How to Get a Toddler to Stay in Their Own Bed

This guide is for parents and carers of toddlers who climb out of bed, appear at the bedroom door again and again, or end up in the parents' bed most nights. You will learn why toddlers leave their beds, how to set up a safe and inviting sleep space, and how to choose and stick with a calm return method that suits your family. General information, not professional or medical advice: for safe-sleep rules, check your national health service's official guidance, and talk to your doctor or health visitor if you have any concerns about your child's sleep, breathing or health.

Why toddlers will not stay in bed

Leaving the bed is one of the most common sleep struggles of the toddler years. It usually starts when a child moves from a cot to a bed and suddenly realises they can get up whenever they like. It can also follow a change such as a new sibling, starting nursery, moving house, illness or a holiday that disrupted routines.

Toddlers are not being naughty when they get up. They are testing a new freedom, looking for connection, or responding to a feeling they cannot yet put into words. Understanding the reason helps you choose the right response.

• Testing the limit: they want to know if the rule is real and what happens when they break it.
• Wanting you: they miss you, especially after a busy day or time apart.
• Fears: the dark, shadows, noises or bad dreams become more common in the toddler years.
• Not tired: bedtime may be too early for their current needs, or a late nap has pushed sleep later.
• Overtired: a child who is very tired can become wired and restless rather than sleepy.
• Discomfort: too hot, too cold, thirsty, needing the toilet or feeling unwell.

Make the bedroom safe and inviting

Once a toddler can get out of bed, their bedroom effectively becomes their cot. It needs to be a place where they are safe if they wander about while you are asleep, and where they feel comfortable staying.

• Heavy furniture such as wardrobes, drawers and bookcases fixed securely to the wall
• Blind and curtain cords tied up out of reach or removed
• Window locks or restrictors fitted, and furniture moved away from windows
• Electrical sockets, cables and small objects out of reach
• Medicines, cosmetics and cleaning products stored safely elsewhere
• A stair gate at the top of the stairs, or on the bedroom door if your family chooses to use one
• A low bed or a bed guard, as recommended for your child's age by the manufacturer
• A dim night light if your toddler wants one, and a comfortable room temperature

Safety advice for toddler beds, bedding and room set-up can vary by country and is updated over time. Check your national health or child safety organisation's website and follow the manufacturer's instructions for any bed or bed guard.

Then make the room appealing. Let your toddler help choose a pillowcase or a soft toy, spend some calm time playing in the room during the day, and keep it a place for rest rather than for time-outs or punishments.