A social story for moving to a big-kid bed, with the reason for every line
Seven pages about what changes and what stays the same, and what to do if they get out of bed. The blanks are for your family’s bedtime. The note beside each line says which advice it rests on.
10 pages: a cover for their photo and name, the story, a page for you, and picture cards to cut out. No sign-up.
1My cot is getting small for me. Soon I am going to sleep in a big bed.
Why nowPregnancy, Birth and Baby: most children move between 18 months and three and a half years, and it is safer to wait until at least two, unless they are climbing out of the cot. Change “cot” to “crib” if that is your word.
2I can help choose my new sheet. My big bed goes where my cot was.
Why the same placeThe guidance suggests putting the new bed in the same position as the cot, and involving your child in choosing the bed or the sheet and planning the move.
3I climb into my big bed and pull up the covers by myself.
Why “by myself”Pregnancy, Birth and Baby suggests letting your child climb into bed and pull up the covers themselves. It is the one new thing a big bed lets them do, so it goes in the story.
4I still have my blanket and my .
Why the blanketThe guidance: give your child the same blanket they used in the cot. Keep soft toys out of the sleep area itself, and no pillow before two.
5At bedtime we still do the same things: , and .
Why the sameKeep to the same bedtime routine, with some quiet time before bed. Write in your three steps, in your order, so the story and the evening match.
6If I get out of bed, my grown-up walks me back. Big beds are for staying in until morning.
What to do when they get upThe guidance: gently tell them to go back to bed and leave the room, as many times as it takes. It is often slower for a first child than for later ones.
7In the morning, my grown-up will say they are proud of me.
Why end hereTell your child you are proud of them for moving into a bed. Ending the story in the morning also tells them the night has an end.
When to read it
A few days before the new bed arrives, and then at bedtime for the first week or two in it, as part of the routine rather than instead of it.
One sentence for you, on the day
“Same blanket, same story. Only the bed is new.”
The whole plan behind this story, with what to do on the day: Moving from a cot or crib to a big-kid bed: when, which bed, and how to make it stick
Sources
The advice here is the same as in our big-kid bed guide, whose source, the Pregnancy, Birth and Baby page last reviewed in July 2024, was read on 29 October 2026. Make the room safe before the first night: the guide lists what to check.
The pictures come from Room for Two, one of our picture books. In the book, the child in them is yours.
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