Tips on Moving Toddlers to Big Kid Beds

I recommend transitioning in to the big girl beds first, and it probably really won't matter if they do that before the move, or after. (For me, personally, I would prabably do it before the move.) One reason is that when the girls are potty trained, they are going to need to be able to get out of their beds, and the other reason is to make it so much easier for Mom to put them in and get them out of bed. Plus, if mom and dad are having a moving sale, they can sell one crib and not have to move it! (Keep one for the new baby, of course.) :)

The potty training can actually wait until they are closer to 3, but you and the parents need to be aware of the girls' clues that they are actually ready to potty train. If their mom already has them, you (collectively) can go ahead and introduce them to the potty chairs. Our son "played" (sitting and flushing) with his potty chair for around 6 months before we actually moved it into the bathroom for actual "use". We also bought a Play-a-Sound "Potty Time with Elmo" book for our little boy when he was around 18 months old. It's one of his favorite books, and he very often finds it to take into the bathroom with him when he's sitting on his potty. (The book is not gender specific, so it's great for both boys and girls!) We got ours at Babies R Us.

Hope all this info helps you guys! Good Luck, and please tell Mom and Dad "Congratulations on the new baby!"

~J.~

I started my son out with a mattress on the floor. He loved the beginnings of his big boy bed.

I agree with most all the prior posts - do big girl beds now, wait til after move for potty training due to regression after big changes. I have 2 sets of twins; when was ready to bring the boys home, I bought Dora bedding for the girls room and fixed it up for them. We let them play in there and watch TV but did not make them sleep in the beds. After a few days they asked if they could sleep in the big girls beds, and of course we let them. I took them to visit the boys at the hospital, and they suggested that I needed to bring the boys home. I said, Where will they sleep, and the girls answered, "I know, why don't they sleep in the cribs? We don't need them anymore." And that was that.

Transition to big kid beds before the move, so they don't have to stress about a new house, new room, new night noises, AND new beds! Too much. Potty training can wait if they aren't ready. They will regress after the move. Kids are resilient, so do what feels right.

i would do the potty training after the move. many young children regress in that area after a big move. As for the bed, I thin it would be ok to do it now, they will have 6 months to get used to the new beds. are they moving into toddler beds or big beds? I always started with nap time in the new bed until they were used to it and comfortable with the new size. We always talk about how exciting it is to be in a big boy bed etc. then move in to nite time. we've never had a problem. Hopw this helps!!

Wait until you move. Let the children know that when they move into their new house, they will be getting big kid beds. Have them begin sleeping in the big kid beds the first night of the new house. This way they will know your expectations. Bring them to the store and let them pick out the new sheets and blankets for their new beds. It will get them excited. If they fuss about sleeping in the new bed remind them about their new cool sheets on their new big kid beds.
As far as the potty training goes, you definelty want to wait until you have moved. With my first 2 children it was much easier to wait until they were 3. It is so much easier.

I had similar situation with my youngest. He is now two but I transitioned him into a toddler bed a at about 14 months. He was climbing out of the crib. But I did the transitioning a few weeks before we moved. Ithink it it helped bc it was his bed in his old home and when we moved it it was still his bed. He ajusted pretty fast to the bed as well. It was a toddler firetruck bed, so if they can get beds that the girls like it makes it even easier. Like Dora or Princess might help. Or if they do regular bed maybe gettign them the bedding they favor. Anything to make it more enticing for them to sleep in it. There were so many other changes that I recommend the switch before. That way they have time to adjust to it. Then it's theirs and when lots of other changes occur it's already familiar to them.

Also if you are potty training they need to be able to get out of their beds safely anyway. So even if you don't do the bed change first before the move I still say do it before the potty training.