Move Child To A Bed

You know that your child is growing when you’re considering if you should move them out of a crib into a bed. It’s one of those rites of passage for a child that means a lot to you as a parent - your kid may be excited for it but they’ll quickly forget the move and they won’t remember it in future years.

You’re likely both excited and nervous about the move. Your child is growing up, they’re learning new skills, and they’re about to move into a phase where they can get out of the bed very easily by themselves. For a first time parent, this is one of the unknowns that you will go through with your child that may seem scary at the time, but when you look back on it you’ll realize that it really was just another milestone for your child.

Of course, with your child now easily able to get out of their bed, you may have a hard time getting them to actually stay in their bed. This may start a period where you’re in and out of their bedroom a lot more, and there’s a good chance that you’ll move into a sleep regression phase for some period of time. You’re literally changing the environment that your child is sleeping in and that they’ve become accustomed to. For many, this will be a tough transition period.

Deciding when to move your child into a bed should be pretty straightforward. When they are climbing over their crib sides, it’s time. You can do it before then as well if you want, but you shouldn’t wait much longer after that. It’s quite dangerous to continue to let your kids climb over the edge of the crib as it’s quite easy for them to fall. As soon as they start to do so, it’s time to get them into a bed.

If you have a crib where one (or both) of the sides comes off of the crib, then getting them out of the crib is quite simple. Take off the side of the crib, and let them continue to sleep in the bed. Many cribs allow for the side to be removed and it will allow your kids to make the transition easier - their environment shift is smaller as they’re still in the same bed, just without a side.

If your crib doesn’t transition to a toddler bed, then you have to decide what bed to get for your child. While you could go with a toddler bed, it’s probably better just to jump to the bed they’ll be sleeping in until they move out of the house. Toddler beds are closer to the ground, but they’re also a pretty temporary solution, and you’ll be looking to upgrade to a larger bed within a few years anyways.

If you’re worried about your toddler rolling around in their bed and falling off the edge, place some pillows or something else soft on the floor next to the bed. Most kids will fall off the edge of the bed at least once as they transition into a bed, and they’re often not too phased by it. Some kids will fall off the edge multiple times (our youngest has fallen off 6+ times)...they’ll learn at some point.

If you believe your child is ready to move into a twin (or larger bed), then make the transition. If you’re unsure if they’re ready, then wait until they’re climbing out of their crib on their own. Moving out of the crib is just one of the many milestones your child will be going through over the next several months.