Help! 2 year old climbs out of crib!

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Forum -> Parenting our children -> Toddlers

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amother

Amethyst

Tue, Sep 13 2016, 4:03 am

He knew how to do it for. Adore weeks now but usually slept through the night and only climbed out at 5 am or later. But last night, I was sleeping at 10:30, and when I woke up around 12, I found him sleeping next to me in my bed! He climbed out!
It was a dreadful night, as he did not sleep well which means I didn't either.
He is just barely 2, so if I try to put him in a toddler bed I think he will just jump out, and he doesn't understand the concept of getting a prize for sleeping though the night, or waiting until it's light outside...
I need good solutions , and quickly!
Oh- I won't lock him into his room with one of those door handle locks, I think that's cruel for a toddler.
So please, give me a solution! I feel so helpless!

animeme

Tue, Sep 13 2016, 4:06 am

Can he climb over a baby gate? If not, gate him into his room. He's stuck in there, but not behind a closed door. Also, I used to put noisy toys right outside ds's door so if he got over, I'd hear him.

amother

Amethyst

Tue, Sep 13 2016, 4:11 am

animeme wrote:

Yes he can climb over a gate. Anyway, a gate is not an option because then we need to leave his door open. There is a lot of outside noise in our apartment, so I need to keep his door closed.
How will noisy toys help? Even if I know he climbed out, it's not like I can put him right back in. He will scream and cry and eventually climb right back out!

animeme

Tue, Sep 13 2016, 4:17 am

How do you get him in for the night to start off with? Many people like the whole "keep putting him in over and over until he gets it" thing. It never helped us much, but it seems to help others. The noisy toys are for safety; they let you know he's up and moving around. It's nice that he ended up in your bed, but it's not always where he will go.

amother

Amethyst

Tue, Sep 13 2016, 4:23 am

animeme wrote:

Excellent point in your last sentence. Totally didn't think about that! (He is my oldest and only for now.)
When I put him in, he actually goes into the crib happily. It's only once he wakes up that he wants out.

rachel6543

Tue, Sep 13 2016, 4:24 am

They make clocks for kids that change color to teach them when to stay in bed and when it's okay to wake up and get out. Maybe you can teach your child to use that? I have never used one myself, but it sounds like a great idea.

amother

Dodgerblue

Tue, Sep 13 2016, 5:18 am

I had the same problem myself... It was a frustrating bunch of months.... The clock although it sounds like it works for some kids, didn't work for mine - but might be worth a try for your kid. You can try pjs with webbed feet - the kid can move his feet around, but to separate them far apart by putting one foot over the railing doesn't work. I tried that, and my dc was so upset, plus somehow was climbing up by pushing up on hands so it made it really dangerous so I stopped. But that was after my dc climbing out for a long time - since yours wasn't, this might work. Also make sure there are no toys in the crib or right out of it that your son is using to help climb on. Sometimes you can take the springs out of the crib so the mattress is much lower, and then the kid cant climb out. You can also try turning the crib around - if you have one of those cribs were one side is higher then the other - put the lower side and one of the end against the wall, and put a higher dresser by the other end. If a gate by the door doesn't work, what about getting a tall gate (so he cant climb over) somewhere outside the room - that way at least your son cant go so far while you are sleeping. (trust me, all you need is one time where your son decides not to go straight to your room).... Till you work out a situation - its best not to leave things out that are dangerous- this age doesn't really understand danger yet. keep sharp knives, medication.... locked (or just get a lock on the outside of the kitchen door and bathroom door and lock it at night) something that makes noise when ds goes out of the room is a good idea. I think they also make sensors that can alert you of that although that probably cost a nice amount.... As you can tell, I've had lots of experience with this. sigh.... we eventually did figure out what worked for dc b'h. Good luck with yours.

tryinghard

Tue, Sep 13 2016, 6:25 am

You may want to try something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Crib-Te.....g+out

But they are not really selling it there, not sure where to get it

amother

Dodgerblue

Tue, Sep 13 2016, 7:09 am

tryinghard wrote:

You may want to try something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Crib-Te.....g+out

But they are not really selling it there, not sure where to get it

crib tents are a very good idea- they really worked for people I know - but most of them are recalled - due to suffocation risks and ect...- so be careful about buying a used one. I think there are one or two companies that still make (I guess like the above link) that are not recalled, but they are very expensive(All the ones I've seen are at least over a 100 dollars. I don't remember exactly)

amother

Crimson

Tue, Sep 13 2016, 7:15 am

I have this issue and still have it. Its been going on for about 6 months now. I just recently found that hes getting older and understanding the concept of if you dont come out you can get a special treat or if you do come out then mommy is not going to lay down with you. Till now I tried everything and I am still trying. I feel bad for you because I know how hard it is. I sleep with a baby monitor and hear him so for safety I am not worried anymore but its really really hard to get him to sleep in middle of the night or even early am. He jumps out the second he opens his eyes and sometimes he needs to really sleep longer (when he does this he is really kvetchy) if anyone has any good ideas I would love them. to the op - just know that eventually he will get old enough to reason with. till then, no good suggestions!!

sweetpotato

Tue, Sep 13 2016, 7:37 am

Honestly, if he can climb out of the crib then I would strongly argue the crib isn't safe for him anymore. Either get a crib that he absolutely can't climb out of (is the mattress on the lowest rung?) or move him into a toddler bed or mattress on the floor. My husband's brother climbed out of his crib when he was a baby and broke his leg. Being able to climb out of the crib is a sign he's physically outgrown it.

He may not stay in the toddler bed or on his mattress either, but he's already not staying in the crib and at least getting out of bed doesn't have the same fall risk as climbing from a crib. You'll have to just stick it out with bringing him back to his room, putting him back to bed, and trying rewards or punishment. I don't think locking the door is a great idea either, but if there's a real risk he could get out and wander through your house while you sleep then for safety's sake you need to have a way of containing him. I think for fire safety purposes a baby gate on the door (even if that means the door is open) is better than locking.

Another thing to figure out is why he's getting up in the middle of the night. It's not uncommon, obviously, but is there something he needs? Does he want water? Does he need a new diaper?

amother

Vermilion

Tue, Sep 13 2016, 7:55 am

My understanding is that once a toddler climbs out of their crib it's time for a toddler bed for safety reasons.

animeme

Tue, Sep 13 2016, 7:59 am

We had a crib tent for ds. It worked for a little bit, and then he figured out how to defeat it.

First, yes, make sure the mattress is at it's lowest. Then, take everything out but him. If he needs his blanket to fall asleep, try to take it after and see if he wakes up. But at two, it's completely understandable that he can climb out.

Even with the tent, we put pillows down next to the crib. When he defeated the tent, we moved him to a toddler bed and started gating him in. I'm assuming you already have a gate of just straight up bars, not something with holes he can climb. If you can find a gate he can't climb, you can close his door until you go to bed, then open it and gate him in. Or you can gate a hallway leading to his room, if that exists.

In the meantime, get rid of anything in his room he shouldn't access without you, and put away anything else in the house that you can. And bolt any furniture to the wall- in your whole apartment. A climber is a climber. Make sure you have a deadbolt, chain or eyehook on the front door that he can't reach, even with a chair. And if your kitchen has a door, eye hook that too. If not, gate it. Even if he can climb it, once he's out of his room, it may still deter him from going in there.

sweetpotato

Tue, Sep 13 2016, 8:17 am

Also, if you get a baby gate that mounts around the door frame (possibly a 3 sided one) you can keep the door closed while still having the baby gate there.

amother

Seagreen

Tue, Sep 13 2016, 8:28 am

Just a small point. From a mom who has been there done that. If he's going to sleep great in the crib you might not want to risk changing to a toddler bed just yet where you will probably lose the advantage of him knowing he should go to bed now. It is likely he goes to sleep so easily because he's been doing that in a crib for months/years.
If he's a great climber and not a one off (which it sounds like) he probably won't harm himself climbing out anymore than day-to-day life

mo5

Tue, Sep 13 2016, 8:40 am

amother wrote:

This. I had a couple who climbed but loved going to sleep in a crib otherwise.
I lowered the rail and put a kids table next to the bed so they could safely climb in and out.
Yes they could climb out at night, but at least they went to bed at the beginning of the night without a fuss because they were used to a crib.

pmom

Tue, Sep 13 2016, 11:20 am

I think this is very normal for this age. just make sure everything is safe and try to explain to him. a two year old should understand something. he might not care but the if people can toilet train a two year old then they can understand something

amother

Rose

Tue, Sep 13 2016, 2:51 pm

Please please please make sure
A the doors and windows have locks he can't get to even if he climbs on a chair.
B if you have a hot water urn make sure the cord is never dangling
C make sure bathroom doors are ALWAYS CLOSEDand there's a clip on the toilet seat
D safety safety safety. If you can imagine it it can happen

cozyblanket

Tue, Sep 13 2016, 6:30 pm

Does a dark room help him not climb out? Normally, yes-but you also said he got out at midnight...

well, if it helps, get the black paper room darkening shades - they make a room dark even when it is light outside... good for the morning... or summer nights.

I have a monkey boy too Smile

chocolatecake

Tue, Sep 13 2016, 7:10 pm

My daughter is not yet two and has just started climbing out. How do you ppl get ur kids to.stay in a bed or crib to fall asleep? After lying in bed with her for an hr I just gave up and left and she obviously followed. Now im just waiting for a.tired stubborn toddler to fall.asleeep playing....

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