My Toddler Climbed Out of the Crib. How to Handle the Crib-to-Bed Transition

When What I Tell Parents About the Crib to Bed Transition

On the very first night that Valentina gave up her pacifier, she also climbed out of her crib.

This was not part of the plan.

Many parents first encounter the crib-to-bed transition the same way: their toddler climbs out of the crib and everything changes overnight.

We had spent weeks preparing for the pacifier transition. What I had not expected was that the same night would also mark the end of the crib.

Many parents first face the crib to bed transition when their toddler suddenly climbs out of the crib. When that happens, the question quickly becomes how to keep bedtime safe, predictable, and calm once the crib no longer contains them.

At first we tried to convince Valentina to stay put. We explained that the crib was where she slept. We reminded her that it was bedtime.

She listened carefully then climbed out again.

It quickly became clear that she was not going to stay in the crib.

And once a child can climb out, safety becomes the deciding factor.

So we took the rail off the side of Valentina's crib and turned it into a toddler bed.

If I had been able to choose, I would not have bundled those two transitions together. At the time she was also skipping naps due to adjusting to life without pacifiers. So life with Valentina was pretty much an emotional roller coaster. But parenting rarely unfolds in ideal conditions.

Parents often ask me about the crib to bed transition. After going through it again in my own house, here is the advice I give.

1. When To Move Your Toddler Out Of the Crib

Many parents assume that children should move out of the crib around age two. Or when there's a new baby on the way. 

In reality, many toddlers sleep better in a crib for much longer than that. The crib provides a clear physical boundary and helps prevent the bedtime wandering that often begins when children gain freedom.

And sleep is worth the cost of an extra crib in my opinion. Your newborn can easily sleep in a bassinet or pack n play for months. 

If your child is sleeping well and safely contained, there is no reason to rush the transition.

But once climbing begins, the calculation changes. Safety has to come first.

2. How To Keep Your Toddler Safe After Removing the Crib Rail

Once the crib rail comes off, the room itself becomes the sleep space.

This means making the room completely safe and contained.

In Valentina’s room, we keep the door held shut with a tissue in the door jamb. Our bedroom is attached to the nursery, and allowing her to wander into our room at night immediately proved to be a disaster.

Many parents worry that closing the door or containing the room will feel restrictive to their child.

But it is important to know: A crib doesn't feel like a baby jail to a toddler. It feels like security.

A safely contained bedroom provides the same sense of predictability. And the freedom to wander the house unsupervised at night could be dangerous. 

3. When NOT to make the crib-to-bed transition 

If you have the ability to choose your timing, avoid making the crib transition during a moment when other changes are already happening.

Things like travel, illness, new childcare arrangements, dropping naps, or giving up pacifiers can already challenge a child’s sense of stability. Likewise, the arrival of a baby sibling is a terrible time to make additional changes. 

In our case, we had to break this rule with the pacifier transition + bed transition.

When possible, spacing out transitions makes them easier for everyone.

4. Don’t call it a “big kid bed.”

Parents often frame this transition as an exciting milestone.

“You get a big kid bed now.”

But toddlers often have complicated feelings about becoming “big.”

Sometimes they want to be babies again. Sometimes they want to be big and independent. Often they want both in the same afternoon.

Calling it a big kid bed can unintentionally add pressure to an already stressful time that. 

Instead, keep the language simple and neutral.

"This is where you sleep. This is an open bed." 

Children adjust to these transitions more smoothly when the adults around them remain calm, predictable, and confident.

And if your child climbs out of the crib the same night they give up their pacifier, you have my sympathy.

Sometimes parenting likes to bundle the big transitions together whether we planned for them or not.

FAQ About the Crib to Bed Transition
What age should toddlers move out of the crib?
Many children sleep well in a crib past age two. The transition usually becomes necessary once climbing begins. My ideal is age 3 OR when they exceed the height limit given by the crib's manufacturer.
What should I do if my toddler keeps leaving the bed?
Treat the room as the sleep space. Containment helps toddlers feel secure and keeps bedtime predictable. It's okay if he doesn't stay in bed as long as he's safely contained in his room.
Is it okay to close the door at night?
A safely contained sleep space supports independence and prevents unsafe wandering. In case of fire, it's exactly the safest place for your child to be: right where you left her. (A toddler cannot safely leave the house independently.) It's also emtionally the safest option. 


A difficult transition from crib to bed is one of the most common reasons parents reach out to me. Toddlers and preschoolers are experts at derailing bedtime once the crib no longer safely contains them. This is exactly the kind of problem I help families solve.

Even if your child was once a champion sleeper.

You can schedule a free consultation here.