It's hard to imagine that your newborn baby will ever be ready for a toddler bed, but by the time your child starts toddling around by himself, eating solid food and babbling, most parents start to wonder if it's time to put the crib away and make the switch. The right time to transition your child from crib to toddler bed can vary significantly from child to child.
Identification
In some cases, knowing when your child is ready for a "big-kid" bed is easy -- she'll tell you. When your child asks you to let her move out of her crib, it's usually sure sign that she's ready to make the move, according to WhatToExpect.com, the website maintained by the author of the book "What to Expect When You're Expecting." Another sign that it's time to make the switch to a toddler bed: Your child has started climbing out of her crib by herself.
Time Frame
Though your child may be ready for a toddler bed any time between age 1 1/2 and 3 1/2, most kids do best when they make the transition closer to age 3, says pediatric sleep disorders expert Deborah Lin-Dyken on BabyCenter.com. If you're making the switch to a toddler bed because your child has a baby brother or sister on the way, give your child at least six to eight weeks to get used to his new bed before the baby comes.
Function
Your child's toddler bed serves as a transition between his crib and a full-size bed, so it's important to make it a snug, safe place for your child, says Laura Markham, clinical psychologist and host of the Internet radio show "Secrets of Happy Parents" on Pregnancy.org. Markham recommends letting your child choose new "big-kid" sheets but keeping his crib blanket in his new bed to make the transition easier. This can help a child adjust who is physically ready for a toddler bed before he's emotionally ready.
Expert Insight
Keep in mind that your readiness to help your child transition to a toddler bed is as important as his readiness to make the move, notes Markham. Once your child is in a toddler bed, he'll be able to get up and roam around at night, and you may have to spend more time getting him to sleep and returning him to his bed at night. If you're working on a stressful project or dealing with morning sickness, you might want to postpone changing beds until you're better equipped to deal with your part of the transition.
Warning
Be wary about switching your child to a toddler bed before he's ready just because you want to use the crib for another child, warns Lin-Dyken. In some cases, it's better to buy or borrow another crib than to make your child transition before he's ready. Lin-Dyken suggests that you avoid switching to a toddler bed when your child is in the process of starting another transition, including potty training, moving to a new house or starting preschool.
