The first time it happens is a heart-stopper! You’re tucking them into their crib one minute, and five minutes later, they’re standing at the top of the stairs! Crib climbing is scary, especially if you’re worried that your child will hurt themselves when they try.
I strongly recommend keeping children in their cribs until they are at least 2.5 or three years old. Younger children don’t have the cognitive ability to understand what “stay in bed all night long” means! The freedom of a bed and a toddler’s lack of impulse control is a brutal combination that can lead to difficult bedtimes and be downright dangerous if they decide to wander around in the middle of the night.
If your child has started crib climbing, you may think switching to a bed is your only option. Don’t jump to that conclusion right away! Even very determined climbers can be taught to stay in their crib with patience and consistency.
Lower the mattress.
This may seem obvious, but make sure your child’s mattress is lowered as far as possible. This may be all it takes for smaller children to stop them from making it over the rail.
Look at your child’s schedule.
As toddlers age, their sleep needs change – bedtime usually shifts by about an hour later, sometime in the second year. If you’re putting your child to bed before they’re biologically ready to sleep, they’re much more likely to be bored, and that’s a setup for crib climbing.
To minimize awake time, keep a weekly sleep log to determine the average time your child has been falling asleep. Consider this time their biological bedtime and start putting them in the crib instead. This may be a bit later than you’re comfortable, but you can work back to a more appropriate bedtime once things improve. Use the same approach with naps – note when they typically fall asleep in the afternoon and start by putting them into the crib at that time instead.
Remove items from the crib that help them climb.
Stuffed animals, toys, pillows, blankets, and bumpers can all serve as “stepping stones” for smart little climbers. Make sure that there’s nothing in your child’s crib that can be used to help them get their little legs up and over. Position the crib away from curtains and furniture – anything that your child can use as leverage to help them climb. If your child’s crib has a tall side, turn the crib around so that the short side is against the wall.
Try a sleep sack.
Sleepsacks can help to discourage climbing by limiting your child’s ability to lift their leg over the crib rail. (Unfortunately, a sleepsack won’t stop escaping artists who swing both legs over simultaneously.) If your child is clever and can unzip their sleep sack and take it off, try putting it on backward so that the zipper is in the back where they can’t reach it.
Have a plan.
The safest way to discourage crib climbing is to catch your child in the act of climbing and send a very clear message that it’s unacceptable. To accomplish this, try using a video monitor to help you catch them before they start to climb.
When it’s time to sleep, kiss your child, leave the room, and wait quietly in the hall with the monitor in hand. If you see signs of climbing, return to the room immediately and say, “No climbing – time to sleep,” in a calm, no-nonsense voice. Take a moment to resettle your child, but keep the engagement brief. Don’t force them to lay down or lay them down repeatedly (it’s a battle you won’t win!) Pat the mattress, encourage them to lie down, leave the room, wait in the hall, and repeat the process until they fall asleep.
If your child makes it out of the crib before you can return to the room (or if they climb out in the middle of the night), pick them up, put them back in their crib, and repeat your phrase “no climbing – time to sleep.” You may need to put them back in the crib numerous times, but after three or four days of utter consistency, you should see the behavior fade.
If you’re worried about safety (especially if your child is a middle-of-the-night explorer), you may want to sit near the door at bedtime and/or sleep in the room for three or four nights. Don’t be afraid of creating new habits. “Mommy or Daddy sleeps with me in my room.” As they get better at understanding what’s expected, you can gradually work your way out of the room.
Try a visual cue.
“Stay in your crib until morning” is a pretty vague statement for children who can’t tell time. Using a sleep clock or even a timer with a lamp can provide your child with a clear signal that it’s morning. Explain to your child that until the light comes on, it’s not time to get up and that you’ll come for them to start the day when it does light up. This strategy may not be effective if your child is under age 2.5 (remember the lack of cognitive ability and impulse control mentioned earlier?). Still, your two-year-old may grasp the concept, so it doesn’t hurt to try! Offer lots of praise when they stay put until you come – positive reinforcement is always the best way to encourage cooperation.
Be Consistent!
Remember that consistency is the key to success when working on sleep behavior. For example, putting your toddler back in their crib when they climb out at bedtime but allowing them to sleep in your bed when they climb out at 2:00 a.m. is confusing and only reinforces the behavior. As tempting as it is to cave in the middle of the night, stick to your plan all night, every night. If you have a partner or spouse, take turns being on “climbing patrol” to get a decent stretch of sleep.
If you’re convinced that no discouragement will stop the behavior after a week or two of constant intervention, ensure your child’s room is completely safe before you switch out to a bed. Install a gate on your child’s door to keep them from roaming, and don’t give the crib away in case the big bed proves too overwhelming and you want to try for the crib again.
