Traditionally known as baby playpens (to families of the 20th Century), today’s playards have brought a new dimension to the playpen model by adding a mattress to the playpen model--allowing for both an enclosed area in which to play, as well as a great place to take a nap. The ultimate babysitter when parents need to run to the bathroom, the playard is an ideal addition to every new family’s collection of baby gear. Furthermore, today’s playards are easy to pack up and take along to grandma’s house and even fit comfortably in hotel rooms.
No matter where you set them up (they can be used room to room as they take only a few minutes to set up and break down), the playard provides a safe place for babies to play without the need for unrelenting supervision. (You still need to supervise your child in the playard, but it’s nice to know that all the toys in the playard are part of a safe space for your baby vs. your child exploring the floor of the living room).
To make shopping for a playard easier for you, we carefully select every model in our collection to ensure it’s up to our very stringent safety standards, as well as exceeding the The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)’s requirements. That way, you can shop confidently that whatever playard or travel crib you buy will be safe and secure for your little one when used according to manufacturer's recommendations.
When you get your playard, be sure to send in the registration card that came with your product. There’s a small and unlikely chance your model could be recalled, and if that is the case, you’ll want the manufacturer to be able to contact you right away.
When buying a playard, consider whether you’ll be using it for travel, how frequently you stay at family or friends’ homes, and if you plan to have multiple children. Think about your daily routine and how long your baby will spend in the playard, whether for a few minutes or several hours, and if the playard will be used for naps or just playtime.
Some playards come with additions like a bassinet or a changing table, which is quite helpful for parents who travel a lot. Additionally, some are lighter than others, so if you are going to be setting the playard up and taking it down constantly, you may want to consider the overall weight. If you are going to use your playard outside, you will likely want to consider a cover of some kind to protect your little one from sun and bugs (or choose an outdoor playard instead).
If you’re looking for the best value on your first or next playard, look no further. We select the industry’s leading playards that are loved by parents and babies alike. We have been working in this industry since 1933 and use that experience to choose playards/travel cribs that are safe, feature-rich, and truly helpful for parents across so many different situations. Plus, you get fast, free shipping over $99 and a wealth of reward points when purchasing at Albee Baby. Who doesn’t love that?