How to Turn Your Nursery into a Toddler Room

Time flies when you’re raising a family. One day you and your spouse are looking up El Paso houses for sale. The next day you’ve got a little John Wayne on the way, and you find yourself painting little cartoon cowboys on the wall of a wild west-themed nursery.

One day you bring your baby home for the first time and he’s barely bigger than the bottle you feed him with. The next day he’s too big for his crib and you need to turn that nursery into a room more befitting for a toddler.

Take a minute to stop and enjoy the little moments.

Done? Okay, let’s get to work.

Upgrade from a crib to a bed 

Just as your little one outgrew their crib, if you get them a small bed they’ll eventually outgrow that too. To get more mileage for your dollar, don’t hesitate to buy a bigger mattress that your child will be able to continue using even as they get older. Frames with adjustable heights are especially useful and easily available. Finally, don’t forget to get some fluffy new pillows and fun, colorful sheets so your toddler feels right at home in their new bed.

Lay down a comfy carpet

As a baby, your child was always in your arms. Now that they’re getting bigger and starting to walk around more, they’re going to be spending a lot more time on the floor. Hardwood might have looked nice for a nursery, but for a toddler’s room it just won’t do. Lay down some comfy carpeting to act as cushion for your little one. The thicker the better. All the better to catch them when they take the occasional playtime tumble.

Repurpose the changing table

If you’ve gotten to the stage where your child needs a bigger bed, you’re probably at the stage where potty training has begun. You won’t be needing that changing table for much longer, but it can still be useful. Repurpose it as a storage space for toys or clothes. Just make sure all those lotions, powders, and ointments are moved to the bathroom, out of reach of your little one.

Leave plenty of extra space

Babies are little. They don’t take up much room. Toddlers are still pretty little. But they need room to grow. And play. And learn. For a nursery, it’s not uncommon to have the crib right in the middle of the room. Now, though, push the bed back against the wall and keep dressers and tables around the perimeter of the room. You want to leave lots of extra space in the middle so your child feels free to explore and have fun.

Make everything child-safe

Just because your little one isn’t so little anymore doesn’t mean they don’t still need your protection. To create a safe environment for your toddler, consider bolting down any heavy furniture, avoid items with sharp corners and edges, keep anything climbable away from the windows, secure electrical outlets with plastic covers, and remove any choking hazards. If your child’s room is on the second or third floor, now is a good time to install gates at the top of stairways. There’s nothing more precious than your baby, even if they’re not a “baby” anymore.