For sleepovers, travelling, or just lounging, this kid-sized sofa converts to a small bed.
A piece of furniture a child can call their own, emblazoned with their favourite character, lightweight and portable, what more could you ask for? Are these kid's flip sofas really as wonderful as they sound?
Flip Sofa Features
These small couches are made along with the same idea as a hide-a-bed. The seat of the couch flips out into a bed for sleeping or napping on. While there are many different manufacturers of kid's sofa beds, some of the most popular are made by Spin Master Toys and sold in a variety of department stores. These feature popular characters such as Spiderman, Thomas the Tank Engine, Dora the Explorer, Barbie, and Winnie the Pooh, among others. The sofas are small, measuring 27-1/2 inches across the back which is enough room for two children to sit comfortably. When opened, the bed is 33 inches long. The bed features a built-in zippered sleeping bag that can be removed for washing.
The Pros
Most kids are enthralled with a piece of furniture they can call their own. You won't see too many adults or even older siblings sitting on this sofa. Children also identify strongly with items showing their favourite character, and there are many to choose from. One of these is likely to be a good fit with your child's personality and preferences. The couch is lightweight and therefore can be easily moved around or even brought along on your travels, space permitting. Many children will use these beds for naps while others use them as a place to snuggle in front of the TV. Obviously any kids product that is washable makes more sense than one that is not.
The Cons
Some of the same features that make these flip sofas ideal for some families show their negative side with other families. These are very small, child sized pieces of furniture, and are only useful for most children up to about the age of 5. Some kids will outgrow the bed long before then. You need to have enough space available to justify adding these flip sofas just for your small children. In addition, some families are concerned about the idea of these flip sofas being used in front of the TV. They feel this encourages kids to become "couch potatoes", an idea that is further fueled by the fact that the child's favourite character is also on the flip sofa.
Overall Product Review
These are a cute product that many children will adore. There are some caveats. You need to have enough room available, you need to buy one when your child is small enough to get use out of it, and you'll need to set your own ground rules about when and where these couches are used.
