According to the Parenting website, the majority of toddlers transfer from a crib to a big kid bed between 18 months and 2 ½ years old. There are many reasons for this transition, for example, some adventurous toddlers can climb out of a crib, making it an unsafe resting place. Or maybe you need to free up the crib due to the arrival of a new baby. Because the transition can be a stressful process for both you and your baby, it is important to understand how to do it properly.
Step 1
Take your child with you when you shop for her bed. Dr. William Sears on the Parenting website suggests allowing your child to choose not only the bed, but the bedding, too. This will make your child more likely to sleep in the new bed.
Step 2
Have a party celebrating your toddler's new bed. The Baby Center website recommends inviting over your child's friends and family to help get him excited about his new piece of furniture.
Step 3
Place your child's bed in the exact same spot that her crib was. This can help your baby understand that the new bed functions the same way as her beloved crib.
Step 4
Continue your child's normal bedtime routine. Just because your toddler has a big kid bed, doesn't mean he is ready to go to sleep like one. Consider reading to your child, or if his anxiety is extremely high, put a mattress on the floor and stay with him until he falls asleep.
Step 5
Make excuses to leave your child's room, even if it's just for ten seconds. The Parenting website recommends saying things like "I have to go check on the laundry." Over a period of a few weeks, gradually increase the amount of time until your child gets used to sleeping in her new bed on her own.
Tips and Warnings
- According to the Parenting website, if your child has a difficult time sleeping alone in his new bed, consider leaving his bedroom door open and singing so that he knows you are close by in the other room. Peek your head in his room periodically to make sure he is settling down and to let him know that you are still there.
- The Baby Center website warns that, as with potty training, some toddlers may not be ready to transition to a big kid bed. A child requires the cognitive intelligence to understand that she must stay in her bed, even though it does not have the bar boundaries the crib provided. If your toddler resists the new bed, has extreme difficulty sleeping, or climbs out of bed repeatedly, she probably isn't ready for a real bed. Consider bringing the crib back and trying the big kid bed again in a few days. Just make sure that you do not consider the crib's reappearance as a set back or as a form of punishment.
Things You'll Need
- Bed
- Bedding
- Party supplies
