Pool Noodle?

[Not-a-Dalek]

I searched in the threads for this but didn't find it covered. I am traveling PDX to ERI with a 3 and 5 year old. We have a family bedroom one leg (Empire Builder) and two roomettes the second leg (Lake Shore Limited).

I am worried my 3 year old will fall out of the bed, we are putting the kids on the bottom bunks for this reason. Has anyone heard of bringing a pool noodle to put under the sheet so kids don't fall out of beds? Or what other tips do you have? I was thinking I'd cut them down to fit in our carry-on.

Here is are pictures for reference: (random google images)

 

[Devil's Advocate]

If they're in the bottom bunk then isn't the problem already solved? If not, then how exactly is the pool noodle going to prevent them from falling? Normally the upper bunk has a netting that's similar to a web of seat belt material with metal hooks. That always kept me from falling out. On the other hand I don't think a noodle would accomplish anything unless it had a metal core attached to the walls.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

If they're in the bottom bunk then isn't the problem already solved? If not, then how exactly is the pool noodle going to prevent them from falling? Normally the upper bunk has a netting that's similar to a web of seat belt material with metal hooks. That always kept me from falling out. On the other hand I don't think a noodle would accomplish anything unless it had a metal core attached to the walls.

Pool noodle have become the DIY bedrail for toddlers. It provides a "bump" which will presumably tell the child's body that it can't go any further (while they're sleeping). Sure, some kids may still roll over it and off the bed.

 

[Not-a-Dalek]

If they're in the bottom bunk then isn't the problem already solved? If not, then how exactly is the pool noodle going to prevent them from falling? Normally the upper bunk has a netting that's similar to a web of seat belt material with metal hooks. That always kept me from falling out. On the other hand I don't think a noodle would accomplish anything unless it had a metal core attached to the walls.

I just found a you tube video that mentions the netting. I hadn't heard that in my research yet. It seems pretty secure so that's nice. As Amtrak Blue said, it would serve as bumper to keep kids from rolling out... totally DIY. I'm not sure if my kids would roll over it or not. They don't have guards on their beds at home, but both have been known to fall out of bed occasionally.... their beds are low to the ground so it's not a big problem.

Knowing about the net helps ease my concerns though, as they would LOVE sleeping on the top bunks.

 

[VentureForth]

You will love them sleeping on the top bunk, too, as the space up there is very tiny.

If nothing else, the straps will keep the noodle from falling over... But the netting should be pretty good by itself.

 

[SarahZ]

Since they're on the bottom, they should be okay. They'll be blocked by either the stairs or the closet, depending on which end of the bed they rest their head.

Additionally, those sheets and blankets are tucked in SUPER tight. To prevent rocking/rolling in my sleep, I leave them tucked in and scoot down into bed like a caterpillar. Tell them to pretend they're caterpillars and wiggle down into their cocoon.

As an adult, I cannot pull those sheets and blankets out from under the mattress while in bed no matter how hard I yank. It's a pretty big workout. I doubt the natural sleep movement of a child, even a wild sleeper, is enough to yank them out.

You could bring the pool noodle just in case, but it will take up precious space when packing, and I really doubt you'll need it.

 

[the_traveler]

I agree, the upper berth had the netting on it. If it can stop a 150-250 pound person from rolling out of the berth, I don't think it would have much trouble stopping a 3 year old from doing the same. And you can also save that extra packing space for more stuff!

 

[SarahZ]

I just noticed the OP's username. I love it.

 

[the_traveler]

Whovians unite!

 

[AlanB]

Here's a picture that I took years ago of two of my nieces when we were all on the Auto Train that shows what the safety strap looks like for the upper bunk. In this case, it's the kid's upper bunk in the Family room. That plus the tightly tucked sheet & blanket makes it nearly impossible to roll/fall out of the upper bunk. This safety strap is on all upper bunks, without regard to adult sized beds or kid's beds.

As an aside; this is a very old picture, as the niece on the right, who is younger than her sister on the left, will graduate High School next Friday!

 

[GG-1]

Here's a picture that I took years ago of two of my nieces when we were all on the Auto Train that shows what the safety strap looks like for the upper bunk. In this case, it's the kid's upper bunk in the Family room. That plus the tightly tucked sheet & blanket makes it nearly impossible to roll/fall out of the upper bunk. This safety strap is on all upper bunks, without regard to adult sized beds or kid's beds.

As an aside; this is a very old picture, as the niece on the right, who is younger than her sister on the left, will graduate High School next Friday!

Aloha

What this picture shows, is the netting does not enclose the whole bed. What I was concerned about from the original post, is are the children tall enough that the "netting" will cover enough of the bed to keep them in. There is no danger that the webbing will be strong enough, but could they be at both ends and miss the web.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

What this picture shows, is the netting does not enclose the whole bed. What I was concerned about from the original post, is are the children tall enough that the "netting" will cover enough of the bed to keep them in. There is no danger that the webbing will be strong enough, but could they be at both [either] ends and miss the web.

I was thinking about that as well.

 


I guess it depends on how much the kids move around when sleeping. Maybe Alan's nieces weren't prone to be restless but when I was a boy I used to move around a lot when I slept and fell out of beds of all heights and sizes. I don't think pool noodles had been invented yet. Maybe that explains some things. Anyway, if the OP's children move around a lot then perhaps it makes sense to put them on a lower bunk at first to see how it goes. It's true that the sheets can be wrapped up tight, but it's also true that the train can sway from time to time, sometimes substantially. I would not doubt that kids have fallen out of the top bunks before.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I thought the same as GG & DA as to wether a 3 year old could slip through the gaps in the netting.

 

[FriskyFL]

If a child is prone to move about with such force as to be able to fall over/through/around the rather robust safety net, i'd think that this pool noodle gimmick isn't going to be of much use. Probably best to keep them at ground level.

 

[crescent2]

I agree on the netting thing. Kids can fall from seemingly safe places.

 

[AlanB]

Unless the child is shorter than 2 feet tall, they're not going to be able to avoid the safety straps no matter how much they move around at night. Especially with the tightly tucked in blanket & sheet.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Well there you go. No need to worry. It's impossible to fall out of bed on Amtrak no matter how much you move around.

 

[AlanB]

Well there you go. No need to worry. It's impossible to fall out of bed on Amtrak no matter how much you move around.

Well unless you've figured out a way to roll yourself around enough to the point where you end up in a ball that is around 2 feet wide, then again you're not going to fall out of that bed because of a bump that the train makes. Now if your one of those who moves around in such a way that you can maneuver yourself around the straps via a series of moves that gradually finds you hanging off the bed, well then straps aren't going to matter and you don't belong in that bed in the first place. The idea, which you well knew, is that you're not going to be thrown out of the bed by train movements.

And your post wasn't playing a devil's advocate, it was just plain silly and a bit snarky!

 

[PRR 60]

As a parent who traveled a lot with our kids, I would not put a small child in the upper bunk - period. The netting is not nearly sufficient to prevent a child from falling out of the bed. It is not a matter of train movements. It is matter of how children sleep. Kids move around a lot when they sleep. They end up sideways, backwards, and in every other position you can imagine. I would not take the chance of having them sleep in the upper bunk with the net openings so large. The netting is designed for adults, not children.

 

[Bob Dylan]

As a parent who traveled a lot with our kids, I would not put a small child in the upper bunk - period. The netting is not nearly sufficient to prevent a child from falling out of the bed. It is not a matter of train movements. It is matter of how children sleep. Kids move around a lot when they sleep. They end up sideways, backwards, and in every other position you can imagine. I would not take the chance of having them sleep in the upper bunk with the net openings so large. The netting is designed for adults, not children.

True this!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

And your post wasn't playing a devil's advocate, it was just plain silly and a bit snarky!

Perhaps.

Then again when you speak in absolute terms you kind of invite snark and silliness.

There are some very restless children out there.

There are also some very bumpy tracks and interchanges.

There are also some switching tasks that can pack a serious punch.

If you add that all up and still claim there's virtually no way for anyone larger than 24" to fall out that's just plain absurd.

 

[VentureForth]

Will someone here just please post whether they have ever encountered a child falling off the top bunk? I think that it would be the BEST place for kids - gives everyone the room they need.

 

[crescent2]

I have tons of experience with young children, but none on their sleeping in an upper bunk. From the pictures posted and my recollections of sleeping in the upper bunk on a Viewliner, I can see a small child turning so that they easily go around the netting. Or a child deciding they want to get down and dropping from the top bunk, again around the sides of the netting, headfirst or feetfirst. Small children are excellent escape artists and aren't mature enough to judge what's safe. So I'd personally be hesitant about letting very small children sleep there while I was also sleeping, although chances are they would be just fine. But then again they might not. I guess a lot of it depends on the individual child and their behaviors, as well as their size.

 

[Ryan]

Our son has slept on a top bunk on the Auto Train, and a handful of time between DC and Florida or Atlanta between the age of 5 and 9 without any issues.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Our son has slept on a top bunk on the Auto Train, and a handful of time between DC and Florida or Atlanta between the age of 5 and 9 without any issues.

I think the OP has a 3 year old too. What age do you think a kid is physically big enough not to risk getting through or caught in the netting? My concern is if the 3 year old could slip through the gaps.