When is the right time to transition a kid out of the crib and into the big kid bed? I know dd is still too young (16 months) but I'm thinking about the future and wondering when that kind of transition is appropriate. (Of course, her climbing out of her crib this morning is what sparked this train of thought. Dh immediately lowered the mattress, but still...just wondering.)

I have 3 kids 2 in regular beds. Climing out when the mattres was at the lowest setting and how much they seem to move while they sleep were the 2 main things we went by.
My oldest was a climber and nothing kept him in so we went to a toddler bed one side against the wall the other had a rail and we had to sit in his room till he fell asleep for 2 weeks cuz he would not stay in bed!.

My DD1 was turning 3 and we had the next on the way so since she slept on a pillow in the crib and never ended up, upside down or anything we figured she could do a bed. A regular one not a toddler bed. one side on the wall the other with the rail.

DD2 is two and trying to climb but still two short, and she is in the right way most mornings so we figure soon she will be getting a big bed.

I agree with Kim....whenever they can climb out of the crib with the mattress on the lowest setting is a sure fire marker! Otherwise it's a tough decision. It's always touchy when you put them into a bed with no rails cuz then they can get out of bed as fast you can put them into it! Good luck, listen to your heart.

Thank you for posting this question because DD is 24 months and we are trying to also see when it is a good time to move DD from her crib to a big girl bed!!

We moved ds from his crib to a double/full size bed at around 27 months. He never climbed out of his crib, but we just felt it was time for him to be a *big boy*. We have the bed scooted up against a wall on one side so he can't fall out of bed and that's the side he sleeps on (of course we have to listen to him hit the wall when he rolls over several times a night LOL!).

I moved dd #1 when she turned 2, mostly because I had just found out I was pregnant, and I didn't want her thinking that we were moving her out of her crib just because of the new baby on the way.

DD #2 is 2 1/2 and still in her crib. She hasn't tried to climb out yet, and we've been trying to get the money together to get her a bed. I am thinking she'll be in one within the next month or two. She's really excited for a "big girl bed"...I am dragging my feet though since I know she is the last baby in our family...sniff sniff.

Chelle :ribbon:

We moved ds shortly after he turned 2. He never climbed out of his crib, but he was certainly too big for it.

We waited that long because ds was going through a phase where he would wake up at 2 in the AM (or right around there) rip, roarin', ready to go. So when he started not waking up all full of it, I gave him a couple months, then moved him. Best thing we ever did. He no longer wakes up in the AM crying- he just gets up and plays in his room. On the rare occasion, he'll get up in the middle of the night, but he goes right back to bed once I get up and tuck him back in. Plus, what really helped us was we never, ever had a problem getting him to go to bed. At night when he's tired, that's it- he's out.

So I say if you don't have a problem getting her to sleep at night, and she sleeps all night right now and wakes up at a reasonable hour, make the switch. We got one of those white resin toddler beds from Wal Mart for $40.00. It has rails going 1/2 way down both sides. He loves it. Best of luck to you!!

Laura

Update on 713/02 We moved DD to her Big Big Girl Bed and she loves it dearly !! She is soon to be 26th months old!!
She loves sleeping in her bed and taking her naps in her bed as well as playing on her bed!! :)

Dd 3 1/2 moved into a big girl bed when she just turned 18 months. We bought her a new bed the day after she halfway climbed out of her crib (I caught her in mid-act). She did wonderful! I expected her to climb out time and time again each night. She did not. She loved her big bed and so proud of herself! It was the easiest transition I had seen or heard about!

Ds 8 was around 2 1/2 when he moved into a big boy bed. I decided on the move just because I thought it was time. He was not trying to climb out of the crib or anything. It took him a couple of nights to stay in bed, but he did fine.

Good luck!