At what age is it safe for a toddler to climb stairs alone?

Question

Our master bedroom is upstairs, and our daughters (age 1 and 3) are both downstairs. 
The 1 year old sleeps well and hasn't mastered door handles yet anyway so isn't an issue. But the 3 year old will wake up during the night and immediately come looking for us. 
We've explained that she doesn't need to do this, that we have the monitor and all she needs to do is call for us and we'll come to her, but she's not interested. 
We have a gate at the bottom of the stairs for obvious reasons. And we don't feel comfortable with her going up the stairs at night, half asleep, unsupervised. So when it's time for my husband and I to go to bed, one of us will go in with her - just to avoid this situation arising. I'm tired of it but we just haven't come up with an alternative solution. 
Are we being OTT? Should we just let her climb the stairs to find us? Should we leave the gate shut and have her yell out for us and risk waking her baby sister and just deal with it? Would love to get some advice and opinions!

Answer

Maybe get a motion detector monitor or something that sends an alert to you when she’s leaving the room. That way you’ll know she’s up and trying to find you, but prevents her from having to yell.

Answer

I also agree that it depends on the stairs and your child. Our stairs are very steep and aren’t carpeted. My daughter is almost three. I started with letting her go up the stairs, and once she mastered that, I let her try going down them. She fell down them a few days ago (thankfully she wasn’t hurt) so I’m back to carrying her down them for the next little while. I think if our stairs weren’t so steep and had a little bit of padding, I wouldn’t be so nervous.

Answer

It’s my opinion yes your are being over dramatic, most kids are going up and and down stairs comfortably by 2 years old. I would have a bright night light so the stairs are well lit. But that’s just my opinion🤷🏻‍♀️

Answer

My son was climbing stairs by 18 months. Difficult stairs. I’d say an average 3 year old should be fine to climb them to find you. I’d probably put a camera on the staircase just in case. You also need the gate for the younger one, so I’m not sure what the solution is. This is one reason my kids will be on the same level as me until they are much older.

Answer

Every kid is different but my 3yo has been climbing the stairs alone for quite a while, probably since around his 2nd birthday. Maybe get a couple night lights for the stairway so it’s better lit for her.

Answer

If she wants to come to you up the stairs, I’d let her. I wouldn’t think twice about it. I’d rather her do that then yell do me or roam the main floor.

Answer

Honestly, it just depends on the kid. My oldest could have done it around 1.5 but he's very laid back and careful about things, always has been. 
My 2 y/o would probably be OK now as well. 
But I would never leave my autistic 4 y/o alone with stairs. He's not clumsy and he isn't physically impaired. He can go up and down stairs without issue. But he's hyperactive and he doesn't feel pain like other kids, so he's not cautious about anything ever, even if he's gotten hurt doing something before. 
But since you also have a 1 y/o, I would leave the gate. My 4 y/o was only 13/14 months the first couple of times he climbed out of his bed (pack & play cuz he hated the crib). And then started climbing out nightly around 20 months. So I keep the stairs completely protected at night in case your 1 y/o starts climbing out of bed. 
I would just have her yell from the gate. Or maybe if the baby monitor thing is too complicated for her to understand, you can get some cheapie or even toy walkie talkies so she can "call" you on them when she is out of bed?

Answer

I think it depends on your stairs and your child. Our daughter was going up and down at age 2 but our stairs were padded and carpeted and shes very cautious by nature, she would go down scooting on her tush. My oldest is can be rushed and clumsy so no way would I allow that young for him lol

At what age is it safe for a toddler to climb stairs alone?

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