When to Move to a Big Boy Bed

Updated on January 23, 2007
K.G. asks from Jupiter, FL
7 answers

HI everyone,

My son, Sam is 16 months old and very tall for his age (he is unchartable on the percentile chart). He climbed out of his crib once about 2 months ago and hasn't done it since..I think it scared him so much that he hasn't done it again. I was wondering what age is best to start putting him a regular toddler bed and out of the crib? I don't want him to climb out again and really hurt himself, but I don't want to put him in "big boy" bed too early either.

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N.C.

answers from Lakeland on

i moved mine to toddler bed at the age 2 we had a little troble getting them to stay in there room but now they stay in there room. Although they sometimes get out of bed and sleep on the floor we're not real sure why. i waited tell age 2 because that when i thought they were ready if you think your's is ready for a toddler bed then he probly is you know your kid the best. hope this helps.

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A.H.

answers from Fort Myers on

I moved our son into a toddler bed from our bed at your sons age. It went better than I thought even though it was right next to our bed. lol I would get in his bed w/him and nurse him to sleep then get out. We didn't have a crib so I don't know if that would make a difference in the transition. Worked like this for almost the last year. And he stayed most of the night and then got into bed with us early in the AM. But now we have moved onto new things to address for bed time!

We actually just moved his bed into one of his siblings rooms yesterday. We had his bed in our room for a year. For the last couple of months he had been sleeping in with one of his siblings some nights. BTW my son is 27mo and his name is Skyler too!

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S.F.

answers from Lexington on

I moved my twins to tod beds at 2 years old. They didn't really adjust all that well to them at first. Once they started daycare, they learned tho. My son insists on sleeping with his spiders and his 4 favorite cars, so I let him. They do get out of bed and come into my room, but I don't really mind that too much. I generally don't even realize they are there until I get up the next morning. LoL. I say go for it.....

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B.C.

answers from Fort Myers on

We moved our little guy to his toddler bed (his crib converted) when we moved into our new home...he was just over 2 at the time...
I was wondering if it was too early or too late so I did some reading and if you have a climber it's usually a sign that they are safer in a big kid bed (a toddler bed or futon type bed close to the floor) than climbing out...
If ours was a wanderer we planned on putting a gate at his door so he could get up and out of bed but not wander the house...
Ours is now almost 3 and a half and won't get out of bed unless me or hubby are in the room telling him he can get up (and he asks a few times before he'll do it...)
good luck!
B.

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S.

answers from Lakeland on

My daughter has been in big girl bed for a while now, she knows that when it's time to go to bed, she doesn't get up. She may call a few times, but never gets up on her own. We put a bed rail up, just to make sure (she rolls a lot), she loves having all of the space, and being able to get into to bed on her own.
Hope this helps,
S.

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V.

answers from Boca Raton on

you're right K., once in toddler beds, or out of the crib period then new problems will show up, like coming in bed with you.
my girls started trying to climb out at around 18 months. one of them did it constantly but her twin sister wasn't ready. she did it quite a few times but didn't get hurt or anything. she must have lost interest because eventually she stopped getting out of the crib. then around 22 months her twin sister started climbing out of the bed, a few times. at 28 months i switched them to toddler bed. i tried the full size beds but those were way too big so i got them toddler beds. i think at this point they were ready for that because they don't get out of the room, but they stay in their beds.
so i hope my epxerience helps you make a decision
V.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.P.

answers from Boca Raton on

We moved our son at 18 months to a full size bed because he was getting too big for his crib, its pushed against the wall on one side and we have a rail on the other. He had no problems with the transition and knows that when its bedtime its time to stay in the bed. He might play with a toy or sing for awhile but goes to sleep on his own and dosent get out unless he has to go potty or he is sick or something and comes to our room. If there is nothing wrong with him, I take him back to his bed immediately and he falls right back to sleep. He also never climbed out of his crib. Had he done so, I would have moved him immediately so he wouldnt get hurt.

If he is so big, the toddler bed might not be the best thing to do, since its no bigger than the crib.

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