Transitioning from Crib to Bed

The research behind when and how to move your child to a toddler bed

Source: cottonbro/Pexels

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Transitioning from a crib to a bed is one of the most stressful transitions of the toddler years. Even the most relaxed parent can’t help but worry whether their child will ever sleep again or what they will do with their newfound freedom to wander the house in the middle of the night. Fortunately for all of us, the research can provide some guidance.

This newsletter will help you to understand the best time to make this transition and provide some practical tips for doing so as smoothly as possible.

When Do You Make the Transition from Crib to Bed?

Many parents wonder when is the best time to make the switch from a crib to a toddler bed. Of course, this is determined by many factors unique to your child and your family, but you still might want to know what is the “normal” timing for this transition.

Research finds that:

• 37% of toddlers 18 to 22 months have transitioned from crib to bed

• 66% of toddlers 24 to 29 months have transitioned from crib to bed

• 87% of toddlers age 30 to 36 months have transitioned from crib to bed

Although parents should always make this decision in light of what is best for their child and family, a recent study suggested that there may be advantages to waiting until the child is at least 3 years. This study found that toddlers aged 18 to 36 months who are still sleeping in a crib show an earlier bedtime, take less time to fall asleep, wake up less frequently at night, sleep longer stretches at night, sleep for a longer time overall at night, and show decreased bedtime resistance and sleep problems (see graph below). The researchers found that toddlers in a crib slept 29 minutes longer on average per night than toddlers in a bed. Of course this study is correlational so we don’t know if the toddlers who switched to beds later were just better sleepers to begin with. However, the possibility of 29 extra minutes of sleep per night still makes this data very compelling.

Blue= Toddlers sleeping in a crib, Yellow= Toddlers sleeping in a bed. Source: Williamson, A. A., Leichman, E. S., Walters, R. M., & Mindell, J. A. (2019). Caregiver-perceived sleep outcomes in toddlers sleeping in cribs versus beds. Sleep medicine, 54, 16-21.

However, the age at which you make the transition from crib to bed may also depend on your child’s size. To avoid falling out of a crib, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends parents move children out of the crib when they are 35 inches or when the side rail is less than three-quarters of their height.

How Do You Make This Transition?

The following tips may make this difficult transition a little easier:

1. Consider safety. Safety should always be the most important deciding factor in moving your child to a toddler bed. Does your child exceed the weight or height limit for their crib? Is your child climbing out of the crib? If so, it may be time for a toddler bed—whether you or they are ready for it. You also want to make their toddler bed as safe as possible by using bed bumpers or putting the mattress on the floor. You also want to make sure that their room (and the rest of the house) is baby-proofed including gates at the top of the stairs and furniture secured to walls. The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends no pillows until age 2, no bunk beds until age 6, and that you keep beds away from windows or drapery or electrical cords. You may also want a video monitor and/or a baby gate on their door to further ensure safety.

2. Consider your child’s developmental level and temperament. Do they have the self-regulation abilities to stay in their bed? Will they follow the rules you set for their toddler bed, such as coming to get you in the morning when they wake up or will they wander the house without you? Are they really ready for all of the responsibility that sleeping in a bed versus a crib brings?

3. Try not to let a new baby make the decision for you. A transition to a baby sibling is a huge change for a child— giving up their crib at this time as well may be too many changes at once for a young child. They may also resent their baby sibling for “taking” their crib. Instead, you may want to find an affordable or used (but safe) bassinet and/or second crib for your newborn. It may seem like an unnecessary expense but it may be worth it in the end.

4. Start talking about the big kid bed in advance. Explain exactly what the bed will look like and how it will different from their crib. Tell them why they are moving to a toddler bed. You want to speak positively of this change but don’t over-hype it. However, be careful about framing it as “big kid” privilege. Some children (particularly those with younger siblings) may not want to be “big kids” but would rather be a baby who gets more attention so calling it a “big kid” bed may be negative for some children.

5. Give them choice and control. Research finds that giving children choices may enhance their self-confidence and intrinsic motivation (meaning they are more likely to be excited about transitioning to a bed). Let them pick out new sheets, a night light, and/or a new lovey before transitioning to a bed. Feeling like they have some control over this process could turn a negative transition into a positive one.

6. Make a gradual transition if possible. Make the transition a little easier for both you and your child by making it more gradual. First move their crib mattress to the ground, then replace it with a bed mattress on the floor, and finally a bed mattress on a bed frame.

7. Explain expectations very clearly. These expectations will be different for every family but explain in as much detail as possible what you expect them to do after you put them to bed, when they wake up at night, and in the morning. It could be that they must stay in their bed until an adult comes to get them or until their okay-to-wake clock tells them it’s okay. It may be that they are allowed to play in their room until an adult comes to get them. It could be that they come and get a parent as soon as they wake up. It can help to explain the rationale behind these rules too.

8. Make a plan for using the potty. If they are potty-trained, explain what you want them to do if they have to use the bathroom (I typically leave a toddler potty by the bed because making it the bathroom down a dark hallway can be scary for toddlers). If you would like to leave your child in pull-ups or diapers, that is fine too. Just make sure you explain that will still be using their pull-up or diaper if they wake up in the night.

9. Keep the same bedtime routine. Research finds that bedtime routines help children to fall asleep more quickly and have fewer nighttime awakenings. You will need all the help you can get with this transition so make sure your bedtime routine is as predictable and consistent as possible. If you don’t have one, this would be a great time to start. You also want to keep the end of the bedtime routine the same as when they were in a crib. If you stay with them until they fall asleep, do the same. If you check on them, keep checking. If they are falling asleep independently, keep that process too.

10. If they come out of their room, calmly lead them back to their bed. Try to be as boring as possible. Research finds that parental attention is one of the most motivators of behavior and you do not want to unintentionally reward them for coming out of their bed with a big reaction— either positive or negative.

11. If they keep getting out of bed, then try using a “bedtime pass.” A “bedtime pass” is a piece of paper or a token that allows children one “free” trip out of their room or one “free” parent visit to satisfy a quick request (such as getting a drink of water or one last hug). You can easily make a pass yourself or, even better, make it with your child. After using their pass once, children are required to give it to their parents until the following night. Parents then tell the child they will ignore any additional requests. If the child leaves their room after using the pass, parents gently lead the child back to their bedroom, with minimal talking or eye contact. If they don’t use the pass at all, they can exchange it for a reward in the morning. Research finds that using a “bedtime pass” intervention results in children leaving their rooms less frequently and calling out less frequently and for shorter periods of time. The bedtime pass also results in children taking a shorter time to quiet down at bedtime (from 43 minutes to 25 minutes!).

12. If your toddler is taking a very long time to fall asleep in their new bed, try bedtime fading: Bedtime fading simply involves delaying bedtime until a time that the child will fall asleep quickly and independently (and then gradually moving bedtime up to a more optimal time). Research finds that this approach may be associated with improved sleep and may be easier for parents to implement than strict cry-it-out procedures.  

13. Praise them for staying in their bed. It might take a few nights but once your child starts falling asleep and staying asleep in their bed, make sure you notice and praise them for this behavior. This is a big accomplishment for your child so make sure you acknowledge their efforts!

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Welcome to the Parenting Translator newsletter! I am Dr. Cara Goodwin, a licensed psychologist with a PhD in child psychology and mother to four children (currently a newborn, 3-year-old, 5-year-old, and 8-year-old). I specialize in taking all of the research that is out there related to parenting and child development and turning it into information that is accurate, relevant, and useful for parents! I recently turned these efforts into a non-profit organization since I believe that all parents deserve access to unbiased and free information. This means that I am only here to help YOU as a parent so please send along any feedback, topic suggestions, or questions that you have! You can also find me on Instagram @parentingtranslator, on TikTok @parentingtranslator, and my website (www.parentingtranslator.org).

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