9 Steps to a Smooth Crib to Toddler Bed Transition

The crib to toddler bed transition can be a challenge for many parents. Learn what you should do when you make the switch.

For each of my kids, the decision to transition to a toddler bed happened when they climbed out of their baby cribs.

One fell on the floor and cried while another landed on his feet, wondering how he got there. And the other somehow straddled the ledge of his crib, hooting and hollering, “Mama look, horse-y!”

You may have found yourself in the same predicament, shocked and scared to learn that your toddler can now climb out of the crib.

Perhaps you’re pregnant and want to get her a new bed rather than another crib for the baby. Whether she wants to or not, she needs to adjust to a toddler bed to make room for her new sibling.

Or maybe she likes the idea of a big bed and its newfound independence. No more “baby” crib for her!

No matter the reason, the transition from a crib to a toddler bed can often come out of nowhere, forcing parents like you and me to act fast.

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9 steps to a smooth crib to toddler bed transition

The thing is, after having slept in a crib all her life, your child might still find a toddler bed overwhelming.

She runs after you as you make your way to leave the room, or wakes up in the middle of the night wanting to sleep in your bed. She might even feel resentful of the new baby sleeping in “her” crib, or overcome with sadness at no longer having her old sleeping arrangement.

However normal or expected these emotions may be, they can still feel challenging for many parents. Thankfully, you can do plenty not only to respond to her behavior, but to prepare her for a toddler bed to begin with.

Let’s begin with preparing her for the transition into a toddler bed. Later, we’ll talk about what to do when that transition doesn’t go so well.

1. Frame the change as something positive

Your toddler can feel overwhelmed with this big change in her life. One of the best ways to ease her anxieties is to frame the toddler bed as something positive.

For instance, talk about how much she has grown so much that she no longer fits in the crib and now needs a new bed. Get her excited about the idea of hopping in and out of bed in the mornings and evenings, all on her own.

And don’t say that you need the crib for the new baby (even if it’s true). Instead, talk about how she’s growing up so fast that she can be just like mom and dad with her own bed.

At the same time, keep your enthusiasm in check. Have a genuine conversation without overdoing how cool sleeping in a toddler bed is. She’ll see right through the antics and might feel more anxious than excited.

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2. Install a toddler rail

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Confession time: One of my twins fell a few times on the floor because it took me that long to finally get a toddler rail. The poor thing slept in a convertible crib didn’t include an extra side rail. I even tried putting pillows on the floor to catch him should he fall (#momfail).

Thankfully, nothing happened to him, but in hindsight, I now see that the risk for injury was real and I should’ve installed a crib rail sooner.

If your crib doesn’t come with a separate bed rail, you can still buy an attachment. This will allow your child to still get in and out of bed, but prevent him from falling should he roll around.

And make sure you get one for the right bed size, whether a crib that converts, toddler beds, or twin beds. We got this bed rail that attaches to a converted bed.

Toddler bed vs twin bed: which one you should choose.

3. Explain the rules

As exciting a toddler bed can be, explain to your child the rules she should follow. After all, this is still so new for her—it’d be unfair to expect her to know how to behave without prior experience or explanation.

For instance, let her know she should stay in bed until you come in to get her up. Or you can get an alarm clock with a light timer that turns on, signaling the time she can get out of bed.

4. Read books about sleeping in a bed

Reading children’s books is a fantastic way to help your toddler understand changes in his life, including a new toddler bed. Hearing how other characters deal with a new bed will help him feel less alone and anxious.

Read these books during your bedtime routine so you can open a dialogue about what to expect. Then, continue to read them as he settles into the new sleeping arrangement. Here are a few books specifically about sleeping in a new bed:

5. Make the room safe and comfortable

Think of your child’s room as her new “crib.”

In the past, she was contained within her crib, but with a toddler bed, she now has access to her entire room. Even if you explain that she’s to stay in bed, don’t assume that she’ll follow that rule every time.

Instead, make the room baby-proofed by:

removing clutter she can trip on in the middle of the night
clearing the pathway to the bedroom door in case she tries to open it
putting toys you don’t let her play with unsupervised in a different room
moving most items out of the way to lessen any danger now that she’s more mobile
securing the dresser, changing table, lamps, or drawers
clearing cords out of the way
covering electric outlets

At the same time, keep the room comfortable and calm. Remove battery toys that light up or make sounds—now that she has access to them, she might play with or even step on them by accident. And keep it tidy and organized to avoid over-stimulation.

6. Use a night light

Your toddler might feel scared transitioning to a toddler because of a fear of the dark. In fact, I believe my eldest kiddo began climbing out of his crib in the first place for that reason.

If you feel like he’s afraid of the dark, consider using a night light to ease his anxieties. And even if he had been fine with the dark, a night light will help him see, should he get out of bed for any reason. Even though he should stay in bed, the last thing you want is for him to trip or bump into something.

How to help your toddler stay in bed.

When your child resists sleeping in a toddler bed

Let’s say you did all the above: you talked about the transition from a crib to a toddler bed and read books all about it. You encouraged your child with positive words and even bought him a new night light.

What if, despite all those steps, he has a meltdown? I’m talking a banging-on-the-door, won’t-stop-crying, “Don’t leave me Mama!” meltdown.

Not all kids take to a toddler bed smoothly. Even though I was relieved my twins took to their toddler beds easily, my eldest didn’t want anything to do with his new one. What can parents do in these cases?

7. Close the door

My son had reached the age when he kept wanting to leave the room. Any time he didn’t want to stay in bed, he’d escape the room and look for us.

The thing is, we didn’t want him roaming our home while we were asleep, and instead wanted him to sleep safely in bed. So, we made sure to close the door to prevent him from getting out on his own, just as the rails of a crib had prevented him from getting out and about.

8. Check in every few minutes

Now that you can keep your child in her room, you can then check in on her every few minutes.

Let’s say she’s still crying when you close the door to her room. Start by setting your timer for five minutes. When it goes off, open the door, walk her back to bed, and tuck her in. Explain that she needs to sleep in her bed and that you’re in the next room. Then walk out and close the door.

Keep this and all interactions subdued and minimal, and 30 seconds at most.

Then, set your timer for 10 minutes, and do the same thing. If she’s still crying at the 10-minute mark, open the door and walk her back to bed again. And repeat at 15 minutes again until she finally falls asleep. If you have your old baby monitor, you can use it to see what she’s up to without needing to open the door.

Another thing: It’s okay if she falls asleep on the floor for a few nights. There’s no need to carry her back to her bed and risk waking her up in the process.

Take a look at these items that will help make for a smooth toddler bed transition.

9. Encourage your child to sleep in her bed, not yours

I get that we’re always there for our kids when they’re scared. But letting your child sleep in your bed tells him that his bed and room aren’t safe places to be.

Instead, avoid the temptation to give in and let him sleep in your bed. As tired as you might be, this only reinforces his beliefs that he belongs in your room, not his.

Acknowledge his fear (“You’re scared because you’re sleeping in a bed for the first time”). Then, comfort and reassure him that all is well and his bed is a warm and safe place to sleep.

Tip: Spend plenty of time in his room during the day (and similarly, avoid using it as a “timeout”) so he associates it with a positive place to be.

Conclusion

It took about two weeks before our eldest was 100% fine sleeping in his toddler bed. No sitting next to him, no yanking on the doorknob, and we didn’t find him asleep on the floor. He slept the whole night in his bed, safe and snug.

Your child may be the same or completely different, like my twins. With them, they had the added benefit of not being alone in the room, which helped them feel less scared. They also saw from day one their big brother sleeping in a big boy bed and knew the transition was a normal one.

Whether your child is eager or scared, the crib to toddler bed transition is a big milestone to reach. No longer is she the little baby you laid in the crib, but is now a big kid, complete with her own big kid bed.

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