Is there and Absolute Cut-Off age for Cribs?

Katie - posted on 03/21/2011

I would suggest by 2-2.5yrs old. They also maybe potty training at that time. My twin girls were. I think with them doing so well in their cribs you prob wont have a problem with toddler beds. We actually gave our girls twin size matresses and put them on the floor with boxspring until they were used to it. Then we added the frame around 3yrs old. They loved it! And I dont think putting up a safety gate takes away independence. It gives them a boundary. They can be up in there room, but its bedtime, they dont get the run of the house til morning. Mine would yell from the gate "Mommy, Mommy!" THis is just my opinion. Good luck and hope this helps!

Sheila - posted on 03/16/2011

Keep them in there as long as you can! HA! My girls are almost 3, but plan on changing their cribs to toddler beds in the next two weeks...

Meredith - posted on 03/15/2011

My b/g twins are just over 2 years old and still in their cribs. We've only had one time of my son climbing out. For now we are leaving them in their cribs with a plan to convert their cribs into toddler beds in a few months.

Jessica - posted on 12/20/2010

I think that if they are fine and comfortable in the crib then it would be fine for them to stay in it. Although you could try the toddler bed and a gate at the door to see how they adjust. The gate does not defeat the purpose of independance because they can get up and play with thier toys where as they could not before. My daughter is a climber.I had to take her from the crib to the toddler bed at a year and half old because she was getting close to getting out, we had concrete floors at the time and i did not want to take that chance. So what I did was before I went to bed at night I made sure all doors in the house were closed, all cabinets were shut and locked, nothing for her to get into. When she woke in the mornings she would come into my room and wake me up. Our rooms were right acrossed the hall from one another but if it would help you could get out your baby monitor again, if your not already using it. You are lucky that you don't have a climber, my daughters are two and a half and 13 mon. my youngest is still in the crib, and my oldest loves to climb in and out. I have litterally tried everything to get her to stop but to no avail.

Rebecca - posted on 12/19/2010

I'm in the same boat with my girls...don't have a clue what to do.

NikaMomofTwins - posted on 12/07/2010

I say once they can crawl up out of them its a wrap! If you want to keep them from wandering try a baby gate on the bedroom door!

Kelli - posted on 12/07/2010

Funny!! We just took our boys out of their cribs this past weekend. They are 2 1/2. They also have never tried climbing out. We went straight to twin size beds with bed rails on the sides. The funny thing is, They also will not get out of these bed either. They will climb in there to go to bed. but when they wake up they will yell for us to get them up. they will not get out them selves. Good Luck and hopefully you have as good of luck as we did!

Erin - posted on 12/06/2010

My twins were climbing out of there cribs before they were 2. It was 21 months when we put them in toddler beds, and we too put a gate in their doorway. I don't think it defeats the independence thing at all. It gives them the perfect amount of independence for their age, not too much, not too little. My singleton son, now 4 1/2, stayed in his crib until he was 3 1/2! I switched him to a twin size bed (on the floor for safety until he was used to it) only because I was ready for it. He could have cared less, lol! Good luck. Any decision you make will be the right one.

Maryann - posted on 12/04/2010

If they are not climbing out my advice is too keep
Them in there as long as possible we kept our
Boys in until a few months after they turned 3
Like yours they never tried to climb out on
Their own they are one the small side and could never get their leg over the crib
However when they moved to a big bed a double
Mattress on the floor we put a gate up
To dangerous to have them wandering at night

Justine - posted on 12/04/2010

We were exactly the same - ours were perfectly happy in their cots, didn't try to climb out, so we figured why let them loose when they're happy enough being contained where we don't have to worry about what they're getting up to, whether they're hurting each other or even just pulling everything out and making a mess!! We eventually moved them into beds just about 5 weeks before they turned three, so I would say you could definitely hold out for a long while yet! And I have to say that the transition to beds has actually gone very well (it's been about three months now) - and I don't know if this is because of being in cots for so long, but so far they have never tried to get out of bed by themselves! Amazingly, they just play in bed together (we have two single beds pushed together) and then call out for us to come and get them when they want to get up - once we're in there, they will jump out of bed by themselves, but never before - it's amazing! I don't know if it definitely is or not, but I put it down to having been in their cots for so long that they have just got used to the idea that you have to wait for someone to come and get you before you get out of bed - so there's another good reason to keep them in cots for as long as possible!

Kara - posted on 12/03/2010

My crib states up to 24 months. We didn't put my DS in a crib until 29 months...but he is also very skinny and I'm expecting twins...so I wanted the transition to a toddler bed to be before they come.. I was nervous to put my son in a toddler bed...but he has never gotten out of it until we wake him up. He loves his new bed. We did have a little issue with him waking up in the middle of the night for a few weeks...but he stayed in his bed. You could put a gate at the door or put a nob cover so they can't open the door.

Liz - posted on 12/03/2010

My early intervention specialist said that if they don't try crawling out then it's ok to leave them in until 3.

Angela - posted on 12/03/2010

Our twin girls just turned 3 a couple of weeks ago. Even though they know how to get out of their cribs, they have only tried a couple of times. So we have kept them in their cribs. We are planning on converting their cribs to toddler beds soon, since we want them to sleep on an air mattress when camping next summer (instead of in play pens).

Diane - posted on 12/03/2010

I have found that the earlier you move them to a toddler bed the easier the transition is (at least with my kids) my first was about 18 months when we switched and my second was 9 months (she was a major climber) and earlier seemed to be better. Our twins are 15 months and we're going to switch them next week.

Amy - posted on 12/03/2010

I'm thinking age 8... just kidding. Really I think if the cribs are working for you, keep them. There most likely is a weight limit but you are probably not near that. I think the only other thing to think about is if they are potty trained you will probably want to have them in a bed so they can get out and go to the potty when they need to. If you are clear about the bedtime rules and routine and keep calmly putting them back when they get up, it might not be as bad as you think when they do get a bed. My older 2 were better than I feared. Now excuse me, I have to go get my 33 month old twins out of their cribs... :) Good luck.

Amanda - posted on 12/03/2010

Hi i also have identical twin girls that are going to be 2 in February they are also not climbing out of there cribs i hoping that it doesn't happen until after there birthday but might switch them into a toddler bed when they turn two not sure through i not really helping you but just want to know that i'm in the same situtaion has you are Good luck!!!

Andrea - posted on 12/03/2010

If they're sleeping and happy, I wouldn't worry about it. We had a temporary job change when our twins were 3 and we had to move, and then we put them in beds. I wish we could have just kept them in their cribs until they didn't fit or asked to sleep in big kid beds. After they went into beds the 2 1/2 hour "bedtime" started. I'd put that off as long as possible! They have plenty of time to establish their independence. I think sometimes we as parents are ready for our kids to move on well before they are.

Khadijah - posted on 12/03/2010

It sounds like most of you transitioned your little ones because of climbing issues which my girls have not had as of yet. I'm thinking I will leave them in their cribs for a little while longer. They will be 2 in February, so maybe then or a few months afterwards I'll convert their cribs to toddler beds. It sounds like I will definitely be needing the gate at their door as well. Thanks so much for everyones advice.

Victoria - posted on 12/03/2010

I have B/G twins just turned 2 my son has been in abed since he was 18mnths my family told me this was "too early" however he has slept soundly in it and never bothered him, however his sister hated the bed and wouldnt settle all she did was scream when we put her back in her cot she went straight to sleep!! so I would suggest waiting till they want a bed, try taking them to a showroom and seeing what they do! as far as a gate on the door goes... without one they could fall down the stairs or access any number of items that they maybe shouldn't!!

Rebecca - posted on 12/03/2010

I switched to toddler beds a little before they turned two because one was trying to climb out. I also put a safety gate at their door & it was helpful. They could get up & play but were safe in their room -- independence tempered with safety.

Rebecca - posted on 12/03/2010

Yes and no. They would be more independent in a toddler bed than in a crib because they can explore their rooms, but less than if they had full run of the house. My twins have been in toddler beds since they were about that age, but they were climbing out of their cribs and had a few falls. We moved them because we had to. If they wake up at night, they always come right into out room (no wandering), so I'm guessing won't be a problem. The bigger problem is at bedtime because they will wander the house at that point without the gate (why go to bed when you can go explore??). I know people who have kept their twins in cribs until they were 3 -- I don't think there is a right or wrong answer. Personally, I would keep them in their cribs until they are climbing out or having a fit about it.

Amanda - posted on 12/02/2010

Our girls shared a crib up until they were 2 and then we put them in their toddler beds.. We never have had a problem with the girls getting up out of bed during the night or anything. I personally think that 2 years old is plenty old enough to be put in a toddler bed but for others it may not be.

Heather - posted on 12/02/2010

Their is no cut off age for cribs, however there is a weight limit usually (I believe most cribs have the same weight limit as toddler beds, but not all). We converted our cribs into toddler beds when our twins were just over 2. We did put a baby gate in their doorway for safety reasons as their bedroom door opens right at the top of the stairs and we didn't want them falling down the stairs at night. I did this with my oldest son too, even though we didn't have stairs back then. But he would wake up in the morning and quietly play with his toys until I woke up. It was great! :)