32-Month-old Transitioning from Crib: How?

If she can climb out then it is definitely time to transition her to a bed so that she does not get hurt. We went straight to a twin because I didn't like how high the "toddler bed" option was on his crib. Regardless, I think the method should be about the same. He picked out big boy sheets that he liked and got him a bed rail so he didn't fall out. It took us 2-3 nights of consistently moving him back to his bed before he just stayed there on his own. At bedtime we started by sitting with him for a minute, then moving closer and closer to the door over the course of 4-5 minutes, maybe. He got up in the middle of the night a couple of times, but we just put him back and did the same routine again. He always comes into our room to crawl into bed now, but as long as it is after 5 am we just let him stay because it means we get at least a little more sleep.

we put all our kids in a bed at 2 and had no problems. I put a baby gate up in their doorways to help keep them from roaming around the house.

My son was 3, and still in his crib.
One day HE told us, he wanted to be in a bed.
So we did.
And he was fine and per naps and bedtimes.
We put the mattress on the floor.
This was best.

We transitioned to a toddler bed when my little one was 40 months. She had climbed out of her crib & fell when she was about 2, but we just told her that it was really dangerous and she had to call us if she wanted out and she never did it again. I LOVED having her in the crib - she was also a solid napper and easy to put to bed.

ANyway, we moved her to the toddler bed without incident. It did not immediately have any effect whatsoever, she went to bed and napped just fine, as always. This was last December. ANyway, in the spring when it started getting light earlier, she started getting up early and coming in to wake me, so i did have to buy an "OK to wake" clock which you can set to turn green at whatever time it's ok for them to come in to your room. FOr us we have it set on 7:15. And for the most part, this works miracle, only an occasional transgression. We got it at Magic Beans in Hingham but here it is online:

http://www.amazon.com/Wake-Childrens-Alarm-Clock-Nightlig...

SO, my message is positive, I think your daughter will be fine, it was fine for us, much more so than I had imagined. Good luck!

At 3, she probably only needs 1.5 to 2 hours of sleep at nap time now. this is normal. May mean she will go to bed a little earlier.

Do make sure you have a good routine for getting ready for bed. A calm dinner, a quiet bath, low lights and no sounds in her room while putting on her pajamas. Read a book, with no interaction..a lovey to sleep with a kiss and lights out.

She may test the getting out of bed and leaving her room. Just walk her back.. saying nothing but, "it is time to sleep."

If she cries while in bed, give her a few minutes, then check on her. Many times the crying is a way for them to release energy.

Our daughter , listened to quiet quiet music or a story on CD to fall asleep, she still does this and is 21 years old.

At nap I told her to try to sleep. If she wanted yo just have quiet time, that was fine, but no coming out of her room.

Sometimes, I told her, Mommy needs a nap, so why don't you came and read me a story. She would "read" then many times fall asleep too.

Try not to make the new bed to much of a bog deal or she will respond to that. Just let her know now that she is a bog girl, she "gets to sleep in a big girl bed."