The transition from cot (or parent’s bed) to their own big bed is a huge step for little ones. It’s
both exciting and scary for many children, and it’s natural for parents to feel a little bit
nervous too. There’s nothing like the sleep deprivation of having a baby to make you
appreciate how vitally important a good night’s sleep is, so of course you want to do
everything you can to help your toddler get into a solid sleep routine in their new bed.

Finding a single bedding set that they love is a great way to make this transition more fun
while also appealing to their developmental instincts. Toddlers are so giddy about their new
mastery of the world that they are often eager to seize more power over their lives. They can
walk across the room, so they want to make some choices about what else they do. One
effective strategy is to give them more choices without overwhelming them.

Letting your toddler pick one or two new duvet sets for their single bed lets them feel more in
control, and that’s likely to help them stay in their bed and relax. Finding beddings sets with
their favourite colours and characters. Thomas the Tank Engine, unicorns, Paw Patrol, farm
animals, Cocomelon or dinosaurs can make bedtime easier. But if you give them too many
options, little ones quickly get overwhelmed and stressed out. You already have a good idea
of your child’s likes. Letting them choose two duvet sets out of four options is more
manageable. Having two or three different sets of bedding also makes life easier once you
start potty training.

Setting Up Your Toddler’s Big Bed

Your little one will need more than just a duvet set to settle in for the night. Accidents
happen. And thankfully, we have mattress protectors for single mattresses. A great tip many
parents have shared online is to make up the bed in layers. If the child has an accident in the
night, you can remove one sheet and mattress protector and have another layer already
there underneath them.

Children often fall out of bed when they are adjusting to a proper mattress, and having a bed
rail can help them avoid that. A nightlight can make things less scary if they have issues with
the dark, which is a very common childhood fear. If your little one tends to get up and
wander around in the night, you can keep them safer by fitting window restrictors and
perhaps a baby gate at their bedroom door as well as at the stairs.

A consistent bedtime routine is essential for many families. Tuck them into under their
carefully selected duvet cover, read a short story, sing a lullaby and with luck they will drift off
to sleep before you finish. The truth is they are more likely to request more stories and

songs, a drink of water and anything else they can think of! But if they’re happy with their
room’s decorations, including their duvet covers and bedding sets, they are much more likely
to stay in there all night.