Should I put my 19 month old son in a toddler bed?

Tara - posted on 01/30/2012

When the crib becomes a safety issue (ie. climbing out), it's time for a bed! My 19 month old has been in a twin size bed since 17 months....and she does just fine :)

Sarah - posted on 09/18/2011

I might skip the toddler bed all together. My son went straight from the crib to a twin. We just put the mattress on the floor to start (we pushed it in a corner so there was really only one way to fall out and put blankets down in that spot) and when he was no longer rolling out on a regular basis, we added the box spring, and eventually the bed frame. This way you aren't springing for the toddler bed only to have to invest in the twin later on.

Amy - posted on 09/15/2011

If you can I would get a twin bed as you are going to need that eventually no need in buying 2 beds if you do not need to. I agree with most on here, time to change as he is getting out. Mine got out once, thought it was a fluke thing it was so if it happens more than 1 time then yes they should move for safety reasons, let us know what you decide to do! Also I would set the TWIN bed on the floor and get the rail till they are used to it then transfer on a frame.

Elizabeth - posted on 09/14/2011

ya my son is 21 months and was in his bed b4 he was 1

Carisa - posted on 09/07/2011

My rule is always been once they can climb out, it's time to move to a toddler bed. Both my girls were over two when this happened. You can always just start with a mattress on the floor instead of a bed. Make sure there is nothing in the room he can get into, and be prepared for him to play a lot instead of sleep for awhile. Good luck!

Alice - posted on 09/07/2011

put the mattress down and take the one side off some cots are made for mine wasnt but it is now lol. my son is 19 months and has been it for about 2 months and when he first seen it he LOVED it

Vanessa - posted on 09/06/2011

both of my kids went into toddler beds at 13 mths they loves it and with a baby gate across their dooryway till we go to bed we have no issues... my son doesnt even get out of bed and he is now 2.5 years old he only gets out to ask for more water if he needs it. my daughter on the other hand will play quietly with her babies for about 20-30 mins then climbs back in bed and goes to sleep... we also got a side rail for them when we 1st switced but only kept it on with out daughter as she moves a lot and is now 19 mths old. its also good to let them help get their beds so they will be more interested my son loves his little tikes racecar bed and my daughter loves her little tikes disney princess cottage bed.. since these beds have wood that support the mattress it makes it so you can cuddle with them in their bed too if they are having a bad night and it makes it so there is less reason to be in your bed.. thats why i stick to little tikes as they are very strong... also i have never had an issue of them waking up a lot they sleep just as great if not better then they did when they were in a crib we made sure that the bed was in their rooms set up and so was crib and we let them look them over play on them etc then at bedtime they had choice where to sleep and ofc they picked the big boy/girl bed and within 3-5 days we took down crib.

Kristy - posted on 09/04/2011

try it i have my 2 year old in one now. he sleeps in it and i don't have a rail on it. the only thing is that in the middle of the night he wakes up and goes to my bed. i had no problem the first night. he sleep their all night. then the couple of nights i heard him calling me and he was going to my room. in a toddler bed its low to the floor if they do fall out it wont be to far down. you should try it. he might like it more then the crib. good luck...

Hollie - posted on 09/02/2011

Time for a toddler bed! If he can even come close to climbing out, it's time to move on from the crib.

Katie - posted on 08/29/2011

if he is climbing out of his crib on his own or your afraid he will then it is time to transition him to the toddler bed.

Krystallyn Nicole Kilzer - posted on 08/29/2011

my now 2 1/2 year old has been in a toddler bed since he was able to walk, at 14 months. he handled the transition well but every child is different.

Melissa - posted on 08/29/2011

If he's climbing out of the crib on his own, it's time for a toddler bed. Speaking as a mother who has a child that can be a big hand full...keep the crib as long as you can! It's such a sanity saver! You can take a shower and know you child isn't running crazy in your house.

Ashley - posted on 08/27/2011

yes 1 and a half is time o switch them to a toddler bed if they are climbing out or flipping out bc one time he will get hurt. all mine at around 18 months.

OLGA - posted on 08/27/2011

please safety first.

Heather - posted on 08/27/2011

Sounds like he's definitely ready to change beds and no longer sleep in the crib. You don't have to get a toddler bed though. You could just go straight up to a twin size bed or whatever size you want & put bed rails on the side if necessary. My 21mo old went straight from a crib to a big bed a month ago & I have rails on the sides so she won't roll off but the bottom is open so she can still climb up/down onto the bed when she needs to.

Nikkie - posted on 08/25/2011

Both of my kids were in toddler beds when they could walk, they learn fast, and its fun to be big kids at a young age, I had no problem.

Lindsay L - posted on 08/22/2011

Try a toddler bed or a twin small bed put against a wall with a railing if needed.My son is 2 1/2 and was in a big boy bed before he was even 2. David was too big for the crib but it was a small crib anyway.I guess he just didn't want to be in there anymore. Ever child is different. He only tried to get out a couple of times. I would just try something for a little while. If it doesn't work you can always try something else. Sooner or later you will find what works good for you and your son. Good luck!

Suzanne - posted on 08/15/2011

i put my daughter in a toddler bed from 12 months, i just put a bed roll off barrier you know the ones for big beds to stop her rolling off, then i changed to a big pillow under the head area on the floor, she rolled off a couple of times, never hurt herself, usually stayed asleep. they say when they start to climb up the crib then your better to put them in a bed that way they won't fall and hurt themselves.

Chantelle - posted on 08/14/2011

Once they go out once, I think they'll do it again, even if it was scary. It's time for a big boy bed. We always went straight to twin-sized with bedrails. Ours are First Years and are pretty long, so we never had falling issues with them. They've all made the switch around 18-20 months, de to the arrival of a new baby. 1 and 2 were a breeze. 3 has taken a bit more patience, but his big boy bed came with a new room, a roommate, and a new baby...who will be in that crib till we find her on the floor looking dazed!

Andriea - posted on 08/14/2011

supernanny recomends not moving out of the cot till 3 and says that them climbing out of the cot doesnt mean they are ready it just means they have learned how to climb she advises that if you transfer to soon toddlers can feel suddenly lost without the security of the cot and there imaginations will run wild, its easier to explain to a 3 yr old whats happening. hope thid helps ow she alos says if toddler is climbing just put a mattress down so LO doesnt hurt themself and remove anything they can use as leverage. :-) x

Dorothea - posted on 08/11/2011

My son's went to a toddler bed at one. They loved it! At two, they went to a twin size bed. But I probably should have kept my second child in the toddler bed a little longer.
When it comes down to it. If your child can get out of his crib it's time for a toddler bed. Good luck!

Holli - posted on 08/08/2010

Most healthcare professionals will suggest that you wait until the child is around 2 y/o, unless they are able to climb out of the crib. The whole premisiss of switching them to a toddler bed is for their safety. I converted my daughter over at 18 months due to her climbing out of her crib.



Now the next question for you to decide on is whether you want a true toddler bed or to just jump to a twin bed. Both have their pro's and con's. Also do you want to go the wooden route or the plastic route? My daughter is disabled and ended up injuring herself on her wooden toddler bed and I recently replaced it with a plastic twin bed. I wish I had gotten a plastic toddler bed for her. However, I do believe if she were not disabled, she would have been fine in the wooden toddler bed and could have continued to get a couple of more years out of it.



There are some "convertable beds" that convert from a toddler bed into a twin bed. They are more common with the plastic beds (especially the cars).



What ever you do, do NOT place the mattress directly on the floor inside the crib as this can cause a strangulation hazard. Some parents who don't want to deal with the transition will continue to lower the mattress even past the lowest setting on the crib. But this is very unsafe.

Maria - posted on 08/03/2010

yes its time to move the bed inthere

my daught was in it as soon and the climing and walking began she was about 13 months

Jill - posted on 08/02/2010

I would definitely move him to a toddler bed if he is flipping himself out of a crib. My friends daughter broke her arm trying to climb out of her crib. It's a safety issue at this point.

Sarah - posted on 08/02/2010

I switched my both my sons to toddler beds at a year, and they did fine. By 13 months they were both sleeping through the night without a problem. In fact, we're considering putting my daugher on a mattress on the floor until she gets used it, then moving it into a low toddler bed once she stops rolling off. She's only five months, but we have no place for a crib right now, and she's grown out of her bassinette. I figure there's no point in transitioning her to a crib, then to a toddler bed back to back. Go for it! It will likely not be a perfectly smooth overnight transition, but stick with it and you will once again have a happy sleeper. Its much better than worrying that he will fall out! (btw, my younger son is afraid of confinement, a fear he developed very suddenly at about 18 months. Its possible that is why your son was crying. He may suddenly have been scared of the bars on the crib.)

Wanda - posted on 07/29/2010

defly get him outa there.. lol my daughter is 2yrs 4mos now but she's been in a full bed since she was 22mos.. we caught her around that same time tried to straddle the railing and climb out. it scared us so bad we knew not to leave her n there any longer than necessary. we were in the middle of mvng to a new state, so we left the crib for a frnd who needed it and now shes fine. no bed frame, just a mattress n box spring so she'd b low on the ground.

Karri - posted on 07/29/2010

We have always waited untill our kids were 2 1/2. They were big enough to talk to about being "big enough" to sleep in a big kids bed. They were proud of themselves and were excited to be a "big kid". The transition was a piece of cake for all 3 of them. I have one more to go and plan on the same method. I think 19 mo. is to young, what's the rush? I believe the AAP says 2 is the earliest you should move to a toddler bed too.

Brianne - posted on 07/29/2010

Sounds like a toddler bed is a good idea to me.

Gina - posted on 07/28/2010

my son was 17 months when he climbed out of his crib. that night we put the mattress on the floor and he loved it!! he slept on his crib mattress for about a week and we actually skipped the toddler bed and bought him a twin mattress set. He's been sleeping on the twin since. (we kept the crib mattress next to the twin till we felt comfy enough to not need it, he's not much of a roller though.) just keep the monitor as long as you feel you need it!! I just took mine out when my son turned about 3.

Sarah - posted on 07/28/2010

If he is already use to sleeping in a crib, then a toddler bed should be a pretty easy transition. If you are worried about him rolling out, either get a rail or just put a mattress on the floor.

Yurena - posted on 07/28/2010

The baby gate has worked wonders for us. Not sure how they could get hurt with it. Also, you don't have half sleep children wondering around the house in the middle of the night (stairs! kitchen! bathroom!) when you are snoring away.

Suzette - posted on 07/28/2010

Wait until she is asleep and tuck her in tightly with a long sheet or blanket that you can tuck under the mattress...this is how I taught my daughter to stay in her toddler bed. It worked and by 2.5 years old she never fell out of bed at all. Another thing you can do is just put her crib mattress on the floor until she outgrows falling out of bed. This way she will just roll out of bed and won't get hurt since she is only inches from the floor and there is nothing hard to fall on. Good luck.

Heather - posted on 07/28/2010

No crib tents. Not totally safe. Try putting his crib mattress on the floor and try to let him sleep there. You can also buy a North State - Superyard XT Portable Playard & Gate, they sell them at Walmart or you can check Craigslist.org for a used one. These work great to put around toddler beds!

We just baby proofed my son's whole bedroom. That way if he did get up in the middle of the night, he couldn't hurt himself on anything. You could also baby gate his bedroom door, but then he could get hurt on the door or pinch his fingers. Buy a toddler bed and let him decided to craw into it himself. My son did at around 18 to 20 months old!

Stephanie - posted on 07/28/2010

I would wait as long as possible before moving him to a bed, if he isn't climbing out of it. I think kids sleep so much better in their cribs. I just moved my 3 year old, because he started climbing out of his crib. He won't stay in his bed for naps and bedtime is really hard now...he gets up all the time even when he is really tired!

Chymerem - posted on 07/28/2010

My son refused to sleep in a crib from de day i brought him home. And he has always been in my bed ever since. Maybe its toime u gave him a bigger bed anyway.

Suzanne - posted on 07/28/2010

My daughter born dec 14th (19 mths) has been in a cot bed now for 4 months as i have a back probem and she was getting to heavy to put over the rail and she'd always stir at the feeling ofg being lowered down. at first i layed a folded up doona down the side when i put her down, a couple of times I found her asleep on it not sure if she got off and fell asleep or rolled off, but she doesn't have anything now. I am lucky she doesn,t get out, when she wakes up she sits up and then calls out to me. good luck..

Amy - posted on 07/27/2010

If he's getting out of his crib - purposely or accidentally - it's probably time for a toddler bed. My daughter was about that age when we converted her crib to a toddler bed, because she really wanted to sleep on the bunk bed. For her 2nd birthday, we got her twin sized sheets and her grandma made her a twin/full sized blanket, and we got a bed rail and started letting her sleep on the bottom bunk. After about 9 months, we got rid of the bed rail and just put a body pillow under the sheets of the bed, but she's never actually fallen out.

Her big brother used to fall out of the bed ALL THE TIME, though - even when he had a queen sized mattress, so it's actually been good to have him on the top bunk as that has a bed rail on both sides.

Charlotte - posted on 07/27/2010

hiya my daughter has just turned 19 months and last weekend she went in her toddler bed x its still getting her to sleep now but she getting there she thought she cud get out and play lol x but she loving the independance of getting in it herself xx good luck x

Alison - posted on 07/27/2010

I would put him in a toddler bed. I have 4 kids and all of my kids were put in one by the time they were 2. 3 of my kids were getting out of the crib and my oldest was put in the toddler bed the very next night because he got hurt climbing out of the crib. My youngest is getting ready to turn 3 and has been in a toddler bed since she was 22 mo ( tried to hold off with her being my last one but she climbed out so toddler bed it was) and is just now getting out of bed on her own. I feel the toddler bed is safer at the point of them climbing out of the crib. You might have to check on him more often but to me it's worth the extra time at bedtime.

Nicola - posted on 07/26/2010

They say to leave them in there cot as long as you feel comfortable and he is not climbing ect. The normal age for a tot to go into a toddler bed or big boys bed is between the ages of 2 and 3. Our son is 2 1/2 and we have just moved him taking down the side of his cot and put in a safety rail as his cots a convertable one. You need to be aware that those rails around him might provide him with a sense of security at night. you can find really good sleep information at www.sleepstore.co.nz

Yolanda - posted on 07/26/2010

thank you so much!

Yurena - posted on 07/26/2010

My toddler bed will fit till he's about 5 or 6 I think, don't buy the tiniest one.

Yurena - posted on 07/26/2010

Definitely buy a rail for her door, I did with mine and it worked a treat because he'll stay playing if he wakes up early instead of immediately looking for mum and dad.

Yurena - posted on 07/26/2010

I got a little toddler bed for mine, just before he was two. I ordered it on line, he saw the picture and liked it, so he was set up for a good thrill when it arrived. He 'helped' me put it together and loves it. It's low and not too big, they like the snuggly feeling of small places, he has a bedrail so he can't fall off, he moves a lot in his sleep. I think it is too late for a crib tent, he would feel he's being punished into a bed-jail. In the meantime you can put the mattress on the floor and play 'camping'!!!

Terri - posted on 07/24/2010

With both of our kids, we did the crib tent until my daughter was two and my son about two and a half. When we did get them beds, we got them twin beds, but only put the mattress (without the box spring) only on the floor. That way, if they fell out, they only fell about six inches. Once we were comfortable with them not falling out, we added the box spring. This year, when my daughter turned 5, we moved her mattress up onto a bedframe and she feels like a bona fide big girl now!

Samantha - posted on 07/24/2010

My eldest daughter (who's now 3 1/2)refused to sleep in her cot from the time she was 12 months old, so we put her in her 'big girl bed' & haven't looked back since. My second daughter (now 2 yrs) went in to her big girl bed at about 19 or 20 months I think, so we wouldn't have any jealousy issues about the cot when the new baby (who's almost 4 weeks now) came along. She loves it as well. Tho we didn't buy toddler beds, they just went straight into single beds, with a spare mattress on the floor in case they fell out. Go the big boy bed! He'll be so proud of himself being a big boy in his new bed :-)

Angelica - posted on 07/24/2010

I agree with most...he more than likely fell from the crib, hence the scared look upon his face. My son also fell out or climbed out of the crib. He then opened the door from his room and came walking down the hallway. We were pretty lucky he didn't hurt himself. On the issue of toddler beds, we had just purchased a full sized bed for one of our guest bedrooms, so that is now his bed. We have placed only the box spring and mattress on the floor, the frame will come back once he is a little bigger. In the meantime...he absolutely loves it... he can climb in and out of bed and just as most have said he feels like a "big boy" now. Being that I am a first time mother, I had heard from several mothers not to even waste my time with the toddler bed...especially with him being 18 months old, they grow out of them too fast and back to the store you go to purchase the twin or full size bed. Hope this helps. :)

Yolanda - posted on 07/23/2010

my daughter is two and im going to buy her a toddler bed. i am worried because her room is right next to the stairs. should buy a gate for the room and top of the stairs? ( i have one for the bottom)any advice?

Holly - posted on 07/23/2010

i did! at first, which i should have already acted on, he stuck his legs threw the rails on the side and he was stuck! he only done that twice and that was it. then two months later as he was close to 1 he climbed out of his crib! we got him a toddler bed then.. i would go ahead and switch him to a tot bed to be very safe, not a tent! it was a bit hard for us at first but it took 3 times for him to stay in his bed. we sat and read him a story before sleep or let him watch baby shows.. he loves curious george..

Shannon - posted on 07/23/2010

Yea I'd say he shoulda been in a toddler bed way before 19 months.. Mines been in there since around 15 months and she does perfectly fine..