Lower the cot mattress to its lowest setting, remove anything your toddler could use as a step, and keep bedtime calm and predictable. Once your toddler can climb out of their cot, it's time to think about moving them to a "big kid" bed. As a general guide, it's also worth making the move once your child is around 89 cm (35 inches) tall, or when the cot side is less than three-quarters of their standing height.
Climbing is a normal developmental milestone, not bad behaviour. As toddlers get stronger and more coordinated, often somewhere between 18 months and 3 years, they work out how to climb, and getting over the side of the cot feels like a thrilling achievement.
Common reasons toddlers climb:
The most urgent risk is a fall. A tumble from the top of the cot side onto a hard floor can cause serious injuries, including head injuries and broken bones, so it's worth acting quickly once climbing starts.
As a general guide, it's time to think about moving your child to a bed when:
If you do see your child try to climb, keep your reaction calm. Telling them off rarely helps, because your toddler isn't being naughty, and a big reaction can encourage them to try it again.
Once your toddler is out of the cot and up on their feet, sleepwear with legs makes more sense, so they can walk around without tripping over a bag. That's where the Love to Dream™ Footed Sleep Bag will be the shining star of your bedtime routine.
Kids are so clever! As RoSPA puts it, it's amazing what toddlers can use as a ladder. Take a good look in and around the cot and remove anything that could become a step:
The more settled and secure your toddler feels at lights out, the less motivated they are to escape later.
Now that your toddler is a potential explorer, it's worth treating their whole room as a childproofed space, all night long.
If you've tried all the prevention tips and your little one is still climbing out of the cot, it's time, for safety's sake, to make the move to a toddler bed.
While many sleep consultants suggest waiting until closer to age three, when impulse control is a bit better, safety always comes first. If the risk of a fall is high, the move needs to happen.
A comfortable toddler is a more settled toddler. Being too hot, too cold or tangled in kicked-off blankets are all good reasons to wake up and go wandering.
Love to Dream™ sleepwear is designed for exactly this stage. In the cot, the Sleep Bag keeps them warm without loose blankets. Once your little one moves to a big kid bed, the Footed Sleep Bag has legs, so they can stand, walk and move freely while staying cosy all night. Both come in a range of TOG ratings to suit the season.
It won't turn a climber into a sleeper overnight (we're working on that miracle!), but it does take discomfort off the list of reasons to get up.
Many toddlers start trying somewhere between 18 months and 3 years, as their strength and coordination develop. Every child is different, so some start earlier and some never try.
Lower the mattress to its lowest setting, remove soft toys, bumpers and any nearby furniture they could climb on, and keep bedtime calm and consistent. A sleeping bag can make climbing harder, but if your toddler is still getting out, it's time for a toddler bed.
Once your toddler can climb out of the cot, it's time to think about a big kid bed. As a general guide, it's also worth moving on once your child is around 89 cm (35 inches) tall, or when the cot side is less than three-quarters of their standing height.
It can make it harder, but it won't stop a determined climber. Once your toddler is getting out, switch to a toddler bed and sleepwear with legs, like a Footed Sleep Bag, so they can move around more easily.
