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They loved their cot. It was safe and warm and theirs. Now you're asking them to sleep in a vast, open bed - and they're not having it.
A bedtime story where the new bed becomes something special. Your child's character decorates it, names it, makes it theirs. The old cot isn't gone - it just passed the torch.
The transition from cot to bed usually happens between ages 18 months and 3.5 years, often triggered by climbing out, a new sibling needing the cot, or developmental readiness. Mindell & Owens (2015) note that sleep disruption during this transition is common and typically lasts 1–4 weeks. The child isn't being difficult - they're losing the physical boundaries that signalled 'safe' and 'sleep time'. For toddlers, the predictability of their sleep environment is strongly linked to sleep quality (Mindell et al., 2015).
Making it a big exciting event
Can raise the stakes too high. If the child doesn't feel excited, they may feel they're disappointing you.
Removing the cot suddenly
Abrupt changes remove the child's sense of control. Gradual transitions produce better outcomes (Mindell & Owens, 2015).
Giving up and going back to the cot
Understandable, but can reinforce resistance if the child learns that protesting reverses the change.
Bibliotherapy gives the child a narrative of ownership. Instead of the bed being something imposed on them, the story character discovers the bed, personalises it, and chooses it. Heath et al. (2005) found that bibliotherapy is particularly effective for transitions because it lets the child mentally rehearse the change before it happens. The story models excitement without pressure - the character's curiosity leads them to the new bed naturally.
Bibliotherapy eases transitions by giving children ownership of the change. The story doesn't push - it invites, and lets your child find their own reason to be excited.
In the days before the transition
On the first night in the new bed
When the child keeps getting out of bed or returning to the old cot
When a sibling triggers the transition (baby needs the cot)
During any bedtime resistance related to the new arrangement
The story is the beginning. Here's how to keep it going:
“What do you like about your room?”
“What helps you feel cozy?”
“What are you proud of?”
Try this
Personalize sleep space
Therapeutic stories for life transitions like potty training, school anxiety, and new siblings.