Crib to Bed Transition

This is a question I get asked all the time: When should I transition my child from a crib to a toddler bed?

This is something everything family will come up against at one time or another. The truth is moving to a toddler or big-kid bed is a HUGE developmental milestone. It requires understanding and respecting an invisible boundary now that they’re no longer within the safety and security of a crib.

So what are some of the markers that you should begin preparing to make this transition?

Safety First

This is easiest thing to consider because your child’s safety is of #1 concern. If your child is attempting to climb out of their crib, or actually does climb out, this is the first sign that you’ll want to make some changes to your child’s sleep space. Depending on the type of crib your child has, it can help to turn it around so that the higher-facing back side of the crib is facing front, as this will often deter and prevent kids from climbing out. Making sure your child is wearing a sleep sack in the crib will also help make it more difficult to climb out. If your crib has four equal sides, or turning it around makes no difference to your determined little one, and you find they are still attempting to or climbing out, then it’s time to make the switch to a toddler or regular bed.

Aging Up

Some children never climb out of their crib! If that’s your situation, I generally recommend remaining in the crib until your child is nighttime potty training, or about 3 1/2 years old. This is the time many children are entering school for the first time, are demonstrating more and more independence, have strong preferences about their likes and dislikes, and are developmentally capable of understanding the invisible boundary of a bed and staying in it at sleep time (with and/or without support).

The Not-So-Good Reasons to Transition

The crib-to-bed transition is not a milestone that pays to rush. There are a few circumstances where it can feel much easier to move your little one out of their crib, but unless they are physically climbing out or exceed the weight limit restrictions, I strongly recommend you hold onto the crib for as long as possible.

Here are a few other reasons parents often make the switch:

  • Welcoming a new baby

    One of the most common reasons parents give up the crib too early is to make space for a new baby who may need the crib. Becoming an older sibling and transitioning to a toddler bed are two HUGE changes to your family’s status quo, and it can be really tough to navigate the sleep regression of a child who has moved to a toddler bed too early alongside a newborn who is only sleeping in 2-hour chunks.

  • Moving

    Moving to a new home is another huge change in your child’s world, so introducing a new room AND a new bed to go within it often leads to more trouble getting comfortable, an uptick in bedtime protests, and difficulty staying in bed. While it can be tempting to do both changes at once, if your little one is under 3 years old, and still sleeping well in their crib, there’s no need to rush another big change.

  • Easier for Parent

    Oftentimes parents move children to toddler beds or floor beds because the child needs a parent’s physical presence and/or assistance to fall asleep at bedtime or naptime. If your child needs to lie beside you in order to fall asleep, it can feel easier to invest in a solution where there’s space for both of you to be comfortable. And it’s easier for a parent to quietly roll away once their child is asleep if there’s room in the bed for two. But if it’s easier for a parent to get up, it’s that much easier for your child to get up too, and wandering around their room or other parts of the house can pose a safety risk.

    From a neurological standpoint, successfully sleeping in a bed requires an understanding of the invisible boundary that doesn’t occur until a child’s frontal lobe has matured. This doesn’t tend to develop until roughly 24 months, so transitioning before this age (to a floor bed or toddler bed) often leads to a lot of difficulty staying in bed, and very frustrated parents.

    What to Do When Your Child Is Ready

    Once your child is at least 3 years old, or is climbing out of their crib, and it’s time to transition them to a bed for their own safety, it’s important to childproof your child’s room. Essentially, we want to treat the room as though it were a crib. That means making sure all heavy furniture is secured to walls, all cords are moved out of reach, and anything that could be a distraction during sleep time. You may also consider putting a gate at the entry of the doorway of your child’s room so they can’t wander around the house unsupervised.

    All in all, the crib-to-bed transition is a physical, emotional, and developmental milestone that takes time and patience from both parents and children, so it can be helpful to wait until your child’s safety is at risk, or they’re at least 3 years old, to set them up for the best success possible.

    Check out my list of favorite books to prepare your little one for this big transition!

  • Your Own Big Bed by Rita M. Bergstein

  • Big Enough for a Bed by Apple Jordan

  • Big Kid Bed by Leslie Patricelli

  • Big Bed for Giraffe by Michael Dahl

  • A Big Kid Bed is Coming by Liz Fletcher

  • Go Sleep in Your Own Bed! by Candace Fleming

  • I Sleep in My Big Bed by Jim Harbison

  • My New Big-Kid Bed by Debbie Bertram

 
Liza Kaplan Montanino