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In a nutshell

Great for little ones making the transition from cot to bed, and for little travellers

What we tested

  • Ease of use
    A star rating of 5.0 out of 5.
  • Effectiveness
    A star rating of 5.0 out of 5.
  • Style
    A star rating of 5.0 out of 5.
  • Durability
    A star rating of 5.0 out of 5.
  • Worth the money
    A star rating of 3.5 out of 5.
Overall Rating
A star rating of 4.7 out of 5.

Pros

  • Easy to set up, packs well for travelling, good for easing transition from cot to bed

Cons

  • You need a spare sheet for £25 if your child's not dry at night

The transition from cot to ‘big’ bed can be tricky for some children, especially if they’re fidgety sleepers, which is why two mums came up with Dream Tubes. These inflatable tubes fit into specially designed sheets to turn any single bed into a cosy, safe sleeping haven.

Dream Tubes, launched in spring 2009 by new company Dusky Moon and invented by mums Amanda Allerton and Venetia Fuller, are two long inflatable tubes, which zip into a specially designed sheet to keep children safe from falling out of a big bed.

The fitted sheet fits snugly onto a single bed, while the tubes form a soft barrier against falling out on either side. The sheet is 100% cotton and spare sheets are available for £25. Dream Tubes conform to British Standard BS7972 and, unlike some rigid bed guards, will not scratch or damage bed frames.

The tubes take minutes to blow up. Next step is to pop on the sheet and then zip in the tubes. The zips are well covered, so you don’t need to worry about them scratching your sleeping child.

What we love

Arron, 3, is a huge bedtime fidget, and I thought he might keep waking up because he couldn’t move as much. In fact the opposite was true; he was so cosy, he slept really well. So well in fact that he didn’t wake up when he needed a wee. This did mean I got to test how well the sheet washed sooner that I intended, and it is a good quality, 100% cotton sheet, so no problems there.

Because Dream Tubes deflate, they’re great for travelling, and I’ll certainly take them next time we go visiting or to a hotel. Being able to easily pack them in a suitcase gives the Dream Tubes the upper hand when compared with the usual kind of bed guards.

The Dream Tubes do a great job of providing that extra bit of security for children not used to sleeping in an open bed, or for wriggly children sleeping in an unfamiliar bed.

They’re also useful for keeping duvets on, cuddly toys in the bed and, as we discovered, stopping dummies falling on the floor!

What to watch out for

If your child isn’t reliably dry at night, you could find yourself having to strip off the sheet. And this is the one downside to Dream Tubes – once I stripped the bed, I had no spare sheet, though you can buy them for £25. This does make the whole thing a bit pricey, but the solution is, I guess, to use a small mattress protector.

Who are Dusky Moon Dream Tubes best for?

Little ones making the transition from cot to bed, and families who’ll be spending nights away from home.

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MadeForMums verdict

Dream Tubes make a ‘big’ bed cosy and safe for little ones who are new to nights in a single bed rather than a cot. They are easy to pack if you’re going on holiday, but at £40 plus £25 for a spare sheet they may be a little pricey for some budgets.

Product Specifications

Product
BrandDusky Moon
ModelDream Tubes
Price£40.00
Suitable for
Child age (approx)18 months to 5 years
Features
Made from100% cotton sheet, inflatable tubes
Features
  • Two inflatable tubes fit in to 'channels' in a single sheet
  • Easy to deflate and pack in luggage for travel
Accessories
Optional extrasSpare sheet (£25)
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