Keeping Your Toddler in The Crib

The Toddler Bed. Such a huge milestone! It can be right up there with potty training and starting preschool!

It can be so exciting and such a big step, but I recommend keeping your child in their crib for as long as you possibly can! If your toddler is not trying to climb out and things are going well in the crib – great! If it’s not broken, don’t fix it!

Your child is SAFE in their crib. And cozy!

Sometimes toddlers can be difficult to reason with. Having full access to everything in their bedroom (and possibly the house) could be dangerous. We want to keep them safe and focused on sleep.

If your toddler has tried to climb out more than once, it is definitely unsafe for them in the crib and it is time for them to move to a bed.

We have kept our 3.5 year old in his crib, because it is still working for us. My daughter (who is now 5), needed to transition a little bit before she turned 3.

The first time they attempt to climb out, do not laugh or give a big reaction. This could make them continue to climb out again and again. If your toddler has an older sibling, try to avoid them “showing” your toddler how to get in and out of the crib as well. We don’t want to give them any ideas, or make it seem fun!

Think about where the crib is placed in the room. Is it near a bookcase? Is there a chair right next to the crib? Any lamps nearby? We used to have my son’s little toy box next to his crib when he was younger, then I realized it could be a perfect escape route if he were to attempt to climb out. Move anything that is close to the crib. Your toddler might use it to help them climb out or they might pull something dangerous into the crib.

Create a safe space in their room. Bolt large pieces of furniture to the wall (dressers, bookcases, etc.). You will need to think of the entire room as one giant crib.

Here are a few more tricks that you can do to keep your toddler safe and cozy in their crib…

Try this!!

First, we will adjust the position of the crib. Find a corner of your toddler’s room. Place the crib there and turn the crib around. The taller “backside” of the crib will be facing the room and the shorter “frontside” will now be against the wall. Once it is in the corner of the room, only one of the four sides will be short. This could help deter them from climbing.

After that, put your toddler in a sleep sack! This will prevent them from lifting their leg high enough to climb over the side. If they like to unzip their sleep sacks, put the sleep sack on backwards!

Finally, have a consistent wind-down routine that includes stories, songs, and bedtime cuddles. This will get your toddler comfy, cozy, and ready to fall asleep - and not thinking about climbing!

I hope these tips have been helpful to keep your toddler in their crib, focused on sleep and extra safe!

Next, I will be blogging about transitioning to a toddler bed - how to prepare, how to set it up and how to talk about it with your child.

*Disclaimer: Crib bumpers, like in this picture, are not safe for babies (suffocation risk) or toddlers (could help them climb out).