One question parents tend to begin to ask around the 18 months mark, is when is the right time to transfer a child from a crib to a child’s bed. As with just about everything else about children, there is unfortunately, no ‘one size fits all’ answer to this, but there are some ways to assess whether it is time with your own child. Some children don’t move from sleeping in a crib until they are nearly four years old, so there is no rush to do this, but usually by this time kids are either too active at night or too big for this to be the best sleeping solution. Here, we look at some of the considerations when it comes to migrating your toddler out of their crib.

Do They Seem Ready?

A child who is constantly trying to escape from their crib may be telling you something – they are ready for something a bit more grown up. Equally, kids with older siblings tend to want to make the move earlier so they can be more like their brothers and sisters, rather than feeling like ‘the baby’. On the other hand, if your child really loves their crib and sleeps very well in it, then there is no reason to move them before they are ready – some children, particularly only children who don’t have a frame of reference about what older kids do – are fine in the crib until they naturally outgrow it.

Is There a Necessity?

If you are expecting another baby, you may feel it is necessary for your toddler to graduate to a big kid bed before the arrival, so the crib can be free for a new occupant. This can often make sense, but make the transition to the new bed either a few weeks before or a few weeks after the new sibling is born, rather than at the same time (the new baby will most likely sleep in a basinette until then anyway). A new baby can feel like a threat to your toddler, and feeling like their bed is being taken away from them to accommodate them can make this harder. Additionally, as you make the transition your toddler may have a few sleepless nights, and you don’t want to deal with that at the same time as a newborn!

Making the New Bed Appealing

Make sure the new bed is attractive and comfy, so your child will see it as a better alternative than their crib. With older toddlers, you can even let them help choose the bedlinen – Threel.co.uk have a great selection for children that you can choose and order online. Show them that their favourite toy loves the new bed and wants to sleep there too, or even add a new cuddly friend in there that they can only play with if they get in the bed!

Moving a toddler into their new bed can either be an exciting time for them, or one they resist, but eventually, all kids grow to love their soft, comfy beds (just like adults!).