crib tent for climbing toddler

Does anyone have any experience with a crib tent that you can share? In particular, did it work for a toddler (2 years and 3 months) that climbed out of the crib?


And, where in Hong Kong can you buy one? I called Bumps to Babes and they said no.


Here's the deal: My little boy was crawling out of his crib at bedtimes. We tried the silent back to bed method, but no luck. In the end, we put him in a grobag and snagged the zipper, which bought us about two more months. Then, miraculously, the boy managed to get out of the crib with the bag on. This made me nervous, so we took the crib out and threw a mattress on the floor. Now we can't get him to bed unless we drive him to sleep or walk him to sleep in the stroller, which is hell on us twice a day. (I also have a seven month old, so I'm exhausted, to say the least.)


So what can we do? How can we put him down like we used to and have him fall asleep on his own? He used to be such a great sleeper! I'm thinking crib tent or a gate on his door so he at least can't leave his room. Both will entail much screaming on his part, which I hate. He's also in the "I'm going to gag myself and vomit" phase when he's upset. So in addition to the screaming, we will probably have much vomit to clean up. Help!! I just want him to be well rested so the rest of the family can be well rested.

I would not go for a crib tent. At that age your toddler is long overdue for a real bed. If there's an "escape" problem, use a child gate on the door. That way he can get out of bed safely but still be confined while he is learning the process of staying in bed.


"Now we can't get him to bed unless we drive him to sleep or walk him to sleep in the stroller, which is hell on us twice a day. (I also have a seven month old, so I'm exhausted, to say the least.)"


You need to win psychologically, making him understand that he needs to stay in bed. Setting up additional barriers doesn't change his attitude at this point. (A gate is a training tool, not a solution). The process will probably involve a great deal of crying. If it takes carrying him back to bed ten times a night, that needs to be done. If you are firm, you will find that withing 5-10 days he will be much easier to get in bed. It is well worth the lack of sleep to get a proper routine going.


"Both will entail much screaming on his part, which I hate. He's also in the "I'm going to gag myself and vomit" phase when he's upset. So in addition to the screaming, we will probably have much vomit to clean up"


As I see it this is still the best way through it.



"I just want him to be well rested so the rest of the family can be well rested."


We have gone through several crying and tantrum phases with both kids at bedtime. While it is tough for a few days, the rest of the time the whole family sleeps through the night without incident. As I said, it is well worth toughing it out for a few days or a week.

why don't you get a low bed with a guard rail? I'm planning to put my son in one very soon, he's 19 mths old.

Both our daughters were in a "real bed" with three-quarter rails (means they don't go all the way to the foot) from 16 months or so.


As I said you have to win the psychological game. Simply escalating the restraints does not solve the underlying behavioral issue.

yes i think a gate is better than a crib tent. your kid needs to learn how to sleep on his own. so controlled crying would work, although i think can be quite heartbreaking! i used supernanny's sleep separation technique (http://www.supernanny.co.uk/Advice/-/Health-and-Development/-/0-to-4-years/Sleep-Separation.aspx) which did work although takes much longer than control crying. it is hard work, but it is worth at the end - more sleep for all!

Thanks everyone for the input. The night I posted my question I decided spur of the moment at 2 am to start the silent to bed over and over and over again routine. It took two and a half hours and two vomiting episodes. But the next day it was much better; and it continues to get better.


Just to clarify: The problem was mainly that he would not stay in bed when we put him down to sleep, not even to just read a bed-time book. There was a ton of anxiety associated with his room and the bed. But now he seems to understand that when he goes down, it doesn't matter if he wants to get up because mama or papa is going to put him down no matter what.


Now our problem is to get him to stop coming into our room at night! Two to three times typically. We immediately put him back to bed without a word and he'll fall back asleep, but I'd like to avoid being woken up to begin with!!!


Thanks again.

vlr, sounds like things are going in the right direction. Nice!


The answer to the "going into your room" thing is again not to give in. It will take time but if you never do anything except take him back into his bed he'll eventually twig to the fact that it it not a winning proposition. But yeah, it will take some time and patience. In our family the kids are allowed in our bed at 6 in the morning, not before. A similar rule may work for you.


One good option is to sleep in his room on a mattress for a week so that he feels confident there.


Bedtime routine for calm sleep: it is important to have the same routine every night, and to take it slow. We have a rule of no exciting games in the last hour before bedtime. Of course the kids can do what they like but we make sure not to encourage any big giggling fits and running around. No TV can be a good idea. At bedtime, one parent goes upstairs and with muted lighting does the night time glass of milk, the brushing of the teeth, the toilet visit and the washing of the face. A pre-negotiated number of books up to 5 (pre-negotiated so it is not an issue once you're upstairs) is read in bed. 5 sounds like a lot but these are baby size so it's only a few minutes. By the time little one is finally tucked in, body and mind have had time to slow down and hopefully become a bit drowsy.


This does not guarantee instant sleep, but it certainly improves chances. Also it greatly improves chances that little one will not wake up in the middle of the night all excited.