When to Transition to a Toddler Bed

I started transitioning my son at 16-18 mo., because I needed his crib after his sister's birth. The transition went very smoothly. At first, I read stories to him in that room snuggled in bed, once before nap time and before bedtime, and then we'd put him in his crib to sleep. After a couple weeks of that, we left him in there for his nap. He did walk around and look at books for a few minutes, but then he climbed back into bed and went to sleep. (We have a video monitor, so we watched him) After he got comfortable napping in there, we stopped putting him in his old crib at night. He's never gone back, nor has he asked to.

Don't get me wrong, now that he can climb out, we do have days that he won't stay in bed. That happens when they're older too though.

Good luck.

Both my kids were removed from the crib the FIRST time they climbed out. The climbing really freaked me out and I decided to deal with them getting out of bed rather than falling out of bed.

My daughter was a bit older... probably 2.5 years old. And my son was MUCH younger (I think he had help with the climbing) although he went straight into a twin bed (bunk beds).

If you need the crib, by all means switch. But if he is not climbing, I say leave him put.

Good Luck!

Both my children were 2/12 years old. If you toddler is not climbling out of his crib I would not take him out. Wait until he's a little older because then he may get out of his toddler bed and wander around. Unless you feel he is ready.

I moved my son on his 3rd birthday and he got a new bed that he pick out from my parents as a present. I am wondering what the rush is? I know ever kid is different and my son is actually extremely well behaved, he won't even get out of bed without permission for the first 6 months. I was too nervous to move him there any sooner. And he could climb in and out of his crib on his own. Just wondering why your so eager to move him so young?
K.

Personally, I think there is NO rush to transitioning to a toddler bed (unless of course they are climbing out). I have heard many stories of parents putting their "perfect sleeper" in a bed that early, only to have them start fighting going to bed, waking (and walking!) in the night, etc. My older daughter went into her bed 3 and younger one, who will be 3 in March, is still in her crib. I like the other mom's motto "if it ain't broke.." I couldn't agree more!

Personally, I don't know why people rush into making this transition so early if your child is sleeping well in his crib. I know a couple families that switching at that age (18 mos or so) totally worked for BUT the vast majority went through a huge struggle trying to keep their baby in the bed and in their room. My mommy motto has always been, if it ain't broke, don't fix it! :) My son slept in his crib until he was 3 and voiced to me shortly after his 3rd bday "Mommy, I'm ready for my big boy bed"... we set it up that day (twin bed that we had set up in another room)... he napped his normal nap, went to bed no struggles, slept his normal 12 hours that night and waited for me in the morning to come get him. :) I recognize that every child and every family is different but for us, waiting until my son was ready to decide on his own definitely worked for us!

Take care and good luck!

I agree with skipping out on the toddler bed. Both of my boys were in a twin size bed by 2-2 1/2. We kept both the crib and bed in the room at the same time. And would just keep asking at nap and bed time if they wanted to try and sleep in their big boy bed. My second one had a bit more difficult time with the switch. He was getting pretty wild with jumping out of the crib so we needed to make the switch a little sooner then I think if would of liked. I think that is also helped to have them help take the crib down.

Hi R.,

My daughter is 21 months old and we just transitioned her to a twin bed (with rails). However, I agree with most of the other moms, wait until your son is truly ready. My daughter was done with the crib, she refused to get in it. She also had launched her self out several times. The last "fix" we made to the crb was turning it around. She couldn't possibly get out, but she hated it. For awhile I was having a hard time figuiring out why her sleep habits had changed so much. She went from being a great sleeper to not wanting to go to bed and crying once she there (unusual for her). The time it finally hit me, she said, "Get me out." And later said "no crib." We had a twin bed in her room that I used when she was tiny, that night we made the switch. It has been a tough transition, so if your son is safe and sleeping well in the crib, I would keep him there. However, if you need the crib for another baby, that is understandable. Either way, good luck!

One thing I would have done differently was not wait until nightfall to surprise my son (2 1/2 yrs) with the new bed set up. He was so excited about everything and wanted to check out his new room situation thoroughly so he just couldn't get to sleep. I bet if I'd let him play on and around the bed all day he would have been more ready to settle in to sleep that night.

We went straight to a twin bed with a rail at 3 years.

Before the transfer, put his crib mattress as low as it goes and keep his side rails down. This way you'll give him his freedom slowly and you won't have to worry about him getting hurt or if he'll get up and down a hundred times before falling asleep. If you keep him active during the day he should sleep at night well. My daughter was 11 months old and my son was 13 months at time of switch. Good luck mom.

My advice...don't switch until you HAVE to! My son was a little over 2 and I felt guilted by the pediatrician. So I immediately went and got him a toddler bed. The first 2 days were GREAT! Then reality hit. In a toddler bed, they can get out whenever they want, as many times as they want, etc. If your child is constantly crawling out of the crib, or if you need the crib for another child then by all means switch. If I had to do it all over again, I would've waited longer.

We transitioned our children at around 18 months of age. We figured the younger they were, the less attached they would be to the crib. The successful transition didn't take more than a couple of days. Just instill a bedtime routine and consistantly enforce your bedtime rules and he'll adjust with the new freedom.

Was wondering what your hurry was? We kept our 1st in a little past 3...had to get her out another was coming. Our 2nd is still in her crib and she turned 3 in December. Of course our 1yr old is still in his crib :)

My first daughter was 2 when we put her in a toddler bed. I am going to wait until at least that with me second because I think she will be one that gets out of bed all the time. If your son will stay in a toddler bed, I don't think it is too early at all. If I knew mine would stay in bed, I would switch her around that time too.

R., I am a big fan of keeping kids in a crib as long as you can if they are not climbing out. You know they are safe, there sleep routine is established and you can control getting out of bed when they don't want to sleep. After the big bed all of that changes. I think it is an adult induced milestone that doesn't really relate to a child's need. If it ain't broke, don't fix it! A.

My daughter was 25 months when we made the transition. I put her big bed in her room and she just loved it. The same day she wanted to sleep there. The only thing I did is I chose the sheets for her new bed the same color as her crib sheets. I also transferred all her “buddies” and her comforter from the crib. She was OK from the very beginning. The next day we took down her crib and that was it.

I would totally skip the toddler bed! what is with wanting to use this anyway? buy a twin sized bed and be done with it. you can place the bed in the room so that one side is against the wall. you will find that your child will sleep much better in the bigger space and you won't be out buying a bed again in a year or two. my oldest is 20 and the younger boy is 14. never used a toddler bed. it is a waste of money. it is no bigger than a crib. what is the point?

3 was the magic age here
My twins were 3y 1mo, & 3 y3m
my youngest was 3y & one week

we had a very stable bedtime routine & they were old enough to understand not to come out. It worked for us. I also kept the crib in the room for a while.

Do what works for you. I was 14 mos when I switched because my mom had my brother, & they had no money for another crib.

I personally think 18 mos is too young to have that much freedom, but I have friends who have done it (with their fair share of headaches LOL), but stuck to it.
Good luck in your decision.

SAHM to 6y/o twins & a 3.5 y/o

Hi!
My son was 16 months when we made the switch. We were planning to do it around 18 months--since we were having another baby and the ped. said to do it 2 months before she was born. BUT once he saw it he wanted to sleep in it and it was a super easy transition! Our ped said to start with naps which we did and after 2 days he asked to sleep there at night!

Good Luck!
L.

This totally depends on the child. Many children never move into a toddler bed. They stay in a crib and then move to a twin with rails. On the other hand, my little houdini was climbing out of her crib at 18 months and so now the crib is converted and she has a rail. I could have gotten a toddler bed but usually they only use them for about a year and it was an expensive option. I think I will skip the toddler bed and go straight to a twin. I think most children are out of their crib whether converted or not by around 3. I do know a few who went longer. I will warn you that once they are out of their crib they can get up and that is lots of fun ahhh. so unless your little one is climbing out, I would keep him in his crib.

My daughter is about to turn 3 yrs old (in 6 weeks) and we are going shopping for a mattress for a twin bed this weekend. I had been advised to allow our children to stay in their cribs until they actually ask to be put into a bed. My daughter loves her crib and just started asking for a big bed a month ago. Since she is asking for the change, I am hoping that it goes smoothly...but I plan on keeping the crib in her room for a week so that she has a choice (until she is comfortable with her "big girl bed.") Good luck!

I switched all my kids to a big kid bed a few months after turning two. I never did anything to prepare them I just took away the crib and put them in a bed with rails. My oldest just stayed in bed until I got him but all the others would climb out and it took a bit of work to teach them to stay in bed. I just stood by their door way and when they came out I just marched them back into bed over and over again. After a few nights they got it and stayed. I meant it and they got it. I don't know if 18 months is too early I never tried at that age.

Our pediatrician recommended keeping our son in his crib as long as possible, as long as he wasn't trying to climb out and endangering himself. We kept him in until he was 3 years old. Honestly he would have stayed longer, but when we knew he was ready to start potty training we thought it was the right move. If your son is enjoying his crib, I say leave it be. Good luck!

i think it is too early. my kids were not ready for the freedom in the middle of the night at that age and being able to get up and wander whenever they wanted would have been a nightmare. the two pediatricians that we have had have both said keep them in the crib as long as possible unless they are trying to jump out. good luck.

My advice would be to keep them in the crib as long as it is safe. If he is not jumping out at this point, I would keep him in.
My daughter moved into a big bed when she was 3. She asked to sleep in her bed and never jumped or climbed out of her crib. I have an 18 month old son, and he is still in a crib. He has not yet attempted to climb out and I am keeping him in the crib until he figures out how to jump out and it becomes unsafe.
If you can, keep him in!
Good luck!
M.

My two were around 17 and 19 months when we transitioned them. I would say just go to a twin bed though because then you will be doing this all over again when he gets older. Both of our kids did great with going to a twin. We put up a rail and it was never an issue!
Have fun!

R.,
My son now is 21 months old and I have been wondering when to swtich him over to his toddler bed as well. We purchased a crib that turns into a toddler bed, then converts to a full! I am not sure if I will be using the full right away, I figured that we would use the toddler bed for a year or two, then get him a twin, then, when the time is right, let him trasfer to the full.
I have a lot of friends that said to make the transfer (from crib to toddler) at age 2, so that is my plan, but my son, as of right now, is not climbing out of the crib at all. I am not sure if I will trasfer him at 2 because of that. Now, if things change in the next 3 months, yes, I will put him in his toddler bed.
I think I will play the wait and see game, but if you feel your son is ready, by all means put him in that big boy bed! Remember, that you are his mom, and your decision is final. Don't feel guilty or apprehensive about the decision you make.
Good Luck to you
K.

We transfered my oldest child to a daybed when she was only 14 mos. because I was going to have her brother in a few months and I didn't want her to feel like her brother stole her bed. We transfered my youngest (changed his crib into a daybed) at 17 mos. because he was climbing out of his crib and we were afraid he was going to hurt himself. We also moved at that time so it was easier to set up the daybed style bed than the crib. Both our kids transfered really easily. We spent a couple nights putting my daughter back to bed, but it wasn't bad. We did/do find our children sleeping on their floor sometimes though. All in all we did it out of necessity, but it was pretty easy. I would keep them in the crib as long as you can and if they will stay though. Also, it helped buying special sheets (my oldest it was princesses, my youngest ws Elmo-which they picked out). Also, I agree with the other moms who said skip the toddler bed, unless your crib converts to one-it's just a waste of money.

Hi there! My daughter was actually 3-1/2 years old! And it was wonderful. My daughter is VERY active, and the only time she wasn't was when she was in her crib - and she LOVED her crib (for naps AND bedtime), so that is why that worked for us. We actually went on vacation, and my MIL and SIL came over and converted her so to speak baby-bedroom into a Little Girls Room with Pink and a Twin Size Bed. She LOVED it - the crib was down, so there was no choice. I think sometimes choices aren't good! ha! Now my son is alittle over 2 years old, and I am not even thinking about putting him in a big-boy bed until at least 3 years old. (Of course when kids are climbing out, and there is a danger-factor, that is something different) OR if you are having another baby and don't want another expense of a crib (if you can't borrow one) - then that is different! This worked for us!
Some people will say that the crib is too small - well my son usually sleeps width-wise anyway, cuz' he is comfy - and the whole bed is their for his snuggle-bear and stuffed toy!!!
I had a couple friends who put their kids in toddler beds, and most of them did think that was a waste of money - it is the same size of a crib - just a different feel.
When you do transition, I would go right for the bed he is going to have (whether it be twin, full, queen, whatever) - he is going to look small no matter what bed it is!!! Also, we got the side rails on the bed though and kept them up until they broke!!! My daughter moves around left, and didn't want her to fall out of bed!!!
Last thing, my other friend who transitioned into a toddler bed, the kid kept getting up, and going into her room - she either would have to get up to put her back to bed, or would succumb and put her in her own bed - then she had one of those problems - the kid always wanted to stay with her!
If it aint' broke, don't fix it!!!!
The best of luck to whatever you decide and whatever YOU want to do!!! Take care!!!!

We switched our daughter at about 18 months. When I went into her room and she had one leg flung over the side of her crib I knew the time had come :)

Just be sure to totally baby proof the room - anchor the dresser to the wall and everything else. We put a door knob cover on so she couldn't leave her room and wonder around while we were sleeping if she woke up.

Also, be ready for a big mess - she emptied anything she could at every nap time and morning. It's like she had been just waiting to get in those drawers...

Good luck!