Have you been wondering if your little one is ready for a toddler bed? In today’s blog, we’ll talk about when to make the transition (and also some reasons why you shouldn’t), and how to do it safely and successfully!
When should you do it?
First of all, if your toddler is trying to climb out of the crib, you should make this transition immediately. Many consultants will disagree with me on this and give you ideas to prevent a toddler from climbing (such as sleep sacks, lowering the mattress all the way to the floor, etc). I don’t have exact statistics for you, but many toddlers are injured every year after falling out of a crib. And please don’t alter your crib against the manufacturer’s instructions; this is very unsafe for multiple reasons.
The way I see it, if a toddler is determined to escape their crib, it is safest to work with them, not against them.
Toddlers can transition to a toddler bed safely once they are 15 months old, so if your little one attempts crib jumping before this age, the safest option is to get rid of the crib and simply put the mattress on the floor. Also, make sure the whole room is toddler-proofed! You may want to install a baby gate on the door to prevent them from leaving the room in the middle of the night too.
Other than that, it’s entirely up to you when you choose to make this transition. Every toddler is different, and some will be ready for this much earlier than others. Some families make the change as early as possible with no issues, while others wish they had waited a little longer.
I’m a big fan of waiting until at least 2.5 years of age before making the switch (if possible). Younger toddlers tend to feel more secure with the physical boundaries of a crib, and some may struggle to stay in bed if they transition out of a crib too soon.
The biggest piece of advice I can give to you is to make sure your child is sleeping independently before making this change. If your child currently needs a lot of help to fall asleep, this can make for a rough transition to the toddler bed.
Here’s how to make the transition when the time comes:
- Toddler-proof the whole room! They will not be confined to a crib anymore, so if they ever wake early and decide to start playing, you’ll want to make sure they stay safe. Anchor all furniture, secure cords, cover outlets, and remove any toys/items you wouldn’t want them playing with unsupervised.
- Inform your toddler of this change! Talk about it with them so they know what’s coming and what to expect. Treat it kind of like how it’s recommended to treat potty training: don’t blow it off like it’s no big deal, but don’t over exaggerate or act too excited either. The more pressure your toddler feels about something, the more likely they will push back.
- Bring your toddler shopping! Let them pick out their new bedding and pillow, and maybe even a special new stuffy they will get to sleep with when the time comes.
- Stay consistent with your bedtime routine. The less change, the better!
- If you need to move around furniture or maybe even switch your toddler to a different room, avoid doing all of this at the same time. This may be a little too overwhelming for your child, leading to a rough transition.
- Hold firm to your bedtime boundaries and let your child know the new sleep expectations. They are expected to stay in bed until morning, and you will be outside their room if they need any help. Don’t introduce any method of helping your child to sleep that you didn’t have to use before. If your child is expecting you to lay beside them until they fall asleep, gently remind them of the bedtime rules.
The day has come! How will it go?
It may not be smooth sailing right off the bat. And that’s okay! Some kids will LOVE their big kid bed and it will be a seamless transition (hint: if your little one has rock-solid independent sleep skills, this will likely be the case for them!). Others will love it for a bit…but then a few weeks later they may begin struggling to stay in bed. And unfortunately, some kiddos protest the new bed right away and it’s a bit of a disaster.
My kid won’t stay in bed – what do I do?
HOLD FIRM TO YOUR BOUNDARIES!
This is so important. If you give them an inch, they will take a mile. Seriously. Toddlers are constantly testing boundaries because they are actually looking to find where the limit lies. If they don’t find one…or if it’s inconsistent, this can make them feel insecure, leading to more erratic behaviour and bedtime battles. Let them know exactly what to expect, and follow through with it.
If your child keeps getting out of bed, quietly and CALMLY walk them back to bed, remind them of the rules, and leave again. Don’t negotiate, and don’t get pulled into a conversation. Tell them it’s bedtime, they need to lay quietly and leave the room. Responding like this consistently, even throughout the night, will usually fix the issue.
If your little one is used to you helping them to sleep, however, this approach will likely not work. Instead, it’s best to gradually reduce how much you’re helping every night until your child feels secure enough to sleep on their own. If your toddler is used to you laying next to them to fall asleep, start by sitting next to them instead. After they have accepted that, move to a chair, gradually moving the chair further away every night until you’re out of the room.
Be the calm, confident, sturdy leader your child needs.
The most important thing you can do with a toddler is set a boundary and stick to it! When your toddler tests you – and they will – don’t fail the test. Stay calm, be confident, and validate their big feelings when they don’t get their way. Staying calm is the hardest part – believe me, I know. But calm is contagious, so use this to your advantage.
Need help getting your toddler to sleep independently before making the transition to a toddler bed? Or maybe you’ve already made the transition and it isn’t going well? Let’s talk! I would be happy to help you teach your toddler how to stay in their bed all night long so your whole family can sleep peacefully again. Click the button below to book a call and we can chat to see if working together would be a good fit.
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Have some sleep questions that need answering? Near or far I would LOVE to hear from you! Golden Dreams Sleep Consulting is based out of Golden, British Columbia, but works with families all over the world. All packages and services are available via phone, email, and WhatsApp!