Crib or Bed

HI:

I have two girls, 6 and 2 1/2. My first daughter started climbing out of the crib at 2 so we put her into a big girl bed and she's been in one ever since. The 2 1/2 year old is still in the crib and doesn't show any signs of wanting to get out. She goes into her crib by herself at nap and night time and goes right to sleep. All of my friends and I agree, don't rush the big bed. When they are ready, you'll know! A child can sleep in the crib until they're 3 and beyond - it really depends on the kid.

That's what I've always been told too--to keep them in there until they climb out or till around 2.5 years, or if you need the crib for a new baby. My son turned 2 a month ago and we are planning on transitioning him to a bed in the next couple of weeks only because we are expecting a new baby in July. Otherwise, I think I'd keep him in there forever!

The minute she tries to crawl out of that crib move her to a toddler bed. To many children a be hurt crawling out of the crib. Some children feel very safe in their crib and like being in there.

Make sure the room is 100% baby proof put up a gate so she can't wonder the house at night and you are set to go.

My son loved his toddler bed and was in it till he was in kindergarten. There are lots of fun designs on the market today.

Best of Luck,

Hi.... well the best time to move them to a bigger bed would be when they constantly climb out of their crib and it will not contain them anymore.... thats how i moved 4 children from crib....gl D.

Hi S B,

I have to say I don't agree with leaving them in the crib as long as you can. We switched my oldest son at one year to a toddler bed (baby brother was coming in a few months), and we switched his brother into the toddler bed at about 2. With both boys we used a gate across the bedroom door to keep them from wandering the house at night. We didn't use the gate much at nap time, if I remember correctly.

I would say 2 to 2-1/2 is the best age to switch them. I know several of my friends who waited longer had a really hard time getting their children to adjust to the switch.

Best of luck!!

my sister in law has a two and a half year old that is still in a crib, but i have a friend whose two year old is in a toddler bed. I wouldn't know my daughter is only 7 months old. I guess it depends on the child.

I think it varies from child to child, but when my son's 3rd birthday was coming up, he "helped" Daddy build his "big-boy bed" and we put up the side rails,etc. and he never had a problem. My daughter, was just past 3 yrs old when we found a toddler bed at a garage sale. The entire time we were there, she sat in it, and played with it, putting a teddy bear to bed, so we got her a toddler bed, and she was SO READY for it. We used that for over a year, until she was too tall to fit anymore...and still kept it for all her stuffed animals for awhile after she got her big bed. Personally, I think I might have waited too long on it with her, but I don't know if it really matters if you wait too long, just don't want to do it too early!!

When they start to climb out. That being said, our son never did that and we transitioned him at about 2.5 years old. It went fine.

Good luck.

Didn't switch DD until she was 3 1/2, she never climbed out and wore a pullup at night...then her crib converted to a toddler bed...DS is just 2 and I think we may need a crib tent as he is not ready for a bed....and we'd never feel secure with him being able to roam,...yet...I"d wait until she is trying to get out...there's no rush!

B.

We put our first daughter into a toddler bed between 18 and 24 months. Then put her in a "big girl bed" around 3 years old.

19 months worked well for us because we were preparing for a new baby. I second the mattress on the floor and the gate. It was helpful to cover the toys with a sheet and say "night night toys" or "time for a nap" to the toys also.

Well, when my daughter climbed out of her bed and fell at 15 months old which resulted in a severely broken arm that required surgery......I preach about taking kids out of cribs earlier than most people would think or when they can climb out. Problem is, my daughter never climbed out before...this was her first time. I wouldn't of had a "dome" over her crib to prevent it, because I wasn't thinking of it at the time because she was only 15 months. Don't wait till your child surprises you and may or may not make it safely out of the crib. They get excited about the move even at that age. We bought little toddler beds which are low to the ground and had a railing on it. We put a gate on their door to keep them from roaming outside of their room. No problems here in switching over...in fact, I think the switch when they are younger is better than when they are older and very attached to how they sleep in the crib already

T.

I switched my daughter at 21/2, and she did great. Yes, she got out of her bed a few times to play, but when she gets tired she would climb right back in and go to sleep. I reccomend a door knob safety cover, if and when your child learns how to open the door. She does not know how to open the door with the door knob cover on it. I just don't feel safe with her running around the house. When we start training her to go on the potty at night, she will then be old enough to walk around the house safely and we can take the cover off. I have heard of parents starting as early as 18 months with the switch to a toddler bed. It all depends on your childs personality. If your daughter is very calm and well behaved then you can start earlier. But if she has difficulty going to bed and is a little wild at times, then I would wait.

I think it depends on the age/maturity level, not when they climb out. My son climbed out at 9 months. I certainly wasn't going to move him to a bed then. So, we bought a crib tent for his safety. I think the easiest time to move them is when they are around 2.5/3 years old. You don't want to be up all night returning them to their bed (of course at first you will be for a few days). When you feel like your child listens somewhat well and they are around 2.5 years old I would try it. But, it's up to you. :)

I would say around 3ish.

My twins slept great until I put them in toddler beds at about 2 years and then it was a nightmare. Wait as long as you can. Mine weren't trying to climb out or anything. I'll do it differently the next time around.

I had my son out of his crib pretty much when he could climb out. I was concerned about him falling. Instead of going right to a 'bed', I put the bed mattress on the floor for awhile until I knew he was ready. After that he made it to the bed then I put pillows on either side for 'just n case'.
It worked for both of my children.

My oldest is 32 months now, but I kept her in a crib until she was two. But I would keep her in it as long as she feels comfortable. It was nice to not worry about her getting up out of bed when she was napping if I was doing something down stairs or outside. Once they get the big kid bed, they come in your room whenever they want. But once you start thinking of potty training, I say that should be the flag to get a bed and get them use to it. Because once you start that, they will have to get up in the middle of the night and you are going to want them to beable to learn to do that on there own. My daughter loves her new bed and she was like 28 months when I switched her. She gets up to go potty at night, but still comes and gets me. Then she wants to sleep in our bed after. But naps she stays in her bed. So I hope this helps alittle.... Good luck!

Dear S B,
I have 4 kids & have have kept them in cribs as long as they will stay. Once they start climbing out then I move them to a bed.
L. W.

Hi, a good time to change your child to a bed is when you notice they are climbing out of their crib and could actually get hurt. Keep your child in their crib as long as possible because then you won't have to deal with kids getting up and out of bed frequently and having to keep putting them back in. My youngest is almost three and still in a crib and he naps great and sleeps great- I am planning on transitioning him once he drops his nap because than I figure he will be tired enough at night and won't be jumping all over his bed at bedtime. Good luck.