What do I need for a big girl bed?

[MomofLuka]

I'm about to move dd (age 2) into a big girl bed.  She has never slept with a pillow, sheets or a comforter before.  She has only had a crocheted quilt.  Do I just tuck her in and hope for the best, or is there something I need to do to introduce her to these things?

[andrea21]

I had a bar up beside the bed and the other side near a wall in case she rolled out.

I had new sheets with a new Donner cover and pillows.I tucked her in but been she was near the wall and had the guard rail she never fell out...

Andrea...

[mumto5cuddlebugs]

I also gave my ds new sheets and a quilt with pics on he liked. He had them in his cot during the ay so he 'got to know them'! I think it helped that he was familar with them before the switch into the big bed. Maybe start off with the crocheted quilt in the new bed while she is getting used to it. Ds also helped me put up lots of glow in the dark starts around his bed, it was winter so this made him really look forward to turning the lioghts off! We also printed pics off cbeebies website of his favourite characters and he helped me stick them on the wall by his bed.
My ds had a rail on one side of his bed. He had never had a pillow but we put a pillow case on with bob the builder on (another character he loved) so he loved it straight away (although he often doesn't actually sleep with his head on it!)
Good luck, i'm sure it will be fine
Kirsty

[Catharine]

Take her shopping with you and let her choose the duvet covers, pillow cases and even a new bedtime doll or soft toy to sleep with.

My dd uses a sleeping bag but I still bought a duvet. Pillows can be much smaller than our regular size. I bought four small ones to put around the bed and 2 long bolster pillows (to put on one side of the bed instead of the bed guard). I also put lots of cushions on th floor right next to her bed so it would break her fall if it happened. Its been almost 2 weeks and she hasn't fallen yet, touch wood. :-)

To introduce the pillow, you could lie on one while you read and ask her if she wants to lie on one as well "just like mommy". Then just keep offering the pillow; it doesn't matter if she doesn't want to use it yet, its there & it will happen eventually.

My dd likes to have her feet under the duvet for fun but still wants her sleeping bag. So I pick my battles and let her be.

[MomofLuka]

Thanks for all the replies.  I'm sorry I haven't been back here in awhile.  I found some Dora the Explorer sheets that worked great.  This turned out to be no big deal at all.  She didn't need a rail.  The bed is pretty low to the ground.  She has fallen out a couple of times, but wasn't hurt, just confused.  She has even learned to use the pillow.  She gets up sometimes and turns her light on, but I just warn her to go back to bed and she stays put after that.  This has been a cake walk compared to oh, say, potty training.
One thing I found that was helpful: I'm a night owl and usually I'm awake and I hear her if she falls out or gets out and I go in and put her back in bed.  But I leave a warm blanket on her floor so that if she does get out while I'm asleep, she has something to curl up in. 
A couple of times I have come in and found her all curled up in the blanket on the floor.  Once she was even under her bed.  It gives me peace of mind knowing that she will be warm even if she's too sleepy to crawl back in bed.  I also leave cushions and a dog bed (a new one, unused by a dog) on the floor.