Most children move from a crib to a toddler bed sometime between a child’s first and third year. It's important not to make the switch too soon. When your little one is too big or active for a crib, consider these options.Toddler beds are a nice transition. They’re about the size of a crib, so your child will feel snug and cozy. They use a crib mattress, so you won't have to invest in a new twin-sized or larger mattress just yet.Toddler beds have high sides or built-in rails to keep your child from falling or rolling out. And – adding to the kid appeal – they come in cool designs including spaceships, princess castles, or speed-demon cars.If your crib converts to a toddler bed, you can just use the conversion kit from the crib manufacturer (sometimes sold separately), which usually includes hardware and a bed rail. Swap one side of the crib for the rail, and you're done. Your child will enjoy the familiarity of the old crib and sleep safely enclosed, but will be able to get in and out without your help.
See a photo gallery of our favorite toddler beds.A standard bed frame and mattress can also work. You'll need to install bed rails or inflatable or pillow-style bolsters on both sides to keep your child safely in bed.A mattress placed on the floor is another option, although you may still want to use bolsters to keep your child from wiggling off. Once your little one has mastered the art of crib-free sleeping, you can move the mattress onto a frame.Browse dozens of toddler bedding and beds.Sturdy construction: Give the bed a good jostle – it needs to stand up to a few years of bouncing and other toddler wear and tear. The more solidly built the frame, the less likely you'll have to replace it after one too many dance parties. Solid wood costs more, but will endure better than cheaper materials.A snug fit: You want a frame that holds the mattress tightly. If the crib mattress you have doesn't fit snugly into the bed frame, buy one that does. Gaps between the mattress and the frame pose an entrapment hazard.
Smooth edges: To avoid injuries, look for a design with an even, smooth finish and rounded edges, as well as hardware that doesn't jut out.Safety standards: Look for the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) certification seal on the packaging of the toddler bed and safety rails you buy.Side rails: Many kids toss and turn while sleeping, and a rail on each side helps prevent tumbles. Some beds come with high sides or rails attached, while others have slots that let you attach ones purchased separately. Make sure any rails installed fit snugly against the edge of the mattress to avoid entrapment. Note that rails keep a child from falling but not climbing out of bed.Enticing designs: It may not be your personal taste, but a bed crowned with a princess tiara or emblazoned with a favorite cartoon character may be just the lure your toddler needs to transition out of the crib.Weight limit: Check the manufacturer's information, as many toddler beds max out at about 50 pounds. That means you won't be able to sit on it with your child, much less try to snuggle together.
(Another reason to go for the sturdiest design you can find.)Prices for toddler beds range from about $60 to $380, depending on the level of design, the bells and whistles, and the quality of the materials. Bed rails cost between $20 and $100, while cribs that convert to toddler beds and then full-size beds range from $150 to $800, depending on materials and style. Crib & Toddler Mattresses Gliders, Rockers, & Recliners Table & Chair Sets Double & Triple Strollers Activity Centers & Jumpers Nursing & Body Pillows Layette (Preemie - 24M) Swaddles & Wearable Blankets Please enter the registrant's information. You'll need to enter a minimum of 1 letter in First Name and 2 letters in Last Name AA-Armed Forces of Americas AE-Armed Forces of Europe AP-Armed Forces of Pacific 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.