When it comes to making the transition from a crib to a big-kid bed, there are two questions that need to be answered. The first is when, and the second is how.
Now, if you’re reading this on my website, chances are that you came here looking for some advice about teaching your little one the skills they need to sleep through the night.
And if that’s the case, then the answer to the question of “When” is, quite simply, “Not now.”
There are a couple of important reasons I share this. First, there truly is no rush to move your toddler out of their crib and into a big-kid bed. Many children are perfectly content and sleeping well in a crib well into age three, and in my experience, families rarely look back wishing they had made the switch sooner.
While you may hear that staying in a crib “too long” can make the transition harder later on, that simply isn’t supported by what we see in real life. When the move to a big-kid bed happens at the right time for your child—and is approached with confidence and consistency—it can be a smooth and positive milestone, no matter their age.
The second reason is that if you’re about to start sleep training, there’s going to be a period of adjustment as your toddler learns to fall asleep independently, and that’s going to take a little getting used to. During this adventure, it’s comforting for your little one to have a familiar place to sleep. Their bedroom, sheets, lovie, and crib—everything that can stay the same should stay the same until they’ve mastered the skills to fall asleep on their own.
And while the focus is on keeping their environment consistent, it’s worth remembering that a supportive, comfortable mattress can make a big difference for both your toddler and you. The Endy Petit collection offers a variety of kids products – including the Endy Kids Mattress – thoughtfully designed for children aged 5-12, offering a medium-firm feel with the right balance of comfort and support to suit their growing bodies and changing sleep needs, helping children rest soundly so parents can catch a few extra hours when they can. The Endy Petit collection also includes everything from bed frames to pillows and bedding, making it easy to create a complete sleep setup designed specifically for little dreamers. A well-rested parent is much better equipped to guide their little one through sleep transitions.
I should add here, just in case you’re considering sleep training, that switching to a big kid bed is going to be a whole lot easier if your little one is already sleeping through the night. A toddler who is well rested and able to fall asleep independently is far less likely to leave their room at night, which is the single biggest issue that parents run into when they move their little ones out of the crib.
Alright, so let’s assume that either your little one is already falling asleep on their own and sleeping through the night, or that, for whatever reason, you’re in a hurry to get your toddler out of the crib and into a bed.
Step 1: Preparation
You’re going to want to fill your little one in on what’s happening. Explain to them that they’re going to be making the move into the new bed, set a date, and let them know when the switch is going to happen. When you explain what’s happening to your toddler, make sure you do it with a positive spin.
So there’s a bit of a tight-wire act to be performed here. On the one hand, you want to prepare your toddler for the switch, but at the same time, you don’t want to make a huge production out of it. Turning the whole thing into a monumental occasion puts a lot of pressure on your child and is likely to stress them out a bit.
Giving your child some input into which bed they want, what sheets they like, what pillows feel the most comfortable, will obviously ensure that they get something they like, but will also help them feel a sense of ownership over their new bed, which can work wonders in easing the transition. Endy’s Petit collection offers a Kids Sheet Set in thoughtfully designed patterns and Kids Comforter Set with a reversible design, giving your kids the freedom to mix, match, and refresh their space as they please.
And while your toddler is picking out the fun stuff, don’t overlook the importance of a mattress that supports good sleep. A well-made, comfortable mattress—like the Endy Kids Mattress—can help your little one settle more easily, and even help parents catch a few extra hours of rest themselves. Their Petit Collection makes it easy to get a full set, so you can outfit the whole room in one go. After all, a smooth transition to a big-kid bed is much easier when everyone in the house is well-rested.
If you’re really adventurous, you can even let your little one help you put the new bed together, although speaking from personal experience, I suggest that you do, you know, literally anything else. The mere thought of a toddler and an unassembled piece of furniture in the same room gives me the shivers.
So now that it’s put together and the sheets are on, you’ll want to keep the bed in the same place the crib used to be. In fact, you’ll want to keep just about everything exactly as it was in your toddler’s room except for the new bed. This is a big change, so try not to make any unnecessary additional changes.
This goes double for the schedule on the night of the big event. When you’re getting your toddler ready for bed on that first night, don’t alter the routine, don’t switch up bedtime, don’t try to give them new food at dinner. Keep everything as predictable and mundane as possible.
Again, you don’t need to make a production out of it. Tell your child you’re proud of them, but try to avoid statements like, “What a big kid you are now!” Toddlers are typically in a perpetual state of uncertainty about whether or not they want to do this whole “growing up” thing, and we want to keep things as low-key as we can.
What to Expect on Night One (and Beyond)
So now that your toddler has been put to bed and the light’s been turned out, there are a few different scenarios that can play out:
- Scenario 1 – They adapt immediately to their new bed and don’t test the rules whatsoever. In this case, celebrate heartily. You are among the very lucky minority.
- Scenario 2 – Your little one seems to adapt immediately but, after a week or two, starts leaving their room, playing with their toys, or calling for mom to come back in several times a night.
- Scenario 3 – Your toddler starts doing all of those things the very first night.
The solution to the latter two of these situations is the same. Offer a warning when your toddler demonstrates the unwanted behavior, tell them what the consequence is going to be if they do it again, and then follow up on that consequence if and when they repeat it.
Chances are that you’ve already discovered a consequence that works on your toddler, and I strongly suggest you keep that in place. Again, we don’t want anything to change except for the bed, so keep doing whatever you’ve been doing up until now in regards to managing behavior.
In case you haven’t discovered an effective consequence yet, I find that taking the lovie away for a short period of time and closing the door all the way are both pretty functional without putting your toddler into hysterics. For each repeat offense, increase the length of time that the door stays closed or the lovie stays out of the bed.
Final Thoughts
That pretty much sums it up, folks. Explain what’s happening, keep things light, set the expectations, and enforce the rules. It’s not always going to be easy, but it is pretty straightforward.
One final thought to keep in mind… As much as we’re trying to keep this transition as stress-free and smooth as we can, remember this: You are the boss. It’s almost a mathematical certainty that your little one is going to buck a bit about this change. They’ll probably leave their room a lot, call for you to come in, ask for a glass of water, and more than anything, say that they want to go back to sleeping in the crib.
It’s crucial that you hold your ground every step of the way here, especially during the first few weeks. If you start bending the rules and allowing your child to climb into bed with you, or letting them get back into the crib, this process is going to go on for months.
So harden your will, maintain an air of calm authority, and enforce the rules firmly and consistently. It may make you feel like a bit of a tyrant at times, but it will get your little one sleeping peacefully in her new bed a whole lot sooner.
Shop the Endy Petit Collection at endy.com.
