Kidsaw
Racing Car Toddler Bed
7.7/10 overallAround £90 (mattress sold separately)
A novelty racing-car-shaped wooden toddler bed frame, sized for a standard cot bed mattress.
The verdict
The Kidsaw Racing Car bed, around £90, is a themed, low-to-the-ground wooden frame designed to make leaving the cot feel exciting for a reluctant toddler, using a standard cot bed mattress (140x70cm) so no new mattress is needed. It's a genuinely effective, low-cost emotional hook, but the novelty theme has a shelf life of a year or two.
The Racing Car bed is a themed, low-to-the-ground wooden frame shaped like a racing car, designed specifically to make the transition out of a cot feel exciting rather than like a loss for a toddler used to their cot. It takes a standard cot bed mattress (140x70cm), so there's no need to buy a new mattress alongside the frame.
Against the plainer IKEA KRITTER or SNIGLAR frames in this category, the trade-off is purely about character versus flexibility: the Racing Car is a bolder, more exciting design that a lot of toddlers respond well to, but it's also a design your child will likely outgrow in personality terms well before they physically outgrow the mattress size, where a plain frame like the KRITTER or SNIGLAR stays visually appropriate for longer.
If your toddler is a reluctant mover from the cot and needs an emotional hook to make the switch feel like an upgrade rather than a downgrade, a novelty bed like this is a genuinely effective, low-cost way to do that — just be realistic that the theme has a shelf life of a year or two before a plainer bed becomes more appropriate.
Is the Racing Car Toddler Bed worth it?
- Exciting, novelty design helps reluctant toddlers embrace the switch
- Uses a standard cot bed mattress, no extra mattress cost
- Low-to-the-ground design reduces fall height
What are the downsides of the Racing Car Toddler Bed?
- Toddlers may outgrow the theme in personality before the bed size
- Less versatile resale value than a plain frame
- Flat-pack assembly required
Specs
- Height
- Low to the ground
- Assembly
- Flat-packed, self-assembly required
- Material
- Solid pine wood
- Guard rail
- Built into the car body sides
- Mattress size
- Standard cot bed, 140x70cm
How we scored it
Guard Rail Safety
How well the rail prevents night-time falls without making the bed hard to get in and out of.
Built-in side rails from the car body, though not as tall as a dedicated guard rail.
Cot Transition Ease
How smoothly toddlers adjust from a cot to this bed, including familiarity of size and height.
The novelty design genuinely helps motivate reluctant toddlers to make the switch.
Build Durability
Sturdiness of the frame and how well the finish holds up to daily knocks.
Solid pine construction, holds up well to normal toddler use.
Weighted by importance for this category — see our editorial policy for how we test.
How this review was done
We haven't used the Racing Car Toddler Bed ourselves yet. This review is built from Kidsaw's published specifications and product information, and scored the same way as everything else on the site. We'll update it, and the badge above, once we've tested it hands-on.
How it compares
|  |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Around £90 (mattress sold separately) | £69.00 (frame only) | £65.00 (frame only) | About £129 (RRP £180) |
| Overall score | 7.7/10 | 8.1/10 | 8/10 | 7.4/10 |
| Assembly | Flat-packed, self-assembly required | Flatpack | Flatpack | — |
| Material | Solid pine wood | Solid pine, painted finish | Solid pine, untreated/natural finish | Engineered wood |
| Guard rail | Built into the car body sides | Integrated | Integrated | — |
Frequently asked questions
Does the Racing Car bed need a special mattress?+
No — it takes a standard cot bed mattress (140x70cm), so there's no need to buy a new mattress alongside the frame.
Is the Racing Car bed good for a toddler reluctant to leave the cot?+
Yes — if your toddler needs an emotional hook to make the switch feel like an upgrade, a novelty design like this is a genuinely effective, low-cost way to do that.
Will my toddler outgrow the Racing Car theme?+
Likely in personality terms before they physically outgrow the mattress size — the theme has a shelf life of around a year or two before a plainer bed becomes more appropriate.
Does the Racing Car bed have a guard rail?+
It has built-in side rails formed by the car body sides, though they're not as tall as a dedicated guard rail.
Guides that mention this
Best Toddler Beds Compared (UK Guide)
Six UK toddler beds compared on price, mattress size, guard rails and lifespan, from the £65 IKEA SNIGLAR to the £320 Stokke Home Bed. Includes RoSPA and NHS advice on falls, windows and blind cords.
When to Move Your Toddler from a Cot to a Bed
Climbing out is the only genuinely urgent reason to switch early. Otherwise, later is usually easier than earlier.
Reviewed by
Sepehr
Software engineer, soon-to-be dad, uncle to four — the tech-obsessed half of the two of us testing this stuff. Currently building this site with my wife, ahead of our own baby arriving.