All parents know that little children love to play and watch cartoons, but putting them to bed in the evening can sometimes be difficult. Sleep time is the least favorite time for kids.
One way to reconcile a child with the fact that it's time to go to bed is to make the child's bed attractive in the eyes of the fidget. To do this, you can assemble a car bed with your own hands: it will evoke associations with cartoon characters and please children with its appearance, turning sleep into another exciting and useful game.
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Model selection
First, you need to decide what the appearance of the future bed will be. The selection criteria are size, functionality and the child's preferences. For younger children, a car in the form of a cartoon character is preferable, for example, "Cars" or "Poli Robocar" - it will remind you of your favorite TV series.
In addition, these models are the safest: smooth shapes eliminate sharp corners, and high sides help prevent accidental falls during sleep.
Older children can make smaller prototypes of real cars. Such models look more serious, and the child will feel like an adult in them. For authenticity, you can add movable parts like a steering wheel and wheels to the bed, or decorative elements - windows, wheels, headlights and turn signals, adding opportunities for future children's games.
If there are several children with a small age difference in the family, there are options for a bunk bed in the form of a bus or a van. This helps to save space in the room and increases the functionality of the sleeping area.
Optimal bed sizes
A car bed, like its regular counterpart, should take into account children's needs for sleeping space. Convenience and comfort are the main conditions for a child's healthy sleep. The sleeping area should be at least one meter wide and at least one and a half meters wide, and if you consider that parents often need to lie down for some time with their babies before going to bed, it would be better to increase it to two. This will provide room for growth.
If the do-it-yourself car bed you plan to assemble is a bunk bed, you should take into account the height of the upper floor and the ceilings in the room. Incorrect calculations can lead to the distance being too small, and it will be uncomfortable for the child to constantly bend over. The sides of the second floor should also be high enough.
Drawings and diagrams
To make a car bed with your own hands, you will need a detailed drawing, on the basis of which the parts will be created. The design of the bed can include not only a sleeping place, but also additional drawers, shelves, stairs, other details and decorative elements. It is also possible to accompany the interior of the children's room so that it better matches the changed environment - for example, a rug, a carpet with a pattern depicting a road, or photo wallpaper with road signs.
Once you have decided on the model, you can select similar ready-made drawings on the Internet, or make calculations yourself by drawing a model manually or in any convenient design program.
One of the methods is to pre-draw a template of the future bed on cardboard or paper, so that later it is easy to transfer the projection of the parts to the material chosen for the base. A do-it-yourself car bed, the drawings of which are properly calculated in advance, is much easier to assemble than a creative product "from scratch".
Selection of materials and tools
The base for a children's bed should be made of harmless and non-toxic materials. It is recommended to carefully approach the choice of wood and check the availability of all relevant sanitary certificates.
The most common option is to make a car with your own hands from photolaminated chipboard or laminated chipboard. These durable materials are distinguished by their bright appearance and high moisture resistance, allowing you to create beautiful models.
Another option is a base made of MDF. It is environmentally friendly, since natural polymers are used in the formation of the array. This material is very close in its properties to natural wood, but at the same time it is more durable and resistant to external influences. Children will have to try very hard to scratch such a coating, and its susceptibility to moisture is minimal. Such a children's car bed will be durable and practical in use.
To process materials and cut out parts, you will need a set of special tools. However, most of them are already kept at home by any man: a hammer, a screwdriver or a drill, a drill, sandpaper for grinding and removing burrs.
It is recommended to purchase an electric jigsaw - it will greatly simplify the process of sawing wood. You will also need screws, a measuring tape, a pencil for marking and, if necessary, non-toxic paints.
How to cut sheets and make holes correctly
The main elements used to build a car bed with your own hands are the side walls (sides), the front part (it should be lower than the rest, so that it is convenient for children to climb in and out) and the headboard.
Using a template, transfer the drawing to the blanks and cut them out using a jigsaw. After that, you need to sand the resulting parts and drill holes for the fittings that hold the structure together. The finished parts can be painted, and while they dry, you can start making decorative components and boxes.
Once all the parts are ready, all that remains is to tighten the frame with screws and install it in the planned location.
Choosing a Mattress for a Car Bed
Despite its decorative component, a bed is first and foremost a place to sleep.
Therefore, you need to approach the choice of a mattress carefully and responsibly so that children can sleep comfortably and conveniently.
There are two types of mattresses: with springs and without them.
To create a car bed with your own hands, it is better to choose the second ones - they are characterized by greater durability and orthopedic qualities. You also need to consider that the mattress should be lower in height than the side sides, and also have hypoallergenic and antifungal properties.
There are latex, polyurethane foam and coconut fillers - each of them has its own advantages. You should choose the one that is best for your child.
So, coconut ones are more rigid and are recommended for younger children. From the age of seven, after consultation with an orthopedist, you can use soft bases, and from twelve - polyurethane foam.
In addition, manufacturers produce mattresses with special characteristics: ventilated, antibacterial and even ionized.
Caring for a child's bed
A crib made in the form of a car does not require any special care, different from ordinary furniture. It should be regularly wiped from dust and dirt with a damp cloth, aired and the mattress, bed linen and internal drawers vacuumed.
A DIY car bed is a great way to please your child and transform the interior of your child's room. It will serve as both a cozy place to sleep and a playground for fun games.
Video on how to make a car bed with your own hands:
50 photo ideas for designing a children's car bed:
