Moving from cot to bed: when, how and toddler-proofing

Move your toddler from a cot to a bed when they can climb out, or look like they soon will. Red Nose in Australia says this usually happens between 2 and 3½ years, though it can be as early as 18 months. If your child is safe and settled in their cot, there's no need to hurry. When you do switch, start low (a toddler bed or a mattress on the floor), check for gaps where your child could get trapped, toddler-proof the whole room, and keep the bedtime routine exactly the same.

When should my toddler move from a cot to a bed?

The clearest sign is climbing. Red Nose's guide to moving to a bed says it may be time when your child can climb out of the cot, or looks likely to succeed. Many children move between two and three years.

The AAP's guide to choosing a cot says children should start sleeping in a bed once they're about 3 feet tall, and to lower the cot mattress periodically as your child grows. KidsHealth suggests that if your toddler climbs out, you first make sure the cot mattress is on its lowest setting, and if they keep climbing, consider a toddler bed or a bed with a side rail.

Signs it's probably not the right time yet

• Your toddler sleeps well in the cot and isn't trying to climb.
• A big change is happening, such as a new sibling, starting childcare, toilet training or moving house. If you can, space out big changes.
• You're hoping a bed will fix early waking or bedtime battles. A bed usually makes it easier for a toddler to get up, not harder. See toddler sleep and early morning waking instead.

What kind of bed is safest for a toddler?

Lower is safer for most toddlers.

Red Nose also says:

• Only use a cot mattress on a toddler bed if the bed's manufacturer says the mattress is compatible.
• With an adult-height bed, check for gaps between the mattress, wall, bedhead, frame and any rail, and use soft flooring or a mattress around the bed to reduce the fall distance.
• Keep the area around a floor mattress clear of soft toys, bean bags, plastic bags and similar items, which can mould around a young child's face.
• Don't use bean bags, sofas, large cushions or air mattresses as a sleep space.

Are bed rails safe?

Red Nose says to install bed rails exactly as the manufacturer directs, and that gaps between bars or panels shouldn't be bigger than 95 mm. If a rail can't be fitted without gaps, stop using it. A gap between a rail and the mattress is a trapping risk, so check it each time you change the sheets.

How do I toddler-proof the bedroom?

Once your child can get out of bed, the whole room becomes their space at night, including when you're asleep. Check it from your toddler's height.

1. Anchor furniture to the wall. Red Nose lists chests of drawers, wardrobes, bookcases, change tables and televisions. The AAP's tip-over advice says falling furniture can crush or suffocate a small child, and recommends anti-tip devices, drawer stops, heavier items in the lowest drawers and never putting a TV on top of a dresser.
2. Remove climbing temptations. Don't put toys, screens or remote controls on top of furniture, as both Red Nose and the AAP advise.
3. Secure windows and cords. Red Nose says to keep windows locked or fitted with restrictors, and blind and curtain cords secured out of reach. The AAP's room checklist says not to place a child's bed near a window, and notes the US Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends cordless window coverings where possible.
4. Put heaters, fans, lamps, power points and electrical cords out of reach, as Red Nose advises.
5. Clear away hazards to fall against. The AAP's big kid bed guide suggests clearing away furniture and large toys, like rocking horses, that could hurt your child if they fell against them.
6. Gate the door and the stairs. The AAP suggests a safety gate at the bedroom door and at the top of the stairs.
7. Check smoke alarms and night-lights. The AAP's checklist says to have a smoke alarm outside every room where someone sleeps and to keep night-lights away from curtains and bedding.

How do I make the switch from cot to bed?

There's no single right way, but these steps help many families:

1. Prepare the room first, using the checklist above.
2. Talk about it positively in the days before. Some toddlers like choosing their sheets or a special pillow.
3. Put the bed where the cot was, if space allows, so the room still feels familiar.
4. Keep the bedtime routine exactly the same, as the AAP suggests: same order, same songs, same comfort item. KidsHealth says a simple, consistent routine is a parent's best bet.
5. Start at bedtime or naps, whichever feels calmer for your child.
6. Expect a few unsettled nights. KidsHealth notes that keeping a toddler in a new bed is hard at first.

How do I keep my toddler in their bed?

The new freedom often leads to repeat visits. The AAP suggests this approach:

1. At the end of the bedtime routine, tell your child to stay in bed until you come for them.
2. If they get out, calmly lead them back and say they need to stay in bed.
3. Once they're back, praise them briefly and leave.
4. Repeat as many times as needed, for several nights in a row.
5. Keep it brief and low-key, because attention, even cross attention, can encourage getting up.
6. Praise them in the morning for staying in bed.

The AAP also suggests not letting your child get into your bed or join family members who are still up. KidsHealth says night-time visits should be quick and boring, with just enough reassurance that you're close by. For a gentler, step-by-step approach to settling, see gradual retreat, and for the wider routine, bedtime routine.

Many families find a night-light, a familiar comfort item and a simple "it's still sleep time" cue helpful for early risers. KidsHealth says a small security item such as a soft blanket or toy is fine at this age.

What if a new baby needs the cot?

This is one of the most common reasons families think about the switch, and the timing is worth planning.

• A newborn sleeps in their own bassinet or cot in your room for at least the first six months, as Red Nose's room-sharing advice recommends, which may give you time. See moving baby to their own room.
• If you can, make the change well before the birth or wait until things settle afterwards, so your toddler doesn't feel the baby has taken their bed.
• If your toddler isn't climbing and isn't ready, a second cot, a borrowed cot or a bassinet for the baby may be easier than a rushed move.
• Let your toddler help get the baby's sleep space ready, if they're interested.

When to get help

Some toddlers take a while to settle into a bed. It's worth talking to your GP or child-health nurse if sleep problems are lasting, your child snores loudly most nights, or bedtime battles are affecting the whole family.

If your toddler has a fall and you're worried about them, get medical advice the same day. Call your local emergency number (000 in Australia, 999 in the UK, 911 in the US) if they are difficult to wake or can't be woken, are having a seizure, or are struggling to breathe, which the NHS lists as signs needing urgent help. If you're exhausted and need support, a parenting support service (Tresillian or Karitane in Australia, your health visitor in the UK, your pediatrician's office in the US) can help.