Where To Sleep Quiz | General Topics for Kids

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. When I was little, I dreamed of having what I called a 'princess bed', with fancy curtains all around, held up by posts at the four corners of the bed. Which of these would have made me happy?

Answer: Canopy bed

A canopy bed, similar to a four-poster bed, has posts that hold up various fabric decorations. The fabric may be arranged to form a roof over the bed, and there can be curtains that completely surround the bed (which is handy in cold weather) or are pushed into the corners.

The closest I ever got to owning one was buying a bed for my daughter's doll that had a canopy with a fringe around the top. At least it was pink!

2. Which of these is NOT a name for a kind of bed used for babies?

Answer: Sleigh bed

A bassinet is designed to be used by babies who are too young to roll over - it is confining, and gives them a snug place in which to sleep, and is usually portable or at least movable. A bassinet on rockers is often called a cradle. Cribs, also called cots, are for slightly older babies and children, and usually have high sides to prevent the child from falling (or climbing) out.

A sleigh bed has a wooden frame, with headboard and footboard that are carved to resemble the curved lines of a traditional sleigh.

3. I remember seeing a bed on an old television show that folded up into the wall, and looked like a closet door. What is the Irish-sounding name given to these wall beds in North America?

Answer: Murphy bed

The wall bed was invented early in the 20th century by a Californian named William Murphy. He lived in a one-room apartment which left him little room for entertaining guests, so he devised a method for storing the bed out of the way - in the wall! The bed is hinged at the end near the wall, so it can be lifted up and stored in the hollow space in the wall. What was formerly the bottom of the bed then looks like part of the wall.

4. My two brothers used to squabble over who got to climb the ladder and sleep in the top bed. What kind of bed did they have in their bedroom?

Answer: Bunk bed

Bunk beds are often used when floor space is limited, as was the case in our house. Two (or sometimes more) beds are placed one on top of the other, with the elevating posts long enough so that the person in the lower bunk can get in and out (and usually has enough room to sit up without bumping their head).

5. I didn't have to share my room as a child, but for a few years I did have a special bed that I could turn into two beds when a friend visited, because a second bed slid out from under the one in which I slept. Which of these is NOT a name for this type of bed?

Answer: Gazunda bed

Although the spare bed 'gazunda' (goes under) the main one, that term is actually a slang way of describing a chamber pot, a bowl which was formerly stored under a bed for use when one needed to relieve one's bladder during the night. The other three terms are used in different places to describe a bed that slides (or rolls on wheels) under another, and is pulled out for use.

6. My uncle told us we were going to sleep on futons while we were visiting him. In what country is the futon the traditional style of bed?

Answer: Japan

A futon is a thin flat mattress, usually with a quilt and pillow, all designed to be rolled up and stored out of sight during the day. In Japan, the futon usually rests directly on the mat-covered floor. Westernized versions are more often placed on a wooden frame so that they can be used as a couch during the day, and turned into a bed at night.

7. When we went camping, I thought I might have to sleep on the ground, but Dad brought along something to make my sleeping bag more comfortable. Which of these did I watch him inflate as we set up camp?

Answer: Air bed

Air beds, also known as air mattresses, are popular when camping as they are easy to carry when the air has been removed. When I was young we had to inflate them by blowing into a valve; now you can use a foot pump (or even an electric pump) to do the job - and you can talk at the same time!

8. I used to argue with my brothers over who would get to swing in the hammock that stretched between two trees in our backyard. In what part of the world was the hammock first developed for sleeping?

Answer: Caribbean and Central America

The word 'hammock' probably comes from an Arawak word meaning 'fish net' - the residents of Central America and the Caribbean originally wove them from cords of the same material used to make fish nets. Suspended beds allow good airflow in hot weather, as well as providing some protection from such nasty ground-dwelling creatures as scorpions and snakes.

After the Spanish conquest, hammocks were adapted for use in sailing ships - these were usually made of canvas rather than a woven net.

9. When we travelled across the United States on a train, it took several days. Luckily, we didn't have to sit up the entire way, as we were in a sleeping car. In North America, these cars are named after the man who first made them famous in the 1860s. What kind of car did we ride in?

Answer: Pullman car

George Pullman started building his special sleeping cars in 1865, and they quickly became widely used. In 1872, the Belgian George Nagelmackers was so impressed with the concept that he set up the Compagnie Internationale des Wagon-Lits (International Sleeping Car Company) to produce luxurious sleeping and dining cars for their trains, including the famous Orient Express which ran between Paris and Istanbul from 1883 until 2009.

10. Oh dear, it's not enough to decide what kind of bed I want, now I have to decide on a size. While many words are used to describe bed sizes, and different words refer to different sizes in different parts of the world, which of these is most likely to give me the widest bed?

Answer: King size

The order of widths is pretty universal, although the exact sizes vary. A single (or twin) bed is around 0.9 m wide; a double (or full) bed is around 1.4 m wide; a queen-size bed is around 1.5 m wide, and a king-size bed is around 1.9 m wide. I want plenty of room to sprawl on my bed, so I'm getting a king-sized mattress for my next bed. Now, will I get springs, foam rubber, or a water bed?

Source: Author looney_tunes

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor NatalieW before going online.
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Where To Sleep Trivia Quiz

I feel the need, the need to sleep. Come explore some of the kinds of bed where I might consider resting my weary head.

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