How to prevent crib climbing
Raise your hand if you've got a crib climber! You are NOT alone! Crib climbing often starts around 2 years old, but does that mean that it's time to transition to an open bed? Mmm not necessarily! Let’s discuss why crib climbing happens, what to do to prevent it, and how you might be able to wait a bit longer to transition your child to a big kid bed!
But wait! Safety first! If your child has exceeded the height or weight limit of your crib and/or it is no longer safe for them to stay in their crib, it is time to transition to an open bed. The tips and techniques outlined below are to help prevent crib climbing in the short term and guide your child to staying safe and cozy in their crib for as long as you can. They are not meant to be implemented as a permanent fix for crib climbing or in lieu of other safety precautions. Please consult with your child’s doctor about the best time to transition out of the crib depending on their personal growth and development.
Why does crib climbing happen
Many toddlers start climbing out of their cribs around 2 years old for a couple reasons. First and foremost, from a developmental perspective, this is when most kiddos start learning and mastering the skill of climbing. So why not practice it in their cribs right? How fun??
They are also right at the age where they are exploring their independence! Which makes crib climbing even more exciting - hey I get to do this all by myself, I don't need your help getting out of the crib!
While it may be fun and exciting for your child to practice these new skills, crib climbing can quickly become really difficult for parents. Not only is it not safe, and can lead to injury, but it often happens at sleep times when your little one comes out of the room over and over again to delay bedtime, and/or over and over again to resist going back into their crib in the middle of the night.
Here's the trickiest part - not until about 3 years or older are most little ones ready to transition to a toddler or open bed. It’s not until then that most children develop the understanding or the self control to stay in bed all night.
However, there are a few things we can do to help your child stay in their crib all night and nap long without climbing out!
Don’t get rid of that sleep sack too soon!
Many parents only use sleep sacks when their children are babies. Once their baby becomes a toddler, it may feel like they’ve aged out of it. But that’s not true! Sleep sacks are very helpful for toddlers for many reasons, one of the main ones being that they can prevent your child from climbing out of their crib. With their feet zipped into a sleep sack, it can simply be too difficult to physically swing their leg over the railing of the crib.
Furthermore, sleep sacks still provide all of the same benefits for toddlers as they do for babies, and then some! Even if you have a kiddo over 2 that’s ready to start using a blanket and pillow in their crib, I still recommend a sleep sack until they are moved into an open bed at 3 years or older. Toddlers are active sleepers, so often they will just get tangled up in a blanket, nor do they really have the ability or where with all just yet to pull it up over them correctly every time. A sleep sack can keep them warm, cozy, and comfortable all night long.
Finally, sleep sacks are just an easy, healthy sleep cue. When that sleep sack goes on, your child knows it’s time for bed. It’s not only a tool for you to use to prevent crib climbing, but it’s a great tool for your child to be able to start prepping their brain and body for sleep. Which can make falling asleep and staying asleep much easier.
Other tips for preventing crib climbing
Beyond just introducing a sleep sack, there’s a few more things you can start implementing to help your child stay in their crib:
Use a toddler clock to give your little one visual cues at bedtime, middle of the night, and in the early morning to tell them when it’s time to stay in bed and when it’s time to get up, without you having to go into their room to tell them it’s still sleepy time.
If one side of the crib is higher than the other, face the lower side against the wall and the higher side out to the rest of the room.
Check to make sure there’s nothing in or near your child’s crib that they can hoist themselves up on to easier climb out.
Ensure your child’s crib is on the lowest possible setting according to the manual.
Finally, if after you’ve tried all of the tips and tricks, your little one is still climbing out of the crib and delaying bedtime and/or running into your room in the middle of the night, it is time to start implementing some sleep coaching to teach or remind your little one how to settle all on their own in their crib (or if necessary, their new big kid bed!).
If you’d like a step-by-step plan that works, and someone to guide you through it every step of the way, contact me and let’s set up a time to chat about your little one and how to guide them feeling cozy and confident in their bed all night long!
P.S. Is it time to make the transition to an open bed? Let’s set your little one (and you!) up for a successful crib to bed transition so you can all get back to sleep. Schedule a free 15 min assessment call with me right HERE!
Stay Snoozin!
Chloe Fries
Pediatric Sleep Consultant
Founder of La Lune Consulting
