Transition from crib to bed

Within the next month, we will be getting our 26 MO a full bedroom set and
will be giving her crib and furniture to her soon to be little brother.
Knowing her habits when she's put down for nap and bedtime, I know that she
won't stay put in the bed. I know she's going to be up and about getting
into all her drawers of clothes and pulling all her books off her shelves.
Anyone else have this problem when you transitioned into a bed? What did
you do with your toddler who wouldn't just stay in the bed but wandered
around the bedroom?
Thanks for any input!

cara...

We just barely made the move from a crib to a bed for my 2 year old.
The first day she enjoyed her new freedom and got out at naptime - I let
her get out and play for about 15 minutes, then came in and told her it
was time to sleep, so she laid down and I stayed in there for a few
minutes and she was out. Since then she's gone down willingly for the
most part, its been much easier than I thought. But, her older sister
(6) is also in the room with her at night, so they party for a bit then
crash. The biggest problem we've had so far with the new arrangement is
that one wakes the other up in the morning, usually early, and they are
rarin' to go.

I think you can leave things in the room at her level that you dont mind
her getting up and playing with - put everything else up. Then see how
she does...I think playing/winding down for a while before they go to
sleep is fine....but its what you are willing to put up with.

mbilling...

I had put crib tents on my twins' cribs to stop them climbing out.
When they moved into toddler beds and began getting out of bed and
goofing around, I put the crib tents on the toddler beds. Only had
to keep 'em on there for a couple of months, but it got the girls
in the habit of going to sleep without getting out of bed.

Then again, if I only had one, I might not object to him/her wandering
around the room as long as he/she stayed in there. (With my two, they'd
end up fighting, so I wanted to keep them separate.)

Now that they're in twin beds, my best line of defense is to read
out loud until one falls asleep, and then the other one has nobody
to play/fight with and will go to sleep on her own. (She won't go
to sleep while I'm reading; she's too intereted in the stories.)

You might try a crib tent on a toddler bed, or staying in the room
until your little one is asleep. I know another mom who works on
her laptop in the bedroom until her son falls asleep. He's not
allowed to talk to her after the lights go out; otherwise he'd be
awake all night (he's a chatty guy).

Hope this helps,
- marty (mom to alex & andie, 5)

toypup...

DD is 2yo and does this. We just let her do it.

Jeanne...

DS is turning 3 soon and he tends to throw all his animals off the bed
and books off his bookcase and empties his changing table before finally
falling asleep for his nap on his bad day. I'm with Toypup - I let him
do it. After he wakes up, he picks up his stuffed animals and books.
I'll pick up his diapers and pull-ups.

stasya...

Don't put books in her room and safety latch her drawers. I
transitioned my ds to a bed at about 18 months, and all I put in his
room was a bed to begin with. Later I put some toys in so he wouldn't
want to come out right away in the morning, and now, at 27 months he
goes to bed and sleeps, no playing.