Here are some do’s and don’ts when considering the transition from a crib to a bed for your toddler. Hint: don’t do it too early!
If you have a toddler then you are familiar with the question… when is it the right time to move baby to a big boy bed?
Well, the answer is that it depends. It depends on a few factors. If you consider these you’ll be able to make the right decision for your family.
Transitioning to a big kid bed can be an exciting and slightly scary time for parents and kids alike. It can signal the end of the baby era for parents or new developmental milestones for the child, like climbing out of the crib. 😱
But it can also signal the beginning of a whole new set of sleep problems. What can you do to minimize this common issue and have a successful transition?
Here are some Do’s and Don’ts to keep in mind when going from a crib to a bed.
What's in this post...
DO talk a lot about the transition with your toddler before it happens.
Establish your expectations for this new era of bedtime and nighttime. How will their bedtime routine change? Is he allowed to get out of bed at will?
Should she call you if she needs something or come get you in your room? Talk about different scenarios at an age-appropriate level before it happens.
This is new territory- don’t expect them to know how it all works.
DON’T transition too early.
Many parents transition around age 2 because a new baby is coming, but most 2 year olds really aren’t developmentally ready to understand the rules and expectations mentioned above.
Wait until as close to 3 as possible!
If you’re transitioning because you need the crib for a new baby, just borrow a pack’n’play for the new baby or buy a new crib for the toddler – they’re less than $100 on Amazon. It’s worth it to not have to deal with a newborn AND toddler up all night.
The toddler will be going through enough change with the new addition to the family. It’s also why I recommend introducing sleep sacks and safety sleeps early- it helps delay them climbing out for a little longer.
Ready for everyone to start sleeping better? Use this checklist to help you get there.
DO use sleep sacks
They can help delay a transition happening because of the child climbing out of the crib. Sleep sacks, or wearable blankets, can be introduced in the baby stage, but later is fine too, and they can help delay a toddler’s ability to climb out of the crib.
If your toddler is starting to figure out how to take their sleep sack off, put a t-shirt on over the sleep sack, or put the sleep sack on inside out. :)
DON’T do things the first few nights that you don’t want to continue
Meaning, don’t start off the first night doing things that you don’t want to continue when you’re helping your toddler move from a crib to a bed.
Unless you want to start laying with your child for an hour at bedtime each night, don’t do it the first night. Go over the planned routine and expectations before the first night and stick with your plan, with maybe just a few extra cuddles thrown in.
DO motivate with a sticker chart!
Even some 2-2.5 year olds can understand this concept and be motivated by a sticker.
A sticker chart can be used to correct a bad habit of getting up all night, but why not start one right in the beginning to create good habits from the get-go?
So… when should my toddler go from a crib to a big boy bed?
It can be a difficult decision, when to move toddler to a bigger bed. And a decision, in my opinion, that isn’t done lightly.
Oh it’s so fun and sweet when you can begin laying with them at bedtime on their own bed to read and snuggle, but if done too early could lead to sleeping regressions for both your toddler and yourself.
I hope this helps you decide what’s right for your little one. For reference, I like my toddlers to stay in their cribs as long as possible. That may mean up to 3 years of age.
Go forth and good luck!
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I made the mistake with our first child and took her out of the crib by 18 mo. It was a game for a long time. We now have 7 kids and I got a 2nd crib and keep them on until 3 yr old or until they start to climb out (for safety reasons). It saved my sanity and the other children did just fine in the crib. We all were happy and all slept well. That makes for a happy momma.
Amen!
Good video. This is exactly something my husband and I were talking about just last night. Recently (like a week ago) we moved our 4 year old into the room with our 20 month old…the 4 yo has always been on a different floor than the rest of us and I could tell he felt excluded to some degree (and we didn’t like that he was on a diff floor, but that’s the way the rooms worked out), we’d offered to move him into this room (nursery) a while ago but he had insisted sleeping with the light on (so he stayed put); finally he agreed to move in with a night light.
Anyhow, back to the 20 mo old. He’s a big kid and raised with a big bro, watching everything he goes. He’s showing signs of bring able to get out of the crib so we want to do something soon…but he’s very mobile and I really [REALLY] like him pinned up. But, we need to do something.
Will it just be a matter of trial and error and/or discipline with him to keep him put? Tips? I don’t want him to fall out of the crib and we can’t adjust the mattress to be any lower. Our older son was in the crib until 2 yr, 3 mo and transitioned great (and because we moved to a new house, and expecting another baby- it just worked out really smoothly). So the younger guy makes me nervous. We have a baby gate up so he can’t get too far… but still…
It is a matter of time and discipline. You know I’ve seen these crib tents that are like loose mesh but keep the kids in. HA. Not suggesting that, per se, but a big change like a new sibling in the room PLUS going to another bed will be a lot of changes and hard work for you to keep him in. But you can do it :)