Is He Ready for a "Big Boy" Bed??

Hi S.,

We put our son in his 'transition from crib to toddler bed' when he was around two. He did the crawling out thing, so we didn't have a choice.

When we did it, I had some reservations... what if he fell out?...would he get up and not stay in it?, those were my two biggest concerns. We let him help us with the transition part of the task. We had him lie on his "new" bed after we put it together and play on it, so he could get used to it. That night and for the first 2-3 nights, he got up, but we put him right back to bed telling him what we expected of him. It has worked like a charm, and he's never fallen out.

If there's room, you might want to set it up and let him get used to it that way. Keep both beds out for 2-3 days and tell him that he's getting to be a big boy and that by this Sunday night, he'll be sleeping in it from then on. Make it sound enticing so that he will want to sleep like a big boy.

Good luck!! ls

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If he's still napping you could let him nap in his new bed. I kept my kids in their cribs until they were at least 3 only because they seemed happy, and I was happy with them in their crib and didn't feel the need to move them. My Parents as Teachers educator told me the crib is a "security thing." They feel secure surrounded by the sides and they're familiar and comfortable with it. You may not want to rock the boat if sleeping isn't an issue for you or him right now. Why ruin a good thing? Sleep deprivation is terrible for everyone. Go with you gut feeling.

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My son was just about 2 when he went to a big boy bed, his crib converted to a fullsize bed only. All kids are different.

You can always try to put his crib mattress on the floor and try that out see how he does, with it on the floor. Just put a gate up at his door so if he gets up in the middle of the nite he wont wander the house and get into something.

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S., I kept my girls in their cribs until they were almost 4 years old. I asked my doctor the same question when my oldest was almost 2 (I was prego with #2) and he told me that as long as they are sleeping good in the crib - let sleeping babies lie. We took our oldest out of the crib when she was almost as long as the bed and figured it couldn't be real comfy for her and the youngest we took out when she asked us why she had to sleep in a "crate". We had a dog that slept in a crate and she started calling her crib a crate. We also took our kids from the cribs to full size beds, we didn't do the toddler bed. But as long as he's comfy I'd let him stay in it.

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I would say if hes climbing out, hes ready for a safer bed to climb out of. I also switched my daughter to a big girl bed when she was 2 and potty training. I wanted her to get up in the morning and tell me she had to potty rather than her being stuck in her crib. I think its a good age now. Sometimes the big bed takes some getting used to. Good luck!

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I transitioned all of my kids to toddler beds when they were 2 years old. They were all happy in their cribs, but I knew that I was wanting them to be able to get out of bed and used to it before I started potty training them. I was afraid that if I left them in their cribs and potty trained them they would have accidents in the crib because they couldn't get out fast enough. Good Luck

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S., I think it is one of those every child is different. I have 3 kids, each was in the crib for different times, my now oldest had to be in a toddler bed by 9 months because he was such a climber. My daughter might have stayed in a crib forever ( joking) if we hadn't moved and disasembled the crib. My son will be two in a month and 5 days and I am dreading a transition! I know that some parents use a baby gate on the childs door when they switch to a toddler bed.
I think if my child wasn't trying to climb out I would keep the crib until it was time to potty train = ) Lots of luck!
B.

If he's climbing he's probably ready. The only down side is you don't have the four sides of the crib as a containment unit any longer so you have to work on the guidelines for STAYING in bed...LOL...if you've got the room, I'd set it up and let him get used to playing on it and in it. Play it up about how exciting it is to get a big boy bed and big boy sheets...my kids couldn't WAIT to get out of the crib and colorful sheets only made it better.

I find that most people who ask this question are aksing it because THEY aren't ready to let their kids move onto the big beds...if you are, then he probably will be too. It's all in how you put the spin on it.

I would say he is ready the first time he climbs out of his crib (mainly b/c it is a safety issue).
My DH & I moved our boys when they were 2 - 2 1/2 y/o. They seemed to enjoy their new found freedom, but we had to put a baby gate up to keep them from excaping. After a while they learned to stay in thier beds.
We let our youngest help take the crib down & set up the new bed. With our oldest we let him help put up his new bed, but kept reminding him that the crib was for the new baby (when we found out that we were expecting our daughter).

God bless!

haha...I have the same issue...my son just turned 2 and he's only climbed out of his crib twice and that was about a week ago. He hasn't done it since and was wondering the same thing. I was thinking about doing the transition if he started doing it on a regular basis. We are moving in a month so I was wondering whether or not to set up his crib or his big boy bed :). Good luck!

Mine was about the same age when he was given a racecar bed. He got all new linens and we made it very exciting. We put the toddler bed in his room and left the crib in there and gave him the choice. After a month or so, he did take 1 nap in the racecar bed, but eventually said "Mom and Dad, can you please put this racecar bed away so I can have more space?" He just preferred the crib (which he has been climbing out of for a very long time). I took one side of the railing off and it now serves as a day bed, but he will be 3 soon and still has no interest in the car bed. So I guess I don't know how to tell when they're ready, just when they're not. lol

I would say that he is probably almost ready for sure. My son was about that age when we transferred him. The hardest part at first, for him, will be to realize that he has to stay in bed when it's time to go to bed. Good luck!
B.