There will always be times in the day when you need to be child-free and a play pen gives you a safe space for your baby to play in while you get on with things. As with most baby products there is so much choice – so we’ve sifted through hundreds of products to give you our suggestions for the best play yards and reviews.
The main benefit of a playpen is that it can be moved from place-to-place with ease and give you peace of mind knowing that you can step away from your child and that they’ll be kept away from dangerous areas. They can be set up as a completely enclosed area and some can even attach to walls or doorways to close off a whole room. They’re flexible too; many playards allow you add or take away pieces so they’re entirely configurable to your room and needs. Play pen one minute, fire guard the next – they’re also great for protecting Christmas presents from a toddler or pet! Most families say they can’t live without them once they’ve tried them. Take a look at the best play yards and guards for 2020, as rated by parents.
Best play yards for 2020
Kidzone Baby Playpen Kids 8-Panel Play Center
This Play Yard is great for young children with bright colors and a built-in activity board for them to play with. The panels are 23.5” high and 31” wide so with all eight together it can section off a large area for children. It is made from PE and only comes in bright multi-colors.
Configurations
This playpen comes with eight panels that are attached on a hinge so you can maneuver it into whatever shape works best for you. You can purchase multiple units and attach them if you’d like to make a larger section.
There’s no way to mount or attach this unit so it can only be used when forming a closed shape. It does include rubber suction cups to help secure the pen to hard surfaces such as hardwood.
There’s no way to mount or attach this unit so it can only be used when forming a closed shape. It does include rubber suction cups to help secure the pen to hard surfaces such as hardwood.
Durability & Safety
The panels are BPA and LEAB free and there’s a locking gate to make sure children are safe inside the play area.
Accessibility
A walk-through gate lets you come in and out with ease and it has a secure lock to keep it closed when not in use.
Best For
We think this is a great option if you’re going to be using your play yard outside as it’s made of thicker panels and is specifically marketed for indoor or outdoor use.
Check reviews and prices on Amazon
Summer Infant Pop N’Play Portable Play Yard
Summer Infant is one of the best play yards for traveling with your family. It’s smaller than other options but it folds up and has a travel bag making it great for portability when on the go. This is a great option to have as a back-up for vacation even if you have a larger one that stays at home. The frame is lead-free and the material is water-resistant mesh making it super lightweight. The only color option is the gray and green combo.
Configurations
This is a completely closed system so no configurations or expansions are possible. However, there is a canopy that’s sold separately to keep the sun off your child.
This is completely free-standing with no way to secure it to the ground or wall.
Durability & Safety
The walls are made of mesh so there’s no opening for children to pinch fingers or get an arm or leg stuck in. Having a wide base, tipping shouldn’t be anything to worry about and the included mat even keeps children dry on wet ground.
Accessibility
There’s no gate to walk through but it’s a smaller play yard so bending over isn’t a hassle.
Best For
We think this play yard is perfect for families who travel often or who want a portable option as a back-up to their larger model at home.
Check reviews and prices on Amazon
Regalo 192-Inch Super-Wide Gate and Play Yard
This play yard is extra wide making it great for large rooms and areas. With all eight panels installed, you can enclose 19 square feet or gate off an opening up to 192” wide. It has a lot of great features including mounting capabilities and walk-through gates that are easy to operate. The frame is made of all-steel and is PVC-free. All of Regalo’s products use a non-toxic powder coat and meet ASTM standards and JPMA certification. The only color available is white.
Configurations
This play yard can be connected end-to-end to form any shape that you want and you can attach extra panels to make it even larger.
It can be used free-standing with both ends connected, propped against hard surfaces like a gate, or for extra strength, you can attach it to a wall with the included mounting hardware. With so many options you can use it for even more purposes such as a fire place guard, stairway blocking, or barriers between rooms.
Durability & Safety
Made from durable steel, this should last you a lifetime. All of Regalo’s products meet ASTM standards so you can be sure your child is safe around them.
Accessibility
A convenient walk-through gate lets you come in and out with ease and even has a safety locking feature.
Best For
This is absolutely the best play yard for large rooms and openings. It’s a great product with high ratings for safety and ease of instalment so you can’t go wrong with this one.
Check reviews and prices on Amazon
North States Superyard 3-in-1 Metal Gate
This play yard pretty much has everything you could want in a play yard so we think it’s the best play pen on our list. It’s super versatile with either six or eight panels and you can enclose up to 144” (19 square feet) or gate off a whopping 151” wide. It gets amazing reviews and is priced well. It’s made from steel construction comes in either white metal or warm wood.
Configurations
You can increase or decrease the size as needed. Each extension will add 48” and you can add as many as you’d like. You can configure it to fit the shape of your area and the rubber feet will help it stay put.
The play yard comes with mounting hardware so you can attach it to a doorway or wall. Or it can stand on its own with the most stable position being a hexagon.
Durability & Safety
With all metal construction, this play yard is very durable and has stationary panels so there are no parts that should pinch tiny fingers.
Accessibility
A walk-through gate lets you come in and out easily and even has a self-closing mechanism with a child proof double lock.
Best For
We think this is one of the best play yards out there in terms of value and flexibility. So if you have a reasonable budget but want to make sure you’re getting the most bang for your buck, this is a solid option for you.
Check reviews and prices on Amazon
Looking for a different baby gate? Try:
Best baby gates for stairs
Best extra-wide baby gates
Best retractable baby gates
