1 Timing is everything
There’s no standard age for when a child can be moved to a big bed, but if he is climbing out of his crib on his own, is potty training or you have a new baby on the way and need the space, it’s time to make the switch.

2 Get him involved
From picking the bed to selecting sheets, giving him some choice can make the experience more fun. Let him help you make the bed and move his stuffed animal collection to their new, spacious home.

3 Stick with her routine
The bed might be new, but the bedtime routine should be old. Some children may get anxious about the size of the bed and may require a little extra time with mom or dad. However, if she wakes and leaves bed frequently, you may need to take extra steps (see “The Sleep Stealers”).

Now that your big kid has access to everything in his room, Dr. Shelly K. Weiss, pediatric neurologist, recommends checking to make sure his sleeping environment is safe. That includes covering electrical sockets, checking for loose blind cords that could pose a choking hazard and lamps that could be pulled down. A gate on the bedroom door can also provide a “crib-like” environment while also keeping your child from exploring the house at all hours of the night.

bedtime books

The best new stories for restless sleepers

	Oliver Who Would Not Sleep! by Mara Bergman and Nick Maland (Arthur Levine, $21) Oliver Donnington Rimington-Sneep has a wild imagination that makes sleep impossible until he tuckers himself out with his adventures.
	Darkness Slipped In by Ella Burfoot (Kingfisher, $17) Little ones afraid of the dark will love this tale of Daisy who decides to take darkness by the hand and dance the night away.
	Time for Bed, Isobel by David Bedford and Leonie Worthington (Little Hare, $17) Little Isobel doesn’t want to go to bed until her mom decides maybe she’ll sleep in Isobel’s bed instead.