Best Play Pen For Toddler
Having a baby is a blessing, but it is a lot of work too. You must have heard other mothers telling you to “never ever leave your baby alone”, and it’s very true. Babies do not have any concern for their own safety. This means that you have to be around them all the time, so that they do not end up hurting themselves. Well, watching a baby may not sound hectic. But, you should understand that you cannot even go to the bathroom peacefully. You either need another vigilant person around, or you should have some way of containing them in a small area.
A baby play yard and gate can do just that. It is that helpful partner you need to keep your baby safe at all times. It is a secure railing that creates a perimeter around the baby, so that they remain within the safe space you have created for them. Some play yards can be configured as a protective barrier that can be placed around fireplaces, entrances, or between rooms to keep your child from reaching dangerous areas around your home. Others are purely playpens to keep your child safe in an enclosed area. Baby play yards and gates may be portable and easy to move around. Or, they may be secured affixed to the walls to keep them in place.
There are many baby play yard and gates that are available in the market today, and here are the best of the lot.
- North States Superyard 3-in-1 Metal Gate - "Best Metal Gate and Play Yard"
- Summer Infant Pop Deluxe Ultimate Portable Play Yard - "Best Portable Play Yard for Outdoor Use"
- Regalo Super Wide Gate And Play Yard - "Best Wide Gate Play Yard with a Double Door Design"
- Dreambaby Royale Converta 3-in-1 Play Yard And Wide Gate - "Best Configurable Play Yard and Gate"
- Evenflo Versatile Play Space - "Best Budget-Friendly Portable Play Yard"
North States Superyard 3-in-1 Metal Gate - "Best Metal Play Yard"
- This yard can cover any space, because you can add any number of two-panel extensions
- The walk-though door has a double lock, so the child cannot open it
- Made of steel, so its strong and durable
- Adjustable joints allow you to customize gate positions
- For indoor use only
- It is not easy to assemble
- The heavy spring on the door is not desirable for many
- It only helps in barricading, and does not come with any carpet
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The North States Superyard is a minimalistic-style play yard gate can cover an area of 10 square feet and measures 30-inches high. You can either create a play pen out of the Superyard or mount it to the wall to use it like a gate to cordon off an area like a fireplace. The modular set consists of six removable panels with adjustable, rotating joints, so you can change the positioning of the gates as needed. When placed together, they add up to 144 inches. Additional two-panel extensions are available if you need more than 10 square feet of space. There is a swinging door equipped with a safety gate and a dual lock system, which is also child proof. Outdoor use is not recommended.
The North States Superyard is good for children between 6 and 24 months old.
Summer Infant Pop Deluxe Ultimate Portable Play Yard - "Best Portable Play Yard for Outdoor Use"
- Budget-Friendly play yard
- Weather-resistant canvas floor
- Offers good visibility with the mesh fabric
- Indoor or outdoor use
- The unpadded metal poles may become a safety hazard
- Assembly of the play pen requires a lot of effort
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This is an affordable play pen that can be used both outdoors as well as indoors. This portable playpen features a full coverage canopy to keep your baby out of direct sunlight, a padded floor, as well as a waterproof canvas. A mesh fabric covers the metal poles that provide the vertical support for the playpen, which is available in two sizes – 26” and 48”. The mesh gives parents peace of mind as they can keep an eye on the baby at all time, while keeping them safe. This lightweight yard has a metal frame that can be folded, and the playpen comes with a travel bag, which makes it easy to port. Many people use the playpen upside down to create a canopy on a visit to the beach.
This portable playpen can be used for children between the ages of 6 and 24 months and up to 35" tall.
Regalo Super Wide Gate And Play Yard - "Best Wide Gate Play Yard with a Double Door Design"
- Made out of PVC-free Steel
- Certified by American Society for Testing and Materials as well as Juvenile Product Association
- Can be configured in various ways to cover your space and is lightweight
- Easy to install and easy to store
- You cannot join the panels in odd numbers
- May slip on hardwood floors
- The lock is small, which can open if jolted vigorously
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Covering a total area of 19 square feet, the Regalo Super Wide Gate & Play Yard comes with 8 panels that can be configured according to your needs. It has a convenient swing door design, which comes with a safety lock. If you are not using it as a play pen, you can completely open it up to create a 192-inch wide wall. The sturdy play yard comes with hardware so you can mount the panels to a wall to create a barrier. It is made out of steel, which is PVC-free, and in line with the standards of American Society for Testing and Materials. It can be folded to make it easier to travel with, and panels can be added or removed as you like.
Dreambaby Royale Converta 3-in-1 Play Yard And Wide Gate - "Best Configurable Play Yard and Gate"
- The product has an impressive design
- The door opens both ways
- The lock is not easy to open for a child
- The plastic parts may crack after months of use
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When fully opened, this gate is 151” wide and clocks in at a height of 29”. There are 6 panels in the set, and one of them comes with a walk-through door. You can buy extra panels if you need more room. The panels themselves are made of steel, however, the hinges are made of plastic. The door can swing both ways and has a stay open feature when you need access for clean-up time. The locking mechanism on the door is not easy for an infant to figure out, which means it is safe to leave them in the play pen.
Evenflo Versatile Play Space - "Best Play Yard for Easy Setup"
- Budget-friendly
- Lightweight, and easy to move
- Every panel offers gate access
- Offers a wide 18.5 square foot play area
- For indoor and outdoor use
- The patterned design on the panels can be used to climb out
- Should not be used as a barrier
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The Evenflo play yard is easy to set up and can be used for infants and toddlers between 6 and 24 months old. No tools are necessary for assembly, which makes the playpen quick and painless to setup. The light weight construction makes it easy to move and store.
The play yard covers an 18.5 square foot area, and stands at 28 inches. The playpen doesn't have a dedicated gate. Instead, each panel can be opened with a push-down latch. The yard comes with 6 panels that are easy to assemble, disassemble, and move. You can buy two additional panels for extra room. It is made wholly of plastic, which makes it lightweight, and easier to carry.
Whether you use this indoors or outside, the play yard stays put from moving around as it has reversible legs. One side has non-scratch, anti-movement floor pads for indoor use and stakes for place into the ground when you are outside.
The one problem that the design of the playpen suffers are the patterned holes on the panels. Some toddlers may be able to climb up on the sides. So, a baby might not be able to undo the latch on the panels to get out, but they could climb out of the play yard.
