Kids like to feel safe when sleeping in their beds at night and a tent bed helps. Besides being on the second floor with an alarm system, motion detectors, etc... ug and a down stairs floor that is a walking trap of toys during the day or night. Unless you have mastered the latest configuration. After sleeping many years with my baby, easing my way out of bed when he fell asleep and negotiating my way out of sleeping with him at all. It was a struggle to get him to bed and sleep.
I had used some thinner less sturdy piping to make a tent bed, but it was flimsy and kept falling apart. The good news was that it was keeping my son in bed and falling asleep quicker. My small garden boxes had the same similar thin piping to make a cold frame. That worked, but was not as effective as I would like either. I was doing some Internet research and found info. on cold frame building. So, I got the items to make the cold frame and made an awesome and better cold frame with stronger plastic to cover. I then thought that I could make a better bed tent. And yes, I could and did.
So, off with the babble and down to the info. You need 1/2 inch 10 foot long PVC piping. Found in the a local hardware store. I got my stuff from the Home Depot. For a single bed, you will need 6, 1/2 inch 10 foot long PVC pipes. You will need a pipe hand held PVC cutter. 4, 4 inch long copper or steel threaded screws. Duct tape. Not any fancy stuff. Just the grey/silver stuff. You will also need a good size flat sheet. queen or king size. A hand held drill too.
Start by drilling four holes about 1-2 inches deep, near each end of the wood bases of frames. Now Drill or screw in the screws part to half way in. Leaving an inch or two sticking out. Take a pipe and stick one end onto and over a screw and bend the other side to have the other end fit over and onto the other screw on the same side of bed frame. Use these pictures to help guide you. Take another pipe and do the same to the other side. Now You want to take your hand held pipe cutter and cut 4 of the 10 feet long PVC pipes in half. Use a measuring tape and a marker if needed to mark where to cut.
Now you want to duct tape the 5 foot long pipes to create your tent bed frame. Start with taping the top pipe, then work your way down on each side to create stability. This tent holds best against a wall with out other needed stabilizers. Once you have finished taping, Throw a large flat sheet over and then arrange it to you or your child's liking. I ended up having to add another sheet that cut out access top light and also covered the wall with material. Hence, creating a warm comfortable wall and a more insulated and light filtrating roof. You will have one 5 foot PVC pipe leftover. No big deal.
My son thought this one was to big at first because his other one was always falling and had a low almost cocoon like roof. But he grew to love this one much more than the idea of not having a bed tent at all.
The cost was much less than buying a kid tent bed. Which I had done with my other son and the quality of that one was a challenge. Not to mention constantly trying to pin or tie it to the bed.
