Moving your child into their first "Big Girl or Big Boy" bed is a very exciting time for everyone involved.  It is a good opportunity to reward the child's accomplishment by allowing them to assist in selecting the bedding for their new bed.  Here are some tips to help in selecting a set of bedding that is safe and suitable for your little bed-time graduate.

Tip 1.  Let your toddler shop with you and provide input on their preferred colors and patterns.  This will give them a sense of pride and ownership in the bed which will also assist giving them some emotional reasons to avoid night-time bed wetting.  It will make the transition from their old crib or toddler bed into the new bed much easier.

Tip 2.  The quality of the materials used in the bedding is a very important, but often overlooked, feature in children's bedding.  Natural materials keep your child comfortable in all seasons while also being safer due to increased breathe-ability.  

Tip 3.  Choose safe pillows.  Avoid pillows with foam bead filling.  The foam beads are a choking hazard, thus children should never use these types of pillows.  Select molded, hypoallergenic foam pillows for the safest choice for your child.  

Tip 4.  If your child is not used to an open sided toddler bed, purchase a set of bedside rails that will prevent him or her from rolling out of the bed in their sleep.  Be sure to select rails that are made of breathable mesh to avoid a suffocation hazard.

The transition to an adult-size bed is a milestone in your child's young life.  Make a big deal about it and make sure your child knows you are proud of them for taking this big step.  Use it as an opportunity to let the child provide some creative input into a new color scheme for their room, new theme for the room or new room decorations.  Everyone will sleep better if you follow this advice.