When to move from cot to bed

Move when your toddler starts climbing out, or when they've got too big to sleep comfortably in the cot. Most make the switch somewhere between 18 months and 3 years, according to the NHS children's health service in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, and it adds that this differs for every family. The UK sources we read set no single deadline. A toddler who is happy and contained in a cot at 2 and a half can stay there.

This is a summary of those sources, and we aren't doctors. For anything about your own child's sleep or development, speak to your doctor or health visitor.

The signs that matter

Climbing is the big one. Derbyshire's NHS family health service says that if your toddler tries to climb or jump out, it might be time to consider a bed. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says the same in its parents' guide: once they can climb out, it may be time.

The AAP also gives a measure, in US terms. It says to move your child when they reach 35 inches (89 cm), or when the side rail is less than three-quarters of their height. That's useful as a ruler check. We didn't find a UK figure on the NHS or Lullaby Trust pages we read, so it isn't a UK rule.

IKEA says the switch usually happens around 18 months. That's a seller's line, at the early end of the range. A new sibling needing the cot can force the timing, though that isn't a safety reason.

Before you switch, try the simple fix. Lower the cot base. IKEA says to drop it to the lowest level as soon as your child can sit up, and the AAP says to have it there before they learn to stand. Then take out toys, which the same NHS Derbyshire page says can help a child climb, and bumpers if you still have them. The NHS and RoSPA both warn that toddlers can climb on those.

You may not need a new bed

Check what you already own. A cot bed converts, and some cots do part of the job: one long side of the IKEA GULLIVER comes off once your child can climb, says IKEA. If you have one of those, the toddler bed in this guide is a purchase you can skip, and our cot and mattress roundup shows which models convert.

If you do buy, here are two low-priced options. Prices were checked on 3 November 2026.

Both prices include the slatted base and the rail, but no mattress. Your cot mattress won't fit: a 60x120 cm one is smaller than the 70x160 cm these beds take, and IKEA stresses no gaps around a mattress. Budget for a new one.

The SNIGLAR is cheaper than the KRITTER, £59 against £99. The SNIGLAR frame is solid beech with fibreboard end panels, says IKEA, and the KRITTER is painted fibreboard. I wouldn't spend the extra unless you prefer the white finish or want the option of a second rail.

A second-hand frame is a sensible way to save. The Lullaby Trust's checks for second-hand kit apply: instructions, condition and a search for "product recalls" on GOV.UK. Its general advice on mattresses is to buy new for each baby.

We found no current recall for either model on 3 November 2026. Older notices do cover earlier stock: SNIGLAR and KRITTER junior beds were recalled in the US in 2013 and 2014, with date stamps 1114 to 1322. Buying one second-hand? Check the stamp.

Make the room ready first

A cot is a contained space. A bed isn't. Once your child can walk out of bed at 3am, the whole room counts, and possibly the stairs too.

• Stairs. The NHS says to keep gates at the top and bottom until your child is at least 2. The AAP adds that a toddler getting out of bed is a reason for a gate at the top of the stairs. Our guide to fitting a stair gate goes through it.
• Windows. Keep the bed and climbable furniture away from them, says RoSPA. The NHS wants locks or catches that restrict the opening to less than 6.5cm.
• Furniture. Derbyshire's NHS service says to secure heavy furniture to the walls. The AAP suggests latches on chests of drawers, so drawers can't be pulled out and used as steps.
• Height. RoSPA says never to use bunk beds for children under 6. A low bed with a rail is the right shape at this age.
• Cords. The NHS says to keep curtain and blind cords tied up, out of reach and fixed to a surface.

A guard rail or bed guard helps while they get used to the bed, says Derbyshire's NHS service.

The first few nights

Expect some wandering. Your toddler has just found out they can leave.

The AAP's advice is simple: keep the same bedtime routine, then calmly walk them back each time, with as little fuss as you can manage. Keep it boring. It says 20 "farewell appearances" in one evening isn't unusual, and that most children settle into staying in bed. Praise them in the morning. If a new bed hasn't arrived yet, it suggests putting the cot mattress on the floor in the meantime.

The Bedfordshire NHS page says you'll likely be able to tell when your child reaches this stage, and that's a fair summary. You know your child. If sleep has become a real struggle, your health visitor is a good person to ask.

If there's a younger baby in the house

Everything on safer sleep still applies to the baby: on the back, on a firm, flat surface, in a clear cot, in the same room as you for at least the first 6 months. The NHS also says no pillows or duvets under the age of 1.

The toddler's bigger bedding, pillow and toys stay out of the baby's cot. If you're handing the cot down, the Lullaby Trust says it's safest to have a new mattress for each baby, while knowing that isn't always possible. Our safer sleep basics page has the rest, and you can see other toddler beds we list.