How old is to old to be in a crib?

[theriviera]

you didn't need the crib for a younger sibling and/or they weren't jumping out?

DD1 turned 3 in April. She is still in a crib, and fairly happy in it. She has not tried to jump out although she will climb in. Every once in a while she will mention wanting a bed, but she's not fighting her crib (yet).

The rational side of me says that I should wait until she is asking for a bed. I do not think she is the type of kid who will stay in her bed all night. My mom reminded me that when I was moved to a bed (at 2.5) i came to their room every night. i ended up in a sleeping bag on the floor for months. She is a great sleeper now and still naps 4-5 days a week.

The irrational side of me says that she is too big/old (she's 39 inches but still has room).

So, if they don't have to be moved to accomodate a younger sibling or b/c they were practicing their jumping moves, when did you move them? Is there an age where they are too old to be in a crib?

[maestramommy]

Our kids were in a crib until almost 4. They weren't jumping out, and we had a second crib/toddler bed hybrid that we'd pass on to the oldest. However, Laurel has been in a toddler bed (real one, not hybrid) for a few months now. She doesn't try to escape and seems to prefer sleeping in it over the crib. We still need to take down the crib and figure out what to do with it.

[gatorsmom]

Our twins are 4.5yo and just last week we took one side off their cribs to make them into toddler beds. I'm happy to say it was a very smooth transition. Apparently they were very ready for bigger kid beds.

My oldest 2 kids were out of their cribs at 2.5yo because I needed the crib for the next baby coming along. At 2.5yo they did NOT transition smoothly.

[Green_Tea]

DS loved his crib and stayed in it until he was almost 4. He would have stayed in it longer but I was worried that he'd get made fun of if he had friends from his his 4 year old Pre K over for playdates. (That may have been an unfounded fear - who knows.)

I stay that when it comes to sleep, stick with what works. Physically, developmentally, and emotionally speaking, there's no reason to rush a 3 year old out of a crib unless they are unhappy in it or too big for it.

[wellyes]

I would say 5 is too old for a crib. Anyone younger who doesn't mind it, go for it.

I took daughter was out of her crib by 2.5 only because I needed it for a new baby.

[scrooks]

DD was a little over 4 when we took the front off her crib and 4.5 when we converted it to a full bed. She loved her crib but we waited to follow her lead on the transition and it has been really smooth.

I think 5 is pushing it.

FWIW DS is 2.75 and still in his crib and I hope he stays in it awhile longer!!!!

[SkyrMommy]

DD was just over 2 when we took the front of her crib and put on the toddler rail, she was a great escape artist and was too little to make it to the ground without crashing. She was great about staying in her bed, and now she's in a full size bed since she moved into her big girl room making way for DS this summer.

I think if you are in no rush for a new sibling to use the crib, let her choose when.

[123LuckyMom]

When your DC are potty trained you might want them to have access to a potty at night. Otherwise, I'd agree that when they start big kid school (age 5), it's time to ditch the crib. We moved DS at a little over 2.5 when we learned we were pregnant with DD. the fact that the crib stayed in the room waiting for DD made things more difficult. If I had it to do over again, I would take down the crib and put it back up when needed. It's a non-issue now, though. DS loves his high twin bed at 3.5. He transitioned from crib to trundle to bed never spending a night in our room. We did go through a phase when he would try to wander the house helping himself to snacks! We told him what we were doing and why and put a kid proof handle on the inside of his door to keep him safe. We turned the monitor way up, and he knew he could call us if he needed us. That worked great, and we felt it was safe. Others might not feel the same.

[AnnieW625]

DD1 was out of her crib at 27 mos. old and it came out of the blue as she had previoulsly shown no signs of wanting to get out, but she just started climbing out of her crib. It took about a month to get her used to her bed, but then we were set.

DD2 just tried to climb out of the crib this morning, but she scared herself so I really don't think she will do it again (she isn't as adventuresome as DD1). I am in no hurry to move her if she is still comfortable, but I think I will move her at the latest around age 4 Diego the potential teasing aspect as well.

[kristac]

18 for sure is too old. Thier college roomates would not appreciate always having to put the side down. I might let my youngest out for kindergarten.

[PunkyBoo]

We're just now getting Boo a twin bed in the next couple of weeks. He has never tried to climb out himself - he calls Punkin and asks him to help him out. Most weekend mornings DH and i wake up to the sound of them playing happily together in the crib (Punkin is 8 but an early riser, so he likes to have the company and they think its fun to be in there together before DH and i get up.). But Boo is also not potty trained yet.

Punkin has a classmate at school who was still sleeping in a crib (with no front rail at all) in 1st grade. Her bedroom was too tiny to even fit a twin in there. They moved to a bigger house last summer so now she has a full bed.

[roseyloxs]

I think kids are too big for the crib when they are literally too big for the crib or if they are climbing out at night.

[llama8]

It depends. My 2.5 year old is in a toddler bed since 2. She potty trained not long after. If they are potty-trained they shouldn't be in a crib.

[elephantmeg]

my 4 yo (75th percentile for height) and her 20 dolls/animals are still in the converted crib. She'll be stuck there until DH finishes the upstairs room for DS and which point she'll move to a double bed! There just isn't room for 2 twins really at this point and no need for bunk beds (we have a cape cod so we wouldn't be able to do bunk beds for DS in his room upstairs

[o_mom]

If they are potty-trained they shouldn't be in a crib.

Why not?

DS1 and DS2 were potty-trained well before they were out of the crib (I think DS3 also). They didn't night-train until years after they were potty-trained, so they had no need to use the potty at night.

I think as a PP said - when they are literally too big, or they are unsafe because of climbing.