Transitioning from a Crib to a Toddler Bed - Raleigh Toddler Bed - Espresso

Purchase the Raleigh Toddler Bed online

 

Something to remember when thinking about transitioning your child from a crib to a toddler bed is that there's no rush.  If your child isn't ready, try not to force him/her and create a scary or bad experience.  I've read that most children make their way to a toddler bed between the ages of 1 1/2 and 3 1/2 so if your child is coming up on any age in that range and hasn't made the move to a toddler bed, no worries.

 

Here are a few tips to help make the transition easier on you and your child.

1.  To help ease the transition, put the new toddler bed in the same place that their crib was in.  

We're huge on routines in our house so, naturally, a new bed and a new bed placement would be scary for my daughter.  By placing her new big girl bed in the same position as her crib, she'll feel more at home and familiar.

2.  Let your child pick out his/her new big kid bed.

Toddlers love to be independent and make their own decisions so why not take your little one to pick out his/her own big kid bed?  KidKraft has some amazing options out on the market at crazy-affordable prices.  Take a look at some of our favorites like the Firetruck, Raleigh Bed and the pink girly toddler bed.

3.  Throw a party!

It may sound silly, but try throwing your little one a "big kid bed" party.  Just like "potty parties," a big kid party can create enthusiasm for the first big night!  Keep talking about the party in the week leading up to the event to keep it fresh in his/her mind.

My Suggestions of Things NOT to do:

1.  As hard as it may be, try not to sleep in the new bed with your toddler.  First of all, this is dangerous and secondly, you don't want to create a reliance problem.

2.  Don't force your child to sleep in the big kid bed if he/she isn't ready.  This can create an emotional scar and could prolong the transition.

3.  Don't give up.  If your little one just isn't ready, try placing the toddler bed somewhere else in the room so they can start to sit on it, climb on it and eventually lay on it.  Let him/her warm up to the idea slowly.

Toddler Bed Suggestion

We love the Espresso-colored Raleigh Toddler bed from Kidkraft.  The assembly is extremely easy and stress-free.  The quality and workmanship of this bed make it look so much more expensive than it is.  You can find this bed at Walmart and Walmart.com for around $189 which is exactly what I would expect a toddler bed to cost.  Best of all, a standard crib mattress will fit right in to the Raleigh Toddler Bed so there's no need to go out and buy a new mattress.

 

Source: The NapTime Reviewer