What Age to Move to Toddler Bed - Arcadia,CA

I've moved a child to a toddler bed as early as 18 months. That said, we don't use cribs in my home anymore but prefer to have two Pack n Plays, one in our room and one in another room. You could purchase a Pack n Play to have the baby sleep in if you feel your son is not ready to transition to "cage free" sleeping!

Most Pack n Plays have a bassinet attachment. I like the mesh sides, portability, and smaller size in general. It works well.

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Our son just turned 2 on the 21st and we moved him to a toddler bed about 3 months ago without any issues at all. He had been in a mini-crib so it was out of necessity because of him growing. When we bought the bed, we made a big deal out of it. We shut his bedroom doors while Daddy was putting it together and said that Daddy was building a big fun surprise. We bought 'shark' sheets and did a big unveiling and then all jumped on the bed and let him play on it for about 20 minutes. We then all had fun putting all his stuffed animals on the bed as well as his favorite blanket and talked about how he was a big boy who could sleep in his own bed. We put a railing on the bed of course and he has slept fine and has never tried to get out and wander around. Our rooms are connected so that may have helped. In the morning, when he wakes up, we actually call him into our room rather than us getting him out of bed. We thought at first this might cause him to realize he could get out anytime, but he's always been fine with 'once in bed, stay in bed'. I will say, however, that our son has always slept in his crib. We didn't do the co-sleeping thing. We tried the attached co-sleeper next to our bed and it just didn't work for him. I was unable to breast-feed due to medical issues, so my husband was very involved in feedings in the middle of the night and our son got very used to sleep patterns in his room. If your daughter has been used to consistently sleeping in her room for some time now, she should be totally fine to move to a toddler bed. Our other friends moved their sons to a toddler bed only a week or so after us and they did just fine too.

p.s. Oh, and we actually kept the crib in the room for about a week after the bed was put in. He was allowed to get in to play and since it was at the end of the bed, we did find that he had crawled into it a couple of times in the middle of the night, but we just picked him up and moved him back to his bed. After a week, we explained to him that it was going to be used by another baby.

Good luck!
S.
YourLifEvents.com

1 mom found this helpful

hi A.,
my son went from co-sleeping with us to his own bed. i guess the feel of our bed became the norm so he felt comfortable in his room on a big bed. we tried the crib, many times actually, but listening to him, he was more comfortable in his own bed from 10-11 months to present.

listen to him and see how he feels about it.
all my best, M.

Maybe... even if he is not right now "ready"... you can always just get the toddler bed anyway. With the idea that he will then see it around and get used to it, even play in it, not "having to" sleep in it, and acclimate to it g.r.a.d.u.a.l.l.y
Instead of being under the gun of your baby needing it right then and so then he gets booted out of his crib.

But, if he is sleeping WELL in his crib... then anticipate that he might not sleep well in his bed.... at least initially or for as long as it takes for him to get used to it.
This is a common occurrence.

But either way... do not make him feel pressured about it. Nor just do it (ie: taking the crib from him) for the baby's sake. Or he may "resent" the baby.

Next, WHEN your 2nd baby is moved to the crib... will the baby also still stay in your room? Or, will the baby AND the crib then move INTO your son's room. I repeat: "your SON's room..." and his crib.... therefore if this happens, then nothing will be "his." ie: the crib will no longer be "his" and the room will no longer be "his." ALL of these things... may be a big deal or a big transition for him or a big thing that may or may not work for him. Not all kids, plus with a little baby... do well in a room together. One or the other child, often do not get a good sleep.

For my son & daughter, they got their own beds... when they actually said they wanted their own bed. My son, was in his crib until about 3 years old. Then one day, he said he rather sleep in a bed. And that was it.

all the best,
Susan

It is kind of a judgement call and depends on the kid. I don't think 20 months is too early though. I moved my daughter to a toddler bed at 20 months and she did well. My son is 19 months and I can't imagine moving him in a month. He sleeps well in his crib and he moves around so much that I'm scared he'll fall out of a toddler bed.

Like another poster said, you could set up a mattress or toddler bed and see how he does before taking down the crib. Maybe try naps for a while first. The big thing is to make sure you do it before the baby comes or switch him well after in a way that doesn't make him think the baby is stealing his crib.

I have moved everyone of my grandkids into the toddler bed by 18 months. Kids that are 3 years old are to heavy and to big for toddler beds, they need the room of a twin or bigger at that age. The kids didn't ever have problems getting up and wandering or playing with toys during the night. They were used to being in the toddler bed so it was never a big change and an "I've got freedom" moment. I say the younger the better the transition. If you have issues then out up a baby gate across the doorway at night. If he gets up then he is in a safe environment and if you have a baby monitor turned on you can hear if he's up.

I really think it all depends on the kid. We moved my daughter to a twin bed on her 2nd birthday and never had any problems with her getting out of bed. My son will be 2 next month and I just can't even imagine trying to get him to stay in a toddler bed. Different personalities. He hasn't tried climbing out of the crib yet, so we're going to keep him in it as long as possible, but I understand the dilemna of needing the crib for the next baby since that is why we transitioned our daughter when we did.

I wish I had better advice. I think you're just gonna have to try it and see what happens or see if you can borrow a crib from someone for a few months to give him a little more time. The other thing you could do is to let your baby sleep in a pack n play instead of the crib, but they aren't that comfortable, so I'm not sure how well he/she would do with that. They also sell "portable" cribs that might be a cheaper option than a big piece of furniture, but they use a crib mattress, so are probably more comfy than a pack n play. Hope this helps! Good luck with the new addition to your family.

You might be able to find a spare crib on Craigs list at a reasonable price.

I'd wait as long as possible to move your older child into a bed unless he's beginning to try to escape. That was the advice of our pediatrician. We kept him in his crib until 2.5 (they're 21 months apart) because my husband wanted his little sister in the crib.

Oh, was that a mistake. Once they're out of the crib, it's hard to contain them, and most people experience some kind of issues with the new liberation.

Good luck!

My son moved to a toddler bed at 19 months. He loved it from day one! all the best to you.

I know this is going to grate on someone out there...but I think this whole toddler bed thing is a big marketing ploy to get us all to buy more stuff. When I was young...my parents transitioned from crib to twin bed. saves money. You can use gaurd rails ..or just skip the box spring and put the twin matress in the floor...not so far to fall. A futon on the floor is another idea.

I moved my son to a toddler bed just recently at 21 months. I am due with my second child in October (he will be 28 months when he/she is born) The reason I moved him when I did was because he had started to climb out of his crib on occassion and also because we were moving him into another room so the baby could have his old room and crib. I wanted him to be used to sleeping in the toddler bed way before the baby came so I wouldn't have both of them waking me up at night! He transitioned into his new bed and room so easily so I am really glad I did it when I did.

I would say he would be ready for the toddler bed for sure when he starts climbing out of the crib (if he ever does) but also it might be a good idea to do what I did and have him used to sleeping in the toddler bed a few months before the baby comes since he may have trouble adjusting to it. Good luck and congrats to you!!!

That's great if one can wait until their child is "ready" for changes like moving to a bed or potty training, but it's not always realistic. If you don't want to buy another crib (and who would?), then start transitioning your son now. Most everyone I know says you don't want to wait until after the baby is born, because then, the older child associates getting kicked out of his bed with the baby.

But, it you have the room, don't waste the money on a toddler bed, just get a regular twin or full bed (whichever you eventually want him to sleep in). If you get a toddler bed, you'll have to buy another crib size mattress and the toddler frame, then in a year or two, you'll have to buy a whole other mattress and frame when he outgrows the toddler bed. Also, if you, one night, have to lie down with your son because he's had a nightmare or is sick, it's really miserable for you to lie down with him in a toddler bed.

I know because we put my 2 1/2 year old son in a toddler bed in preparation for the arrival of his baby sister last month. I'd rather have gotten a regular bed for him, but we have space issues (so looks like we'll be getting bunk beds when the kids are older too!) My son has a lot of energy, takes a long time to settle down, and still does not sleep through the night, so the transition was difficult. So, I started him in early December (26 mos. old) and he finally slept in it around mid January. Until then, he'd have a hard time, would sleep on the floor or fall asleep in my arms or in my bed, with me moving him after he fell asleep. So, yes, I did have a challenging time with the transition, but I was also potty training him from November until late January and sickly pregnant too. So, lots of transitional changes all at once. But, now he's wondering why his baby sister doesn't sleep in the crib in his room, since only babies sleep in cribs...

Good luck to you and congratulations!

in short: take the maximum $135 you will have to spend on a new crib and amortize it over the extra hours of sleep you will get by keeping your toddler in his crib:) Well worth it i think!!! haha...
my son is HAPPY AS A CLAM in his crib and he is turning 3 next month. he is cozy in there and has all his "guys" (stuffies) and his "blankies" and gets all cozied up and wouldnt understand sleeping head-to-toe (ie the way we all sleep in a bed normally) no matter how i explained it! he loves being cozy and i think he feels safe and good in there. its his safe place:) I dont want to force any "move" on him until he is ready (or until we hit a weight restiction:) Your son will be out of sorts no matter what you do when the baby comes...its just the way of it. my opinion: the whole "emphasizing the big boy stuff" stuff is a bit of a crock. hugs and love and cuddles and inclusions as far as whats going on with the baby go way further than any goofy "big kid" stuff - agree with the mum who said it was just a ploy to get us to buy more stuff!!! get him to cuddle her and watch you breastfeed or get the diapers for you when yer changing her etc etc. You will get WAY more sleep that way and sleep, as we all know, makes mummies happy!!:) Good luck:)

It really depends on your son and how he reacts. Usually when you move from the crib to the bed there is 1) some backlash where the kid wants to go back to the crib or 2) the kid won't stay in the bed at first... gets up an wanders around. So it's a judgement call for you and you'll have to see how your son reacts and you may have a few weeks where your son will have to adjust to the change. If you really want to get a bed, take your son with you to pick it out and to pick out sheets to get him excited to sleep in it. I also think you should skip the toddler bed because you'll just have to get a bigger bed in a couple of years. Save money and get a good twin or full bed (and don't get a cheap mattress - we tried that and my son broke his first mattress the first week when he jumped on the bed) We went to a regular twin bed when my son was 2 1/2 - We bought him a Little Tykes car bed. It's really cool.

Hope this helps!

My duaghter was 16 mo old when we moved her to a big kid bed, we needed the crib for #2. Our 2nd was 2 when we transitioned him so #3 could have the crib. Then #3 we transitioned at 2 1/2 because we moved and I didn't want to move the crib. He was later then the other 2 because he's the baby and it was hard for me to give up the crib and admit he was big enough for a bed. They all did fine with the transitions. The only thing I would recomend is to the transition before the baby comes. Otherwise your oldest may get jealous that the baby is getting his bed! Let him pick out his sheets and make it a big deal that he is getting to be so big. We also never did toddler bed. They grow out of those so quickly. We got a twin bed and instead of a box spring used a bunk bed base (which is only a couple inches thick) on the frame. This made it closer to the ground and easier for the kids to get in and out. Good luck!

I consulted with a sleep expert and she told me it's best for a toddler to stay in their crib until 2 1/2 - 3 years old. I moved our son from his crib to bed at 2 years and 10 months and he did GREAT! Good luck! :)

Personally I moved my daughter into a toddler bed way too soon - I would keep your daughter in the bassinett as long as you can (our daughter was 8 mo old) then move her into the crib and your son into a bed. There will probably be enough going on to keep him awake with all of the new noises, commotion and stuff then to add the capability of getting up & around as often as he likes may only make things a little more difficult to manage. Good luck!

I'd say NOW is a good time... You son will be wanting all the attention he can get with the new baby taking up your time! Having him "grow-up" to a big boy bed would be perfect timing. Before she arrives you can take him shopping for his own bed (I say toddler w/trundle for sleep-over friends or even yourself or Dad when he doesn't want to stay in his own bed -- he will be wandering around to see what you are doing with his new sister) and participate in redecorating or rearranging his room the way "he likes it". Give him some responsibilities now since he is 'so grown up' such as keeping his toys and clothes where they should be. Duckie

We transitioned our daughter to a toddler bed at 22 months and she loved it. I knew we were going to get into potty training soon and I wanted her out of the crib in case she needed to go to the potty at night. We did have a period of time where she kept getting out of the bed but we just put up a baby gate at her doorway and made sure her room was child proofed. A few times we found her asleep on her floor or in her rocking chair :)

I would definately transition him well before the new baby comes. It's going to be a huge adjustment for him to have a new baby in the house and you don't want to further upset his routine by trying to transition him to the toddler bed at the same time.

I moved my son to a toddler bed when he was 10 months old. Some people think that was kind of early, but he started walking at 8 months, and climbing by 9 1/2 months, so it was a safety issue for us.. Personally, I think once they sleep through the night and are walking, they should be in a toddler bed. Why don't you take him to a furniture store and let him see the "big boy beds" and how much fun they are to play on?

We moved our son to a toddler bed when he was about 25 months. He has done fine since. We made sure he had the bedding he wanted (cars) and we keep music playing and a night light. He actually seems to sleep better in the toddler bed. We do also have a video monitor so I still keep an eye on him.

I skipped the toddler bed and went right to a twin bed for my son. We just use a removable rail along the side of it to keep him from rolling out. Anyway, we made sure he was used to his new bed before my daughter was born so that he wouldn't feel like the baby was replacing him. It's worked out great and we've had no issues with my DD using the crib now. Good luck!

My son showed signs that he wanted his own freedom and then I knew that 'Big Boy Bed' was the next step. He loved it! He was 20 mos old. I believe that its up to the child. And it seems a lot easier when the child is interested in new things. Use your own judgement. Maybe introduce the toddler bed and see if it will work if not keep at it. My son got upset for a little while only because it was new thing. He is so silly, get sheets of his favorite characters and make bed time fun. I kept him on a routine even before he slept in a toddler bed, so transition was easier for me too. I hope that your son likes his new bed, and I hope that Ive helped you out.

If he's not climbing out, and for your own sanity, keep the older one in a crib til he's 3. Borrow another crib if you have to....

Try putting the crib mattress on the ground and see how he does sleeping on it (emotionally and without the rails). The signs will all be there to let you know what he is ready for. It's subtle, but it is new and if he doesn't want to lay down on it then he's not quite ready. If he is thrilled to make this change, then take him to a mattress or furniture store that has toddler beds and see what he gravitates to. Make it as fun and exciting as possible! It is a judgement call, but it's more like judging your son's signs.

Best Of Luck and Congratulations on Your Little Girl!!!

We tried to transition my son to a bed when my daughter was born and it did not work. He was 27 months at the time. He did not end up switching out of the crib until a month before he turned 3 (it had a toddler rail on it, not the crib rail). It is different for each kid. My daughter just transitioned herself at 2 1/2. Just decided one day she was no longer sleeping in the crib!