Are you fed up with getting out of bed to check on your toddler?
Do you wake up multiple times each night because your toddler won’t quit getting out of their crib?
I am here to help with the 5 tips here on this page!
Parents all over the world are very familiar with this situation. You have just settled down for the day, checked up on everyone, and successfully put your toddler to sleep in their crib. Before you doze off, you check the baby monitor or their room and find that your toddler has scaled the sides of their crib and is roaming around the room in high spirits!
Now you are thinking to yourself how your toddler could have mustered the courage to brave the heights of their crib and venture out into the room in the night alone. Well, the first thought is amazement, followed quickly by concern.
“What if she fell!”
“She could have hit her head!”
“He could have gotten hurt!”
These are the exact thoughts that race through every parent’s head when they find that their toddler has already learned how to master the art of escaping their crib.
We know you had planned for this; you thought that the walls were high enough, but you also underestimated the ingenuity and dexterity of a toddler set on doing something.
Here are a few things to consider: why your toddler keeps climbing out of the crib and what you can do to avoid this situation until they are old enough to get a bed.
Toddlers are curious and rarely sleep through the night in one go. Instead, toddlers have a habit of waking up at intervals after you have put them to sleep.
Being alone and without many things to grab their immediate attention, the mind of a toddler starts to wander and observe. They usually find something interesting that they would like to examine more closely.
This is the beginning of the planning stage!
The only thing between the toddler and their object of interest is the crib’s walls. Having nothing else to do, the toddler starts experiencing what scientists call the “fear of missing out.”
This leads them to start thinking of ways to achieve their objective. As curious and determined as they are, toddlers usually find a way to escape their crib after many unsuccessful attempts.
As the fear of getting hurt is not an emotion that they can process at present, it does not stop them from trying out different things, including many ways to find their way out of the crib.
If you want to know how to keep your toddler in their crib, then read on!
Toddler Climbing Out Of Crib? 5 Solutions Here
1. Adjust the Crib
The first thing that you can do is to work out how to adjust the crib itself. Most crib designers probably (hopefully) know about this scenario and add elements into the crib’s construction that can help in this exact situation.
Cribs mostly have one wall, which is higher than the other. You can first move the higher side of the crib towards the room, facing away from the wall.
This will give your toddler a new challenge to overcome as their usual strategy will fail while also giving you time to plan out better alternatives.
If feasible, you can also change the cot and buy one with higher walls.
2. Use A Sleeping Bag For Toddlers
Human beings never actually forget the sensation of the womb. It is ingrained in our brains and forms the basis of many instinctual habits. For toddlers, the instinctual memories are even fresher in mind, and you can use this to your advantage when putting your child to sleep peacefully.
A sleeping bag for toddlers is a perfect way to emulate the feeling of being in a womb for your toddler. This lets them feel more at rest and has the added advantage of keeping their arms and legs comfortably wrapped up.
This can prevent the nightly escape game for most young toddlers, although we cannot vouch for the more dexterous individuals.
3. Put Toys Or Books In The Crib
As I explained, toddlers usually want to climb out because something grabs their attention or they feel bored. Making interesting objects accessible inside the crib makes sense because it lets your child find something to occupy their mind when they can’t sleep.
Leaving a few toys or books in the crib can work very well and prevent your toddler from wanting to wander around the room in search of something to play with or interact with.
4. Distract Their Attention
If the toy strategy doesn’t work, you can still put some innovative and creative ideas to the test before moving forward to the final suggestion. If the only thing making your toddler jump out of the crib is their curiosity, then the only way to fix the problem is by focusing their attention on something else.
If toys and books don’t do the trick, you can use more creative methods like hanging fairy lights on a nearby wall away from the child’s reach. You might also want to consider a projector light show with some soothing music.
You can also try moving things out of the toddler’s line of sight, such as the bookshelf or toy rack, which might interest the toddler, or put a little curtain on the crib’s walls (with safety precautions).
If none of this works and your toddler continues to climb out of their crib, then maybe it’s time to make the big move. Moving your toddler to a toddler bed might seem like a sudden change, but it is a safer alternative than the danger of having your toddler climb out of the crib every night.
When you are ready to make a move, be sure to baby-proof the room, adequately cover the doorknob and electric sockets, and adjust all other hazards.
Getting a toddler bed means leaving your child free to roam around wherever they like during the night and self-soothing themselves to sleep.
You must ensure your toddler can stay safe while adjusting to their newfound freedom and managing their sleeping patterns.
Conclusion
Want to know how to stop a toddler from climbing out of the crib? The 5 tips on this page will certainly help!
Keeping a toddler in check and away from harm requires constant vigilance. The early childhood years are a formative period that requires a patient approach with a balanced mixture of discipline and tenderness.
DO NOT expose your toddler to anger. If you are having difficulty keeping up with the demands of early parenthood, it is always a good idea to entrust your toddler to a relative or babysitter and get a few hours of alone time.
As a parent, your job is to nurture the body and mind of your child in the best way possible, and although it can be difficult at times, there is no excuse for enacting abusive behavior towards children.
