How to successfully move your toddler from a cot to a bed
Louisa Sherlock
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Moving your toddler from a cot to his first big bed is a milestone moment. But it doesn’t have to mean nights of disrupted sleep for you and your little one. Here's more about when to do it – as well as how to do it safely and effectively.
If you’re feeling nervous about transitioning your toddler from his cot to a bed, you’re not alone.
A 2017 survey by Netmums and The Children’s Sleep Charity found nearly 60% of parents said they were worried about moving their toddler into a bed.
And almost 50% of parents were worried their toddler wouldn’t sleep well in the new bed.
Sleep expert Vicki Dawson, CEO of The Children’s Sleep Charity, shares her top tips for how to successfully move your toddler from cot to bed ...
What age should my toddler move from a cot to a bed?
If you’re unsure of when to transition from cot to bed, common signs to look out for are:
- Your toddler trying to climb out of the cot;
- The cot is getting too small for your toddler.
However, although most parents move their toddler into a big bed any time between the age of 18 months and three-years-old, there's no set age, explains Vicki:
‘It’s a tricky one because there is no perfect time to move them.
'By the time they are three, most are ready to move if they haven’t already.
‘It might be the cot is getting too small for them or they have started to try and climb out of it and there can be some concern about keeping them safe. Sometimes children are moved because the family is having another child and needs the space.
‘All children are very different - some will move into a bed and be fine straight away, others will take longer to transition.’
Helping your child settle into their new bed
If you’ve decided to make the move, preparation is key according to Vicki.
She says:
‘You have to be consistent! Once you have made the move you’ve got to continue with the same routine and do the same thing every night. It can take a couple of weeks of being really consistent for the child to accept the change.
Follow Vicki’s top tips for an easy transition from cot to bed...
1 Involve your toddler
Get your child excited about the big move by involving him in the process. ‘Take your child shopping to look at a new bed, let them choose some new bedding and new pyjamas’, suggests Vicki. ‘Make it a really positive experience.’
2 Keep the bedtime routine exactly the same
‘Don’t change the bedtime routine at all’, says Vicki. ‘Everything should be as consistent as possible -- from lighting to bedtime. If you can, put the bed in the same place as the cot was so your child has a familiar view.”
3 Practice daytime naps in the bed
Help familiarise your toddler with his new bed by putting them down for a daytime sleep in it first. ‘It can help to have a daytime nap in the bed’, says Vicki. ‘Spending some time in the bedroom where the new bed is also really useful, for example reading a story together on the bed.’
4 Use the same bedding
Another way to help your toddler feel comfortable in his new bed is by using the same pillows and duvet. ‘Think about transitional objects’, says Vicki. ‘If they were using a blanket in the cot, move it with them to the bed. This helps the environment feel more familiar.’
5 Pick your moment carefully
If you’re moving your toddler because you need the cot for a new baby, Vicki says, ‘Try and plan it really well so you’re not doing it exactly when a new baby is arriving. Instead, try and do it well in advance so they’re not feeling pushed out.’
6 Be positive
‘Always speak really positively about bedtime and the new bed’, recommends Vicki. ‘Make it an exciting time for your child. Also, make sure the bedroom environment is a really positive place. Sometimes it’s not, for example, “I’m going to send you to bed if you don’t behave.”
'We want to get rid of all that and be really positive.’
Help, my toddler keeps getting out of bed!
It’s not unusual for your child to be unsettled when he first changes beds.
And that means you might be getting a frequent little visitor to your bedside in the night!
Vicki says:
‘It’s a novelty for your little one when they can get out of bed in the night, and they might want to check everyone is still there. Children need to have some way of knowing whether it’s time to get up or not.
'Parents might want to use something like a sleep training clock that shows when it is daytime or something simple like a lamp on a timer to teach them that when the light goes on it’s time to get up.’
The Gro Clock is a useful sleep trainer that can also be used as a nightlight. It has stars on its screen that disappear one-by-one throughout the night, so if a young child wakes up and sees them, they know it's not time to get up yet. Once all of the stars have gone, the 'sun' appears as a signal that it's now morning. You can buy it here at Amazon for around £20.
If your toddler does keep getting up, she recommends trying whatever sleep training technique you've successfully used in the past. 'Treat it like a normal night waking. So whether you’re doing gradual retreat or rapid return, it’s all about consistency.'
Making a safe move from cot to bed
With your toddler now able to get out of bed on his own, it’s important every aspect of the room is child-proof.
‘View the bedroom through your child’s eyes’ says Vicki.
This includes:
- Make sure there are no blind cords within easy reach;
- Make sure the bedroom windows are safe and can’t be opened by your toddler;
- Don't put their bed under a window;
- Put a bed rail to stop your child falling out of bed;
- If you have stairs, put a stair gate up;
- Clear away any toys they can climb on to get over the stair gate.
She also suggests putting pillows or a folded duvet on the floor by your toddler's bed in case he does fall out and adds:
'Parents need to feel they’ve really thought about safety aspect so they feel comfortable with the move as well.
'Children pick up on your anxiety and if parents are worried about it your little one will pick up on that and feel anxious as well.’
You can also buy guards which help to prevent children falling out of bed. They are easy to install and can be easily removed once your child is more used to sleeping in a grown-up bed. We like this one by Safety First that's available here at Amazon for £19.99. It's lightweight and compact and can be easily folded down for when your little one needs to get in and out of the bed.
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