Toddler Bed Age Limit?

Updated on September 15, 2009
S.W. asks from Fredericksburg, VA
13 answers

We just received a toddler bed as a gift for our 19 month old little girl. She loves the pink butterflies and designs; plus it came from "my Grandma". Haven't started the transition yet but with the climbing and jumping she does it won't be long. Just wanted to know how long your children have slept in this kind of bed? Also when the time comes should we set up the toddler bed in the same room as her crib to ease the transition?

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B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

My son stayed in his crib till 3 1/2. He transitioned to a regular twin size (we put fold down bed rails on both sides for a very long time). He liked having more room for more of his stuffed animals.

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S.A.

answers from Washington DC on

myboy went into his toddler bed when he was 19 months. the toddler bed had been in his room for a few months without any pressure to use it. and one night, he refused to go in the crib and instead chose the bed! it was that easy for us. Sure, he's fallen out of the bed a few times, but we just pick him back up, put him in the bed, and he goes right back to sleep.

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S.M.

answers from Washington DC on

I have never used a toddler bed. But on the subject of transition, I would make a big deal out of getting rid of the crib and having a big girl bed! I think it's a nice milestone she will be able to participate in and should be a celebration. But also I would fear that side by side you will encourage a longing for the crib. IF you take it away, I personally dont' think she'll care. But if you leave both, she may want to go back and forth. YOu know her best - how do you think she will react? IS change easy on her?

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A.W.

answers from Washington DC on

my daughter will be 6 next month. she's been in a toddler bed since she was 15 months! she's tall for her age. the biggest reason we've kept her in it so long is because of space limitations. we have small bedrooms, 3 kids and are expecting #4 in january! she's also tall for her age (in the 95 percentile). we will be getting her a twin sizebed for her bday!!
for us, the trasition from crib to toddler bed was easy (she's been a really easy child). she was 15 months when i found out we were expecting #2. she began climbing out of her crib at the same time. we had to spend more time with her during bed time singing and rubing her back to make sure she would stay in bed and go to sleep. so patience in a must. good luck!

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C.D.

answers from Washington DC on

My son started in a toddler bed when he was around 2 years old and he went to a "big" bed at around age 5 once he literally didn't fit in the bed anymore. I would say your daughter could stay in the bed as long as she fits in the bed. My sons bed went right next to the crib in the same room. I think that the bed should be set up in the room where she will sleep.

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K.N.

answers from Norfolk on

My son moved into a toddler bed when he turned 2 1/2. We did not leave the crib set up in his room and he did not have any issues transtioning, but we may have just got lucky. The only thing we did was make extra sure his room was completely child proofed and put a baby gate at his door which he still sometimes comes to but usually goes to bed soon after we put him down. My son is going on 3 so I'm not sure how long he will stay in it.

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J.G.

answers from Washington DC on

Both my kids (now 5.5 and 3) were so excited at the appearance of their "big kid" toddler beds that they left the crib the same night the new bed was set up, never to look back, with no transition issues at all. My son moved into one of those race car beds that we picked up at a yard sale when he was 2, and my daughter into a girly white bed we found on Craig's list when she was about 1 1/2. But the toddler bed didn't last long (maybe a year, tops) before we moved them into regular twin sized beds. For us the bigger issue was a good mattress... have you ever actually slept on one of those crib size mattresses? SOOO not comfy. Both my kids now sleep on their own memory foam mattresses, and spend a lot less time sneaking into the big bed with us. :-)

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R.H.

answers from Norfolk on

My daughter started using her toddler bed at about 18mo. She used it until she started out growing it. Which was at about 4yrs old. We used it until she didn't fit anymore. Our plan was to have her in a twin bed when she started kindergarten. We put her in one when she started climbing out of her crib. It was hard at first. She would get up over and over. But we stood out side her bedroom with the door closed and when we heard her up we walked in. The first two times we said "It's bed time, back in bed" but after the sec. time we didn't say a word. Just picked he up and put her back in bed and walked out. We did this over and over until she gave up. We had to do this every night until she figured it out. Sometimes she would throw a fit but did ignored it. If we left and she followed we would turn around and take her right back to her bed. Don't get angry it just fuels the fire and makes it worse. She will get upset, she will follow you and she will throw a tantrum. but don't give in the first time you do the first time she realizes "YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR MIND, And the more she does the better the chance you will"

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T.H.

answers from Norfolk on

we never had both beds at the same time sense our cribs turn into toddler beds. my youngest transisioned to a todler at 15 months and she is still in it at age 4 and a half.

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T.H.

answers from Norfolk on

I believe my oldest slept in her toddler bed till almost 4. When we gotthe toddler bed I tried putting it in her room to transition her, but she wanted to sleep in her crib and not the bed. We decided the best way was to totally get rid of the crib, we had her watch as daddy took it apart and we said good bye to the crib. Then we put the toddler bed in the exact same place the crib was. It worked great. Several of my freinds also did the same thing and their kids had no problem saying good bye to the crib.

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C.B.

answers from Washington DC on

My thought would be it depends on the size of the child. My older son was always very tiny and was in his toddler bed until he turned 5. My younger son was the opposite, tall and lanky, and he was out of his at 4. We moved both of them to their big boy beds on their second birthday. It didn't take with my older so he was back in a crib til 2 1/2 and only in the toddler bed til 4. The older got 3 full years out of it. Hope that helps. C.

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K.C.

answers from Washington DC on

We went straight to a twin bed with rails and put it against a wall at 22 mths and she's of course still using now at almost five. We kept the crib in the room for awhile and used it occasionally until we were "all" comfortable. Setting up the toddler bed in the same room is great (as long as it's not your room!) Good luck-we had minimal problems transitioning.

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M.G.

answers from Washington DC on

my son was about 15 months old when he climbed out of his crib one nap time. so that very afternoon my husband converted the crib in to his todler bed.

there was no easing into it. i think the more that you baby your child the more timmed they get and that can cause problems later in life.

just learn to jump with them. if they are climbing out then they are telling you it is time to get rid of it.
you have to show them it is ok to go forward with out looking back right away.

hope this helps. they will tell you when they are ready you just have to be listening when they are tellig you.

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