When to Move to a Big Boy Bed

When both of my girls turned 2 we took their mattress out of their crib and put it on the floor. We told them we were getting them ready for a bigger bed. We then moved them to a toddler bed a few weeks later. When they didn't roll off of the mattress much anymore. Then when they turned three we made a big deal about them getting a big kid bed and had a bed specially made for them. By then they weren't rolling off of the bed and weren't scared that they would.

Now your children may be different and you may not want to even use the toddler bed. That is what we did to transition them. We were given the toddler bed. If you want to go that route and don't want to purchase a new one, thrift stores, salvation army, or friends/family might have one for you. There really is no age you "have" to move them, it is solely up to when you feel your little one is ready. I personally recommend the mattress on the floor for a while. But that was us. Good luck and God Bless.

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Keep him in the crip as long as possible! Both of my girls slept in their cribs until they were almost 4 years old. He he's sleeping in the crib good, don't mess with him. And we didn't even mess with the toddler bed we went from crib to big girl beds. I had asked my doctor when my oldest was about 18 monts and the advise was to leave sleeping babies alone! There is no hard and fast rule on when to move them. But if they are sleeping good and not climbing out then leave them in their beds.

Good luck!

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Hi C., I have a son sho is 2 1/2 and I moved him to a big boy bed a month before he turned 2. He was just getting two big for his bed and he was running back and forth in it. We thought that he was going to get out of his bed a lot when we switched him but to our surprise he did really well and stayed in bed. We bought our son a full size bed that way if we needed to lay in bed with him we could and because they grow so fast we didn't want to waste our money on a toddler bed. He really loves his big boy bed. Good luck when you switch him! God Bless you and your family!

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Hi C.,
We just bought my grandson who is 2 1/2 his big boy bed.
We spent the last few weeks going to different furniture stores, trying out beds, having fun with him and talking alot about the new bed he would get. We ended up buying him a low to the ground platform bed, less risk if he fell out.
By the time we actually bought it and the bed was delivered, he was ready for it. He also picked out his new bedding (monkeys, his favorite) which made it even more fun for him.
The first 2 nights my daughter laid down with him, after that no problems what so ever.
I think the key was to prepare him ahead of time.
Good luck,
C.

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I moved my little girl into a toddler bed on her 2nd bday. Some ppl on here thought it was a bit too young so I would say between 2 and 2.5 yrs old. 18 months seems a bit young but all children are different and if you think he will handle it well, go for it!! With my daughter (developmentally) 18 months was too young for her but at 2 she did great!! Good luck!!

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Hi C.,
I just moved my little girl to a big girl bed 2 weeks ago. She is 23 months old. I started talking about a big girl bed a few weeks before we got one. I would ask her at night time when I would lay her down and ask her if she was a big girl and ready for a big girl bed. She would get all excited and say yes. We took her with us when we went shopping and she got really excited. She checked out all the mattresses. Then when we set the bed up she was so proud of it and climbed up in it several times during the day and would yell for me to come see her and say "I big girl bed!" It was all too cute! We bought her a twin size bed and put the rails ont he sids so she wouldn't roll off. We haven't had any trouble with her going to sleep b/c she is still excited that she is now a "big girl." Good luck to you!! It really makes you realize you baby is growing up when you move them out of the crib!

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lot of good responses here, and every child is different, but for what it's worth my son was about 18 months. he never showed any signs of wanting to get out of the crib or his big boy bed (and still is a great sleeper) so it worked for us. i don't think there's a magic number, just keep it in mind. the only real reason i can think of that he would "have" to be switched over (assuming he doesn't get to be 5 years old and still sleeping in a crib!) is when/if he starts climbing out of it. until then i would say do what feels right. :)

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I agree, it depends on the child.Usually around 2 or so, but it varies widely. If he still fits in it, and he is not climbing out, leave him there.
My parents left my younger sister and I in the crib until we were around 4, but that is because they had 7 children. (and we were very small children) We were number 6 and 7 and it just wasn't that easy for them to purchase beds right away each time they had a new child. We survived just fine.
My own girls were around 2, and it was because I wanted them in beds, not because they needed to change. My son was barely 1, but he was a climber, and the floor of his room was hard wood, so it was a safety issue with him. At least he didn't have as far to fall from a "big boy bed" as would have if he had fallen climbing out of that crib.
You'll know when the time is right.

When you do transition, if he is hesitant, it helps to have the new bed in his room for a night or two where he can look at it, and as at least one other mom has said, let him help pick out his new sheets. Maybe try naps in it at first, then as he gets used to it, you can get rid of the crib.
My two oldest didn't have a problem, but my youngest was so attached to her crib that we had trouble taking it out of her room even after she was happily sleeping in her big girl bed. We had to have a little "good-bye ceremony" for it when it finally left to help her cope. LOL ! She stood at the door saying "bye-bye bed" with the saddest little eyes .... broke my heart .... but I think she got over it quicker than I did ! LOL !
Every kid is different, but these moms have given you some good reference points. You'll just know when the time is right.

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My daughter was about 2 1/2 when we bought her a big girl bed. Thats when we were potting training her and I wanted her to be able to get up and tell me she had to potty. Some mothers that have sons say its a good indication when they start climbing out themselves...lol. My daughter never even tried.

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Good Morning C., I think Mom's gut feelings will do just wonderfully. Some children do very well at his age, others aren't ready until 2-2 1/2 or later. I think they put Corbin in his BB Bed around 2 1/2 as they were expecting a new baby. New baby just turned 1 last Thursday. We put our son's in Bigger Beds when they started climbing out of the crib. Bunk beds with rails sat on the floor until they were old enough to be stacked.

Use your best judgement C., you will doing wonderfully well.

YEAH Dad Thank you for your Service to our Country, God Bless and keep you safe always. Hope you get to stick around the Home fires for a long long time.

God Bless you all
K. Nana of 5

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I agree with the other mom, I'm not really sure there is a specific time just when they are ready. My son mostly slept with us anyway so he was used to big beds and my daughter couldn't wait to get out of her crib into a big bed. I bought the siderails that extend nearly the length of the bed and connect with eachother between the matresses so they didn't move (no chance of getting caught and suffocation) and left them to it. I'd say both of mine were sleeping in regular full size beds (boxsprings and all) by 18 mos. We did try a toddler bed for my daughter but she was more interested in being a big girl than transitioning which was no problem for me! Go with the flow and see how your son reacts. I think it's all in your approach to him as to whether it's going to be a fun experience or frightening.

Another thing that really helps...get some bedding that he will love...lots of resale characters on ebay for cheap...buzz lightyear, Disney, chipmucks, transformers, star wars, etc... It's a psyche thing...if he has someplace he likes and looks forward to going to then he can't wait to get between the sheets! ;) Good luck.

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My pediatrician actually told me to wait until my son was 3 if he wasn't climbing out. We moved him into one about 4-5 months before his 3rd b-day just because we were having another boy and needed his crib. My daughter just turned 2 and I'll keep her in the crib as long as I can. She enjoys sitting in there and playing. She did climb out once and I was worried thinking I'd have to put her in a big bed, but she hasn't done it since and she's my climber.

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Great question. I have a story about my expereince since we just went throug this. My son is now 3 1/2. I had the same question for awhile. When I asked my Dr at my son's 3 yr old appt, yes he was still in a crib, he kinda freaked out and said he was worried I was displaying the disease where you try to keep your children babies (??). I was like what on earth is he talking about. My son was NEVER a good sleeper, he occasionally sleep walks when he sleeps really deep and he started really liking his crib around 18 months. So we were all sleeping, safe. So I never considered I had to move him to a big boy bed for HEALTH reasons. When I explained I was the farthest from that disease, my son was off bottles when he was 11 months, in daycare, walked at 10 months, loves to be called a big boy and we constatly push him to be big and not act like a baby. Well, he recommended that we put him in a big boy bed asap. I took it with a grain of salt. My son has always done things on his terms when he was ready. I have found that the more I push, the more he refuses. So to make this as less dramatic as possible since my son Loved his crib, my husband and I started having open discussions about it in front of him, like wow he is so big he will need a big boy bed soon. Then one night, when I put him in his crib (he never once tried to get out) he hugged me and said I want a big boy bed now. The very next day he picked out his sheets, pillow (spiderman of course) and new bedspread. We never looked back. He now loves his big boy bunkbed. I am a nervous wreck with the idea that he could be up and running around. He does get up a few times, but nothing major. That was about 6 months ago.

So, I can tell you that you will get all kinds of reactions from peopel about sleeping in a big boy bed. I had so many people judge and look at me like i was crazy for letting my son sleep in a crib until he was 3. But it was his choice and I really did not care what people thought as long as we were all sleeping. We had no signs of when it was ready either. We told my son the option was there and when he was ready to let us know.

My point is to make the decision based on safety and if he wants to have a big boy bed. My Dr seemed annoyed ot learn I waited and let my son make the decision. But, he is very happy in his bed.

Good luck,

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We actually moved our daughter into a big girl bed around 17-18 months. Her crib got recalled, so instead of buying her a new one, or moving to a toddler bed (which I think is a complete waste of money) we just opted for a twin bed. We have it on a frame set at the lowest possible height setting, and her mattress is on a bunkie board. If you're not familiar with bunkie boards, it's just like a box spring, only about 1 inch thick. So, her bed is only about 1.5 feet off the ground. We made it a big deal and let her pick out her sheets. And told her what a big girl she is. She absolutely LOVES her bed. We didn't have any problems at all with the transition.

You could always try a big bed and use rails, we didn't use them though, and we haven't had any problems. She fell out once and didn't even wake up.

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My youngest is almost 21 months and we are hoping to move her into a toddler size bed within the next couple of weeks. My oldest also transitioned about this time. I think it really depends on the child though. My daughter is trying to climb out and she has been starting to potty train so we are thinking that some things will be easier if she can get out of bed by herself. She also loves to climb into her sisters bed and lay down. She is a good sleeper so we don't think she will have any problems. Our oldest was not a good sleep and she actually slept better once we put her in the toddler bed. I think it was comforting to her just knowing that she could come into Mommy and Daddy's room if she woke up so she didn't need to come in as much.

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I dont think their one specific age to know when to move them, I think it all depends on the child. When you feel its time is when you do it. You can start by putting his mattress on the floor see how he does with that, you can test it see how he does. My son never tried to climb out altho I always had a crib tent up so the cat couldnt get in. I just knew he was ready cuz he would cry a couple of times thru the night I would put him back in his crib and he would wake an hr later, he kept doing this, one night I was soo tired I just brought him to our spare bedroom put him in the bed he fell right to sleep so I laid in the bed with him and we slept all night. We converted his crib into a fullsize bed and put a rail up on the other side he was a couple of months shy of turning 2. He does great in his big, big boy bed.

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My son moved into his toddler bed before 2 yrs of age and at 21/2 into his twin size bed never had any issues with him geting out once hes asleep he usually doesn't wake up till morning and now for my daughter she is still in a crib but will move her into a twin size bed over the next few weeks now i'am concerned with her because she stirs at nite sometimes.But since baby #3 is on the way i'd like for her to get into it and be comfortable she'll be 2 in Januarary so it's time to move her out of the crib.That is a personal choice and you may discover what else is best for your son but my kids outgrew the ceib before 2 yrs of age my son sooner

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My son just turned 2 in September. He started climbing out of his crib a few months before his birthday. We wanted to wait until he was 2 before we transitioned him. He is staying in his crib but he wants out. We are in the process of doing his big boy room and he is excited about it. We are making a huge deal out of it so that he will want to be in a new room with a cool new bed. Hope this helps you!

I will be watching this post as I have wondered the same thing. My twins are 20 months and I think moving them to a big boy bed now would be a nightmare! My husband and I are thinking when they are 2 1/2 years old... so in about a year.

Age of 2 years old is the recommended age unless your child is climbing out of his/her crib, which can cause serious injuries. Transition him/her to a toddler bed and then to a big kid bed at age of 4. I just bought my son's toddler bed from Wal-Mart's website. You can order from site to store and avoid shipping charges. His bed was $50 and he loves it. It took about a week for him to get used to it. His day care teacher said it usually takes a week to two weeks for the transition. She always knows when one of her kids has moved from crib to toddler or big kid bed because they are very sleepy and cranky. I bought his bedding at www.beyondbedding.com. We love it and the quality is very, very good.

I think it depends on the child. My oldest was in a crib until he was 3 but the rail was down and he could climb in and out at will. My other 2 started climbing out of the crib at a year old and it was dangerous to leave them in it even with the rail down. They would fall out of bed with it down, and climb to the top and fall out with it up. We put in a toddler bed with a small rail guard and they were so close to floor that falling out, if they did, was not hard on them. Once the toddler bed was set up they seemed to understand how to get in and out of it without getting hurt.

When it is time, you will know.

I enjoyed reading the responses because my daughter is nearing 2 years old. With our son I couldn't exactly remember how old he was when we moved him. I just remember that he was getting too big for the crib and we had to make the transition...lol. I appreciate everyone's responses the question you posted! Thanks so much!

Honestly it just depends on your child. My oldest was between 18mo and 2y/o. Since we live with my parents, he shared a room with me, so I was right there with him if he got out of bed etc... My youngest however, is 2.5 and is still in a crib for a couple reasons. One, we still live with my parents, but are in a different house, and he and I have the basement to ourselves, well that means no bedroom door! So if he was in a big boy bed, he could get up and do whatever w/o me knowing if I was sleeping! Also, he is my wild man, and he won't lay down to go to sleep in a big boy bed for more then a minute! LOL We've tried with big brother's bed (Why he was gone on the weekend) and it just doesn't work! He climbs out of his crib, but he's been doing that since he turned 2, it's set up so that he won't hurt himself when he does so. Plus that way if he climbs out why I'm sleeping, I'll hear him and wake up. It just works best this way... Probably after his 3rd Bday I'll get bunk beds and have the boys share a room. Hopefully that will work!! ANYHOW, enough of my rambling! LOL Just use your judgement and see how he does! You can always do a trail run too (using your bed or a spare bed if you have one..) Good Luck!

our oldest was 16-18 months, middle child was around 18 months and youngest was around 14 months. I think between 16 months-2 years is average but depends on each child. If your child can climb out of the crib then it's time to move them out of it into a toddler bed or whatever bed you choose. I used a toddler bed because it was more convenient to use the crib mattress and toddler beds aren't that expensive and are low to the ground so they won't get hurt as bad if they fall out of the bed.
Our oldest had to have both in his room to transition. He liked the crib for naps and his toddler bed for night time. We did this for about 2 weeks then he was ready to sleep in his bed for naps as well and could take the crib down.
Our 2nd child, hubby was going to Korea for a year so I moved close to my family for that year and put a lot of our stuff in storage so just kept what we really needed out so instead of taking her crib, I just took the toddler bed and she adjusted well to it--could have been the transition of moving to a new house and new surroundings so she had to adjust to the new bed as well and didn't seem to have any problems. I did use her comforter set from her crib and had some of the crib toys hanging from her rails at the head and foot of her bed so that probably helped some.
Our youngest would get out of his crib at about 14 months and climb on the top bunk and laugh. Everytime we heard that laugh we knew he was on that bunk so would go get him down. He shared a room with his older brother and we had the bunk beds ready for when he grew out of the crib. After we moved him out of the crib he slept on the bottom bunk and didn't really climb on the top bunk much after that because he was just as content to be in his big boy bed on the bottom bunk. I don't know why he climbed up there when he got out of his crib and wasn't as interested in it after he wasn't sleeping in the crib anymore. We did have the toddler bed but he was more interested in the bottom bunk so we didn't have the toddler bed set up very long and he was content and happy with his new bed.

I noticed you are an Army wife. I too was an army wife and DH retired 5 years ago after 20 years of infantry. I enjoyed being an Army wife and sometimes miss that life but am happy and glad to have those military life experiences. Get involved in your Family Support Group to get to know other wives and I also was very involved in church wherever we lived. I enjoyed being there for other wives that had a hard time when their husbands were gone. I was involved in Family Support and we had a lot of fun and had a lot of good military friends which I still keep in contact with.

I am really glad your husband is home and I hope some day soon he'll stay home for good.
I'm sure you are going to get all kinds of advice on this matter. For my kids, I wanted to move them as soon as I could.

There are a couple of sure signs that you need to move him, if he is just too big for the crib and if he is climbing out. If he is physically too big for the crib, he won't be able to sleep well and if he is climbing out,he could hurt himself.

Both of my kids moved to a big bed at about 2 years old. Some people swear by the toddler beds as a good in between, I was too cheap to buy an extra bed for a short amount of time.
Both of my kids went to water beds, they liked the wave action and I never had to worry about accidents ruining the mattress. My son is 17 and can't sleep on anything else, my daughter is 21 and prefers a box spring mattress.