Tips for How to Transition Your Toddler to a Toddler Bed

One day, after putting my toddler in her crib for nap time, I heard a loud "thump" from upstairs in her room. When I opened my daughter's bedroom door, she was standing in the middle of the floor with a sheepish grin on her face. Instead of taking her nap, she had learned how to climb out of her crib.

Once her crib became a climbing hazard, we had two choice: Let our growing toddler risk life and limb by climbing out her crib on a daily basis, or transitioning her to a toddler bed. She chose the toddler bed, and she did so happily. In fact, the night following the nap time climbing incident she slept for twelve hours in her own toddler bed. Here are some tips for getting your toddler to transition to a toddler bed without missing any sleep.

Tips for Transitioning Your Toddler to a Toddler Bed: Let Your Child Get Used to the Toddler Bed

First, buy a toddler bed or a twin bed with rails and put it in your toddler's room. Our daughter loved her toddler bed when we put it in her room when she was just over a year old. She would climb in it for story time, and she put her dolls to bed in it with her favorite blankets. While she was not yet ready to sleep in her toddler bed at such a young age, she was getting comfortable with the idea that it was her bed, that it was special, and that it was a regular fixture in her room. When it was time for her to actually sleep in the toddler bed, she was accustomed to climbing in and out of the bed herself and the newness had worn off of it.

Tips for Transitioning Your Toddler to a Toddler Bed: Don't Force the Issue

In addition, take your cues from your toddler. Not every toddler who climbs out of a crib is ready to make the switch to a toddler bed, but ours was. When I asked her if she wanted to sleep in her "big girl bed," she said yes and was enthusiastic about the switch. In the past when I had asked her the same question, she had shown some reluctance to give up her crib. Instead of pushing her to make the switch, we would reassure her that the big girl bed would be ready for her when she was ready to sleep in it. By letting your toddler make the decision about the switch from a crib to a toddler bed, you are reassuring your child that the change will only be made when she is ready.

Tips for Transitioning Your Toddler to a Toddler Bed: Be Firm

Once your child has expressed an interest in sleeping in the toddler bed, be clear about the new rules.Reinforce safety rules, such as no jumping on the bed. Explain to your child how to be careful about climbing in and out of the bed. Talk about how you expect your child to sleep in the bed and not wander out of bed.

After you have explained the rules, enforce them. Our daughter enjoyed the novelty of her new bed, and she liked being able to get out of bed to play with her toys after lights out. However, we consistently enforced the rule that she was not allowed to play after lights out by having her put her toys away and return to her bed when the temptation would become too much for her. After repeating this lesson several times over the course of a week, she became accustomed to the new rules and her new toddler bed.

Tips for Transitioning Your Toddler to a Toddler Bed: Be Patient

You may find that your toddler will sleep well for several nights and then start talking about sleeping in her crib again. This may be especially true if your toddler's crib has suddenly been taken over by the new baby in the house. Our daughter expressed some concern when her crib moved into her baby brother's room and he began sleeping in it. When she would complain about "her crib," we would explain that she was too big for the old crib and that her baby brother needed to use the crib now. We would also remind her how nice her new big girl bed is and how much better it is for her to be able to stretch out and sleep there. She seemed to accept the explanation and would usually move on to other things.

Transitioning from a crib to a toddler bed can be a tantrum-free experience. By being patient with your child and firm regarding your expectations for your toddler, making the transition from a crib to a toddler bed can be a relatively easy stage in your toddler's development.