Moving an 18-month-old child into a toddler bed occurs for different reasons. Your toddler may be climbing out of his crib or you may be making room for a new baby. No matter what the reason, 18-month-olds sometimes test the freedom of the toddler bed by getting out when they should be sleeping. Getting your toddler to stay in his toddler bed takes lots of patience and specific strategies.
Make It Appealing
Toddler beds come in a variety of styles. Many of the small beds feature appealing kids' characters and bright colors. Toddler bedding also comes in a variety of patterns. Choose a bed and bedding set that appeals to your 18-month-old. If he likes a particular television character, purchase a bedding set with the character on it. Another option is to take him to the store and let him select the bedding. Adding his favorite blanket and a few special stuffed animals also makes the toddler bed appealing.
Make It a Big Deal
Many toddlers like to feel like big kids, which may work to your advantage during the toddler bed transition. Calling the toddler bed a "big kid bed" may encourage your 18-month-old to sleep and stay in the bed. BabyCenter recommends throwing a "big kid" bed party, complete with guests and the unveiling of the new sleeping arrangements.
Bedtime Routine
Bedtime routines help toddlers fall asleep regardless of where they are sleeping. If you had a consistent bedtime routine established before you switched to the toddler bed, continue that routine. The familiarity helps signal to your child that it is time to go to sleep. Keep the bedtime routine calming, with all elements the same each night.
Consistency
If an appealing toddler bed and bedtime routine aren't helping, consistently placing your 18-month-old back in his toddler bed helps teach him to stay there. What to Expect recommends taking your toddler back to his bed without talking or getting upset. In the beginning, you may need to return him to bed multiple times at night. Eventually, he should learn that he has to stay in his bed. Rocking him to sleep or sitting next to him until he falls asleep makes it necessary for those conditions to be met for him to fall sleep. Unless you want to sit next to his bed every night, it's better to teach him to fall asleep on his own in his toddler bed.
