Wait as long as possible! Take your time, get them used to having the bed around, don't force the issue, stick with the same routine you had for in the cot. Mother of 3, aged 7, 2.3 years, 5 months

With Jack I left him in a cot till he climbed out when he was 2yrs and 3 months. By then he understood he had to stay in his bed and not get out. I never had a problem with it. Mother of Jack 2.5yrs,  Emma 6.5 months

My daughter went happily as she was excited about the new quilt cover and sheets. My son is not at that point yet. Mother of Ella 12 years, Fraser 8 months

Have patience, move them around 24 months. Mother of 3, D-12, J-4, L-16months

Son 1 moved to a king single at 23 months, we had no issues at all apart from a few nights of him getting out lots before he actually went to sleep. Our cot does go to a toddler bed but wanted cot for son 2 as was getting to big in bassinet unfortunately he decided he won’t sleep in cot! Mother of Jake 2 yrs, Harry 9 months

I will be using a toddler bed once my daughter is able to sleep through the night in her cot. I don't plan to put her in a single bed until she is about 3 or 4. Mother of Zeva, 13 months

I had no issues moved both of mine into a toddler bed at ten months and James into a single bed at around one and a half. Mother of James, 3 and Alethea, 2

We went from a cot to a normal single bed when our first child was about 2 1/2 or nearly 3 (as our 6 months old needed to go into the cot). It was no problem at all... strangely... we did expect it to be, but no.  When he came out of his room, we would give him a cuddle and take him back. He would often sit up late playing with toys, but I learnt to lock them all in the cupboard, he still has his bookshelf full of books though, but will quietly read and then go to sleep. Mother of Mitchell 4 years, Lochie 2 years

I transferred my daughter to a toddler bed when she was 14 months, I find she sleeps better in her bed than she did in her cot as she was always whacking herself on the bars of her cot and waking herself up. I find with her bed she has more freedom to move around and therefore sleeps all night.. I think the best age to do it is when you think your child is ready as every child is different. Mother of Mya - 18 Months

I got my nearly two year old involved in making her bed. I bought a cupcake set (her favourite things) and she had a great time setting it up with her teddies in the right spots. I gave her the choice... Do you want to sleep in your cot or your big girl bed like mummy. Let them make the choice and then help take down the cot. Rachael (facebook)

My son was 18 months when he went into a proper single bed not toddler bed with no rail guards either just a pillow on the floor the first couple of weeks just incase he did fall out of bed and like Aimee said just keep putting them back into bed every time they come out time for bed kiss and cuddle tuck them back in a...nd walk out eventually they will get the hang of it i never had to put a gate or anything on my sons door after the first week he would just go to bed and wont hear a sound from him he fell out of bed once and never again sometimes he wouldnt lay the right way but as long as he looked comfy i would just put a blanket over him and leave him. Melissa (facebook)  

Our little boy was 16months old and while trying to "fix" it after he climbed out for the first time, i broke it, so that made the decision to move to a toddler bed for us. We put a gate on his door so that he wouldn't be running all around the house at 3am. It was time for bed and sure he got straight out of bed and h...ad a wonder around his room, and came singing out for us at the gate. But i just came back in and said its time for bed darling and tucked him back in. after about an hour i came back down to check and he had his blanky over him on his bed upside down with one leg hanging off, but he was in bed.i found constantly hounding them to stay in bed will only cause more drama and unease.as long as they cant escape or get their hands on anything they shouldn't. Two weeks later i found him asleep on the floor, but that is the only time he hasn't been found in his bed. hope that helps :) Aimee (facebook)  

We had a lot of trouble with y little boy when we tried to ove hi to a bed at the age if two and a bit, after a week of NO sleep we got some info from the sleep nazi and was told boys are not mature enough to handle a bed until the age of 3 and for girls its 2 and half so we've him back into a cott and will try again around the time he turns 3, hope that helps with the sleep thing. Sarah (facebook) 

• Hi we put our first child master 1 we tried converting his cot18mths /2 to a toddler bed but he had trouble getting up then he was in and out and in and out on a- girlfriends recommendation ( she has 3) we went for a matress on the floor, ...we also added a safety gate to his door so he couldn't escape and we didn't have to shut the doora as he hates this but the gate was ok. when he was confident with the mattress & sleeping happy we bought a bed and rail - we have recently removed the rail ( hes 4 ) but he still manages to fall out some nights so its a soft rug on the floor too We hope to have master 2 in a toddler bed soon as he learns night is for sleeping, and can climb into the bed from the floor as steps can be a pian when they are too short to reach the matress( somthing else to consider if you are converting or buying a new bed- we might even go back to mattress on the floor until he also learns to stay put. Jayleen (facebook)