So, your baby is now a walking, talking toddler with a voice of their own and suddenly seems so grown up. You may now be wondering about their sleeping environment and if they could be outgrowing their cot. Perhaps you’re thinking that a ‘big’ bed would be better suited to this ever-growing little one of yours. But when is the right time to make the transition?

When should my toddler transition from a cot to a bed?

If your toddler isn’t climbing and still fits comfortably in their cot, there’s no need to move them just yet! I would suggest holding off until they’re 3 (if you can!). However, if you’re thinking about potty or toilet training at night, you might think about doing this transition sooner, as they’ll need to be able to get out of bed.

Safety first!

Some toddlers will be put into their bed and stay there (most of the night) without getting up or moving around too much, and some will be up and about, so it’s important to toddler-proof the room. Look out for things they could swallow, electrical appliances in reach, curtain poles or blind cords, hanging strings and windows. You might also consider putting a stair gate in the doorway to stop them wandering around the landing in the night.

You might also choose to pop a bed guard up if you know they fidget a lot still in the night.

How can I make this a smooth move?

There are a few things you can do leading up to the transition to make it a little smoother for your little one (and you).

Talk to your toddler about the upcoming change. Spend the days leading up to the transition speaking about what’s going to change and what they might expect. Toddler’s may not always look like they’re listening or taking anything in, but they hear you and this will be a great way to ease them into a change like this.

Think about introducing a duvet and pillow in their cot before the move, this will get them used to a change in bedding first. When you’re ready to introduce the bed, putting it in the same place as the cot is useful as your toddler will be familiar with the set up and environment.

Read all about it!

Toddlers are great learners when it comes to visuals, more specifically books! You could get children books that talk about bed’s and read them with your toddler in the days leading up to the move, pointing out their favourite characters using “big” beds - get them used to the concept!

A personal touch

Using toys and bedding from the cot will help re-create a familiar sleep space for your toddler (after introducing the duvet and pillow prior to the move). You could also include your toddler in choosing a new cushion or toy for the new bed, help them feel involved with some control – they love to help!

What kind of bed should we use?

Having a bed close to the floor is preferred, you don’t want anything too high with the risk of them possibly falling out (even with bed guards). This will also help with allowing them to try climbing in and out for practice – if they climb out in the night, you want them to be able to get themselves back in.

Consistency is key!

The safety prep has been done and the bed is in place ready to go…

So, what’s next?

Well, jump straight in with the move and don’t look back!

As we already know with most areas of sleep – consistency is key! Keeping your usual bedtime routine will help manage your toddler’s expectations and help them understand that sleep is the end goal.

If your toddler realises their newfound freedom and begins to wander around in the night, it’s important not to entertain this and pop them straight back into their bed! Boring is best! If they want water, milk or the toilet, of course tend to their needs, but then straight to bed.

Praise, praise, praise

Praising your toddler throughout this transition will be your best friend. Toddler’s absolutely love hearing about how well they’re doing (don’t we all?), so this is a perfect opportunity for you to overflow your toddlers love tank with positive praise! Perhaps a reward chart to help them visualise their success – this is great for motivating them to stay in the bed, minimising those waking’s!

If you’ve recently made the transition and are struggling with your little one’s bedtime, or the up and down throughout the night is getting a little out of control, get in touch for a free 15-minute discovery call to see how we can help.

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