Kids move into single bed- what age?

Question

At what age did your kids move from a cot into a single bed?

How did they handle it.?

Did you use one of those "guard rails" or some other device?

Any advice please..

Answer 1

Around age 2 it's fine to move them to a single bed. What are these guard rails??? The child will sleep fine. If so worried, put some pillows down but they won't fall at that age. And you won't buy such a high bed, will you?

Answer 2

He moved to a "big boy bed" at 18 months -- it was a bed that had removable guard rails, but we stopped using the rails at about age 3, when he stopped tossing so much in his sleep!

Answer 3

My daughter was ousted at 2, to make way for her younger brother, she was bought a bed that is low to the ground and I bought a side rail that you can lift up and down so they can get in and out of bed. She is now 4 and has decided to get rid of the rail, and had consequently fallen out three times....she has learnt, lol

Our son is only 20 months and is not ready to go to a bed yet so his baby brother or sister is stuck with the porta cot for a little while. We already have our sons bed in the shed still in a box, but he is in the process of seeing specialists for a minor problem and I figure it will be too traumatic getting a sibling and having to move beds etc.

Good luck with moving, most kids adapt really well, as others have said, buying funky bedding and letting them decide where the bed is going to be set up can really help, but keep going forward as much as possible, if your son keeps wanting to get in the cot, you may have to remove it completely.  

Answer 4

We moved our children from cribs to beds when they were old enough to climb out of the crib. (At about two).  We told them that they were ready for "big girl" beds and let them select their favourite sheets and comforters (cartoon characters, usually). They handled it fairly well, given the fact that they had some control over the situation. Guard rails were used for about a year at most.  

Some important rules: with all of the new mattress depths now, make sure that whatever contour sheets you buy are well fitted, with at least 4"  over the bottom edge.  Never, ever purchase a waterbed for a child (or let a baby rest on one!).  Our personal rule: plush animals taken to sleep with had to be 12" or less- with no beanies (beanbags).   Any other critters had to "sleep at the foot of the bed-to watch over them."  

Answer 5

My son's crib converted to a toddler bed.  We changed it over as soon as he was able to climb up out of the crib - in his case, at 16 months. It has a rail but there is an opening at the bottom for him to get in and out on his own.  

Answer 6

i kept my kids in the crib till about 15 months, then i moved them into a toddler bed until around age 4. Then they got twin beds once they were old enough to stop falling out of bed. I would start with a toddler bed. They are low to the ground and wont hurt much if they fall out. That way they can get use to a real bed and move on to a bigger bed when they are ready.

Answer 7

About 18 months or whenever they get good at crawling out of the crib by themselves.  I put mine in a toddler bed until about 3 years, it's easy it get in and not far to fall.   You can put a guard on it, but really they can do fine if one side is next to the wall.  You can put the twin mattress on the floor if you don't have a toddler bed, and most 3 year olds can sleep in a twin bed without falling off all the time.  Sometimes kids DO NOT want to give up their bed for the new size bed.  Especially if you are trying to get one out of the crib so the other can use it.  You make it special, like a big boy bed, and celebrate it.  You're growing up so well, I'm so proud of you, and they will feel proud too.

Answer 8

General rule; when they can pull themselves upright because it won't be long after until they try climbing out of the crib. My wife used baby pillows under the bottom sheet to keep the kid from falling out.

Answer 9

All of my kids were in their big girl/boy bed by the age of 2.  The crib did convert to a toddler bed but by the time they were ready I had another baby so they went to a single with guard rails.  It was not easy they got out of bed all the time.  You just have to keep taking them back to the bed and tell them they have to go to sleep like a big girl/boy.  It will take a few nights to have things settle down but it is worth it in the end.  Plus you know your child better than anyone so if you think they are ready to move to the new bed then it is time.  There is no right or wrong answer.  Good luck!

Answer 10

All my children moved out of the crib and into the big boy or big girl bed at 16 months. That's when they could climb out of their crib

Answer 11

i got mine when i was about 4 or 5 cause i kept climbing out

id give my child one when its 4

but keep their diapers on for one year unless their potty trained

Answer 12

my daughter was around 2, i didnt use gaurd rails since i just put a mattress on the floor for the first while. she is now going to be 7, and still falls out of bed sometimes haha. gaurd rails are a good idea for the first bit though.

Answer 13

Hi Steve,

My kids were "kicked out" of their cots when their newborn brothers came along. Blake was 2 years and 4 months, Tyler was 2 years and 7 months.

We used the safety rails on one side, and the other side was pushed up against the wall. I dont think they have ever fell out of their beds!

They were quite good actually, they never used to get out of bed at bedtime. I think the novelty of having the new bed with their own special doona covers was enough to make them stay there.

I ordered brodies bed on the weekend. It should arrive today or tomorrow. His has built in side rails, so don't need to worry there. Being the third child he copped the smallest room, so I bought him a bed with storage space underneath. Here it is :

http://www.lilysplayhouse.com.au/special...

I don't know how he will go being in a bed, he tends to be mischievous! However he is getting to big for the cot, so it's time! I've put it off long enough. We'll soon see . . . . ! He is 2 and 2 months old.

Is it time for Joseph to make the big move too? Good luck!!

Answer 14

We moved ours all at different times. Tobias was in his bed at 11 months, because Master Tobias is a climber. Couldn't walk, but he could climb - lol!

I never used a guard rail. I left the bed and when he got used to it, he got his legs put on it.

William moves just after 2yo. He moved with no hassles. Straight into the bed, with no rails, and legs intact.

Master Dominik was at 4.5 and moved into a bed.

None of the boys have fallen out of bed. They are doing really well. Andrew and I forever fall out of bed. We are so dopey lol!! ;)

When Joseph wants to move, move him. I say he needs to feel it's time, more than you do. It's a big step, and I think he will be fine. I kept the cots in the room, if they want to use them, they were there. But they didn't want to know them.

Picking out super cool bedding was fun for them. Dominik was Bionicles, William was Spiderman, and Tobias was Thomas The Tank. Cost us about $60 for the new bedding, but hey it made their life easier, therefore making mine easier.

Good Luck.

Let me know how you go. :D

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Answer 15

at 3 year old your best bet my friend!!