Moving from crib to toddler bed: what changes about the bedding

The move out of a crib is a bigger change for the parent than for the bedding. Most of what you own still fits, and the rules about what can go on the bed finally relax.

The mattress usually stays

Most toddler beds are designed around the same standard crib mattress — about 52 by 28 inches — which means your existing fitted sheets carry straight over. That is the single most useful fact about this transition.

Check your specific bed, because a few take a different size, but the majority do not.

What becomes appropriate

At this stage a light quilt and a small, flat pillow are generally considered fine, and that is when the quilt from the original bedding set finally gets used as it was photographed. Guidance on timing comes from paediatric bodies rather than from us; most place it somewhere after the first year.

Introduce one item at a time rather than making the bed up like an adult’s overnight.

Keeping the sleep sack

There is no rush to abandon a sleep sack. For a child who kicks off covers, or who is used to the sack as a sleep cue, keeping it through the transition removes one variable at a time when several are changing at once.

Sacks with foot openings exist for toddlers who now walk to the bathroom.

Let them choose

A child who picked the bedding is considerably more enthusiastic about the bed. Give a choice of two or three you are happy with rather than an open one, and expect the choice to be made on the picture rather than the fabric.

This is the point where a themed set is genuinely worth buying, because it is cheap, it is loved, and it is easily replaced.

Washing goes up

A toddler bed sees more spills, more snacks and more of the outside world than a crib did. Buy an extra fitted sheet and an extra pillowcase, and choose fabrics that tolerate frequent washing — cotton rather than silk.

A washable mattress protector remains worth having.

The floor beside the bed

Falls out of a toddler bed happen. A rug or a folded blanket beside the bed for the first weeks is a common and sensible precaution, and bed rails are available for beds without a raised side.

Keep the area clear of hard-edged furniture while the transition settles.

What to keep for later

Crib sheets that fit the toddler bed stay in use. The crib skirt, the bumper if the set had one, and any newborn-specific pieces can be stored or passed on. Storing them clean and dry in a sealed bag keeps them usable.

Label the bag with the mattress size; you will not remember in three years.

What to buy

A light quilt, a small flat pillow with a case, one extra fitted sheet and a mattress protector. That is the whole list. Sizes and fabrics are on every listing, and the counter on Park Avenue can confirm whether your toddler bed takes a standard crib mattress if you bring the measurements.

Timing the move

The two usual triggers are a child climbing out of the crib and a new baby needing it. Climbing is a safety reason and generally means moving sooner; needing the crib is a logistics reason and is easier if the move happens several weeks before the new arrival rather than at the same time.

Where neither applies, there is no hurry. Many children stay in a crib comfortably well past their second birthday, and a crib is a considerably easier place to keep a child at night.

The first few nights

Keep everything else the same: the same sheets, the same sleep sack, the same routine, the same room. A bed is one change; a bed plus new bedding plus a new room is three, and three at once rarely goes smoothly.

Expect some wandering. A gate at the door or a floor mattress beside the bed is a common and sensible precaution for the first weeks, and most children settle into the new arrangement within a fortnight.

The short version

• Toddler beds usually take the same 52×28 mattress, so crib sheets still fit.
• A light quilt and a small pillow become appropriate at this stage.
• Let the child help choose the bedding; it helps the transition.
• Keep the sleep sack for a while if it is part of the routine.

From our shelves

• The Peanutshell 3 Piece Elephant Whimsy Baby Crib Bedding Set Boy or Girl — $35.99
• NacoMoco 3-Piece Crib Bedding Set for Boys Girls – Ultra Soft & Skin Friendly Baby Bedding Set — $29.99
• 4-Piece Crib Bedding Set – Soft Breathable Comforter, 2 Snug Fit Elastic Crib Sheets & Dust — $38.99

Where to go next

Browse the full range on the shop page, read the frequently asked questions before ordering, or check delivery timing on the Shipping Policy page. If you would rather ask a person, contact us — the phone reaches the counter.