A second small bed arrives in your child's room, and at first there is no space for it anywhere.
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Cot to bed, crib to bed
Moving from a cot or crib to a big-kid bed: when, which bed, and how to make it stick
When most children move, which first bed is safest, what to childproof once they can walk around at night, and how to handle getting out of bed, with a free social story.
There is no right birthday for this, and most of the pressure to do it comes from outside: a new baby needing the cot, a nursery that asks, a grandparent who mentions it. The part that matters is that the child is safe in the new bed and knows what is expected of them in it. This page goes through both, using guidance from Pregnancy, Birth and Baby, the Australian government's parenting health service.
When to move
Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says most children move from a cot to a bed between 18 months and three and a half years old, that every child is different, and that it is safer to wait until they are at least two, because before then a child may not have the physical skills or awareness to stay safely in bed all night.
The exception is climbing. If your toddler is actively trying to climb out of the cot, and looks like they might succeed, it is time to move them, even if they are under two. The other common reasons are outgrowing the cot, toilet training, when they need to reach the bathroom, and a new baby on the way.
If the bed is moving because a baby is coming, our guide to preparing a toddler for a new baby covers the timing of that and every other big change around a birth. Take a look
If a new baby is the reason
The advice is specific: move your child into a bed at least six to eight weeks before the baby is born, or put the baby in a bassinet for a few months and move your older child later.
The point is that the two changes should not land together. A child who loses their cot the week a baby arrives has an obvious story to tell themselves about why, and it is not a happy one.
Which first bed
A mattress on the floor, with the area around it kept clear, or a toddler bed, which is low to the ground, so a fall out of it is a short one. Both are what the guidance suggests for a first bed.
If you are using an adult bed, make sure there is no gap between the bed and the wall where your child could get stuck. A portable bed rail stops them rolling out, but it has to be installed properly, with no gap between the mattress and the rail. Soft floor coverings under the bed help if they do fall.
Keep the sleep area clear of clutter such as soft toys, and wait until your child is at least two before giving them a pillow.
Make the room safe for a child who can now get up
Once they are in a bed, they can walk around the room at night, and the guidance lists what that means: safety locks on windows, with no gap big enough to climb through; blind and curtain cords out of reach; heavy furniture fixed to the wall; medicines, small objects and batteries out of reach; safety plugs in sockets; gates or closed doors where stairs are unsafe; and nothing left out to climb on.
Making the move, and making it stick
Put the new bed where the cot was, and give them the same blanket. Let them help choose the bed or the sheet and plan the move. Keep the same bedtime routine, with some quiet time before bed, let them climb in and pull the covers up themselves, and tell them you are proud of them.
Some children will keep getting out after being tucked in. The guidance is to gently tell them to go back to bed and leave the room, as many times as it takes for them to settle. It is often harder for a first child than for later ones, so if this is your eldest and it is slow, that is normal.
A free printable social story tells your child what is changing and what to do if they wake up in the night, with a space to draw the new bed and cards to cut out. Take a look
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Common questions
When should a toddler move from a cot to a bed?
Most children move between 18 months and three and a half years, and Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says it is safer to wait until at least two. If they are actively climbing out of the cot and look like they might succeed, move them sooner.
What kind of bed should a toddler move to?
A mattress on the floor in a clear area, or a low toddler bed. If you use an adult bed, close any gap between the bed and the wall, fit a bed rail properly with no gap at the mattress, and put something soft on the floor.
Should I move my toddler to a bed before the new baby arrives?
If you are going to, do it at least six to eight weeks before the birth, or keep the baby in a bassinet for a few months and move your older child later, so the two changes do not land together.
What do I do when my toddler keeps getting out of bed?
Gently tell them to go back to bed and leave the room, and repeat it as many times as it takes for them to settle. Keeping the same bedtime routine helps, and it is often slower with a first child than with later ones.
When can a toddler have a pillow?
Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says to wait until your child is at least two years old before giving them a pillow for sleep, and to keep the sleep area clear of soft toys.
Other guides
This guide was last checked on 29 October 2026. The timing, the bed advice, the safety list and the settling tips come from the Pregnancy, Birth and Baby page "Moving your child from cot to bed", marked as last reviewed in July 2024 and read on its own site on 29 October 2026. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby is funded by the Australian Government; your own country's safe-sleep guidance may differ in detail.
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Same place, same blanket, same routine: only the bed is new.
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