When Do Toddlers Outgrow Their Cribs?

Children often transition from a crib into a bed between the ages of 1 1/2 and 3 1/2 years, advises Jodi Mindell, a pediatric sleep expert for BabyCenter. You, as a parent, must determine when to make this transition. Gain a full understanding of when, how and why to make the transition before you decide to do it.

Reasons For Transition

Each toddler grows out of his crib at a different time. You have to consider your child's needs and your family's needs to determine if your child needs to make the transition. Common causes of transition include the safety of a toddler who tries to climb out of the crib, bathroom access for the toddler going through potty training or the arrival of a new baby.

Extending Crib Time

By extending the time your toddler stays in the crib, you decrease the chances of your toddler wandering your house unsupervised as you sleep, explains Dr. Anil Pradhan, a pediatrician in Bradford, Pennsylvania. By placing the crib mattress at its lowest setting or attaching a crib tent to your toddler's crib, you decrease her ability to climb out. If you want to transition your toddler to a bed due to the arrival of a new baby, consider having the new baby sleep in a bassinet for two to three months to extend the time your toddler can stay in the crib.

Transition Stress

Transitioning to a bed can cause your toddler a lot of stress. Your toddler may already be facing the stress of toilet training, starting preschool and becoming an older sibling, explains Mindell. Plus, the transition to a bed, along with all the other transitions happening now, may cause you stress because it signifies that your baby is growing up.

Easing Transition

When you feel your toddler has outgrown her crib, you can take numerous actions to help decrease the stress associated with the transition. Pradhan advises either placing the bed in the same place as the crib used to be so her bedroom will look almost the same, or you can set up the room two weeks prior to the transition to allow the toddler to get used to the idea. Consider using your toddler's crib blankets and using a guardrail to help your toddler feel safe. Increase your toddler's excitement about the transition by celebrating the milestone or allowing her to help pick out sheets for the new bed.

Considerations

Just because your toddler climbed out of his crib, do not rush out and purchase a new bed. Your toddler needs enough cognitive development to understand that a bed has imaginary boundaries to keep him inside, advises Dr. Luisito Dingcong, a psychiatrist in Clearfield, Pennsylvania. If you discover that your toddler will not stay in bed or feel you made the switch too soon and your toddler will not stay in bed, consider bringing back the crib for a while.