When to Transition a Toddler

Many parents and doctors seem to agree on one concern about transitioning your child from a crib: don’t force it.   If your little one sleeps well in his crib and is happy and content then leave them in the crib.  However, if your child is climbing their crib rails and jumping out, then it is probably time to make the transition. 

Most toddlers transition from a crib around the ages of 18 months to 36 months.  Once a child transitions they will have new freedoms to roam the house at anytime, unsupervised, so make sure you prepare yourself and his or her surroundings.  In the days before the move you will need to go over the childproofing in the room. You can also invest in a gate. You can put the gate in your child’s doorway and let him know that it is there for his safety. This way his doorwill remain open, but he won’t be entirely free to wander. Once you begin potty training this will need to go, but it may be a good start

Make sure that the outlets are covered and that any large furniture is mounted securely to the wall. If he already plays in his room quite a bit, then you’ve probably childproofed it well, but it’s a good idea to go through the room to double-check for any possible hazards. Your child will be getting out of his bed on his own now, and he’ll need to be able to see where he’s going. If the nightlight is dim, you might consider a small lamp to brighten the room a little more.

Before you make the transition you should prepare your child for the switch to a new kids bed.  Let them know they going to be moving to their big boy/girl bed soon. Making them a part of the decision process in choosing a new bed will get them excited about the move too.

To transition, remove the crib and position your new bed in the same place as the crib.  Falling asleep and waking to familiar sites in his room makes the move easier. Use the same blankets from the crib for a while, even if too small. This will bring them comfort and familiarity.

When choosing a new bed makesure it is low to the ground and has guardrails or bumpers to help prevent them from falling out at night.  Also make sure there is nothing for them to bump into at night or bang into as the crawl into or out of bed.

Once they have made it through a night celebrate the new move! Have a little celebration with cake or other goodies to give them a sense of accomplishment.  The biggest thing is too enjoy the experience and most of all be patient throughout the process.