This article was originally published on December 10, 2018. It was updated on January 14, 2021 by Ashley Wehrli.
Transitioning a toddler from a crib to a bed didn’t go incredibly smooth, to be honest. The transition took patience — a lot of it, actually. And although it really did seem necessary, it’s hard to say if she was really and truly ready just yet. But switch we did, and now I’ve lived through it and learned a lot about introducing a toddler to an actual bed, ditching the crib, and moving on with life. It’s a good thing, too, because now that I think about it, that time is probably pretty quickly approaching for our second little one, as well… Oh, boy. But now, I have a much better handle on how to judge if it’s really time or not. I’ve done my research (and real-life experimentation), and I’ve had time to give it all quite a lot of thought.
From looking at the child’s specific room as the source of their personal development to tailoring the toddler bed to fitting their own interests and let's not forget needing to straight-up resort to negotiation tactics to get them to stay in it, there’s a lot that might need to come into play here, people. So, as I reflect on how the big transition went with my first and look ahead to how it might go with my second, let’s run through some key points: If a toddler does at least 50% of the 21 things on this list, they’re probably ready to sleep in a bed.
21 Uses The Potty
Many parents will still allow their children to wear pull-ups or a nighttime diaper, sometimes well past the point at which they are “potty-trained.” See, that phrase has a way of meaning “uses the potty to go #1 and (maybe) #2 during waking hours,” which may or may not include nap time, by the way. If you’re going right for the nighttime training or are at the point that it’s time to finally toilet train all the way, your little guy or gal will need to be able to get out of bed and (try to) make it to that potty when nature calls, according to Healthline.
20 Climbs Out Of The Crib
This is why we made the switch with my first little one. It had been obvious that she could climb over the railing for some time, and once she had actually done this (I believe she made her escape to the attached changer portion but never actually exited the entire crib), it was a clear message to us that she’d be safer on a lower bed without bars around it. We just had a checkup for my younger toddler, actually, and the general informational printout they give out with the after-visit summary said to switch once climbing out is possible (for safety).
“Don't rush right out and buy a new bed the day your toddler first climbs out of the crib,” says pediatric sleep disorders expert Deborah Lin-Dyken at BabyCenter. “He may not be ready to move to a bed, and it may not be safe for him to be up and about during the night.”
19 Sleeps At Sleepy Time
For some time, our older toddler had been capable of climbing the crib railing. When she actually started doing it, and it no longer seemed safe to have her in there because of it, we switched to something more like a toddler bed. I immediately wanted to bail. Within the first week and for a long time beyond the switch, we had the hardest time getting her to stay in that bed. Even with years of careful sleep-training, she tended to take a long time to quiet down and actually go to sleep in the crib, and this simply carried over to the toddler bed but with nothing even confining her to stay in it anymore. That’s why I’d say you might have better luck with the switch if your child actually goes to sleep fairly quickly at bedtime (pre-switch).
18 Understand Rewards
It is important for mom to note that now, there will be nothing actually containing your child and getting him or her to stay on that mattress anymore. I will give you a few seconds to let the reality of that statement sink in. Before you bail on the topic entirely, let me explain that there may be some key strategies you can try to get your little explorer to stay still once their head meets the pillow and they drift off to dreamland.
Our family’s pediatrician is a big fan of the “star chart,” and now I am, too. The idea is that you give a sticker or star to reward good behavior. It’s something concrete that little ones can work toward, giving them a real reason to do what you want them to do. The only obstacle is that a child will have to be old enough that they can understand this system and respond positively to it. According to Happy You Happy Family, sticker charts can be extremely beneficial, if done the right way.
However, it's important to note that rewards are not always recommended for encouraging kids' behaviors. Experts cite that it can be counterproductive, and explaining why the behavior is positive will yield better results, as the kids won't be as reward-motivated with any change they need to make. This fosters mutual respect, and it is better for the kids in the long-term.
17 Is At The Right Age
When it comes to transitioning a toddler to a big-girl or big-boy bed, there isn't an exact number of months from birth within which it should be done. Upon reflection, I can estimate that our first baby was around 2 1/2 when we decided it was time to take her out of that crib, and we felt like we’d waited as long as possible.
“There's no set time when you have to replace your child's crib with a regular or toddler bed, although most children make the switch sometime between ages 1 1/2 and 3 1/2,” according to Deborah Lin-Dyken. “It's often best to wait until your child is closer to 3 since many little ones just aren't ready to make the transition.”
16 Has Grown Like A Weed
You probably became keenly aware of this phenomenon during the first year of life, as newborn clothes quickly became too small and you then went through all the rest of those sizes, from 0-3 months all the way up to 12. Periods of rapid growth do slow down during the toddler years. However, with your little one continuing to grow, a crib may just no longer be an appropriate place for the little person in your life. When a toddler has outgrown their crib and they are no longer safe, it is definitely time to find them a more size-appropriate space for them to sleep in.
15 Is All Over The Place
For a little newborn or even older baby, all the rolling around in the world might not really be a problem at all while they’re sleeping (or falling asleep, or have woken up after sleeping) in that special first bed: the crib. As babies get older, all that activity might just be too much to be contained by those slats. When a toddler is showing that they are too active in their crib at night, it may be time for the big move. Having a larger sleep surface will allow them the freedom to move around a bit more throughout the night.
14 Has A Sibling On The Way
With the imminent arrival of our second baby, we did not switch our first child out of her crib. She just wasn’t old enough yet. We wanted to do what seemed safe and felt right by keeping her in there as long as it was practical and possible. Plus, our second baby would be sleeping in our room in a bassinet for the early months of life, anyway. It is said that if your child is younger than 18 months old when the new baby is here, they should be kept in the crib and mom may have to purchase a second, however, if they are older than it is time to get them into a new sleeping space.
13 Is Really Ready
Some parents may go ahead and switch their first child over to a bed and out of the crib to make way for a new baby. The focus should be whether or not the child is actually ready to switch, and not just based on sleepy-time real estate. “Be sure to base the timing of the switch on your child's readiness rather than on the need to free up the crib” Deborah Lin-Dyken stated that it may turn out to be a lot easier to borrow or buy another crib rather than try and get a toddler into a bed when they are just not ready for it.
12 Can Handle The Change
One way to approach this debate is to think about how it might feel to be in your child’s shoes. Is there already a lot going on? Are there many other things changing? For some children out there, this kind of change can be a lot for them to handle, and they may find it hard. A crib is a big association for a child, and it is all they know when it comes to getting a safe and restful sleep. If your child seems to handle change well, with minimal behavioral changes and disturbances, that may the green light you need to move them.
11 Is Inspired To Be A ‘Big Kid’
I am starting to experience how excited younger siblings can be to do everything, in the same way their older brothers and sisters are. My tiny toddler has been speaking in complete sentences for many months, and her latest trick was to go ahead and potty-train herself. The motivation to be a “big kid” can be all the motivation a child needs to want to make the move to a new sleeping arrangement. If the child you are intending to move is a younger sibling, you can use the older siblings to your advantage to help encourage the younger one to make the switch.
10 Has A Blankie To Bring
A sleep disorders expert shared an idea that may work for your child; If there are some familiar bedtime items a child is uses, they could be a good tool to use in transitioning over to a different type of bed and away from that familiar crib. It is recommended that mom tries to keep everything the same when making the switch. Put the bed in the same spot the crib was, and hold off on any other room changes while you make this transition.
9 Is Ready For Some Shopping
Children have shown a higher interest in items that they have helped pick out themselves, according to Today’s Parent. They spoke about how letting a child make their own decisions when trying new foods can help picky eaters, and the same logic can be applied here. Involve your child in the process of getting a new bed. Take them out for some shopping to buy the bed, the blankets and maybe even a new friend to sleep with and this may help get them excited about the process. If they love to go shopping, this is going to be the event for them.
8 Likes To Party
It doesn’t seem like partying is something that mom would want to encourage at bed time, but this is another thing that Deborah Lin-Dyken says can work to get your child excited. If they enjoy a good party and it works as motivation for your child, throw a “new bed party.” Choose a special day to reveal the new bed and talk about the party all week. When the big day comes, have friends and family come over for some snacks and an encouraging word or two.
7 Is Enticed By The ‘Toddler Bed’
Follow Your child’s lead on what type of bed they would prefer. A lot of parents want to put their child right in a twin or double bed, thinking that they are skipping the step of a toddler bed. If you talk to your child and take them to look at some beds, you may find that they prefer a toddler bed, and if that is what they want, than this is the route you should go. Toddler beds are designed to look more like a crib, and they normally come with safety features, like side bars, already built in on the sides.
6 Settles In Pretty Shortly
If your child is known to handle change pretty well, then they are likely ready for a big-kid bed. Some children handle change better than others, and a child who is able to handle change may adapt better to a new bed. A child who has a harder time with change, may need some more time. Deborah Lin-Dyken states that if the child puts up some resistance at first, it is important not to give up after one night. Encourage them to keep trying and try again the next night.
5 Understands Staying Put
Some kids just won’t be able to “get it” yet. Most of what children do (or don’t do) all comes down to child development, and if they do not understand the concept of staying in one place for a long time, than it won’t matter what mom does, she will have difficulty keeping her child in a bed for the whole night. If a toddler has a habit of getting out of bed constantly, and wandering around the house, they are likely not ready for a bed yet, and that is because they have not developed the cognitive ability to understand that you need to stay in bed.
4 Passes The True Test
The “true test” is a theory that a lot of parents use when it comes to potty training. They try it, and if they are being met with resistance, they put the process on pause for a while. This is not done to punish or discipline a child; it is just a recognition that it is too early and their child is not ready yet. This can be applied to transitioning from a crib to a bed as well. If your child passes the “true test” and is able to transition fairly smoothly, then they were absolutely ready for the new bed. If things are not going well, and every bed time is turning into a battle of wills, it may be best to put the crib back and try again in a month or two.
3 Has Parents Who Are Keen On It
Is this change something that will work well for your little one? It can be a tough call to make, one that may cause some sleepless nights for mom and dad as they try and help their child adjust to the changes. However, it is important to stay positive and approach the situation with a keen interest. Children are going to feed off the energy you provide for them, according to SCMP. If mom is dreading bedtime, and not ready for a battle that she assumes is coming, her child will feed off that energy and it will make the process more difficult. If mom is ready and excited about this new change, her child will be too.
2 Can Be Trusted Around Toys
A lot of parents store some number of toys, books, and games in their child’s room. In some cases, the younger child is sharing a room with an older sibling, and their stuff is in that room as well. It may not always be possible for families to clear out an entire room of toys and books, so the child must be able to resist the urge to get up and play at night. It is not just the lack of sleep that mom and dad have to be concerned about, it is also safety. Mom may be able to know confidently that her child is going to stay in their bed at night, and not wandering around their room climbing shelves.