Bedtime & nights
Moving from cot to bed: when to do it, and how to make it go smoothly
Most toddlers move from cot to bed between 18 months and 3 years. The real signs of readiness, a gentle step-by-step plan and the key safety checks.
The short version
- There's no set age. Most toddlers move somewhere between about 18 months and 3 years, and there's no prize for going early.
- The clearest reasons to move are safety (climbing out, or the cot rail below chest height) and size, not a sleep problem you hope a bed will fix.
- Involve your toddler, keep the bedtime routine identical, and expect some getting up in the first weeks. Calm, boring returns work best.
- Make the whole room safe: a low bed with a guardrail, furniture anchored to the wall, nothing near windows or blind cords.
The big bed is a milestone, and a lot of families feel pressure to get there sooner than they need to. Here’s how to tell when your toddler is genuinely ready, and how to make the move without losing months of good sleep.
When to move: the real signs
There’s no set age. Many toddlers move somewhere between about 18 months and 3 years, and plenty stay happily in a cot (or cot bed) until closer to 3.
The clearest reasons to move are about safety and size:
- Climbing out. If your toddler can climb out, or is getting a leg over the rail, a fall from the cot is a bigger risk than a bed.
- Too tall for the cot. Guidance commonly uses a height of about 89 cm (35 inches), or the cot rail sitting below three-quarters of your child’s height with the mattress at its lowest setting, as signs it’s time (Cedars-Sinai).
- Toilet training at night, when they need to be able to get up to the toilet.
Reasons that usually aren’t enough on their own
- A sleep problem. Moving to a bed rarely fixes night waking or bedtime battles. It often adds getting up to the list.
- Age alone. A content 2½ year old in a cot is fine.
- A new baby needing the cot. Possible, but timing matters (see below).
Before you move: try these if they’re climbing
- Put the mattress on its lowest setting.
- Remove anything they could stand on: bumpers (which shouldn’t be there anyway), large toys, cushions.
- A toddler sleeping bag makes it harder to swing a leg over.
- Turn the cot so the higher side faces out, if your cot has one.
If they still get out, move them. It’s safer.
Timing around big changes
Try not to stack changes. If you can, avoid moving to a bed in the same few weeks as:
- a new baby: aim for a couple of months before the birth, or a few months after
- starting crèche or preschool
- toilet training
- moving house
How to make the move
1. Get the room safe first
Think of the whole bedroom as the cot now. A toddler can get up and explore at 5am.
Room safety checklist
- A low bed, or a mattress on the floor, with a guardrail that fits snugly with no gaps.
- Anchor wardrobes, chests of drawers and bookcases to the wall.
- Keep the bed away from windows. Fit window restrictors, and tie up or remove blind and curtain cords.
- Cover sockets, and remove anything small enough to choke on or heavy enough to pull down.
- A stair gate on the bedroom door or at the top of the stairs.
- Skip the top bunk until your child is older (commonly recommended from age 6).
- Pillows: guidance commonly suggests waiting until about age 2, then a small, firm, flat pillow (Cedars-Sinai).
2. Involve your toddler
Let them help choose the bedding or a bedtime toy. Read a story about moving to a big bed. Talk about it positively, but don’t over-build the excitement.
3. Keep everything else the same
Same room, same sleeping bag or blanket, same comfort toy, same bedtime, and, most importantly, the same bedtime routine. The HSE stresses doing the routine the same way at about the same time each night (HSE).
4. Start with a nap or go straight to nights
Some families start with naps in the new bed; others do nights and naps at once. Either works. Consistency matters more than the order.
5. Explain the rules simply
“Your new bed is for sleeping. When it’s dark, we stay in bed. When it’s morning, I’ll come and get you.” A clock that changes colour when it’s time to get up can help older toddlers.
When they get up (and they probably will)
Most toddlers test the new freedom. A week or two of getting up is normal.
- Walk them back calmly, with as few words as possible: “It’s sleep time.” Tuck in. Leave.
- Repeat as many times as it takes, with the same flat, calm tone. The HSE advises responding the same way each time your child wakes (HSE).
- Praise in the morning for staying in bed. The HSE suggests praising your child for staying in their own bed.
- Expect the third or fourth night to be harder than the first. The HSE notes this is common when changing sleep habits, with improvement often within about a week.
If it isn’t working
If your child is under about 2½ and the move has gone badly, it’s fine to go back to the cot for a few months (as long as they weren’t climbing out). It isn’t a failure. It just wasn’t the right time.
Questions parents ask
What age should a toddler move to a bed?
There's no fixed age. Many children move between about 18 months and 3 years. Common guidance suggests moving when your child is climbing out of the cot, or when they're too tall for it. Some guides use about 89 cm (35 inches) or the cot rail being below three-quarters of their height as a marker.
My toddler is climbing out of the cot. What should I do?
First, make sure the mattress is on its lowest setting and there's nothing in the cot they can stand on. A toddler sleeping bag can make climbing harder. If they still get out, a move to a low bed is usually safer than risking a fall.
Should I move my toddler to a bed before a new baby arrives?
If you can, make the move a couple of months before the birth, or wait until a few months after, so it doesn't feel like the baby took their cot. Or borrow or buy a second cot if your toddler isn't ready.
When can my toddler have a pillow?
Common guidance is to wait until around age 2, then use a small, firm, flat pillow. Avoid large or soft pillows.
My toddler keeps getting out of bed. What works?
Walk them back calmly with as few words as possible, every time. Keep it boring and consistent. Praise them the next morning for staying in bed. Most children test the new freedom for a week or two, then settle.