The Toddler Bed Transition

How many of you cringed when you saw the topic of this blog post?

I can’t tell you the number of moms I’ve seen visibly shutter when the topic of the toddler bed transition comes up in conversation, regardless of whether they’re anticipating it or remembering the experience. Which is so fair! This transition can be TOUGH on parents and littles alike! It is a big ask for little minds and bodies to sleep in a setting with so much freedom, especially after only knowing a setting with the clear boundaries that crib rails offer. It is also a big ask for parents to just patiently ride out this transition if their little is getting out of said new setting 2, 3, or 15 times a night.

But have no fear, it does not have to be as hard as you’ve heard! There are so many steps that can be put into place to help this transition go smoothly…and dare I say, maybe even be a fun transition! Sure, it is a transition, and most humans I know, regardless of age, have some level of difficulty navigating change, but really and truly, this transition can be a positive one for you and your little. 

So how do we actually go about doing this? 

The first thing you want to do is make sure their bedroom is a safe space. Think about viewing their whole room as one giant crib. The goal here is that they will be safe alone in their room if they are to get out of their bed. Make sure that all of their furniture is anchored to the wall, all the cords and outlets are protected, and any toys they have access to are safe for them to play with unsupervised. Putting away their higher stimulation toys can also be helpful.

Another helpful safety tip is to adjust your video monitor so that rather than just giving you a view of the crib, it gives you a view of the entire room. This way, when they inevitably crawl out of bed, you can still keep an eye on them. You can also incorporate ways to keep them safely in their room while you sleep, so if they crawl out of bed in the middle of the night, you don’t run the risk of them wandering around the house unsupervised. This can be something like putting a baby gate on their door, or installing a latch on their door so they cannot open it all the way on their own. 

Once you’ve assured that your child’s room is a safe environment for them to be sleeping in outside of the crib, you can move on to the actual transition. Yay! Really, yay, this can be a good and fun transition! Here’s a few things to help you make this a bit more fun, and a bit less of a headache….

I always recommend waiting until your child is as close to 3 years old as possible. I know that may seem wildly late to you, but this is when your child is at a point in their development that they will have a much easier time grasping the boundary of needing to stay in bed even when there are no crib rails holding them there. They will also handle this type of big transition better at this age. 

My biggest exception to this rule, though, is if it becomes a safety issue to keep them in a crib. This is most commonly brought on if they learn to climb out of the crib. There are some ways to discourage this, and I always recommend starting with these before jumping to the toddler bed, but if your child just will not be convinced to stay in the crib before they turn 3, then you can start this transition earlier. 

Some tips for keeping them in the crib longer…

If you have a crib that has a higher back than it does a front, you can move it into a corner, with the highest part facing out, rather than against the wall. This will give them less area to climb out, making it harder on them, and often discouraging them from climbing. Another trick is to lower their crib mattress as far as it will go, and if you have a crib this will work for, even taking out the bottom springs so the mattress is sitting on the floor, but the crib rails still surround it without a gap. This will make the climb out further and harder, often discouraging them from climbing. 

Once you have decided it is time to make the move, follow these tips for a smoother transition.

Incorporate your child into the transition as much as possible and make this transition extremely exciting for your child. Remember that just because you know they are ready for the transition, does not mean it will not be intimidating or nerve wracking for them. Do this through ways like taking them to the store for a special outing to pick out their new big kid bed sheets. This can help them be excited to cozy up in those sheets and stay there when bedtime rolls around. You can also let them pick out a new stuffie or lovey that they’ll get to take to bed with them in their new bed. This trick can be especially helpful if you talk to them about how that lovey needs rest too, so they need to help it get the rest it needs by making sure they both stay in bed until morning. 

Talk to your child for several days about the transition, rather than just springing it on them one day. Build it up as an exciting event that’s coming up so they gain excitement and have time to prepare for it in their heads. Talk about how exciting this transition will be and how big and responsible they’ve gotten to be ready for this change. 

Once you’ve made the transition, things like reward charts and incentives for staying in bed can be really good motivators. Give them stickers for each night they stay in bed all night, and once they gain a certain amount of stickers they will get a special new toy or outing that they can look forward to during the transition. Another helpful tool is a wakeup light. Certain nightlights can be set to change color at a certain time. Setting yours to change color when it has reached an appropriate wakeup time can be a really helpful tool to help a toddler or young child understand a boundary more clearly.

The transition from the crib to the toddler bed really is a big transition! It is a huge milestone for both your child and you as a parent. Following these tips will set you all up for the most successful transition. It will definitely take some time and learning, but when you know your child is ready for this, they will be able to do it! Just have patience and try to make it as fun and exciting as possible for everyone!

~Becca