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Best Play Pens for Babies

Last updated: 17 Jan 2023
When your little one learns to crawl, wriggle, roll around, and shows all the early signs of mobility, it's time to start preparing for a long and tiring training journey that lies ahead of you. Having a child who moves and develops their bodily coordination is undoubtedly a memorable experience. Still, it also requires immense patience, attention, and precautions to keep your baby from bumping into places where they’re not meant to be! This may include your kitchen, the outdoor area, the bedroom, or any other place with furniture and sharp edges, and other harmful elements. This is where you may want to set some boundaries for your baby! Now, this doesn't rhetorically mean boundaries because your child can't understand your commands being so young. However, some physical limitations may work to bring your burden down and keep your baby in their confined space even when you are not around. Read our list of the best options below based on size, material, and durability. Read on below!
Easy to assemble
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Top Pick
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Rugged design
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Best Color Options
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Soft yet durable design
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Best Tear Resistance
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Extra large size
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Best Outdoor Choice
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Compact build
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Best for Small Spaces
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High-density polyethylene
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Best Adjustment Options
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Show Contents
Comparing the Finest Play Pens for Babies of 2023
  • 1 Top Pick – Easy to assemble
  • 2 Best Color Options – Rugged design
  • 3 Best Tear Resistance – Soft yet durable design
  • 4 Best Outdoor Choice – Extra large size
  • 5 Best for Small Spaces – Compact build
  • 6 Best Adjustment Options – High-density polyethylene

Comparing the Finest Play Pens for Babies of 2023

Top Pick – Easy to assemble

1
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Key Features

This brand has kept ease of assembly a top priority in their products and has designed it to be secure. This ensures that you won’t have to keep peeping in your child’s room!

This product is easily an excellent option for new parents who are off to buy their first pen. It offers optimal security and has quite a lot of space for your child to move around.

Pros

  • It’s spacious enough for multiple children
  • It unzips only from outside

Cons

  • The build could be a bit shaky
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Best Color Options – Rugged design

2
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Key Features

Many options on the market come in a dull gray color. These products come in two pastel blue and pink colors that will instantly liven up your child’s room while offering a solid structure!

The SASRL Play Pen goes a long way when expanding your family. It doesn’t easily budge from its place even when your child moves around a lot. It also has high fences and latches for enhanced security.

Pros

  • There are higher fences for growing kids
  • It is a great option for small spaces

Cons

  • You might find it hard to assemble
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Best Tear Resistance – Soft yet durable design

3
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Key Features

If you’ve had bad luck with poor-quality material, this product is for you. It’s made of a 210 D Oxford Cloth that is resistant to scratches, rugging, and other physical exertions.

This option is an ideal one if you plan to keep your child within boundaries for a long time. It can sit in large spaces while maintaining its grip on the ground no matter what!

Pros

  • The product is great for large rooms and big toys
  • It has powerful suction cups for grip

Cons

  • It’s heavier than expected
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Best Outdoor Choice – Extra large size

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Key Features

This product can sustain weight up to 18 pounds, so you can even get your child’s toy car inside without risking damage.

This option makes for an excellent product when you want your kid to play with the neighbor’s children because its mesh walls make everything viewable wherever you are. Its large size means that it can only be placed outdoors.

Pros

  • It has a high-quality build and structure
  • It’s for external environments

Cons

  • It’s a lot heavier than other sets
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Best for Small Spaces – Compact build

5
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Key Features

This item makes it easy for parents to keep their child’s playtime safe and secure even within the collapsible walls of the pen.

This product is a safe alternative if you cannot afford mesh pens. With the simple sensory development toys and whiteboard, you don’t need many toys within the product either!

Pros

  • There are built-in sensory enhancers
  • It comes with an anti-slip and non-scratch pad

Cons

  • The product doesn’t come with a floor covering
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Best Adjustment Options – High-density polyethylene

6
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Key Features

These come with 14 panels and can form round and square shapes according to your needs. The product is also easy to assemble and collapse, hence perfect for travels, too!

This option simplifies your child’s experience and makes it more fun for the child. With its adjustable size and shape, it’s great for both indoors and outdoors!

Pros

  • It has an awesome size and great shape adjustment features
  • It comes with a sturdy hinge attachment

Cons

  • It’s time-consuming to set up
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Best Play Pen for Baby Buying Guide

Okay, so now the question is, which playpen do you go for? The baseline of every product out there appears almost similar, which makes it harder to identify key differences among various types of playpens. However, a few elements may lead you to a better choice. The first one is the size. Playpens usually come with a minimum of 6’ by 6’ area. Going up, you can get 12’ by 12’, 12’ by 18’, 24’ by 24’, etc. Of course, play pens are collapsible, so they won’t constantly occupy your space, but some products still take up way more storage space as they might be harder to store. Secondly, the material also makes a difference. You can find mesh and fabric structures with steel rods, pipes, connectors, and suction cups in one hand. On the other hand, you may also be interested in polyethylene or plastic structures that do not require rods or connectors but only hinges and anti-motion pads. Both can be easy in terms of usage, but the comfort level may vary for different families. A mesh surrounding is generally safer because it softens the impact of your baby falling inside the pen, while an enclosure made of more rigid material can’t. Contrastingly, mesh pens tend to suffer from wear and tear more quickly than those made of plastic or similar materials.

The third is the sensory development of the playpen. Some pens have built-in puzzle mats, chalkboards, abacus, rattles, horns, and other sensory stimuli. Some there allow the child to explore their physical strengths by letting them tug or grip at different parts of the pen.

The bottom line is there are plenty of potentially great playpens for your baby out there. The market is also evolving rather steadily, introducing new options for babies every now and then. Though this is good news, it also means that it’s easier to pick the wrong product if you’re confused. But if you’re having difficulty picking one out, here’s a roundup of some of the best options!

People Also Asked

Q: How do I keep my baby satisfied in a baby pen?

A: When you get a baby playpen, one of the first thoughts that'll cross your mind is, ‘Will my baby like this?’ Well, an empty playpen will do little to keep your baby happy in a playpen. If you do not make the pen comfortable and inviting enough, your baby will feel trapped and bored, resulting in hours of tantrums for you to deal with! To avoid that route, you may want to keep the pen occupied with different toys and furniture, so your baby doesn't feel lonely. You can fill the pen with plastic balls, toy horses, professional playsets, and any other toy that can fit in without cramming. You may also give your baby sensory activators, including harmless household objects to keep your baby occupied. Lastly, make sure you do not disappear from your baby's vision for hours at a time because they always need reassurance that you're nearby!

Q: What are the benefits of a baby pen?

A: A playpen has tremendous advantages on your baby's physical and cognitive skills. Besides teaching your child the concepts of space and boundaries, and discipline, having a playpen also helps your child with a range of neuropsychological processes. Your baby will learn to identify their surroundings, will understand the concept of entrance and exit, will learn to throw items within the range of the pen, and will also learn to keep their mess confined to one space while they play. Other than this, some players out there are specifically designed to cater to cognitive skill-building which is great for parents of special children or those who are home-schooling their babies.

Kevin G. Harper
By Kevin G. Harper
Kevin G. Harper is a journalist based in Indianapolis, Indiana with 5 years of experience covering sports, outdoors, technology, and all of the internet trends. As a content creator and editor, he has gathered experience working with teams of editors on various social media, internet blogs, and eCommerce projects. In his free time, Kevin enjoys fishing, following college basketball and football, and trail running with his dog, Banjo. He also enjoys gaming with his friends, trying new restaurants, and reading on his balcony.
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