Updated at: 09-08-2022 - By: cnbusinessnews

Having the knowledge to convert a crib to a toddler bed can be useful in terms of saving both time and money.

A regular wooden crib can be converted into a bed for your child with little effort. The simplest answer is a universal guardrail. If that doesn’t work, or if you’re engaged in a more involved undertaking, you may simply cut off one of the sides and use it as a railing for your youngster.

Switching to a Toddler Bed

Moving from a crib to a bed isn’t as simple as other developmental milestones like toilet training and solid food introduction. Some kids could be stubborn and refuse to sleep in anything but their old bed. Children should go from cribs to toddler beds once they can get out of them on their own.

Changing a Crib to a Toddler Bed

To convert a crib to a functional toddler bed, you’ll need the following:

  • Convertible infant crib with a full-size bed for later use
  • An integrated safety barrier for young children.
  • All four screws must have a Phillips head and be at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) in length.
  • Metal L-brackets, lengths of 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.6 cm)
  • Screwdriver, Phillips-head hexagonal

5 Tips to Help Baby Transition from Crib to Toddler Bed

What to do:

Get your kid the right size of safety railing. If the crib you’re considering doesn’t have a guardrail built in, you may want to consider getting one. To complete the crib-to-toddler-bed transition, a universal toddler guardrail is a must-buy. It is easily obtainable and custom-made for today’s standard cribs. It’s more practical because all the necessary metal brackets and screws are included in the same package. A toddler rail will allow your child to climb in and out of bed without any help from you. It prevents your child from rolling out of bed while sleeping.

  • Taking down the side of the crib is recommended.
  • Do not leave your child’s bedding in their room.
  • The brackets are meant to be fastened to the bedposts.
  • You need to choose a location for the guardrail.
  • Join the guardrail to the bed railing.
  • Make your bed and put your clothes away to clean up your room.

How to Transition your Toddler from Crib to Bed

A child’s transition from a crib to a bed is a challenging one. Every kid is different; their responses and actions reflect their individual personalities. However, here are some suggestions that might make the transition to a new employment a little less stressful:

  1. If you have a toddler, make sure your room is child-proofed. Your youngster will have plenty of space to play once you’ve converted the crib to a toddler bed. This means you need to watch out for your kid’s safety. Bed rails will prevent your child from falling out of bed.
  2. Talk to your kid about the change that’s happening. Tell your kid what’s going on so they can be ready for the change. Convince them that you need to take this step before the truth is revealed to them in order to save the situation from deteriorating.
  3. Prepare your bed to be slept in. Gather your kid’s treasured possessions into one spot and cover them with blankets and sheets in bright, happy colors. Your child’s attitude and motivation toward the transition will improve as a result.
  4. Don’t expect your kid to enthusiastically embrace the change straight away. Your kid will need a few weeks to adjust to sleeping in a new bed. In order to get through the night, you’ll need to be patient, firm, and constant.

Tips for Transitioning to a Toddler Bed

Timing

If your child is still content and happy in his or her crib after turning two or three, there’s no need to make the transition to a bed just yet. Your child should be at least two years old before you consider switching to a toddler bed (or a twin). 1

To prevent this from happening, a huge kid’s bed is not the best solution. According to Strong, you need a strategy in place before you begin. Your child doesn’t have to be moved into a bed as soon as he or she climbs out of the crib.

To prevent this from happening, a huge kid’s bed is not the best solution. According to Strong, you need a strategy in place before you begin. Your child doesn’t have to be moved into a bed as soon as he or she climbs out of the crib.

You don’t want to go for the obvious solution—a humongous child’s bed—to prevent this. Strong argues that preparation is key, so you should make plans ahead of time. Your youngster can play happily in the living room until he or she is ready to transition to a bed.

Easing the Transition

There’s no need to spend a week getting ready for your toddler’s new sleeping arrangement, but you should set some ground rules. The sudden removal of a child’s crib from which he or she has slept for two years or more might cause significant distress.

Be patient and give it a few days to take effect at the very least. Talk to your child about the transition from the crib to the bed a few days before you make the change. The bed is an important place, but there are some ground rules that must be followed at all times.

Explain everything that is going to take place to your youngster. If your child is going to transition from a crib to a regular bed or a mattress on the floor, it is best to talk to them about the process ahead of time so there are no surprises.

Other Considerations

If you remove the crib’s bars, the entire room can be used as a bed. Think about what has to be fastened to the wall or taken out of the room entirely if you have a young child in the home.

Some toddlers appreciate being able to go from a crib to a bed for short periods of time (of course, this is not an option with a convertible crib). Some people find it simpler to adjust if the crib is out of sight.

Strategies

It is essential to establish boundaries, but it is also crucial to give your child a sense of agency. Strong suggests providing as much guidance as possible but also allowing the child some control over the issue so that they feel less powerless during this time of transition.

She recommends having a conversation with your kid about the bedtime routine. Ask your kid, “What is our nighttime routine?” when it’s time for bed. Can you advise us on the next step? We tuck ourselves into bed, pull the covers over our heads, and go to sleep till midnight. It’s a good idea to review these rules each night for a while, to help cement them in your mind.

Remembering that children’s grasp of the rules is different from their ability to follow them requires constant repetition.

Even if you don’t have Pinterest, you can still make a fun bedtime routine chart with pictures of things like reading, bathing, brushing teeth, getting into bed, and saying goodnight.

Transitioning from Cot Bed to Toddler Bed Obaby - Transitioning from Cot Bed to Toddler Bed

Keeping Your Toddler in Bed

Maintaining order and routine will get easier as time goes on. Meanwhile, a physical barrier might be erected if your youngster is stubbornly refusing to go to bed. Strong argues that baby gates are preferable than locks since they provide security while also providing easy access for the child.

Some kids will be happy to see you first thing in the morning. The new alarm clock may sound great, but 5 a.m. is still too early for most people. Use a customized toddler clock that flashes yellow to signal it’s time to get up and about.

If you don’t want to buy a new digital clock but you still want to keep accurate time, this person is a staunch champion of using an old one. If you want to teach your child to count backwards from any given number, you should hide the other digits and only reveal the first. They will witness my ability to succeed in a six.

Try returning a young child to bed peacefully until they are ready to start learning numbers and can grasp that it is not yet time to get up.

Bedtime Routine

Whether or not you get a good night’s sleep depends on the kind of expectations you’ve established and whether or not you’re willing to enforce them. When a youngster first climbs into bed, the idea of staying there until they fall asleep can be appealing. However, once the habit has been established, breaking it can be challenging.

Strong recommends establishing a bedtime schedule and expectations for it as soon as possible after making the transition. You shouldn’t ever tell yourself, “I’ll just wait it out in here, and we’ll figure out a solution afterwards.”

Naps

Naps can be difficult to maintain when a child is transitioning from a crib to a full-sized bed. Between the ages of two and three, some toddlers take only one nap each day, while others gradually cut back or eliminate naps altogether. 2 Despite this, parents of small children may insist that their child snooze during the day.

Children this age can’t be coaxed into napping, but it’s still important for parents to make sure their kid gets enough shut-eye. You might tell yourself that rest is necessary for your health. Strong elaborated on the significance of sleep by saying, “We can go to the park and ride our bikes in the afternoon if you fall asleep, but we can’t if you don’t get enough rest.

To help your young child comprehend that nap time is coming to an end, set an alarm clock to go off after an hour. If you anticipate that your child will have trouble sleeping, prepare a quiet activity box for them. Toys with a lot of moving parts, batteries, and screens should be avoided. You may think your child is relaxing, but in reality, he is probably being stimulated by these activities.

Nap time transitions, like all other aspects of the shift to a big kid bed, require consistency. After a few weeks of regular naptime, your toddler will come to anticipate and, in most cases, enjoy this time of day.

A Word From Verywell

After some time, your youngster will learn to accept sleeping in a bed. Set and stick to firm rules on turning in as early as possible.

FAQs

How do you turn a crib into a toddler bed?

Steps Pick a sturdy railing to act as a deterrent. In the absence of a built-in toddler bed rail, you’ll have to buy an additional rail. Taking down the side of the crib is recommended. Blankets and sheets should be removed from the bed. To assemble the brackets, simply screw them into the rail. Install the handrail. Attach the bed rail. Make your bed and put your clothes away to clean up your room.

Is a toddler conversion kit necessary?

Steps Select a high railing to serve as a deterrent. You’ll need to purchase a separate rail if your toddler bed doesn’t already come with one. Get rid of the crib’s side. Remove the sheets from the bed. The brackets are easy to put together; just screw them onto the rail. Put the railing in position. Fasten the guard rail to the bedposts. Make your bed as a first step in putting your room in order.

Should a 2 year old sleep in a crib?

The use of a safe and secure crib is still recommended for infants and toddlers aged 1 to 2 years. Children younger than one year old shouldn’t be swaddled in blankets due to the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. However, at this stage, your baby can benefit from a light blanket in his or her crib. Your child can easily stack and climb on top of the toys if you leave them out.

How do I keep my 2 year old in his crib?

Seven Strategies for Keeping Your Toddler in His/Her Crib Try not to stress over it too much. It’s best not to make a big deal out of the baby’s escape from the crib. Convey your goals and limitations to the other party. Get rid of Clutter from Around the Bed. Reduce the size of the bed. Improve your sleep hygiene by implementing a sleep-to-wake alarm clock into your routine. Get a sleeping bag.

When should I give my toddler a pillow?

Waiting till they are at least 24 months old is recommended. As of right now, only those over the age of two are allowed to use pillows. Suffocation is a possibility till then due to the excess bedding in the bed. Your child’s level of maturity and development should be taken into account when deciding whether or not to introduce a pillow.

What age is too big for a toddler bed?

They should be postponed till the child is at least 24 months old. Those under the age of two are no longer allowed to use pillows. Until then, there is a risk of suffocation from the pile of blankets on the bed. Your child’s physical maturity level is a major factor in deciding if he or she is ready to utilize a pillow.

How do I keep my toddler from falling out of a toddler bed?

Here are five ways to keep your kid from rolling out of bed. The first step is to downsize to a child’s bed size. Second, check to see that the mattress is firm and doesn’t move around. Keep the kid’s bed up against the wall for safety. You should sleep with your kid. Order safety rails from an internet store.

Toddler Climbing Out of Crib? - Sleeping Should Be Easy

Can you just take the front off a crib?

To make the crib into a “toddler bed” for our son, we simply took off the front panel. Or, you could go out and get a real toddler bed frame that will work just fine with your present crib mattress. The vast majority of youngsters outgrow their crib mattresses by the time they turn five years old.

How long do toddlers need bed rails?

Bed rails are a great way to ensure the safety of your child between the ages of 2 and 5. Bed rails should be installed according to the guidelines provided by the manufacturer. If the rails aren’t used correctly or work their way loose over the night, your youngster could become imprisoned. Before using the rails for the night, you should always ensure that they are in good working order and that they have been installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Can a crib convert to a twin bed?

In order to convert the crib into a twin size bed, it must be taken apart completely. Hold on to the two long, wide sides of the crib. These will serve as the top of the bed and the base for your feet. Fasten the bed’s headboard, footboard, and box spring together to make a twin-size bed.

How do you remove the front rail from a crib?

Elimination of the Crib Rail After the rail is brought into position, the lower part can be loosened by pressing on it with your knee. To take it out of the crib, you just have to slide it to the very bottom. It’s possible you’ll have to elevate the crib or jiggle the side rail to get it completely loose.

Where is the model number on a Graco crib?

Look for a white label underneath your goods to find the model number and assembly date. gracobaby.com/webapp/wcs/sto… For the sake of your baby’s safety, we do not recommend stuffing playards with extra mattresses or soft buntings.

What is a toddler pillow?

Size. Toddler pillows are often smaller than standard adult pillows, measuring 13 by 18 inches. If your child is surrounded by a giant pillow, he or she could get stuck. The pillow’s compact size makes it suitable for transport by car, airplane, or even to and from daycare centers. Support.

Conclusion

Whether or not to make the switch from a crib to a toddler bed is a major decision you’ll have to make for your child. Your kid may be resistant to sleeping in a brand-new bed. Know that it will only take a few weeks for your child to adjust to his new environment, and try to keep your spirits up in the meantime. In addition, with his newfound independence comes the possibility of numerous thrilling adventures. It’s possible that you’ll have to put your kid to bed multiple times before he gives in to sleep. However, major transitions should not be rushed. Consider your child’s readiness for a change. Then and only then will you see a more favorable result. Discover the basics of toddler beds.