Well, it is that time we all dread as parents. Last night, your child climbed out of their crib on their own...
Here are 3 ways to easily transition your child from a crib to a toddler bed:
1. Pick some sheets that you know your child will love!
A new bed for your child is just as nerve-racking as the new bed is for you! Your child has most likely slept in that crib their entire life. They know the smell of the mattress, the outline of the crib bars and how far they can roll while they are sleeping before their back hits one of those bars.
A new bed is brand new territory. To help your child feel safe in their new bed, have them pick out their new sheets, blankets and pillows with you. Maybe they want Finding Nemo sheets, a Paw Patrol blanket, a pillow case with dinosaurs on them? Whatever it is, giving your child part of the control over what their new bed will look like will help them feel safe when they are laying in it.
2. Find a visual clock to hang in the bedroom.
Keeping your child in bed throughout the night when they aren't "stuck" in there from the crib bars is no easy feat! Does the thought of your child climbing out of bed and getting you into mischief keep you up at night? As much as we don't want to put a lot of rules on our young kids lives, bedroom rules are a must! This is important because we want to know where our kids are while we are sleeping, not just for our piece of mind but also for their safety. One easy way to encourage your child to stay in bed all night is to use one of these visual clocks! They are soooo cool and available on Amazon. Sit down and tell your child what the colors mean and they they shouldn't get up until the light turns green (of course this doesn't pertain if there is an emergency at night or if they have to go to the bathroom).
3. Place a basket of quiet toys by the bed.
Sometimes children wake up early and can't go back to sleep. This is when they walk into your room, wander into their playroom to make a mess or start singing at the top of their lungs (no matter if it is 3am)! To keep your child quiet in their bed, place a small basket of quiet toys next to their bed. Let them know that they can play with those toys if they are unable to fall back to sleep at night. Most likely they will fall back to sleep, but if not, they will stay in bed until it is time to get up. Some examples of quiet toys are: Puzzles, Books, Pictures, play cars, stuffed animals, play food set & crayons and paper.
Remember that it may take a week or two for your child to learn the new bedroom rules and feel comfortable sleeping through their night in their new bed. Staying consistent with your new rules and following through every night will make sure they are sleeping through the night in no time!
About the Author: Jeana Kinne, MA has spent over 16 years in the Early Childhood Education field. She has worked as a Preschool Teacher, Preschool Director, Preschool Consultant and with children with Special Needs. Jeana created JDEducational to guide parents in learning simple teaching techniques which keep their child engaged, excited to learn. She hopes that through learning and growing together, families will create life-long memories. Learn More About Jeana Here.
