground and safe. This means you can sleep calmly while your child is safely asleep. Nevertheless, we recommend placing a soft carpet next to the bed for children under the age of 2 to 4, just in case they fall out of bed.
Versatility: The open design makes the Montessori cot a little paradise for daydreaming, playing, reading and cuddling.
Sustainability: Montessori bed’s design is minimalistic and simple. The beds blend perfectly into your child’s room: as a cosy classic that can be used for many years and, depending on the model, even “grows” with the child.
Fostering relationships: Parents and children can sleep together in larger Montessori beds – they are a welcome successor to the family bed. If your child has a restless night, you can easily provide them more comfort.
Freedom: Even a baby as young as 6 to 10 months can learn to sleep safely in a floor-length bed and to crawl out independently, e.g. to play quietly in the morning without needing parental help.
Sleeping through the night: Children who sleep in beds close to the floor instead of a cot learn to self-soothe and sleep through the night more quickly. Their independence is encouraged from an early age and they are better able to fall back asleep again alone at night after having woken up up briefly.
Disadvantages of Montessori Cots:
Bed guard: Even if children cannot fall far, a bed without a frame is all the more inviting for some to roll out of. For these children who like to move around, an additional bed guard on the bed frame is a good idea. It increases children’s safety at night. The bed guard is available upon request and is easy to install. (Hack for children from approx. age one: a rolled-up towel under the bed sheet is often enough to create a small barrier at the side of the bed).
Room safety: Because your child can move around freely, the room must be one hundred per cent childproof. So please be sure to anchor furniture to the wall and possibly install a baby gate in front of the door if there are other danger zones in your home, such as stairs in the hallway.
Active children: Some little whirlwinds feel safer and settle down better with a thicker bed frame (at least up to the age of 3). Whether sleeping in a Montessori cot is suitable for your child depends very much on their personality, your expectations and wishes and your bedtime rules. Tip: At the end of the article you will find some convertible Montessori beds↓, that are also suitable for active children.
Price: High-quality Montessori cots can be an investment, but the added value for your child’s development and a pollution-free environment at night may justify the cost. Remember, your child is unlikely to spend as many hours of their life with any other piece of furniture than with their bed.
What is more, robust children’s beds are durable and can be “passed on” or sold second-hand at a good price. Some of the beds we recommend also have an added value: they can be converted into a desk↓ or sofa↓ at a later time.
minimalmaxi by WILJA
From What Age is a Montessori Cot Suitable?
The Montessori bed concept was primarily developed for younger children. However, older children and even teenagers can also benefit from it. Of course, you should decide individually what suits your child’s development stage and needs.
To help you decide, here is an overview of age groups and corresponding developmental stages:
Babies (0 to 6 months): Even though you could theoretically use a Montessori bed already now, safety and wellbeing take precedence at this stage. A small baby should not lie alone in an open bed. The usual rules for safe baby sleep should also be observed. Please take note: Below we present two growing beds that offer a good compromise and are therefore also suitable for this age.
Crawling babies (6 to 12 months) As soon as babies start to crawl and pull themselves up, some parents purchase a Montessori bed. Being close to the floor enables children to explore the room safely and get into bed independently.
Toddlers (1 to 3 years): At this age, your child will quickly want to become more independent. A Montessori cot provides optimum support in this phase, as it allows children to make their own decisions about when they want to climb in, play, sleep or get up. If you buy a larger Montessori bed right from the start, you have the advantage of being able to snuggle up with your child in bed, whenever they need to fall asleep.
Pre-school children (3 to 6 years): If a Montessori cot has not yet been purchased, three years is the optimum age to do so. Children love the freedom of open beds. The simple design close to the floor encourages creativity as well as fun and play: from a robbers’ den, to a princess castle, to a pirate boat – there are no limits to the imagination.
Primary school children (6 to 12 years): From primary school age the Montessori bed serves your child as a retreat where they can read, learn or simply relax. Of course, the bed should be adapted to the needs of older children in terms of size, stability and design.
Ettone by ‘ettomio
Purchasing a Montessori Cot – the Checklist:
What should parents look out for when buying a Montessori bed?
The Material:
Sustainability: Choose a Montessori cot made from sustainably grown wood with the Forest Stewardship Council certificate (FSC certificate) or other natural materials.
Free from harmful substances: Make sure that the material used is free from harmful chemicals, paints or solvents.
Size:
Adaptability: The Montessori bed should fit your child’s current size, but still allow room for growth.
Space: Consider the size of your child’s room and how much space you want the bed to take up in it.
Safety features:
Stability: The bed should be sturdy and stable, with no unwanted wobbling or tipping, so that it can be used extensively for romping around.
Round corners: Look for rounded corners and edges to avoid injuries.
Bed guard: Consider whether an additional bed guard is useful, especially for younger or very active children.
Additional features:
Adjustability: Some Montessori beds come with adjustable heights or additional modules for extension. This allows the bed to grow with the child and be adapted to older children’s needs.
Design: Choose an understated design that matches the décor of the child’s room. A simple, classic style offers the advantage that it remains attractive for older children or can be used later by other siblings. Personalise the bed with blankets, cushions, covers or light chains according to your child’s wishes.
Recommendations and Reviews
Get advice from other parents or experts – to better assess the quality and durability of a Montessori bed. At afilii, we recommend children’s furniture that is manufactured in Europe by owner-managed brands. The furniture is designed to be aesthetically timeless, as versatile as possible and therefore, can be used for a long time.
5 Montessori Cots from Europe – a Selection
Are you looking for a Montessori bed for your child or your family? Here is our carefully researched selection. We have deliberately broadened the definition of “Montessori cot” so that parents of small babies, active and older children will also find something suitable.
“Ettino” by ‘ettomio: Montessori House Bed from Birth
The classic Montessori house bed Ettino comes from small Italian workshops. It is made from solid spruce wood treated with harmless water-based varnish and OEKO-TEX-certified cotton. Paola Bernardotto is the founder of ‘ettomio – a brand for Montessori children’s furniture – and mother of three. She designed the cot after the birth of her first son, as she was unable to find an ecological Montessori cot from local production. “Ettino” is available in two versions: from 0 to 5 years and 7 to 99 years.
“Ettino” by ‘ettomio is:
• Made from solid spruce wood (FSC-certified)
• produced in Italy
• can be used from birth to 5 years or 7 to 99 years
• available from € 650
“Woodjoy” by Woodjoy-Collection: Montessori Floor Bed with Bed Guard
The “Woodjoy” Montessori floor bed’s dimensions of 70 x 140 cm make it an ideal fit for toddlers from the age of one. The bed guard on the side of the bed prevents the child from falling onto the floor and ensures a safe place to sleep. The side panels can easily be removed at a later stage. “Woodjoy” is also made of wood from sustainable forestry – beech wood from Romania and birch plywood from Latvia. The floor bed is subsequently treated with harmless water-based paints and varnishes.
The Montessori children’s furniture is produced at Woodjoy-Collection’s own workshop in the centre of Romania, in a small village near Targu-Mures. What’s special about it? Woodjoy-Collection is a social enterprise. It supports disadvantaged people by giving them a job. Part of the profit goes to the foundation Transilvana Alpha.
“Woodjoy” by Woodjoy-Collection is:
• made from solid beech wood and birch plywood (FSC-certified)
• produced at a social enterprise in Romania
• can be used from age 1 to 9
• available from € 415
“ECHO” – Junior Bed by Kalon Studios: Montessori Bed from Age 3
The “ECHO” junior bed by Kalon Studios Los Angeles is characterised by its simple beauty: The low, floor-level bed gives the growing child from age three the freedom to climb in and out easily at any time. This encourages confidence in their abilities and independence.
“ECHO” is made of ash wood. The ecological solid wood is merely treated with a harmless and certified oil-wax coating. The cot is made to order in a traditional carpentry workshop in Bosnia. And here too, designers and parents are behind the junior bed for children aged 3 and over. American Michaele Simmering and German Johann Pauwen founded Kalon Studio back in 2007 with the vision of designing children’s furniture that is both durable and timeless.
“ECHO” – Junior bed by Kalon Studios is:
• made from solid ash wood (FSC-certified) produced in Bosnia
• can be used from 3 to approx. 9 years
• available from € 1,095 to € 1,795
“minimalmaxi” by WILJA: 5-in-1 Convertible Children’s Bed from Birth
Strictly speaking, the “minimalmaxi” convertible cot is not a classic Montessori cot. However, as it is so versatile, it grows with the child and can be used for almost any child – from birth to 14 years of age – that we have included it in our selection for you:
If “minimalmaxi” starts out as a co-sleeper, it quickly becomes a cot and toddler bed and then transforms into a junior bed, desk or sofa. Here too, the desinger’s own daughters were the catalyst for the design:The architect couple Grit and Lars Jugel designed the cot, which adapts to children’s and parents’ changing needs over many years. Produced in Germany, “minimalmaxi” also minimises the impact on wood resources and thus our environment because of its long service life.
minimalmaxi by WILJA
“minimalmaxi” by WILJA is:
• made from solid beech wood and birch plywood (FSC-certified)
• produced in Thuringia, at a small carpentry workshop
• can be used from birth to 14 years
• available from € 1,090
“The Bed” by CUCÚ: Montessori Cot from Birth
Ixmucané Aguilar & Jacob Cranz – the designer couple behind the CUCÚ brand from Berlin – initially designed “The Bed” for their own daughter. The bed can now also be found in Swiss children’s rooms and in the homes of parents who value Montessori education and “Made in Germany”. “The Bed” makes its little inhabitants feel cosy from birth and – thanks to the included rocking stoppers – can either be immobile or swing. From crawling age, the side openings allow toddlers and children to climb in and out of the bed independently.
“The Bed” by CUCÚ is:
• made from solid maple wood and birch multiplex (FSC-certified)
• produced in Berlin
• can be used from birth to approx. 9 years
• unfortunately no longer available
About our Guest Author Sarah Mann
Sarah runs Babyschlummerland together with her husband. Here she provides information about the sleep behaviour and sleep needs of babies and toddlers. Sarah has written several books on these topics. She also gives courses on baby and toddler sleep. As a certified baby sleep consultant and mum of six, she is constantly on the lookout for strategies and products that make families’ sleep and lives easier and more enjoyable.
Article updated in March 2024, written in November 2023