It was a morning just like any other, or so I thought.
For the first time ever, I was being woken up by my "baby", IN REAL LIFE!
That tap on the shoulder and little smile inches from my face... it was the most terrifying way to be woken up! Like, what are YOU doing HERE?! How??!?! And, now what...
I know it's scary to think of your child climbing out of the crib and potentially getting hurt. If this is a concern of yours, you should act swiftly! But, before you run to Walmart to buy a brand-new big kid bed, I encourage you to try a few things first.
Often, we can make some changes to their current environment to ensure their safety.
Tips to keeping your toddler in their crib
🐑 Keep them in a sleep sack
Technically, once your child is over18 months old, they can safely sleep with a blanket. Personally, I still recommend keeping them in a sleep sack as long as possible. The sleep sack willl ensure that they stay warm and comfortable, all night long. They are also a great solution for crib climbing! Sleep sacks prevent most babies from being able to lift their legs high enough to climb out.
My favourite sleep sacks are from Dreamland Baby. I love that they are weighted, and so so soft! They come in sizes up to 36 months.
Use code "COUNTINGSHEEP15" for a discount!
*PRO TIP 💡
If your child takes their sleep sack off, try to turn it around or inside out.
🐑 Turn their crib around
Many cribs have a taller side that is meant to go against the wall. You can turn the crib 180 degrees, so the tall side is facing out. This will make climbing more difficult for them, and they will be less likely to escape.
🐑 Keep the door closed
An open door is an open invitation! They will be much more likely to want to explore the home, or join you in bed, if they can see that their door is open. I recommend this for all ages, but especially once they become more mobile, or are in a big kid bed.
🐑 Drop the mattress
Lower the mattress is low as you can. You can even remove the bottom completely, and place the mattress directly on the floor. It’ll become more difficult to climb out this way.
🐑 Move the furniture
If you have any dressers or bookshelves that are close to the crib, move them further away. Nearby furniture often provides extra help for them to climb out!
Crib bumpers will also give them a leg up (pun intended) So get rid of the bumpers!!
🐑 Buy (or make) special pajamas
If you have a sewing machine and consider yourself a homemaker (I definitely do not!), then this is a great solution. Simply sew a piece of fabric by the ankles, so they cannot lift their leg high enough to climb. The Naughty Monkey is a highly reviewed Etsy shop that sells them, if you are like me and prefer to just buy the finished product!
Now, if you attempt all of these tips and nothing seems to work, then don't hesitate to pull the trigger and transition to a big kid bed. This is especially true if your child is nearing 3 years old. Children younger than 3 years tend to struggle with the understanding of staying in their bed throughout the night, but in the end, their safety is most important!
Check out THIS BLOG to learn all of my tips on how to transition to a big kid bed!
How did you keep your child in their crib when they started climbing?