Moving your little one from their cot into a bed is a big change and one that needs careful planning in order to make it a positive experience. We want to try and keep our little ones in their cot as close to three years old as possible because younger children lack the impulse control to stay in bed and to use blankets and pillows properly. To support your child to stay in their cot longer, you can keep them in a sleep sack to deter them from climbing out of their cot. However, as soon as they begin climbing out of their cot, you must move them into a big bed as it is a safety issue regardless of age.
When making the transition, here are a few key things you can do to make it a positive experience:
- create a slideshow story with images to tell your child about the upcoming change. This will prepare them for the transition and make them excited about it.
- have your child pick out their own bedspread.
- keep the bedtime routine the same – with this one big change happening, it’s important that the rest of their routine is familiar.
- you can use a sleep clock such as OOLY or GroClock to show them when it’s time to stay in bed and when it is time to get up. Sleepytot stock a great range of sleep clocks.
- use a sleep suit (the ones with arms and legs) while they’re getting used to blankets – that way if they kick the blankets off, they will still be warm and will wake less.
- make sure that you don’t transition them from cot to bed during a time of change such as a new sibling, or moving house, as this can be overwhelming.
- use a reward chart to give you opportunities to praise them for this big change as well as making the expectations clear.
- be prepared to need to go to them more throughout the night to begin with – they’ll feel safe knowing you’re still just down the hall.
