When Should I Transition My Toddler Into A Bed?

It’s an exciting time as a parent when your baby reaches the toddler stage and is now a “big kid.” Along with this newfound growth and independence your child may be showing, you have likely experienced your toddler climbing out of their crib or have noticed they are just way too big for it. In addition to simply outgrowing the crib, there are other signs that indicate it’s time to transition your child into their own bed.

Recommended ages for transitioning your toddler into a big bed are 1 ½ to 3 years old. This is quite a big age span, and it’s really up to the parents and their child. There is no set age, but parenting experts do recommend signs that show your child is ready. These are the signs to look for that show readiness to transition out of the crib and into a bed.

The first sign is that your child starts to show serious signs of disliking their crib. They may scream and fight you when it’s time to put them to sleep. They might even be yelling, “get out,” or “I want out!” Bedtime should be peaceful, relaxing, and enjoyable for both you and your child. It isn’t worth the fight every night to prolong crib use and transitioning into a bed might make this nighttime routine a happy memory instead of a painstaking task.

The next sign of readiness can also be a safety issue, and that is when your toddler climbs out of their crib to get out. Babies and toddlers often grab onto and stand up in their crib, but once they figure out they can climb over and out its likely time for a bed. Climbing out of the crib can be very dangerous, especially at night when parents are sleeping and they might not hear a little cry out that their child wants out. Your child can bump their heads, fall out and hit the ground hard, or even get a leg caught in the side of the crib resulting in bruised or broken bones.

If you have made the decision to transition your toddler to a bed and are still concerned about safety, there are guardrails you can purchase to prevent falling out. It may take a few nights, or even weeks, for your toddler to get used to the size and shape of the bed until they recognize those “invisible boundaries” of the bed. In addition to guardrails, you can keep the bed lower to the ground so they can easily climb in and out.

When it’s time to make this transition, bring your “big kid” with you to go mattress shopping. You can make the experience really fun and it will encourage your toddler to stay in their bed at night. The sales associates at Factory Mattress will help you find the best first-time bed, and we have many different brands and mattress sizes to choose from.