This can be a very difficult transition for parents of multiples, in
that twins and triplets have the built in sleepover friend that will
keep them awake much longer than a singleton. If one twin starts
climbing out of the crib, chances are the other twin will at least give
it a try. After they are in beds, it gets that much easier to get out
and continue partying through the wee hours of the night. Whichever of
the following methods you employ, stay on alert, because your toddlers
are now on the loose, and it takes a good amount of work to stop them.
Speaking from experience, I have seen bedding on the floor in a ball in
less time than it takes a bull to throw a bad cowboy! Before you're
halfway through your first DVR'd episode of your favorite show, twins
can turn their room upside down beyond your imagination!

This is the time it becomes necessary to start toddler-proofing their
room. Electrical outlets need to be securely covered, and now they even
make protective covers for the ones being used-so they can't pull cords
out. Heavy furniture in their room needs some evaluation; can they
climb it? Can it be tipped over with teamwork? If so, cover the
climbable parts, and consider tying the back to the wall with some sort
of hook and wires. Is there a TV in your kids' room? You may want to
consider mounting it (and the DVD/cable box) to the wall a little
higher up so they can't reach anything. Doorknob covers are also wise
on any room you don't want them to have access to-especially if they
can lock themselves in. Gates are also a good idea-at least one to keep
them on the same floor as you, and to keep them away from the stairs!
If your twins are strong, you might consider the more stable locking
ones near the stairs and a portable one that you can use while you are
closely watching.

Some cribs convert into toddler beds and/or day beds, which is good
because your toddler is still familiar with his/her surroundings while
still graduating to the next level. Make sure to always set the
mattress to the lowest level so that your child is as close to the
floor as possible. If you don't have a convertible crib, it is very
popular to place the crib mattress on the floor so that your toddler
gets used to the "no rails" system.

Toddler beds are also a popular transition method. Toddler beds have
both positives and negatives. For one thing, toddler beds offer the
convenience of using your crib mattresses (and the sheets), so there
are no additional purchases. They also usually come with side rails on
both sides, and are a lot less expensive than regular twin beds. One
negative that I found was that the support system is relative to the
price, and if you have bed jumpers, or if they decide to sleep together
for a while, those support slats will give way pretty quickly. After a
while, you either need to buy more support slats (if the jumping hasn't
caused the slats to ruin their support holes), or scrap the beds for
new ones.

One other option is to purchase a regular twin or full bed, depending
on your needs. A regular bed takes care of several needs. Having an
extra bed a can be quite convenient when company arrives, and the costs
of the toddler bed step can be avoided. If possible, you can push the
bed against the wall, and use a regular bed rail on the other side (the
kind that inserts in between the mattress and box spring). The
negatives are obvious in that a regular bed would be higher, but some
families leave the mattress and box spring on the floor until the
children are big enough to maneuver in and out of a regular bed by
themselves.