Due to potential safety hazards, some crib tents have been recalled, and most retailers don’t carry crib tents anymore. Parents whose kids are trying to climb out of the crib but not yet old enough for a bed (most kids transition best after age 3) can be left feeling like there aren’t any good options. Here are a few ideas you can try if you’re feeling stuck.
* Make sure you have lowered the crib mattress all the way down to the lowest setting. Remove bumpers and any toys in your child’s crib that could allow him to get leverage and climb.
* If you see your child start to climb, go into the room and VERY FIRMLY say NO CLIMBING. If your child sits back down, leave immediately. You might have to do this a few times in a row for your child to really get the message – and be sure not to engage in any other way. This solution is best for a child who just seems to be experimenting with limit testing and is mostly a docile kid. If your child does continues to climb, try one of the ideas below.
* Put your child in a sleep sack made for older kids, so he can’t climb.
* Get an inflatable travel bed for kids. These beds are basically tents that you zip kids into and they can’t get out on their own. Introduce it during the day as a cool, wow-y new thing that they “get” to sleep in. Encourage your child to play in the tent (with your supervision) for a few days before asking him to sleep in it.
*Some kids younger can 3 can learn to sleep in a bed. Whether this is the right choice depends on the child and level of maturity/impulse control. Please contact us if you’d like our support through this process.
