When to Put My Son in a Toddler Bed

I put my son in a toddler bed when he was about 18 months old. I did this because he kept getting out of his crib and it scared me to death.

I put my son in a toddler bed when he started climbing out of his crib, so i think when he starts climbing out of it would be the best time because at that point the crib isn't very useful and he might as well be in a regular bed.

We converted my son's crib when he was almost 2. He wasn't climbing out of his crib, but I knew it was just a matter of time before he did. My advice when you decide to go to the toddler bed, is use a child gate to at least confine your son to his room. For us, if the gate isn't up, my son will not stay put in his bed. He is 2 1/2 now and we are going to a twin bed very soon. Not because he is too big for the convertable crib (which could probably last another 6 months), but we want to re-decorate his room from the baby theme to a little boy theme and I would rather spend money on twin-size bedding rather than a new crib set.

My son is almost 14 months old and we put him in a twin bed about a week ago. It has a rail on it and a stool beside it so he can climb on and off. We put up a baby gate on the door so that if he does get out of bed, he's not roaming the house. He is so funny, because when he wakes up he stays in the bed like he's in the crib and waits on me to get him even though he's capable of getting down himself! We have had a little bit of a schedule change and a little loss of sleep, but he seems to be a lot more comfortable with the extra space and excited about the newness. Just don't make the mistake I've made, and lay with him as he goes to sleep for the first few nights! That is the only reason we've lost sleep. He expects me to be there now and wakes up looking for me. Good luck with your big boy bed, and if you have a climber like my Luke...make sure everything is secure to the walls!
A.

I put my daughter in one when she was able to actually get out of her crib lol. She was about a year and a half. My son on the other hand is 14 months and nowhere even close to being in a big boy bed:-) Each child is different.
One thing you might want to consider though is putting a child's gate in his bedroom door so that if he gets up he won't be wondering the house:-) Good luck!!

I have moved all 3 of my kids to a toddler bed around 15-18 months(all to make room for the next one LOL), and it has worked out great.

Hey L.~ I put my little boy in a toddler bed at 20 months because I needed his crib for my 2nd child. I think that was a good time to switch. Good luck!~C.

Every child is different. We have two older children who are 16 and 12 now and moved them to a twin bed at around 20 months because they were starting to climb out of the crib they both did great. Our daughter is 2 1/2 and has yet to try to climb out of her bed although she will climb in if the rain is down! She is very small for her age and it appears that it will be awhile until she is tall enough to get her leg up to the rail to climb out. I plan to keep her in the crib as long as possible because the children have upstairs bedrooms and we have a downstairs bedroom.

Both of my girls were about 18 months. We totally skipped the toddler bed, and went straight to a twin. Basically, the worry is them getting out of bed. Just be sure that if that does happen, that he will be safe (gates at stairs, etc).
I treated the "big girl" bed as a priviledge.... they could sleep in in if they stayed in bed (I kept the crib up for a while also, in the event they didn't stay put). It worked like a charm. Good luck.

I moved my daughter to a toddler bed at about 18 months. ANd now at 3 she is ready for a bigger bed. I had no choice though she gets to where she feels crowded and wants more room.

Although she had a convertable crib, I put my daughter in a twin size bed at 15 mos. She slept to wild to be in the crib, and would often wake up crying because she was stuck ( it was soo sad and funny at the same time.) Even if I had waited longer to take her out the crib I still would have went straight to a twin bed, in my opinion a toddler bed is a waste of time since it isnt used for vey long. but that is just my opinion....

We put Tyler in his at 16 months. His crib converted so we had him come in and help us take it apart and put it back. We never had a bit of trouble with him. He is 3 now and in a twin bed.
Good Luck,
T.

My daughter was 33 months when we turned her crib into a toddler bed. She had a crib tent on her crib for a long time so che couldn't climb out. However, when she started climbing INTO her crib during the day to get things out, I knew it was time. We actually had to try twice before we succeded. The first time, she would not stay in her bed long enough to even attempt to fall asleep. We would spend hours taking her back to her room. Finally, she would fall asleeep from sheer exhaustion. I finally told her if she did not stay in her bed at naptime, Daddy would put her crib back together when he got home. And he did. A couple of weeks later, we went on vacation and she slept in a big bed with me while my husband and son shared a room. She did great. When we got home, we put her toddler bed back and she has done great since. Hope this helps. Good luck!

Hi! I am 26 mommy of a 19 month old boy and a 3 year old boy. I didn't know when the right time to put my oldest in a toddler bed, but it worked out to be when he was around 21 months. I am choosing to do the same with my youngest. For my oldest that was the time when he understood that is was bedtime and he was not to get up out of the bed. Not only that but it was the age where he didn't do much moving around during sleep. It has worked out and I am waiting patiently to move the youngest on over!

Hi. My children never really liked the toddler bed. It was the same size as their crib so it wasn't like they had more room. Both of their cribs converted to a toddler bed and they both were in that for about a month before I switched them to a twin size bed and put one side up against the wall and the other side with a bed rail. They did great. My son was about 20 months and my daugther was just over 2 years old when they went into the twin bed. I wouldn't have done my daughter then but she was learning to try to climb out of the crib and I didn't want her to get hurt anymore (her legs were getting stuck from her trying to climb out) :) She has chunky thighs :) I also think it depends on if the child is ready to get out of the crib.... .

Hi!
I put my son in a toddler bed at 18 months. Every child is diffrent though. Trust your instincts. Im sure you'll do great!

L.,

My name is R.. Paulsen and I have 2 wonderful daughters ages 4 and 5. I put my girls in toddler beds when they were about 2 years of age (the would escape their crib). At first it was a little difficult because they could just get out, so the first 2 weeks or so I would lay on their floor with them until they went to sleep and they thought they were big kids now, after the few weeks I never had a problem.

R.. Paulsen

Hi Leann! I have a 16 month old Daughter and we just put her in a toddler bed last week. She absolutely loves it. At the same time, I bought camera moniters...that way I can see her and see if she has gotten out of bed.(I wish I would have got them earlier...they are great!)But so far, Everything is going good with the toddler bed. She has slept with me since she was born, and since we have had the toddler bed, she has started sleeping most of the night in her own bed.
Good Luck!

I put Becca in a twin size bed when she was about 18 months

I didnt start my daughter in her toddler bed until she was 2 1/2. I waited as long as possible because that freedom they will take advantage of. My daughter started climbing out of her crib and that is when I knew she was ready. She still gets up in the night and comes to my room but I take her right back and she goes right to sleep. I think you should hold him off as long as possible. It is nice to have him to a confined space especially at 14 months.

I would wait until he is 2. You don't want him getting out of his bed when he is supposed to be sleeping. My daughter is 2 1/2 and we are just now thinking about moving her into a toddler bed because we need the crib for the baby. Otherwise, we would probably leave her in her crib for a while longer. I think it would be easier on you to wait a while.

at the age of two i put mine in a bed. that is when i started poty traning.i set a bed time of 8:00 p.m. it may take alittle time to make the adjutment.and will fall out of it a couple of times.dont worrie it will come natural to him.

This decision is really up to the need of your child; if he/she seems independent then now would be a great time. I am a mother of four very different children. Stages of independence varied from one to the other.