Baby Talk - Toddler Beds

Here are a few things to consider when transitioning your child from a crib to a toddler bed.

• Making the Transition – There is no hard and fast rule as to when to move your toddler from a crib to a toddler bed, as is true with most developmental milestones. When your child is ready, you will know! Usually, toddlers move out of their crib between 18 months and 3 1/2 years old. Height should also be a consideration, since once your child is 3 feet tall, climbing out of the crib is feasible. This then becomes a safety concern.
• Easing the Transition – This is a change for your toddler, so time it when other things are relatively normal – no new daycare situation, no starting potty training, no new sister or brother. Involving your child in selecting new sheets, comforters, and stuffed animals makes it an exciting, and less scary, situation. A new bed should not equate to a new bedtime routine.
• Remembering Safety – Consider where to place the new bed – away from the window, drapery cords, heat registers, etc. Be sure to leave space on each side of the bed to prevent your child from being trapped between the wall and the bed. Although your house is already toddler proofed, take another look because now your child has the capacity to “roam” during the night. Considerations may include installing a safety gate at stairs, locking doors to the basement, securing higher cabinets that contain cleaning supplies and medicines, bolting bookshelves and televisions to the wall, and securing dresser drawers with safety latches to prevent climbing.
• Practicing Patience – This may not be an easy transition for either you or your toddler. Calmly returning a wandering child back to bed and leaving the room quickly makes your expectations clear. Rewarding your child for staying in bed – earning a sticker or reading an extra bedtime story – reinforces good behavior.

What suggestions do you have for making the transition from a crib to a toddler bed? Please, share.