Toddler Switching to Toddler Bed

My lil boy is 24 months and still isn't in a toddler bed. I go by when they are able to climb out of their crib then I think it's time for a toddler bed.

I switched my kids as soon as they started climbing out of their crib!! I felt that it was a safety issue--plus they felt so big getting to sleep in a big boy/girl bed!!

We switched my son to a twin bed when he was 18 months because we moved 7 hrs away and didn't want to haul the crib. He did perfectly fine. We bought the bed rails and cracked his door and if he got up it was to come attempt to climb in bed with us. He never had any problems and for us it was easy. Hope this helps!

Make her transition less stressful by keeping her crib and a toddler bed in her room. Refer to the TB as the Big Girl bed and encourage her to sleep there but let her decide when she wants to. It will help her with future security issues she will have. Ask her which bed every night she wants to sleep in, the baby bed or the big girl bed. Everything she does...refer to her as a big girl..in a positive manner. She will let you know when she totally prefers her new bed over the crib. In this way you allow her to make a choice freely and without the crying, fighting that goes along with forcing the change when she's not ready.

Enjoy the Experience!

Kat ____@____.com www.agingyounger.net

My daughter is 16 months old and we just put her in a toddler bed. When she started to show that she was going to climb out of her crib, then we switched. We put the toddler bed in her room next to the crib. After a week, we took the crib out. With two kids I've learned the first couple of weeks is not easy. Both seemed to get up in the middle of the night. We put a gate at her door so that she didn't roam the house or go down the stairs.

I would have to say what makes you feel comfortable if you think she is ready. Be prepared to spend a couple of nights with her waking up because she isn't sure where she is. Try the gate.

I hope this helps. You will do fine.

I waited til my boys were climbing out of their cribs to change them to big boy beds. Now I wish I could put them back, heh! They were both over 2 years old before we made the switch.

J.

If she is not climbing out....don't blow a good thing! My oldest stayed in her crib until she was over 2.5. She was ready to a big girl bed when she moved her and it was a great transition. My youngest DD was just 2 when we moved her as an assentive (sp?) to potty train.....she was in and out of bed time and time again every night. It's getting better 6 months later...but I still kick myself for messing with a good thing. My friend felt her 18 mo. old was ready....a very good little girl, but after the first week she started putting her in her pack and play b/c little Maddie wasn't ready to handle all the freedom. All children are different.....but if it's working for you, don't make your 18 mo. old have to make big kid decisions.

My oldest son was 17 months when he started climbing out of his crib so we put him in a toddler bed. Honestly I wish he wouldn't have climbed out. I missed the crib. He would get out of bed and sleep on the floor and kick the door in the morning to wake me up. If she is risking hurtin herself by climbing out then move her on up. But if not, take advantage of the crib for as long as possible.

I moved each of my girls to their toddler beds 1 month before their 2nd birthday. I moved them because I thought that it would be easier when I started potty training them. Each kid is different, but all three of mine did really well moving from a crib to a toddler bed. They handled it better than I did, because I was so worried that they would keep getting up or fall out and luckily the didn't. We talked about it before hand with them and they were excited when we went to buy their "big girl bed". No they are moving into a bunk bed!

Good Luck.

dear M., i have two children.one is 8 and one is about to be 5. my husband and i put them both in toddler beds at the age of 2. it seems to be a good size for a toddler bed as well as a stable age. i never had any problems with either child getting up. then at the age of 4 we moved them to twin beds. but i also think that depends on the size of your child and how safe you feel. i have been blessed with 2 children who never gave me problems at bed time. but i have heard otherwise. good luck and god bless. i also want to add that they got their toddler beds for thier birthdays that way it was exciting for them to know they were big kids now.
D.

My daughter is 26 months old, and is still in her crib. I feel that when she starts to climb out or shows that she has grown to big as far as kicking the rails and that kinda stuff then i will move her to a todler bed. i think your kid will let u know when it is ready. no need to rush, cause then u have to worry if they are getting up in the middle of the night or what.
Godd luck J.

I have a 5 year old, and we didn't switch him to a toddler bed untill he made an attempt to climb out of the crib at just a little over 2 years old. When we put him in the toddler ber he was fine for about a week, then he realized he could get up whenever he wanted. He kept getting up when we would put him to bed, like 10 or 15 times. We finally had to put a gate at his door so he wouldn't get out. Every night he would get up and stand at the gate and call to us or talk untill he would finally go back to bed. My advice is to not move her until you have to.

We moved our daughter to a toddler bed when she was 16 months old and she LOVES it. She hated her crib and bedtime was becoming a nightmare for us. She watched daddy put it together and we made a really big deal about it. We have not had any bedtime issues since we made the switch! There is not a particular right time. I think it is different for everyone, but our daughter was definitely ready. Good Luck...

For both my girls 2nd birthday there dad and i let them got to the store with us and pick out there new big girl bed, Then they helped pick out there sheets,They helped daddy put it together, helped in everystep of the process-- we were luck both the girls picked out princess beds so it matched since they share a room. My kids seem to adapt better when they have a chance to help, But i have to agree that i kinda wish they were still in cribs -- now they get out of there room and try to go out and play at 3 in the morning so we had to turn the lock around to keep them in their room.

i moved my little girl at 18mths and she will be 2 next month. I couldn't imagine doing it later than 18mths. we didn't even start out with a toddler bed, we started out in a twin size bed and put rails on the side. the first time we put her in it, we had no problems. after a couple weeks, she would get out because it was still light outside and come to the door, but when it get dark, she's fine, so we just put her in bed at 8 now. i say, sart her out now or about 20 mths, because you want her to get used to it and you don't want a 2yr old in a crib. she always sleep through the night and i think she sleeps even better because of the better mattress. i hope you find this helpful

My twins are 19 months old.. and I am going to wait until they are talking more and starting potty training.. that way they can understand why they need to stay in bed.. right now I feel it would pointless to try to reason with them.. they dont understand much of what I am trying to tell them. I think it is different for each child.. good luck

We actually moved my son to his "fire truck" bed when he was 18 mo old I believe. ( I hadnt had my daughter yet and she is 5 months now and he is 2 1/2 yrs now). We had NO problem whatsoever moving him over. He never slept with us to begin with, went from the bassinet in our room to his crib in his room when he was about 12 months. Since he never slept with us, it was an extremely easy transition. He loves his fire truck bed and actually goes to bed on his own sometimes without us even askin or tellin him its beddybye time.. Good luck!

My daughter turned 2 in June and was starting daycare in August. I had contemplated making the switch from crib to toddler bed also. At her 2 yr. check up I asked her pediatrician if I should start school or switch her bed first. You know you don't want to disrupt their lives all at once. He told me to wait until closer to 3 unless of course she starts climging out. Unless there's a specific reason you're wanting/needing to switch, I would probably wait. That's just me though.

I must be the minority, I moved our son at 15mo into a twin bed with a mesh saftey rail, he crawled over(although he could have just gone to the end of the bed) the first night and slept a few hours on the floor next to it but we haven't had a single problem since- we did keep the gate at his door for a couple weeks and sometimes he would get up and play(i keep some books and a few quiet toys in his room) but then would crawl into bed when he was tired- we now just shut the door after we put him down and then crack it when we go to bed(we have a gate at the stairs)- he doesnt even get out of bed in the am until we go in-- I guess it just depends on the kid, but its been a piece of cake, we also have always just set the standard that when it was night night time it meant staying in bed.

I moved my first daughter at about 20 months and regretted it every nigt after. I am waiting with my second and third. My second daughter is almost three and perfectly happy in her crib. We will move her soon though because she is getting so long. I think the longer you can wait the easier it will be. I know it is exciting to think about them growing up and being ready but before two is just too early.

We moved both of my oldest children to a toddler bed when they were 15 months old. But they were climbers, so we figured we did it for their safety, so they didn't fall out of it onto their heads!

Hi M. -

My advice is to wait as long as possible and as is safe for your child. What I mean is, if you child is climbing out of the crib and putting herself in danger, then move her to a different bed. Otherwise, I would keep her in there as long as possible. She'll let you know when she's ready. We moved our son out of the crib when he was about 22 months old for two reasons: 1) to reclaim the crib for Baby #2 and 2) he was literally climbing out of the crib a dozen time a day. Ironically, now that he's older, he'll climb into the crib with his little sister who is now 11 months old, but he's too chicken to get out by himself. Funny how kids are fearless. Basically, do what's right for your family. Good luck to you. L.

My children were between 18 months and 2 years when i switched them to the toddler bed. One thing that helps teach them to stay in their bed from the get go is to put up a child gate to the door of their room. They may not always fall asleep in their bed or be very happy about going to bed, but this at least keeps them in their room. This also keeps you from worrying about them getting out of their room in the middle of the night. GOOD LUCK TO YOU!!!!!!!

We waited until our son climbed out.

HI M.. I understand your issue with when to move your daughter to a toddler bed. I personnally believe that she will let you know when she is ready. My son would try to climb out of his crib (and was successful at least once). That is when we decided it was time for a bed closer to the ground.