How to Transition Children to Toddler Beds

Ahhh the crib! A place where your baby (hopefully) sleeps soundly during naps and nighttime…

     A place where you as a parent have the peace of mind knowing that your child is safely contained in one place until you physically go and take them out. Until, all of the sudden that’s no longer the case. Once your child starts climbing or escaping the crib, it is no longer the safest place to sleep.

     Not only is climbing out of the crib dangerous but it is also terrifying as a parent to see your toddler have this newfound freedom to move about the house freely. Let’s talk about the transition from a crib to a toddler bed and how to do it without it totally disrupting your nighttime routine and sleep!

First of all, if your little one isn’t practicing their acrobatic skills and is perfectly content sleeping in their crib, keep them there.

     There is no age limit to when children “have” to be in a toddler bed. Obviously we don’t want them going to kindergarten still sleeping in a crib but if you can avoid it, I like to wait until at least age 3 before moving them. Age 3 is really the earliest that they can truly understand the procedures and rules of sleeping in a “big kid bed”. However, if your little one is keen on climbing and escaping, you might not have a choice but to transition them earlier. 

     When making this transition not only do changes in sleep space occur but decor changes in the child’s room might also be necessary. Toddler proofing their sleep space is super important to make sure that it is safe now that they have the freedom to roam around the room at night.

1. First, make sure that all furniture is secured to the wall. It’s important that all book shelves, dressers, ect. are secured so if those become their next jungle gym, the furniture doesn’t topple over.
2. Next, all strangulation hazards should be removed or adjusted so they are out of reach. Things like floor length curtains, blind cords and electronic cords should be completely secured and out of reach of little hands.
3. Finally, if your toddler begins taking little field trips around the house in the middle of the night, it might be best to secure them in their room so they can’t leave. Baby gates at the door and locks to secure the door shut are great ways to make sure they stay in their room at night. You can get locks that are specific to the door handle or ones that work for any door, like these from Amazon.  (Door Locks) 

Once their room is safe and secured it’s important to find a toddler bed that works for your little one.

     There are several different options out there to fit your needs. The first option is to use your crib if it is able to convert to a bed. Oftentimes many cribs have the capability to take off one side to transition into a toddler bed. If your crib doesn’t have that capability or that doesn’t work for you, any kind of bed with a child friendly mattress will work. Some people use a traditional twin or full size bed and frame which is just fine. If you’re worried about your little one falling out of the bed there are plenty of options in terms of railings or guards to put on the sides.

• For an affordable hack, you can simply put a pool noodle on either side of the bed under the fitted sheet. This will create a soft barrier to protect your toddler from rolling out.
• There are also floor bed options that are really great, and limit any worry about falling or climbing out of it. Wayfair and Amazon both have affordable options.
• Sometimes if your toddler is struggling transitioning to a “big kid bed” allowing them to pick out their new bed is helpful. It makes them feel involved in the process and gives them some type of “control” over this new change. 

     So once you have the safety taken care of and the new bed set up, you should be all set, right? If only it was that easy. Many times when toddlers transition out of the crib, their sleep routines and patterns can shift creating some challenges at bedtime and middle of the night wake-ups. There are a few different ways to help your child ease into this transition that can help them feel more supportive and involved in the process. 

1. Communicate, communicate, communicate! Be super detailed when explaining how their room and bedtime is about to change. Bring it up for several days prior to the change and multiple times through the first few weeks. Explicitly remind your toddler of your bedtime rules and expectations. The more consistent and transparent you are the better. When you see them following through on your bedtime expectations, celebrate and praise them big time! 
2. Create a bedtime checklist for your toddler to check off as they go through their bedtime routine. This helps provide them with a visual representation of how bedtime is going to flow. Allowing them to be in charge of checking off the different steps helps toddlers process what is coming next. 
3. Create an incentive chart for positive bedtime behavior. If your little one is having trouble at bedtime or with leaving their bed at night this chart is for you! Celebrate the daily wins with adding a sticker to their bedtime chart. This chart can be tied to any incentive that you’ve discussed with your child. 3 stickers=an ice cream, 5 stickers=movie night, 10 stickers=special day with mommy/daddy, etc. 
4. “Okay to Wake Clock”– Utilize your sound machine in a different way. Most sound machines, like the Hatch, come with a light feature. Explain to your toddler that when the light on the Hatch is red, they must remain in their bed. You can set the sound machine to change color at a certain time, like 7 am, when you’ve deemed appropriate for your toddler to get out of bed. This doubles as a night light for those littles who have developed a fear of the dark. 
5. “Boogie Man Spray”– Lots of toddlers experience night terrors or fears being alone in their room. This is often exacerbated when they have the freedom to leave their room and come to your room. While some fears are totally valid, some are a good excuse to come into their parents bed. To prepare their room for the night, you can take a spray bottle of water and label it “Boogie Man Spray”. Spray your toddlers room with it each night before bed, reassuring them that once it’s sprayed no monsters can get into their room and they are safe. 

     Transitioning your little one from a crib to a toddler bed can be an emotional and intimidating thing for parents. As long as you do it safely, communicate boundaries and support them through this change, everyone will make it through the change successfully! 

If you find yourself still struggling with this transition and would like some more 1:1 support please feel free to follow me on Instagram @ezzzsleepwithem or email me at [email protected]