How to Transition your Toddler from a Crib to a Toddler Bed
Many parents feel either excitement or dread when thinking about the transition away from the crib. Maybe you feel excited that your child will have the ability to get into bed by himself at bedtime, and get out of bed without you having to lift him out in the morning. Or perhaps you feel terrified about what this new freedom will bring. To ensure that this transition does not bring new sleep challenges into your home, read on!
In this article:
When should I transition my child from the crib to a toddler bed?
How should I introduce the new toddler bed to my child?
How can I keep my toddler in bed all night?
When Should I Transition My Child from the Crib to a Toddler Bed?
Regardless of how excited you might feel to be done with the crib, there are two situations that I recommend making the switch:
Your child is climbing out of the crib. If your toddler has climbed out of the crib, then you will have to make the switch due to safety reasons. In order to avoid your child making this attempt, I do recommend keeping your little one in a sleep sack for sleep for as they are sleeping in a crib (sleep sacks discourage standing and movement in the crib in general). Also, make sure that your crib mattress is at the lowest setting. Sometimes parents forget that this part of the crib is adjustable! If your child is in a sleep sack and the mattress is at the lowest setting and he or she is still climbing out/trying to climb out, then you will want to go ahead and ditch the crib as it is no longer safe.
Once your child is over 3 years old, you can make the decision to switch to a toddler bed when you feel that your child is ready. There is no rush to make this transition happen, and there is no reason to fix what’s not broken! Some signs that your child may be ready are if they readily cooperate with your boundaries and expectations throughout the day, and if they are expressing a desire to sleep in a “big kid” bed.
How Should I Introduce the New Toddler Bed to my Child?
I cannot even stress enough how important it is that this is done correctly! This will set you up for success with this transition in a big way. You will want to sit down with your child and have a “meeting” about the new big kid bed and the expectations. This should happen during the day, on the same day that your child will start sleeping in the bed.
First, make sure to express excitement about the new bed! “Wow, this is so exciting that you’ll be sleeping in a big kid bed and you get to climb into your bed at bedtime all by yourself!
Next, tell your child that they are not to get out of the bed after bedtime alone. Say something like, “Nighttime is for sleeping and resting our bodies, and our bed is where we do that. So you are going to stay in your bed all night until mom and dad come to get you in the morning, just like when you were sleeping in your crib! Also, it isn’t safe to move around a dark room on your own, so if you need something (going potty, for example), you will need to call for mom and dad to come in and help you get up.”
How Can I Keep my Toddler in Bed All Night?
Hold the boundary. If you’ve set your boundaries and expectations when introducing the toddler bed, and your child is respectful of your boundaries, then they likely won’t have a problem staying in bed all night. However, for various reasons, some children will get up. This is usually a matter of your toddler testing your boundaries (this is developmentally normal, nothing against you!), so you will want to make a plan for holding firm on your boundaries and showing your toddler that your expectation that they stay in bed all night has not changed. Make sure that both parents are on the same page and are committed to staying consistent with whatever approach you choose.
Use an “Okay to Wake Clock”. This is a great tool that can be used as a visual support to help your child know when it is time to stay in bed and when it is time to get up! I love the Hatch for its versatility and the capability to program it from an app on your phone. The light is red when its time to stay in bed, and turns green when it is okay to get up in the morning. My other favorite is Little Hippo Mella. It is adorable and easy to use. Mella goes to sleep with your child at the programmed time and wakes up in morning at the preset time. The night light is optional—making it a good choice for toddlers who do not sleep with a night light.
Give feedback to your toddler about how he or she is doing! If she stayed in bed all night, be sure to provide lots of specific praise in the morning. If she got out of bed several times, point out what choices she made that were not good and talk about how she can do better next time.
Get Support. If your toddler is not sleeping through the night independently with these tips, you may want to consider getting in-depth, customized support from a sleep consultant who excels in toddler sleep. Summit Slumber has a 2 week program “I Can Do Bedtime” for toddlers and big kids that includes communication supports and scripts, visuals for teaching, mindfulness and sensory integration, and a customized plan for parental response to night wakings. Combined with two weeks of ongoing support, your family will be sleeping through the night again!
Night Light, Sound Machine, Sleep Trainer Ok to Wake Clock, Connects to App via Bluetooth
Sound Machine, and Ok to Wake Clock, Optional Night Light, Alarm Clock
