Key Takeaways
- Parents should aim to transition toddlers from their crib to a toddler bed before their child can climb out of the crib and potentially hurt themselves.
- Most toddlers exhibit several indicators that show that they’re ready to transition into a toddler bed—when parents are aware of the signs, they should ease into it.
- Make the transition seamless by maintaining a bedtime routine, child-proofing your home, communicating the change, and involving your kid in the process.
Whether your toddler loves their crib or is itching to get out of it, they’ll eventually graduate to big kid sleeping arrangements. It’s another special milestone parents can expect when raising their little ones.
But when should you transition to a toddler bed, and how can you do it smoothly and safely? Here are some suggestions from the experts.
When Is the Right Time To Switch to a Toddler Bed?
As a general rule, parents should aim to make the transition from crib to toddler bed before their child can climb out of their crib and potentially hurt themselves, says Mark Widome, MD, MPH, a professor of pediatrics at Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Most toddlers can hop over the crib rail when they’re around 35 inches tall and between 18 and 24 months of age. Of course, some babies are very agile and will attempt to climb out sooner—at which point they should be moved to a bed. On the flip side, some kids will not try to climb out at all.
If your toddler is comfortable in their crib and does not try to climb out of it, it’s fine to let them sleep there past age 2—as long as you’re mindful of safety, says Jack Walsh, the former executive director of The Danny Foundation, an organization dedicated to crib and child product safety. However, parents should keep in mind that the longer a baby stays in their crib the more attached to it they become, and the harder the transition to a toddler bed may be.
Similar to other developmental milestones of early childhood, such as potty training, the move from crib to bed can be especially challenging for toddlers, so this transition may require considering their individual needs.
Signs Your Toddler Is Ready for a Toddler Bed
Some toddlers may be ready for the transition sooner than others, and some may need a little longer than average. Either way is OK. But there are some ways to tell when that time has come or is near.
- Your toddler has climbed out of their crib
- They’ve outgrown the crib (the crib railing is lower than their chest or they are taller than 35 inches)
- They are vocalizing their desire for a toddler bed
- They understand boundaries and stay in their own crib
- They are potty training
- Your toddler is comfortable with being unsupervised for short periods of time
How To Pick the Right Toddler Bed
Some parents simply put their children’s crib mattresses on the floor to ease the transition, says Pamela High, MD, director of developmental behavioral pediatrics at Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island.
Others spring for a toddler bed frame, which is generally low to the ground and can accommodate an existing crib mattress. These can come in the form of cars, castles, and other kid-friendly shapes.
Using a toddler bed frame is fine, says Dr. Widome, but it’s not essential to keep kids safe. You can always secure a removable guardrail to a regular bed frame to keep your toddler from falling off the bed.
How To Ease the Transition From a Crib to a Toddler Bed
Before making the switch to a big kid bed, it’s important to plan out the logistics to help make the transition seamless for both you and your toddler. Below, experts break down effective and safe strategies to move your child from a crib to a toddler bed.
Talk about the change
Communicate with your child about the change that’s to come. It helps them know what to expect and prevents them from feeling confused when they suddenly see a bed where their crib used to be. Be prepared to answer any questions they may have.
Involve your kid in the process
Whichever toddler bed you choose, involve your child in the process. Let them pick out kid-friendly sheets, pillowcases, comforters, and stuffed animals that speak to them. This can make the move to a “big kid” bed seem more appealing by catering to their individual preferences.
Establish a bedtime routine
As with any time of transition, it helps to set a predictable routine, says Dr. High. If you already have an established bedtime routine, stick to it as best you can. If you don’t have one, start one—ideally, a few weeks before the big transition to have something comforting and consistent to fall back on when you make the switch.
A consistent bedtime ritual can help a young child feel grounded. Toddlers are often ambivalent about growing up and leaving their babyhood behind, and for this reason, change can be hard for them, says Dr. Widome. But once they master a new skill, whether it’s giving up diapers or bottle feeding or moving from a crib to a bed—they have a real sense of pride and accomplishment.
Child-proof your house
Do a safety sweep of every room your toddler can access. When child-proofing your home, check the following:
- If you live in a two-story home, secure the stairs with gates at the top and bottom
- Bolt heavy furniture, like bookshelves and televisions to the wall
- Put safety latches on dresser drawers so they can’t pull them out and use them to climb
- Ensure there are no hanging or loose cords or wires that they can pull
- Block off any sharp corners
- Avoid putting the toddler bed below anything that can fall on the child
Some experts even suggest putting a gate on your child’s door and locking it, but other experts advise against it due to fire safety considerations. As an alternative, you can use a baby monitor or attach bells to the door to alert you when they’re leaving the room.
Expect bumps along the way
Your child might cry and insist they want their crib back. Stay positive and expect it to take a month or two for them to fully adjust to their new digs. Their newfound freedom may also lead them to take lots of excursions. What sort of excursions? Well, you may find that you put your child to bed and they come out. Then, you put them back in bed and they come back out. Just calmly return them to bed and leave the room as quickly as you can.
Know it’s OK to bring back the toddler bed if needed
Since there’s a chance they can’t quite handle a big bed yet, it’s a good idea to hang on to the crib. A temporary return to it—if necessary—is no big deal. After all, toddlers mature quickly, and your child might be ready in another month or two. Be patient, and don’t rush this important transition.
What if You Need To Transition for a New Baby?
Another factor that might influence when you transition your toddler out of their crib is the arrival of a new sibling. Take extra care if this is the reason for the transition; getting a new sibling is a major change, and you don’t want to make your child feel as if they’re being displaced, explains Dr. High.
Begin the transition one to two months before the new baby’s due date, assuming that your toddler is at least 18 months old, says Dr. Widome. If you can get your older child comfortably situated in their new bed, they’ll think of the crib as neutral territory—and not their sleeping spot—when the baby arrives.
If possible, dismantle the crib or store it in another room out of their sight, suggests Dr. Widome. Or aim to make the crib “unsleepable” by filling it with stuffed animals, toys, and blankets.
Regardless of the reason for the switch, you’ll want to do it at a time when there are no other major changes going on in your child’s life, says Dr. Widome. Avoid making the move if your child is in the throes of toilet training, giving up a pacifier, or getting used to a new child care arrangement, for example.
