What's the best way to transition a toddler from a crib to a toddler bed?

Question

We are at the crossroads between crib and toddler. Some nights, she sleeps well in her "big girl bed". Other nights, she gets up. What, in your opinion, is the best way to make the transition?

Answer 1

I had all three of my children in a room with both from the time they were 18 months to 2 years.  At naptime and bedtime, I always gave them the choice.  Once they were consistently choosing the big bed, I took the other one down.  Then, even if they got up at night, they were put back in the big bed. (I put rails on both sides of the big bed, so there was not a falling issue.)

Actually, once they had grown to the point where their legs would get knocked into the bars of the crib, the big bed was a lot more comfortable.  But, I did wait until it was their choice.

Good luck with this!

Answer 2

We just put a matress on the floor and put up a baby gate to block the door.

Answer 3

The big girl bed is still new.  Before she was sort of confined so she didn't have anything else to do but go back to sleep.  I would try the baby gate at the door.  I would try a reward system of some kind for the nights that she stays in the big girl bed.  I myself had my toddler watch as I took down the crib, all the whle telling him that he and his big brother were getting a bunk bed from their grandma, and he was getting his very own "bunk" on the bottom.  We put up the bunk bed immediately after the crib came down.  He slept in it really well.   At first he would get up, I just would put him back.  I never used a gate in his doorway, but I had another child sharing the same room.  Some times he had to be rocked to sleep then I placed him in his bed, but he got the idea pretty fast.  He was two at the time too.  Good Luck!

Answer 4

we went straight from the crib to a twin size bed and i let them both pick out what the bedding was gong to be and they have both slept in them since. they liked the fact that they have a room that they got to pick out and i also have a lamp that has a night light mode on it.they rarely get up but when they do we just put them back into bed you have to be consistent with them.

Answer 5

I know it might be hard, but take the toddler bed down. Involve her, and explain that she is a big girl and its time. She may not like it, but sometimes a Mommy's gotta do what a Mommy's gotta do right?

: ) just a suggestion.

Answer 6

i just put bobbi in her bed as soon as she turned one, with a side rail, when she climbed off , i just kept putting her back and she got the hint after about a week or so.

goodluck

Answer 7

For us, it was an easy transition because my daughter has the convertible crib.  When she started climbing in and out on her own, we removed one rail to trun it into a toddler bed.  So for her, it was sleeping in the same bed  :)

Answer 8

The key is being really consistent.  I put the mattress on the floor of the room in the corner where his crib used to be.  This way, he can't hurt himself if he falls off or tries to get out of bed.  

Just make sure that her room is totally baby proofed. When it's bedtime, lay her down in her big girl bed and close the door or put up a gate, whatever you'd prefer.  If she gets up (which she probably will) just let her cry at the door/gate and she will go to sleep.  It will probably take a few days of her realizing that this is her new place to sleep, but the crying at the door will get boring for her after a few days.  You'll probably find her on the floor sleeping sometimes, but that's okay, as long as there is nothing in her room that can hurt her in any way, she will be fine.

Just make sure you stick with the transition whatever you decide to do, because they are so much smarter than we think.  She will remember that you went in and got her, etc and will continue to fight going to sleep in her new bed.  Good luck :)

Answer 9

I was a bit scared letting my daughter sleep in a toddler bed where she could get up and end up sleeping on the floor or in her closet.  One day I just decided no more crib, took the bedding and all of her stuffed animals (she sleeps with ridiculous amount of stuffed animals there's barely room for her but that's how she likes it), and put it on the toddler bed.  The first morning after I did this I found her still in the toddler bed when I went to wake her in the morning. I did this with her having already been sleeping in her own room for about 9 months. If she's sleeping in a toddler bed in your room I think she'll be more likely to wake and want to climb in bed with you.  

As a side, sometimes til this day I'll go to wake my daughter in the morning and I'll find her sleeping in her closet, on top of her biggest bear on the floor, and once even in her brother's crib. She's two and a half now, so I guess all babies will once in awhile wake in the night and fall asleep wherever they feel is comfy to them.

Answer 10

my daughter started hating her crib...she'd scream every time i put her in it(i guess it felt like jail?)anyhoo. when i took her out of it and into a toddler bed she slept much better, and didn't mind going to bed as much...part of using a toddler bed is having to put them back into it a whole lot...it's a pain but you gotta let them know that it's not play time it's sleep time. if you wanna sleep in a big- girl bed, you have to stay in bed like a big- girl.

Answer 11

i just did it. i took out the crib and put in the toddler bed one day while she was at daycare. she was 13 months old but could walk. if she gets out of her bed that is her business as long as she's quite and there has been a couple of nights she falls asleep by her gate.

Answer 12

Some days are probablly easier than others. She may feel really confident and want to be a big girl and sleep in her big girl bed and others she may just neep the comfort of her parents. what i did with my son is let him know that this his big boy bed and his only. Got him used to the idea of being a big boy and comfortable with sleeping in his "special" big boy bed that was just for him. He loved it. it made him feel  relaxed about trying something new .