5 Ways to End Your Toddler’s Crib Climbing

Is your toddler climbing out their crib? Try these tips before transitioning them to a bed.

It can be very stressful if you’ve got a toddler who starts climbing out of their crib. You’re worried about their safety and it can cause a bit of a sleep regression too.

Many parents are quick to move their toddler to a bed as soon as this starts happening. However, when a toddler is moved to a bed too soon, it’s common to see bedtime battles, nighttime wake-ups, early mornings, and difficult naps.

I recommend keeping your child in their crib until they’re closer to 3-years-old. Children younger than this typically don’t have much impulse control and if they’re moved to a bed, it’s not likely that they’ll stay there. Toddlers really benefit from the boundary of the crib until they’re closer to age three.

Here are 5 tips to end your toddler’s crib climbing:

 

1. Remove extra items from your child’s crib

This includes blankets, pillows, or bumper pads. There should be nothing in your child’s crib other than a firm mattress and a fitted sheet. Not only is this for safety reasons, but because your clever toddler may try to use them as steps to help them climb out of the crib.

 

2. Move the mattress to the lowest possible level

This one is obvious. But you can even take it one step further and take the entire bottom out of the crib so that the mattress is laying on the floor. (**Only do this if it’s safe for your particular crib and there is no gap between the mattress and the bottom of the crib.)

 

3. If your crib has a short side and a tall side, turn the crib around

Many modern cribs are designed to be taller at the back and shorter at the front. Turn the crib around so that the short side is against the wall. The tall side is often tall enough that the child can’t climb out.

 

4. Use a sleep sack or crib pants

Sleep sacks and crib pants should make it very difficult for your child to lift their leg high enough to climb up and out the crib. If you’ve got a particularly clever toddler that unzips their sleep sack or pajamas, put them on backwards and/or inside out so they can’t reach the zipper. And try to avoid sleepwear with grips on the feet

Pro Tip: You can make your own crib pants by sewing a small piece of fabric between the legs of your child’s pajamas.

 

5. Evaluate how skillfully they’re climbing

Obviously, if your little one is jumping out of their crib head-first, you need to do something about it right away. But if they’re skillfully climbing out without hurting themselves, then you can try to calmly return them to the crib and explain that they’re not allowed to get out. If, after 3-4 times they continue to climb out, then calmly and quietly return them to their crib without saying anything. Be as boring as possible! Many kids enjoy attention, even if it’s negative. When they don’t get a reaction from you, the game is no longer fun.

 

Does your toddler have sleep challenges that you’re just not sure how to handle? Contact me for a Free Sleep Evaluation Call to find out how I can help!