What age is appropriate to put child in a toddler bed?

Estelle - posted on 04/30/2012

My daughter was in her crib until she started climbing out at 2 years of age. We tried moving her to a toddler bed, but she didn't seem to like it. After two weeks we decided to put her into a regular full size be with a rail on the side. Worked like a charm! She has been sleeping like an angel ever since. If she is already used to a regular size bed since she has been sleeping in yours you might want to skip the toddler bed all together. Worked for us.

Tina - posted on 04/25/2012

It depends on the child if they're used to sleeping with you they may be more likely to climb out and try to get in your bed. My daughter was about 22 months and did great, but she had to because I was about to have twins and was going to use her crib. My boys were about 18 mo and also did great, but I attribute that to their security blankets that they were only allowed to have in bed and they knew that rule. The biggest thing is meaning what you say, if they know they can pull one over on you they will.

Laura - posted on 04/24/2012

Hello Jade! My son was 15 months old when he started climbing out of his crib, so we started just leaving the side down on his crib since his mattress was lower than that. Then he got a "real" toddler bed for his 2nd birthday ( a blue racecar ;) My daughter, never climbed out of her crib but around 2years old we started leaving the side of her crib down so she could easily get out of she wanted to. They're all different so it's really up to you and when you feel confortable.

Elaine - posted on 04/20/2012

I moved my boys to toddler beds when they turned 2 years old. I made it part of their birthday present (Happy Birthday - you get a BED!). My older son took a while to get used to it, but my younger son thought it was the greatest thing ever.

Betty - posted on 04/19/2012

I think its ok to start her out..if you want you can try out a temp bed or something just to see how she does

Ann - posted on 04/19/2012

We get that too! Or else you wake to find them nose to nose with you saying "mom...I have to go potty!"

Mitzi - posted on 04/19/2012

I put my daughter in a single 3/4 bed when she was 15months. the bed comes with sides and it leaves spaces for hervto climb down when she wakes. We havnt had any problems. Maby just the odd now and again she decides to wake in the middle of the night and put her finger in my ear lol :-)

Ann - posted on 04/19/2012

We started switching our girls to a "big girl" bed at 18 months. We used a twin bed with a mattress and a bunkbed platform (instead of a box spring) along with side rails and they all did great.

Katrina - posted on 04/18/2012

My hubby and I thought it was time for our twins to have toddler beds at 18 mos, reason since they where always claiming out of there crib, and I feared that when my hubby and I where asleep they could hurt themselves. Though we waited until they reach two yrs longer then we wanted to. When they first saw there toddler beds they instantly love them. First few night were rough, but we got thur it , a lot of consistency. Always reassure them that the are becoming big boys and that they need a much bigger bed for them to grow big in. Which work occasionally! But now that they are three they pretty much adapt and are very much Big Boys.

Althought it is sweet when you have your kids cozy up and say nite nite mommy, time after time, my hubby and I like to get a good night sleeps alone in our bed, because having twin boys that are almost there and half ft tall in a king bed can become little uncomfortable. :) well good luck and don't give up it will take time for ur lil one to adapt to the change!

Sarah - posted on 04/17/2012

i put my daughter into a toddler bed at 16 months. she has not fallen out at all. i had a c section and is still to this day have issues bending and lifting so getting her into her crib was hard for me, so i changed it and havent had any issues she loves having the freedom of an open bed too :)

Jennifer - posted on 04/11/2012

When your baby can get out of his or her crib on his own

April - posted on 04/11/2012

I put my son in a twin size car bed when he was almost 2 because I was 7 months pregnant and I wanted him to have time to adjust to his new bed in his new room before my daughter was born. I put my daughter in a toddler bed at about the same age because she was close to climbing out of her crib (she was putting her leg up over the rail, but not actually pulling herself up yet) and I didn't want her to get hurt.

Cindy - posted on 04/10/2012

Toddler beds are great when they ask to be in one but they don't always want to be in them. When my kids were about two we put them in a twin bed with sides. Skip the toddler bed they out grow it too quickly. Although with all that freedom remember to leave bells on doors and cupboards and locks up high so they don't get out or into things. I'm the oldest in my family with 7 younger brothers and sisters and four of my own (24-6).

January - posted on 04/10/2012

Whenever you feel is right! I had one at 16 months, one at 2 1/2 years, one at 20 months and one at 18 months. Just depends. My first wouldn't even get out of bed without permissions, my last one won't hardly stay put. Good luck!

Melissa - posted on 04/10/2012

18 months! My son hated the crib! He was soooo excited to have a bed! Just a mesh rail to keep him from falling out, he loves it! He is now 3. I would have never spent money on a crib.

Alaina - posted on 04/10/2012

My daughter was in a toddler bed by 16 months and she is almost 3. She does occasionally sleep with me and her daddy. Normailly she falls asleep in our bed or on the couch and i just put her in her bed. i have her bed in our room becasue her room is on the other end of the house and im not totally comfortable with her being down there yet.

Jade - posted on 04/10/2012

Thanks everyone for the advice. My daughter's crib is convertible so luckily I won't have to buy anything, just install the bed rail. She just started potty training this weekend, not because I wanted to but she decided she was ready and was asking for the potty lol so I think I'll wait until she's a little more potty trained to change her bed so it's not too much change at once. Thanks again for the help :)

Sarah - posted on 04/09/2012

I put my first son in one and 20 months ( he was climbing out ). Than my 1st dasughter at almost 2. My 2nd son at 19 months and my 2nd daughter is not old enough.. It all depends on the child when they are ready you will know ;) i did..

Keli - posted on 04/08/2012

people have been telling me to switch my son to a toddler bed and he is only 16 months old. im waiting until i HAVE too if your child can climb and fall out of the crib then you should switch but if not i'd leave her be. its a whole new ball game when their in the toddler bed especially if your child gets into things, when its time for my son to go into a toddler bed ill be clearing out his room and he will just have a bed and a dresser.so i know he isnt getting into any mischief!!

Elizabeth - posted on 04/08/2012

We never had a crib. For a short time, our sons slept in the pack'n play. We co sleep on our bed sometimes. They really like their portable cots, which I can use anywhere/anytime they need a nap.. Our youngest slept on the cot since he was born.. They are 2 1/2 and 1 1/2 years old.

Tracy - posted on 04/05/2012

My son wen to a toddler bed at 22 months of age. He was happy to stay in it without getting up a million times. Bedtime was bedtime. My daughter, however, is another story. She's 2 years old and has zero desire to leave her crib. I try to put her in a 'big' bed and she refuses to stay in it. I put her in her crib and she falls fast asleep. Not sure what to do. Might end up having to buy another crib so my youngest has one to use.

Brittany - posted on 04/05/2012

I skipped the toddler bed and went to a twin mattress on the ground. My daughter was about 22 months old. I didn't see the need to rush it. I'm doing the mattress on the floor so if she did fall out (which she did) she only fell about 4 in. My daughter wasn't a climber though. I just wanted to get her used to a big bed before I needed the mattress for my son's crib.

Mercedes - posted on 04/05/2012

my son is too young to sleep in a toddler bed but one of my friends started out with just the mattress on the floor.

Mercedes - posted on 04/05/2012

it depends on your bebe(: theyr all different, but i think its when they start to be able to get up by themselves in the morning or to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night if shes potty trained. and of course make sure she can sleep without falling out of bed, like you said. maybe for the first couple weeks put something soft on the floor next to her bed like pillows or a really fluffy comforter on the floor so if she does fall she wont get hurt as bad. or a bed rail if you want.

Bonnie - posted on 04/05/2012

It is definitely a personal preference. There is nothing wrong with switching them earlier or later. Some kids wander at night that may be a reason not to, but mine did not do that. Toddler beds are a lot closer to the ground so it is not dangerous for them. The only difference is, they are not confined like they are in a crib.

Karen - posted on 04/05/2012

14 months, because my girl could climb out. The last time she had anything to do with her crib, she put her foot on the bar and flipped over the rail right in front of me, and that was it. Even though I was right there folding clothes, my reflexes are not that quick. She landed on her back on the carpet. She was fine, but I immediately took the crib apart and put her in a big girl bed.



Shes been fine in the big bed ever since. I keep it in the corner, so that I can lay her at an angle. She has never fallen off, but its just a mattress and a box spring on the floor.

Jennifer - posted on 04/05/2012

All my kids were right around 18 months old when I moved them. It's really just personal prefrence. Since your child has already been sleeping in a big bed, then I don't see it being a problem at all. Of course any change what so ever is going to need an adjustment time. Some kids do go straight to a toddler bed (or in my case the bottom of a bunk bed with safty rail) with out any problem, while others take a week or so to get used to the change. That doesn't meen she isn't ready, she just needs to adjust. Good luck! I just moved my 4th child to her big girl bed last Sat night, and for the most part she is doing better than she did in her crib. I think she likes knowing she isn't so confined.

Kristi - posted on 04/05/2012

Kids are all so different... If she is sleeping with you, you might have more success with her move if you put her mattress or bed in your room first for awhile, and then transition it to her room (I'm just assuming you don't share a room). Let her know it's okay if she gets out and comes in with you, and eventually she won't. Did this with my 8 year old daughter, and am now doing this with my 4 year old. She goes through phases where she wants to sleep with us more often and comes downstairs, but more often than not, if I take the time to tuck her in to her own bed with a little routine, she is down in her own bed for the night. By the time she was 5, my older daughter stayed in her own bed pretty much all the time. Good luck. Let her take her time and don't rush anything and she'll be fine. :)

Janice - posted on 04/05/2012

Anika, in the US many of the cribs are convertible. So with my daughters crib I took off the front side and swapped it with a toddler rail that came with it. So it often is not expensive. But, I too was surprised that majority of the responses were before age 2.

Anika - posted on 04/05/2012

Man, people are transitioning their kids early! What's the rush? (Unless your child is climbing out). Cots are so damn expensive anyway I'd like to get my moneys worth. My son is 2 1/2 and still in his cot. He doesn't climb out, he likes it, so no problems. We've decided he'll go in a big boy bed within the next few weeks, with a side barrier thing in case he rolls over. I think I also liked the cot as it does mean he can't just get up whenever he likes and come into my bed.

Medic - posted on 04/04/2012

My son was 16 months and my daughter was 14 months. Neither one had an issue with the change but both were climbers though.

Janice - posted on 04/04/2012

19 months is a bit young but every child is different. My daughter was just over 2 years old. I think for some children it can cause sleep issues if they are not yet ready. I think, if you really believe she will sleep vs. play in her room then go for it.

Sherri - posted on 04/04/2012

I have never moved any of my kids till they were almost 3. 19mo's to me is too young.

Serree - posted on 04/04/2012

I switched my twins over at 15 months because daughter was climbing out of crib, made switch for son also, he probably would have stayed in crib longer with no problem, but couldn't change one and not the other since they share a room. Neither had a problem with the change.

Veronika - posted on 04/04/2012

My first son went into the toddler bed at 2 years old. My second went into a twin bed (we got bunks) at 18 months. For both I used that safety rail you put under the mattress to stabilize, so that they couldn't roll over when they slept.

Bonnie - posted on 04/04/2012

We changed our boys to a toddler bed at 20 months and 18 months. They were not climbing out of their crib. We just felt that they would be okay with it and they were. The toddler beds I have seen say for 15 months and up on them, so she should be fine.

Kiki - posted on 04/04/2012

I think, you can start now... My daughter start in 15 or 16 months old, and I put a thin bed on the floor right beside the bed. So, when she climb in or out and fall,she'll be ok... :)

Brittney - posted on 04/04/2012

I put my daughter in a toddler bed at 16 months old not because she was climbing out or anything. I actually asked her if she wanted a big girl bed, the first time she said no the second time she said yes. The first day was a nightmare and I put the crib back together, the second night I was about to then she fell asleep. She's been in it for almost 2 months now and she loves it. It also helps in the morning, now when she has to go potty first thing in the morning she doesn't have to wait for my lazy bottom end to get up!