Best Toddler Bed Rails 2023

Watching your little one make the move from their crib to a toddler bed is often an emotional and stressful transition. The best toddler bed rails might make this experience easier for everyone. They turn the wide open space of a bed into a safer sleep spot with a partial barrier that can prevent your previously crib-bound tot from falling onto the floor in the middle of the night. Bed rails might also help your toddler feel a little more secure and cozy after leaving a crib with four enclosed sides. We selected the TotCraft guardrail as the best toddler bed rail overall, because it’s easy to use, safe and works with almost any bed type.

Selecting one of the best toddler bed rails can help your little one feel secure in their new bed ... [+] while also preventing falls.

The TotCraft rail, of course, isn’t the only option out there. You can choose mesh, acrylic, metal or soft inflatable rails that can be moved around as needed. There are also see-through picks, swing-down rails and those that come in extra long sizes. No matter what type of toddler bed rail you choose, you’ll want to ensure it’s as safe as possible. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) sets the standard for these rails, and you can read more about these safety guidelines later in this story.

When looking for the safest bed rail, Patti Read, certified pediatric sleep consultant and owner of Goldilocks Sleep Solutions, encourages parents to look for what the company is telling you about their safety precautions. “Do they mention the CPSC standards; do they mention the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM); do they mention what the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends?” she says. “If they don’t, that’s not necessarily a deal breaker, but if they are talking about it, then that shows that they are proud of how strongly they test their products and how much they stand behind them.”

Ready to make the transition to a big kid bed without constantly worrying if your toddler is going to take a tumble while you’re sleeping? Read on for our picks for the best toddler bed rails. You might also want to read about our favorite bunk beds, twin mattresses for kids or the best night lights.

Amazon

Dimensions: 35.5 x 19.5 inches | Material: Metal, mesh | Adjustable length: No | Special features: Swing-down rail, multiple sizes

The TotCraft Bed Rail is our favorite pick because of how versatile and secure it is. The installation process allows it to fit virtually any kind of bed frame. Use the Velcro straps to attach it to a slatted base; adjustable straps are for use on a box spring; or you can screw it right into a wooden bed frame if needed. The mesh barrier also folds down for easy access to the bed and promises not to create any gaps. It has 4,600 reviews on Amazon with an overall rating of 4.6 out of 5.

Mom tested: April Knight, a mom of a 3-year-old, says she loves the TotCraft because you strap the rails to the frame. “This prevents the rail from moving around, and I don't have to worry about my child falling out of bed while sleep training,” she says.

It’s available in two sizes.

Amazon

Dimensions: 32.5 x 14.5 x 15 inches | Material: Mesh walls | Adjustable length: Yes | Special features: Travel friendly

At just $26, this bed rail is nearly half the price of many other options out there, and yet it offers plenty of safety features for your peace of mind, like a reinforced anchor system and a stabilizer bar, so you don’t need to worry about it moving during the night. It also doesn’t require any tools for assembly and is lightweight. The breathable mesh fabric makes it easy for toddlers to see through it as well.

Pottery Barn Kids

Dimensions: 34 x 20 x .5 inches | Material: 100% acrylic and plated metal hardware | Adjustable length: No | Special features: Clear, tested at third party CPSC accredited labs, Greenguard Gold certified

If you want a more aesthetically pleasing option that also leaves your toddler feeling less trapped, opt for this bed rail. Made of acrylic, it’s barely there and something they won’t notice as much even when it’s keeping them in their bed. It does offer a simple assembly, but it’s worth noting this one can’t be used with box springs or metal bed frames. Overall, it’s a safe option that’s an ideal toddler bed rail setup for their transitional bed—and the sleek design is ideal for modern bedrooms.

Amazon

Dimensions: 48 x 5 inches| Material: PVC | Adjustable length: No | Special features: Travel friendly inflatable

Whether you’re going on vacation or just want something for whenever your little one sleeps at grandma and grandpa’s house, a travel toddler bed rail is convenient to have on hand. The Shrunks Inflatable Bed Rail can be deflated and folded flat when not in use, and then re when ready to use (no pump required, although you can use one if you want). It’s placed underneath the sheets for the easiest installation and has grip strips to keep it from moving around.

Mom tested: Mom blogger Jen Darnell of Life On Lavender Lane tells us this is her favorite option for travel and beyond, saying she uses them for her toddler’s bed all the time: “Even though they are made for travel and portable, they inflate to the point where she can’t wildly get over them. They are soft, have grip slips and are wide enough where they don’t slip off the bed. We travel a lot too and I pop them in my suitcase for the hotel bed.”

Amazon

Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.5 inches | Material: Polyester, memory foam | Adjustable length: No | Special features: Grip strips, removable cover

I used these Shinnwa foam bumpers as my 3-year-old’s bed rails, and they exceeded my limited expectations. For starters, you can scoop up a two-pack for less than $50. They’re also a fairly long length that makes them work for pretty much any size bed. I love that they are super simple to install—no extra parts—because they just sit under the sheets with grip strips to keep them from moving too much.

Mom tested: As noted, I truly love these easy to use toddler bed rails. While they do occasionally shift a bit, for the most part, they stay put. They’re quite comfortable to have in the bed, and we love that the low-profile design makes them a more aesthetically pleasing option.

Pottery Barn Kids

Dimensions: 33.75 x 16.75 x 1.75 inches | Material: Solid poplar wood, plated metal hardware | Adjustable length: No | Special features: Greenguard Gold certified, solid wood, tested at third-party CPSC accredited labs

A wooden toddler bed rail has the advantage of being extra sturdy and durable, and it also happens to be a bit more aesthetically pleasing than something with mesh. This one from Pottery Barn Kids is made with child-safe, water-based paint in a Fair Trade certified factory, and it’s Greenguard Gold certified, so you can feel good about using it. Two colorways are currently on sale, too.

Mom tested: Kristina Tinsley, a mom blogger and owner of All About Momma, says she has used this for two of her kids and loves that it is “durable” and “attractively built.” She adds, “I have no concerns of my children being able to knock it off or fall out of the bed when pressed up against it. The guardrail is minimal, taking up only the top half to third of their bed, and it provides plenty of space to get in and out of their bed, or a parent to sit on the side and read books.”

Amazon

Dimensions: 59 x 19.5 inches | Material: Mesh, plastic | Adjustable length: No | Special features: Fits larger beds, comes in two sizes, swing-down/fold-down rail

If your child is sleeping in a larger bed, like a twin or a full, or if they just move around a lot, you might want an extra long bed rail to keep them in place no matter what. This sturdy, extra-long toddler bed rail easily fits a king size bed, and it’s a versatile pick that adapts to most bed frames. It secures with slats and springs and uses screws for wood bases for extra safety. The rail also folds down and away for easy access to the bed during non-sleeping hours. You can also select this guardrail in a more standard toddler bed size.

Mom tested: Sarah Joseph, owner of Parental Queries, told me that she chose this bed rail for her super active toddler. “The extra-long design provided a sturdy barrier against any potential falls, and it even extended down further than the mattress so that there were no gaps between the bed rail and the mattress,” she says. “It was also easy to remove and reinstall when we needed to change the sheets, which was a definite plus.”

Amazon

Dimensions: 43 x 20 inches | Material: Mesh, metal | Adjustable length: No | Special features: Swings down, multiple sizes

A swing-down bed rail is a convenient option in general, because it makes it so much easier for both toddlers and parents to get in and out of the bed when they’re ready to. We have several of this more traditional bed rails included on this list, but this Regalo pick is another favorite inexpensive option that offers an extra easy assembly with no tools required. Instead, anchoring straps secure the rail to the bed. It’s designed with an all-steel frame, making it extra durable as well.

Mom tested: Kelsey Waddell, owner of Stroller Envy, has used this toddler bed rail for two of her kids. She loves that it’s adjustable and fits most bed and is easy to install, which she says makes it a more portable option. “The swing-down feature allows for easy access to the bed, so parents can quickly tend to their little one's needs during the night,” she says. She also loves the breathable mesh.

When searching for the best toddler bed rails, there were a few things I took into consideration. First and foremost was safety. I spoke to experts, such as sleep consultant Read, and read the CPSC guidelines on what parents should look for in a safe toddler bed rail. I also spoke to real parents and moms with firsthand experience with toddler bed rails to find out exactly what they have used and loved in their everyday lives, and I offered up my own experience, too. Of course, I read deep into the reviews to see how well customers liked or disliked a product. Price was also a factor, and I looked at convenient features, such as portability and ease of installation.

The CPSC regulates toddler bed rails to ensure children’s safety in bed. Here are some of the government safety organization’s guidelines for parents.

While bed rails are a great way to keep your toddler from falling out of bed, they certainly aren’t a requirement. As Read notes, it’s really about knowing the behavior of your child. “If you have a very active sleeper, who rolls around in their sleep a lot, then bed rails would be helpful,” she says. “If you were always finding your little child laying on the sides of their crib, then they would probably do well having bed rails.” However, she says that they may not be too useful for toddler beds that are very low to the ground or capable climbers. If your child is in an adult size bed, Read recommends them.

As per guidance from the CPSC, bed rails should only be used for toddlers age 2 and over. “If you are attaching the toddler rail that was specifically created for your convertible crib, most companies allow usage at a younger age, usually between the ages of 15 to 18 months,” Read says. “I would recommend referring to your owner manual for more specifics on age requirements as well as to ensure proper installation procedures. “