Best Playpens for Babies
Playpens are pieces of furniture where a baby or toddler is kept to prevent any self-harm or accidents from occurring, especially his/her parents are away or are doing some important and unforeseen tasks. Traditionally, playpens are made from wood and are rectangular-shaped or square-shaped that comes with vertical bars or panels. It has a floor mat, and it stands higher than the height of the child to keep him from climbing on it.
As time passed by, there are modern designs that are now available in the market. Some of these offered a number of features and made from other materials such as mesh, soft plastics, or cloths. Some are also made from metals.
There are a lot of controversies regarding playpens, but many parents still opt in using it because of its reliability and comfort. Today, different varieties of playpens are available in the market. Parents can always look for the playpen of their choice. Playpens with lots of creative accessories can keep the child hooked for a long time.
It is very important to note that you need to place the playpen in a safe place for the baby to play. Playpens are great alternatives to keep the child enjoy at the same time secured at a safe spot without you worrying too much of your child running away and getting lost or hurt by other means.
This article also has a complete buying guide, Benefits and safety tips that will help you in getting all the information under the single roof. We have a list of Best playpen for babies along with FAQs.
Best Playpen for Babies in India
Benefits of having a Playpen for babies
Although there are some arguments against using playpens, it still has more advantages than its disadvantages. One of these is that it makes your child feel enclosed and restricted, thus making them uncomfortable. But, if you’ll be able to choose the right playpen for your baby and use it correctly, then there will be no problem at all.
The following are some of the benefits of owning a playpen for your babies.
Safety
Playpens give you a safe area where you can place your child in times when you need to do some tasks or household chores, or you need to attend to some unexpected and important calls.
Multi-purpose
Many playpens today can be easily transformed into other useful pieces for babies, including baby gates or into a diaper changing station. Most can be essentially folded or broken easily for convenience in traveling.
Added Comfort
The good thing about playpens nowadays is that you can fill it with their favorite toys to make them feel comfortable in it. Some also are designed to be adjusted into dividers where you can also sit with them inside and spend quality time interacting with them to put them at ease.
Securely Attached
Playpens help your child to become securely attached to you. If you keep on bringing them with you all the time and never leaving them even just for a few minutes, they will have a hard time parting with you if you try to slip away. It is necessary to separate yourself sometimes from your child even for a short period to let them learn how to get used to it and let them know that when you leave them, you’ll always come back.
Flexibility
There is a tendency that your child, as they grow older, they tend to push the walls of the playpen. As in the case of mesh or cloth walls, it would be great if the materials are flexible so that when the baby pushed it from the inside, it won’t easily turn sideways or fall off to avoid accidents.
Portability
It would be a great advantage to have a playpen made from ultra-lightweight materials to enable you to easily fold or dismantle it and bring it to wherever and whenever you want.
Safety Tips for Parents
Playpens are made to secure and ensure safety for your babies while they are playing. However, there are some instances where accidents cannot be avoided. Here are some of the important points to remember to avoid accidents and injury in using playpens.
Do not leave the children alone and without supervision in a playpen for a long period.
Always make sure to keep the playpen clean.
Avoid keeping large and bulky items inside the playpen that your baby might step on and climb out.
Avoid putting the playpen in too cold or too hot areas where babies are uncomfortable.
Do not tie anything on the top of the playpen as this may cause strangulation of the child.
Keep the playpens away from doors or windows that can be opened.
Make sure that the playpen does not have any damage, holes, or broken parts that may harm the child.
Buy only those that have safety marks such as BS EN 12227:1997, 1999, or 2010.
In setting up the playpen, show the babysitter on how to do it correctly to avoid injuries.
Stop using the playpen when your baby can already climb out.
Buyer’s Guide
In buying a playpen for your babies, there are important considerations that you need to think of. Playpens come in different varieties of styles and features that may or may not be useful to you. It will take thorough research in choosing the right playpen that suits your needs. Consider the following factors before buying a specific playpen.
Size of the enclosed area
Playpen size varies. Some come in the size of a mini crib, while some offer large hexagonal or octagonal shapes. Most of the playpens come with a fixed size; however, few can be adjusted, thus providing extra panels for a bigger area.
Construction
Playpens are made from a variety of materials. Some are made from old-fashioned wooden bars, while others are made from plastic panels, mesh walls or metal tubing. Whatever your options are, the important is to choose a design with plenty of ventilation and visual contact for added comfort and better supervision from time to time. Also, choose those with materials that are strong and sturdy enough for your baby’s safety.
Ease-of-use
If you need to store the playpen more often and set it up again, you need to choose a playpen that can be easily assembled and disassembled as well. You need to have a playpen that is less hassle to assemble.
Weight and Height of the Baby
Choose a playpen design that suits the weight and height of the baby. It could be a playpen with a flooring area or just a wall build-up. A playpen with a flooring area has a lower weight limit and can be used even when he or she becomes a toddler. Also, consider the height of the baby. Choose a design that is taller than the height of the baby so that the baby can take the support of the playpen to stand up and play. Playpens with vertical bars are perfect for this purpose.
Easy to clean
A playpen is an area for the baby to play; thus, it must be kept clean at all times. Babies have the tendency to lick and put things they touch in their mouths. If they happen to lick unclean things, it will be hazardous to their health since they are sensitive. Choose a playpen model with a simpler design so you can clean it easily when needed. Do not choose those with complex designs since there will be areas that will be harder to reach especially in cleaning.
Folded-size
If you are into a lot of traveling and you need to carry with you the playpen, you may want to choose a playpen that can be folded into a compact size and shape to occupy minimal space. But if you just want something that can be easily stored up, especially your house space is a premium, you’ll want a playpen that folds up easily and compactly.
Extra Features
Although you may choose to buy the standard playpen, going a little extra is not an issue if you have the budget. Some of these are the following
- Mobiles, activity bars and integrated sounds and lights to entertain your baby
- Wheels to make transport and maneuverability easier
- Comes with a bassinet
- Storage space for toys and other baby essentials
- Has a diaper changing table
Budget
Before you shop for your playpen, you should be able to ascertain your budget first. There’s no need to spend a lot because there are a lot which is not very expensive. You can choose a playpen with many features depending on the available budget. If you have a little extra, you may also opt for those with extra features such as music, storage space for toys, and other detachable, which provides your baby entertainment.
Best Playpen for Babies
1. Baybee Baby Playpen
The Baybee Baby has a premium quality that is designed to help you give your child comfort and a relaxing feeling while playing. Baybee introduces the baby playpen for babies that can also be a smart folding baby room and an activity panel for both indoor and outdoor. You can now take your time to do other chores and be confident enough for your baby with this playpen.
- It is spacious enough for your kids to play and enjoy with its dimension 12 x 5 x 10cm; thus, no need to worry about being restricted.
- Have adjustable panels to make a smaller playpen for limited space.
- You can easily set it up so your kids can use it to play right away.
- It has a variety of eye-catching panel colors with different designs and shapes.
- It can be used indoors or outdoors.
- Easy to assemble and disassemble, making it more portable.
- Safer because it does not need any screws or tools.
- It does not topple easily with its 5kg weight.
- Has an arc tunnel with basketball net cover to keep the baby from crawling out.
- It is lightweight and can be carried es.
- Has a safe and sturdy PVC plastic material.
- Can be used for 0-8 month
- It has no flooring area. Only a wall build-up.
2. Luvlap Wonderjoy Baby Playpen
Luvlap Wonderjoy ensures to enrich the experience of parenthood by giving your baby the comfort they need. Luvlap brings you this playpen that can be converted to the crib to keep you at ease and convenience in watching over your child.
- 3-in-1 function: A napper, A rocker, and a Playard
- It is certified as per the European Standards to ensure the safety of the product.
- The product comes with a detachable diaper changing table with three pocket baby essential organizer.
- The detachable canopy comes with a mosquito net and airy mesh walls on both sides.
- It has a toy bar with stuffed toys to keep the baby entertained.
- The two wheels make it easier to transport it.
- The zipper door prevents the child from crawling out.
- The full-size zippered elevated sleeper can be unzipped to make it a playpen as the child grows.
- This is made from sturdy materials to even hold a petite adult.
- This playpen comes with a carry bag for easy portability.
- The playpen is too deep, which makes it difficult to reach down or pick up the baby.
- The foldable mat that comes in it is too hard and thin.
3. MonBébé Baby Playpen 14 Panels Foldable Baby Safety Play Yard –
MonBébé is a popular baby gear brand owned by Dorel Industries. The brand makes safe, kids friendly, and sturdy kids gears. The brand also makes stylish apparel for kids and toddlers.
Its 14 panels foldable baby safety play yard keeps toddlers in one place as you complete household chores and work from home. It is suitable for toddlers learning to crawl and walk for six months and up.
- It has a gate and safe lock system that securely keeps the toddler inside the play yard.
- The shape of the play yard can be changed from square to irregular shape as per the space.
- The play yard panel is 3.5cm thick, making them durable and sturdy enough to keep the toddler inside.
- The play yard is an in-built fun enlightenment game to keep the toddler busy and engaged inside the play yard.
- The play yard is foldable, making it easy to store when not in use.
- The bottom buckle between every two-panel has an anti-slip mechanism that ensures the play yard stays in place.
- The play yard is made of non-toxic and kid-safe material. It has no sharp edges.
- It is easy to assemble.
- The play yard has enough space for kids to play inside it.
- It is great for restricting the toddler’s movement to a safe place.
- Its lock mechanism prevents kids from coming out of the play yard by themselves.
- No cons were observed.
4. Graco PnP Square Bugs Quilt
The Graco Pack n Play TotBloc brings you an extra-large space for playing that is safe for your baby. Graco ensures to design it with all the features that you and your baby will surely enjoy—looking after your little one is made easy with this playpen.
- The playpen offers a large area for your baby to enjoy and play.
- This product is simple to set-up and can be ready for use in just less than a minute.
- It has airy mesh walls on both sides for better ventilation and visibility.
- This playpen is made from a durable frame that weighs less than 25lbs.
- Very portable with its convenient carrying bag for less hassle travel and storage.
- It comes with a very bright and colorful mattress pad, which makes it attractive.
- The walls are squishy to withstand falls.
- The playpen is easy to clean and has soft pads for added comfort.
- The product is a bit expensive compared to other brands.
5. Playhood Playpen Ball Pool
Playhood is a brand founded in 2015 that has the aim to bring the most practical, innovative, and stylish baby gifts and toys to the Indian Market. Playhood offers this playpen that can also be used as a ball pool to make sure it is not only safe but also let them enjoy while they play. You will be at ease, knowing that this playpen takes care of your child while you do some of your household tasks.
- It has a multi-function – a playpen that can be used as a ball pool to make it more enjoyable for children.
- This playpen is made from a safety fence to prevent your child from any injuries or accidents.
- The product is easy to assemble.
- It is made from non-toxic and strong component PVC material to ensure better quality.
- Has a creative design that could be added as your kid’s room’s décor.
- It can be stored away easily by simply folding it.
- It has a spacious area for the kids to play.
- It can be used for either indoor or outdoor activities.
- The walls are bit flimsy and give way if the baby pushes on it.
6. Kiddale Baby Playpen
Kiddale introduces this freestanding playpen that comes with colorful balls. This playpen can be played by children from infant to 5 years. You can easily watch over your child while you do your other tasks because it has mesh walls.
- It is made from lightweight plastic panels that can be easily assembled and disassembled for transport and storage.
- It can be used either indoor or outdoor activities.
- This playpen has non-slip pads for added safety for the baby and will prevent it from scratching the floors.
- It comes with a carry case with an arm strap to easily bring it with you on travels.
- This product is water-resistant.
- This playpen from Kiddale does not require any battery or electrical connection, making it safe for the kids.
- The gate with the zipper locker is made to prevent the child from escaping the playpen.
- This product comes in different varieties of designs and prints that attract the children.
- The playpen has colorful balls that are ready to use for kid’s play.
- The product is made from sturdy and high-quality materials.
- The pentagon shape offers a wide area for playing.
- There is no cushion at the bottom, so you need to use a floor mat.
7. Baybee Baby Portable Playpen
Baybee ensures that its products are EN 71 Certified, which is the most stringent certification by Europeans for baby’s safety. Baybee introduces this portable playpen to provide a safe and comfortable playing area for your child. It will now be easier for you to look after them because of the mesh design.
- It comes with a travel storage bag that has a shoulder strap for easy travel and on-the-go.
- The ultra-lightweight feature and compact fold make it perfect for any use, either indoor or outdoor activities.
- The mesh design is specifically for easy observation and well ventilation of your baby.
- It can be quickly installed to make it ready for use.
- It can be easily cleaned with its water-resistance cloth material.
- It has a big space for the baby to move freely around and play.
- This product comes with a mattress that is of high-quality.
- This is available in stylish prints that make it more attractive for children.
- The zipper-lock is made for added safety from keeping your child from going out of the playpen.
- The base of the playpen will require a cushion for better safety.
8. Arkmiido Kids Fence
Arkmiido offers a playpen that will surely liberate parents ever while providing a safe and comfortable play area for their babies or toddlers. This playpen from Arkmiido helps in developing a baby’s independence, concentration, and physical coordination. This makes it perfect not only for the parents but also for the babies as well.
- The product offers a spacious area that is 15 square feet and 58” wide that can stand tall at 26” for a bigger room for children to play.
- The playpen is made from breathable and safe materials for the child’s comfort.
- The walls are made of mesh for visibility and supervision and also allow ventilation.
- One panel is made from high-quality Oxford cloth with a zipper to prevent the baby from crawling out of the playpen.
- It is portable and very easy to install for convenience wherever and whenever you want to bring it.
- The product is made from PVC plastic, which makes it safe for kids.
- It has a widened base that is more stable, non-slip, and anti-rollover to allow baby to walk with it confidently.
- The bottom is added with a mat to prevent the baby from slipping.
- The playpen comes with bright, vibrant, and eye-catchy orange color.
- The product is easy to clean with its waterproof fabric.
- The rods easily come out from the white loops.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the best age to use a playpen?
The ideal age to use a playpen is between six to eight months. This is when most of the babies will be able to sit up and reach nearby toys. At this age, babies are energetic and easy-going where you can leave them for a short period of time without them throwing tantrums. However, it is still up for the parent to decide on what age he would like to use playpens for his children. It is recommended not to use playpens for newborns.
2. Can babies sleep on playpens?
Yes, they can, provided that you take note of some precautionary measures. Babies under 12 months should be put to sleep on his or her back without soft beddings such as pillows or pillow-like toys. This reduces the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) or other accidents such as suffocation or other injuries. Before letting your baby sleep on it, make sure to set up the playpen carefully and correctly.
3. How to stop the playpens from moving
The best way to solve this problem is to place the playpen in the corner of the room to reduce the movement. If not, put it against a sofa or cupboard or anything that will limit its direction. You can also utilize small wedges or heavy objects leaning the wall to make sure that it can’t move at all.
4. How Do I get my baby play in the playpen?
One way of getting your baby to play in the playpen is to attract or entice them to do so. One way of doing it is to stuff and load the playpen with several age-appropriate toys inside the playpen but make sure it is enough not to block your vision so you can still easily check on him/her from time to time.
5. Are all playpens easy to set up?
The majority of the playpens in the market are designed to have an easy setup. There are different playpen designs such as panel playpens, which can be assembled easily without the use of tools for easy-to-go. There are also pop up playpens or fold-out playpens, which takes less than a minute to assemble.
6. Are Playpens good ideas for babies?
The safest answer is that it depends on you as a parent. You are the best judge, whether what is best for your babies. For some, it might be inconvenient and non-essential. However, for some, it could be beneficial because it gives them time to attend to their needs even for a short period of time without worrying too much about the safety of their children. So, the answer is dependent on the parent’s preference.
Conclusion
There are a lot of factors that need to be considered in choosing the best playpen. This may depend and may vary from one parent to another. The best way to know that you chose the better, if not the best, is the level of comfort and enjoyment that it brings to your child. The considerations and the suggested products mentioned in this article are for your reference only.
All products on the list will help you in looking after your child. It will depend on you to choose from these the product that will be most beneficial to you and your child. The final decision will still be up to you.
