There is a viral video making the rounds of a pair of twins caught on a monitor having all kinds of fun at night. What makes this especially interesting is that these twins have discovered how to climb out of their cribs. They don’t wander out of the room but instead, move around sofa cushions, rearrange furniture and generally do anything but sleep. Clearly, these toddlers are ready for their big beds. Is your little one? Here are some smart tips to help you make the switch to a toddler bed:

Make Sure They’re Ready

Yes, a toddler who can already climb out of a crib is ready but what about other little ones? The age to start thinking about this is around 3 ½. Many toddlers can become very attached to their cribs because they see it as their own private safety cocoon. If a child is aware of friends or cousins who have a big bed, then they might ask when they’ll get one. You don’t need to rush things. As with the potty training, they’ll tell you when they’re ready.

Involve Them In Shopping

You don’t want to take your toddler to the bed store unless you’ve already been there. If all they offer are simple beds, then you can bring your child along to pick out their new bed. However, if they offer special designs like race cars or fire trucks, just be aware that is something your little one will become fixated on. If you’re not prepared for that type of purchase, then you want to avoid the temptation. One thing that can absolutely shop for is their bedding. There are plenty of fun choices for sheets and blankets. That will give them a sense of ownership.

Placement

You should try to place the toddler bed in the same area as the crib. Rearranging everything in the room can cause them some stress. Familiarity is key with making this switch.

To make room for the toddler bed, you might need to move out some of the old baby furniture. This is a good opportunity to go through the entire room including closets and dressers to pull out all those things that have been outgrown. Some of that you might want to keep. As for the rest, turn it over to Junk King Portland. One session with these pro junk haulers will have all those unwanted items safely removed from your home. Their next destination could be at a local charity so nothing has to go to waste. Let Junk King Portland help you make the switch to a toddler bed by clearing out the old furniture first.