The Baby Playard is a fun and safe environment to play and rest, which gives parents a few hours of tranquility.
Many models and sizes are available to meet every need, from the sturdy and equipped box for the bedroom to the lightbox that transforms into a camping bed.
This guide shows how to choose the best baby playard and the best on the market to buy.
Suitable from the child’s first months and up to the first years of age, the baby playard is a protected place where children can play for a few hours. Easily transportable inside the home, it allows parents or babysitter to control the child while simultaneously playing and carrying out other tasks.
The box easily transforms into a temporary cottage for camping or grandparents’ homes with a travel model choice.
Table of Contents
How to Choose a baby playard: Types and Characteristics
To choose the best baby playard, let’s see the different sales types and what features to consider to make the right purchase.
Structure
The box is formed by a soft platform raised from the ground, a protective net, and a rigid handrail in the upper part. Most boxes are now closable to be stored in a small space.
The baby playards designed to stay inside the house are robust and large, made with metal frames and a solid handrail. In addition, some models are equipped with wheels for easy transport inside the home.
Travel baby playards are smaller and made of lighter materials, with a smaller handrail. It is common for them to have a carrying bag. They are usually square to occupy as little space as possible once closed.
Also, the square shape offers greater stability, a lower structure, and a platform closer to the ground than the other models; thus, it compensates for the structure’s lightness.
The enclosure boxes have a removable platform or mat and a railing structure. When the child grows up and can walk, this fence can be further exploited to play with the child safely.
Integrated games
Younger children will be the happiest to stay inside the baby playard, such as inside a cot or pram. However, as soon as the children crawl and explore the world, the baby playard is too small for them. Here the colors and the games are essential to entertaining them.
In some models, we can find carousels with animals and puppets identical to the beds. In others, we find sound games, large puppets that serve as a cushion if necessary, games with different thicknesses and surfaces to stimulate the sense of touch. In addition to the games, we find the handles or support rings the child can hang up to get up.
Safety of the Baby Playard
The best baby playard must pass safety tests that guarantee maximum protection for the little ones. The first requirement is the stability of the box.
Given that it must always place on the floor in a stable position without differences in height or other objects that could compromise its balance, the box must pass the front and side overturning tests. The overturning test also considers the child’s weight; in this regard, the manufacturers indicate a maximum weight to be respected (generally, it is between 30 and 40 lbs).
Another test concerns the safety net. The net must pass the finger-trapping test; the links must not allow the child’s fingers to pass through it. Another test concerns the chains and pacifiers, which could get caught and hurt the child.
Of course, the net must be anti-tear. Safety tests also include a handrail. As soon as the baby starts to get up, he holds himself with the little hands on the handrail but does not use it to keep on his feet but bites him.
The bite test is a specific procedure that assesses the handrail’s resistance to the baby’s bites. The pieces eventually detached by bites would be perilous. Even after passing the bite test, the material to make the handrail (often PVC) must still be non-toxic and phthalate-free. These tests are essential and indispensable as they make the box safe.
Cleaning
To ensure that the baby playard remains a protected environment from a hygienic point of view, it is necessary to periodically clean it for all other objects and products for children. To clean the fixed parts, use a damp cloth and neutral soaps that cannot harm the child.
If the baby playard has PVC parts, the manufacturers recommend not using detergents or abrasive sponges to ruin the structure. Instead, the metal parts will be cleaned and dried immediately.
According to the instructions, all the soft parts in the fabric retain dust and mites; they must be washed by hand or in a washing machine. For this reason, it is easier to choose a baby playard with a removable mat or bumper.
The best baby playard to buy
Below is the complete selection of the ten best safer baby playard models with their respective characteristics and prices, chosen in a price range between $40 and $200.
- [LARGE BABY ACTIVITY CENTER] The size of our baby playpen is 74*50*27 inches, the whole...
- [FREE YOUR HANDS AND ENJOY YOUR TIME]Our baby playpens can provide a great safe space to...
- [SEE-THROUGH AND BREATHABLE MESH FABRIC]Our baby fence is surrounded by a breathable and...
- 【Large Play Space】This baby playpen provides a large 50*50 inch play area for babies...
- 【Eco-friendly and Durable】Made of safe and eco-friendly materials, this playpen is not...
- 【360° All-Vision Design】The 360° all-vision design of this baby playpen allows...
- Folding feet and wheels allow for a 20% more compact fold than the average playard, making...
- Mesh storage pouch for keeping baby's essentials, including wipes and toys, right on...
- Convenient carrying bag for no-fuss travel and storage
- 【Care for Baby's Growth】 Playard size is 39.4x27.6x27.6 inches, the playard is perfect...
- 【Easy to Assemble】Very easy to assemble, the baby travel playard doesn't require a lot...
- 【Multifunctional Play Area】Baby play area with detachable bassinet, soft sleeping...
- Baby Playpen: There is baby playard for you and the babies to play together. Your infant...
- Parent's Helper: Our baby pens are an ideal way to safeguard kids from becoming lost or...
- 360° Full Vision Design: The playpen's 4 side walls are composed of mesh that is both...
- Cozy napper with canopy and 2 plush toys
- Flip away changing table
- Removable full bassinet
- Spacious Play Area: The playpen measures 47 x 47 inches, providing plenty of room for...
- Soft and Comfortable Mat: Includes a play mat to create a cozy play environment, making it...
- Quick Assembly: Designed for easy setup without tools, allowing you to create a secure...
- Removable full-size bassinet
- Enhances eye-hand coordination with 3 adorable toys to reach, bat and grasp
- Diaper Stacker
- Includes: Removable full bassinet, Changing table, Deluxe Parent Organizer, Large wheels...
- Removable Rock-A-Bye Bassinet converts to a stand-alone rocker, and comes with 2 toys, a...
- Removable full bassinet
- 【Note】This playpen is not foldable for storage. If you need a fence with folding...
- 【PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT】Whether you're celebrating a new arrival to the family, or...
- 【SPACIOUS BABY PLAYPEN FOR SMALL PLACES】52*52*27 inch (Outer Diameter) baby play yard...
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