You’ve caught your tot climbing out of his crib—again. Do his daredevil night moves mean he’s ready for a big-kid bed? Perhaps, says pediatric sleep expert Whitney Roban, PhD, founder of the Sleep-eez Kidz sleep training program. “There’s no set age to move a child to a bed, but it’s best to wait until he’s at least 3.” If your toddler is younger but scaling his crib rails at night, you might add a crib tent to keep him from falling out. If you think he’s ready for the Thomas the Tank Engine toddler bed he’s been begging for, dismantle and remove the crib from the room before the bed arrives. This will help avoid overwhelming your child with too many sleeping options. The first few days of the transition may be bumpy—literally. Add bed rails to ensure his safety. And move up bedtime a bit, advises Dr. Roban. It might take longer for your child to fall asleep in his new bed, and this can keep him from becoming overtired—and possibly prevent a midnight meltdown. Even the best crib sleeper may have trouble staying down and out with the newfound freedom of a bigger bed. So maintain a consistent bedtime routine, which will help keep him calm, reassured and asleep through the night.

Tip: Moderate rewards like new bedtime books will help motivate your child to stay in his bed all night and get up at the right time.