That’s the message your toddler will send (one way or another) when he’s ready to bid bye-bye to the crib and say hello to a big-kid bed. Your child might actually verbalize displeasure or, more likely, simply start climbing out of the crib.While there's no hard-and-fast age when a toddler is ready to move on from the crib, when your child is around 18 months or so you'll probably start thinking about it. The timing is different for every child, but if he’s hit 3 feet in height or makes a jailbreak on a daily basis or asks for a big-kid bed, it’s time to make the switch. Choosing a Toddler BedYou have two toddler bed options: a toddler bed, which looks like a mini version of a twin bed (and can come disguised as a race car, fire truck or princess castle), or an actual twin bed outfitted with safety rails. Both are safe options, so let your wallet, space constraints, child’s temperament and design sensibility guide your decision. (Of course if you purchased a crib that converts to a toddler bed, no need to shop.)
Whatever model you choose, if you’re in the market for a new bed for your toddler, make sure it is:Sturdy. There’ll be plenty of rolling, wiggling, jumping and bouncing on that bed, so make sure it can stand up to tough toddler treatment.Low to the ground. Keeping the bed on the down-low limits injuries from falls and makes it easier for your child to get in and out all by himself.The bed should come with side rails (some toddlers are wild sleepers) or allow you to add them.Choose a headboard and footboard without ornamentation, cutouts or protrusions to prevent rambunctious or curious toddlers from bumping heads or jamming fingers. Check to see that the finish is smooth (no splinters!) and all edges are rounded.Matched with a mattress. Your best bet is to buy the bed and mattress together so you can be certain of a snug fit (or buy a toddler bed that’s designed to be used with a standard-sized crib mattress).Check for a sticker from the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association on the bed and any portable rails you purchase.
(Note: The JPMA doesn’t certify twin-sized beds — just toddler sizes.)Time to set up his sleeping space with safety in mind.Find the right spot in the room — that means away from windows, blind cords, draperies, radiators, heat registers and wall or floor lamps.Place the headboard flush against the wall and leave ample space on both sides of the bed (or install rails on both sides) to limit the risk that your child could get trapped between the bed and the wall.Put a soft rug, sleeping bag or pillows on the floor around the bed to cushion falls.Check joints, screws or other hardware regularly to ensure they're not loose.Tips to transition from a crib to a bedHere are 10 things you can do to make this transition a smooth and safe one:Time it right. If your toddler's life is already chock-full of change — new baby brother or sister, new school, weaning, toilet training — wait before introducing the big-kid bed. This should be an exciting transition for everyone, not one that's overwhelming or scary.
A convertible crib that turns into a toddler bed with the removal of the front panel can make the change seem less drastic to a toddler.Read all about it. Find a few books about the big move, and share them with your toddler. Point out that the characters in the book are "just like you," and just as bravely moving on to their new bed.Let your child get in on the action. To mark the occasion and help your child feel excited about the change, let him choose new sheets and kid-friendly bedding, and encourage him to personalize the new bed with a few favorite stuffed animals. If you decide on a toddler or twin bed, enlist your child's help in picking it out.You've likely already taken measures to toddler-proof your home, but this is a good time to re-evaluate. Are there any other safety precautions you should take in case your toddler does go adventuring during the night? You may want to consider blocking any stairwells with safety gates, locking windows and any doors that lead outside (or to the basement) and double-checking to ensure your child can't get into any areas where cleaning products, medications or other hazardous materials are kept.
If your toddler is giving up a crib for a new baby, the switch calls for an extra dose of TLC. You don't want your child to feel like he's being displaced. If you can, try to get the new bed set up before the baby arrives. Let your tot "practice" napping in it to feel more comfortable with the new digs.Don't change the bedtime routine. Put the bed in the same space where the crib was, if possible. And if the bath-books-bed formula for transitioning to sleep worked before, stick with it. Mixing up the bedtime routine will just mix your child up.Keep exploration to a minimum. For most kids, the newfound freedom to roam will be irresistible. It's up to you to reinforce bedtime rules. Request last-calls for water, stuffed toys and trips to the potty before the final tuck-in, and make sure your little one understands it's final.That said, be prepared your child to constantly pop out of bed for a drink of water, a snuggle with Mom or some other escape-from-my-room excuse. Calmly and silently return your toddler to bed as many times as it takes.
Keep it as boring as possible and he'll get the idea. For kids who don't, some parents put gates at the bedroom door. If your little one has already proved he can climb out of the crib, chances are a gate won't be much of an obstacle.Praise your tot for practicing good bedtime habits. A helpful solution for controlling your child's roaming habits might be a sticker chart. Give one sticker for each night he stays in bed. By the end of the week, reward him with a special treat, like an extra story at bedtime or a favorite family outing. Remember, toddlers love pleasing you and doing things for themselves. Helping yours learn to love a big-kid bed should be a win-win situation.Updated 10/30/153 things to read next:9 Fast Ways to Stop Toddler TantrumsPrepare Your Toddler for Room-SharingPotty Training Setbacks: When Accidents Happen How and when should I move my child from a crib to a bed? There's no set time when you have to replace your child's crib with a regular or toddler bed, although most children make the switch sometime between ages 1 1/2 and 3 1/2.It's often best to wait until your child is closer to 3, since many little ones just aren't ready to make the transition.
Of course, you'll need to move your toddler to a bed when he's simply too big or too active to sleep in a crib anymore.Many parents make the switch because they're worried that their active toddler might climb or jump out of his crib — and this is a real safety concern. But it's best not to react to climbing out of the crib or any other sudden sleep problem with a sense of alarm.Don't rush right out and buy a new bed the day your toddler first climbs out of the crib. He may not be ready to move to a bed, and it may not be safe for him to be up and about during the night when everyone else is asleep. Buy yourself some time by lowering the crib mattress as far as possible, so the side rails are relatively higher and more difficult to climb over.Another reason parents make the switch to a bed is the impending arrival of another baby. If this is your situation, make the switch at least six to eight weeks before you're due. You want your toddler well settled in his new bed before he sees the baby taking over "his" crib.
Depending on your toddler's age, you could also consider delaying the switch until the new baby is 3 or 4 months old. Your newborn will probably spend those months sleeping in a bassinet anyway, and your toddler will have time to adjust to the new baby, making the transition to a bed easier when it does happen.Be sure to base the timing of the switch on your child's readiness rather than on the need to free up the crib, however. Many parents find out too late that it would have been easier to borrow or buy another crib rather than move their older child to a bed before he was ready.Some children adjust readily to this change, while others have a hard time with it. Every child is different. It's not unusual, though, for firstborn children to resist the transition. He may be very attached to his crib and all of his associations with it. The move to sleeping in a bed is just one of many changes at this stage in a toddler's life — it may coincide with toilet-training, starting preschool and other pressures to "grow up."
If a new baby's on the way, your child may feel possessive of his baby things, including his crib. Later-born children often have an easier time making the switch to a bed because they want to be just like their older brother or sister. They're eager to move from the crib, which is "for babies," into a "big-kid bed." However some toddlers, whether first- or later-born, are just plain ready and relish this change in their status.To ease the transition, put your toddler's new bed in the same place his crib used to be. If you're using a twin bed, you may not want to make an immediate switch to grown-up sheets and blankets that are tucked in. Your child may find it soothing to continue to sleep with his old crib blanket, even if it's too small. Don't forget to put up a guardrail to prevent your newly liberated toddler from falling out of bed.Get your toddler excited about having a "big-kid bed" by taking him with you to pick it out, if you're buying it new, or by emphasizing its previous owner if that person is someone your child knows.
For example: "This was your cousin't bed, and now it's yours! You're almost as big as him now!" Let your toddler shop with you for new sheets featuring his favorite characters, and encourage him to show his "big-kid bed" to visiting friends and family.Another tactic, although it requires a little more work, is to throw a "big-kid bed" party. Choose a date to unveil the new bed, and talk up the event a week in advance. On the big day, have a party and invite friends and grandparents.Another strategy is the use of specific "toddler beds." They use a crib mattress, but look more like a regular bed. Many come with built-in guardrails, and some are made in very appealing themes and shapes, such as cars, trains and pink four-poster beds.If you find that you've made the switch too soon and your toddler is upset, don't give up right away. Encourage your child to try out the bed. If he's still distraught after a few days, bring the crib back.Some toddlers simply aren't ready for a bed. It takes a certain amount of cognitive development for your child to understand that a bed has imaginary boundaries that he must stay within.