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Whether you’re taking a much-needed family vacation or you just need a place for your little one to nap outside of their room or away from home for the day, a travel crib or play yard will do you wonders.
If you can find one that will stay with your baby well past the infancy stage, that’s even better. You might need one right away, or you may just be preparing for your yet to be born baby, but either way, these are easily the best travel cribs for 2018.
Gone are the days of choosing one of the few travel crib play yards on the market. Now, there are so many to choose from that you really do have plenty of options. When considering a travel crib for your little one, the important things to consider are price, size, and portability. And as a whole, the travel cribs on this list are solid when it comes to all three factors.
Jump to a specific section
- 1. Lotus Travel Crib
- 2. Chicco FastAsleep Go Full-Size Travel Play Yard
- 3. Costzon Baby Playpen Ultra Light
- 4. Joovy New Room2 Portable Play Yard
- 5. Graco Pack ‘N Play Play Yard With Automatic Folding Feet
- 6. Fisher-Price Ultra-Lite Day And Night Play Yard
- 7. Baby Bjorn Travel Crib Light
- 8. Dream On Me Travel Light Play Yard
- 9. Phil&teds Traveller Crib
- FAQ’s About Travel Cribs
- Final Thoughts
1. Lotus Travel Crib
The Lotus Travel Crib is more than just a portable crib to take with you on family vacations. It has a unique side access door that can be opened and folded down to give your child the ability to roam in and out of it as they want.
The material all the way around it is a breathable mesh that allows for complete airflow in and out of the crib and also gives you a clear and constant view of your little one, regardless of what angle you’re looking in. To make it easy as possible to use, the crib has a 15-second setup and a simple breakdown once it’s time to put it away.
- Child Age Range: It’s made for children from newborn to toddlers under 35 inches tall.
- Where To Buy: You can find it on the manufacturer’s website and Amazon.
- The Best Part: It weighs just 13 pounds, so it’s easy to travel with, even when flying.
- The Not So Great: Setting up and taking down the crib is easy enough, but it can be a struggle to get it back into its travel bag.
- Has This Item Been Recalled?: There are no recent, or current recalls on the travel crib.
Worry free airport travel - Designed to be easy to fly with the compact, light backpack carrying case. Set up is simple in 15 seconds and only weighs 13 lbs packed.
2. Chicco FastAsleep Go Full-Size Travel Play Yard
The Chicco FastAsleep Go Full-Size Travel Playard might be made for travel and to make it easier for your child to nap away from home, but it’s so much more than that.
It’s larger than some other similar play yards, so you won’t have to worry about your toddler outgrowing it too quickly. And it has an easy three-step opening system. You simply open the frame, snap it into place, and then set it down in virtually any room in your home and beyond. All four sides are made from a breathable mesh, and it comes with a convenient carrying bag too.
- Child Age Range: The crib is designed for children from infancy to toddlers under 30 inches tall.
- Where To Buy: You can buy it on the manufacturer’s website and Amazon.
- The Best Part: It’s as simple as possible to unfold and click the play yard into place.
- The Not So Great: Although it folds up neatly, it’s too large to be placed in carry-on bags.
- Has This Item Been Recalled?: There are no recent, or current recalls for the Chicco FastAsleep Go.
3. Costzon Baby Playpen Ultra Light
The Costzon Baby Playpen Ultra Light might be on the smaller size when compared to other play yards on this list, but that’s part of the charm. You may not be able to use it for as long as some other options, but its size makes it easier to carry with you anywhere you might need it.
Overall, it’s just 10 pounds and is made from aluminum legs, mesh material, and a soft padded mattress for your little one to rest on when he or she needs to. And just in case your baby makes any messes, the mattress cover and crib fabric can be removed for easy cleaning. Plus, the setup can be done with one hand and taking it down is just as easy.
- Child Age Range: The playpen is designed for children from infancy to two years old.
- Where To Buy: You can primarily find it on Amazon at this time.
- The Best Part: It’s so lightweight that you can take it anywhere with you, even if you don’t use it.
- The Not So Great: Getting the aluminum poles into place as legs can be a little difficult the first time around.
- Has This Item Been Recalled?: There are no recent, or current recalls for the play yard.
4. Joovy New Room2 Portable Play Yard
The Joovy brand is known for some of its more dependable play yards and the Joovy New Room2 Portable Playard is no different.
It’s surrounded by a soft and breathable mesh fabric and it has two wheels to move it to different rooms as needed. It is larger than some other travel play yards, but that just means that you’ll be able to get more use out of it as your child grows.
Because of its durability and size, the Joovy can be used overnight without worry about wear and tear over a short period. And even for toddlers who might be a little rowdier, the play yard is durable enough for them.
- Child Age Range: The Joovy is for little ones from newborn to 35 inches tall.
- Where To Buy: You can find it on the manufacturer’s website and Amazon or in-store at Walmart and Buy Buy Baby.
- The Best Part: It’s the perfect size if you have twins or more than one child who wants to go in it at once.
- The Not So Great: Because of the supportive bar underneath, there is something of alum that runs through the middle of the mattress.
- Has This Item Been Recalled?: There are no recent, or current recalls on the Joovy.
Nearly 50% larger than most traditional playard with over 10 square feet of space, baby has plenty of room to play and stay entertained. Reliable, durable and built for endurance.
5. Graco Pack ‘N Play Play Yard With Automatic Folding Feet
Almost every parents had heard of the infamous Graco Pack ‘N Play Play Yard, only this one also has folding feet for your convenience when folding it up to put it away. It also has a push-button fold to make putting it away as hassle-free as possible, and if you need to move it to another room in your home, there are two wheels affixed to the bottom.
You can use it for infants or toddlers, but for babies, there’s also a removable bassinet insert that makes napping a breeze. Although it is heavier than some other travel cribs, the Graco Pack ‘n Play does fold up to fit in its own carrying bag.
- Child Age Range: It’s made for children from infancy to less than 35 inches tall.
- Where To Buy: You can purchase it on the manufacturer’s website and Amazon or in-store at Buy Buy Baby and Target.
- The Best Part: Compared to some other travel cribs, it’s far more affordable.
- The Not So Great: When folded up, the play yard is a little on the bulkier side.
- Has This Item Been Recalled?: There are no recent, or current recalls on this play yard.
6. Fisher-Price Ultra-Lite Day And Night Play Yard
The Fisher-Price Ultra-Lite Day & Night Play Yard gets its name for obvious reasons. For one, it’s a lightweight and easy to transport play yard. And besides that, it can be used to allow your baby to sleep at night or play during the day. It’s pretty much everything most parents look for in a play yard.
There’s a removable inclined sleeper bassinet for babies and even a changing clutch to make middle-of-the-night diaper changes a little easier on you. And for your older baby or your toddler, the play yard is spacious enough to give them room to grow.
- Child Age Range: It’s made for little ones from infancy to less than 35 inches tall.
- Where To Buy: You can find it on Amazon or in-store at Buy Buy Baby.
- The Best Part: You can set it up in no time to be able to use it for your little one right away.
- The Not So Great: The mattress pad can sometimes shift or pop up instead of laying flat at all times.
- Has This Item Been Recalled?: There are no recent, or current recalls on this particular play yard.
7. Baby Bjorn Travel Crib Light
Baby Bjorn is known for its carriers over most other product, but the BABYBJORN Travel Crib Light is another solid travel crib for 2018. It weighs just 13 pounds and sits firmly on the floor with a soft mattress, so you can be sure that it will stay in place without shifting easily.
The mesh material around all four sides provides a way to see in and out as well as a breathable space for your child to play or nap. And setting it up is as easy as pulling it out of its bag and popping it up.
- Child Age Range: It can be used for little ones from newborns all the way up to three years old.
- Where To Buy: You can buy it on the manufacturer’s website and Amazon or in-store at Buy Buy Baby.
- The Best Part: There’s virtually no real setup involved, but instead a swift movement of pulling the crib out of its bag.
- The Not So Great: Compared to similar travel cribs, it may be considered to be on the pricier side. There are no current or recent recalls on this play yard.
- Has This Item Been Recalled?: There are no current or recent recalls on this play yard.
8. Dream On Me Travel Light Play Yard
Not only is the Dream On Me Travel Light Play Yard aesthetically pleasing, but it’s also easy to take on the go and comfortable for your baby or toddler. An airy mesh fabric surrounds it and it comes with a soft mattress pad to give your little one a place to rest.
The crib itself has a base plate to keep its sturdy form, but unlike some other travel cribs, it won’t jeopardize the comfort with the mattress pad in place. It comes in either black, pink, or blue to give you some options and it’s lightweight enough to travel with pretty much anywhere.
- Child Age Range: It’s suitable for children from infancy to three years of age.
- Where To Buy: You can primarily find it on Amazon.
- The Best Part: The mattress itself is almost four feet long, which means that there’s ample space for your little one.
- The Not So Great: Unfortunately, you can’t zip off the mesh outer liner for cleaning.
- Has This Item Been Recalled?: Although there have been recalls on some Dream on Me play yards, this is not one of them.
9. Phil&teds Traveller Crib
The phil&teds Traveller Crib might be the lightest one on the market right now. At just six pounds, it likely weight less than your baby inside of it, which is a pretty big feat for any lightweight travel crib. You can use it either inside or outdoors, and there’s even a side panel that can be unzipped to allow your little one to crawl in and out of the crib as he or she wants.
If you decide to use it outdoors, there’s even an optional mesh shade that can be affixed to the top of it to match the all mesh sides. It really is one of the more versatile options out there.
- Child Age Range: It’s designed for little ones from newborns up to two years old.
- Where To Buy: You can buy it on the manufacturer’s website and Amazon or in-store at Buy Buy Baby.
- The Best Part: You really can’t beat how lightweight this travel crib is.
- The Not So Great: The mattress pad may not be comfortable enough for some toddlers.
- Has This Item Been Recalled?: Although there have been recalls on Phil&teds Traveller Cribs, there aren’t any on this one.
FAQ’s About Travel Cribs
A Travel crib (not pack n play) is a lightweight portable crib that can stand on the floor, and where your baby can sleep. These cribs are usually allowed in a plane cabin as they are foldable and does not take up a lot of space.
It really depends on the situation. For shorter distances, a crib might be better as it does not take too much space, but if you are planning a longer trip, a pack n play would be better because your baby will also have a play area.
Most of the hotels have pack n plays and standard cribs, so if you are planning a trip and do not want to take any of these with you, you should contact the hotel in advance so they can prepare it for you. However, be prepared, many hotels request up to $50 dollars per day for installing it in your room.
Yes, they can be used as a crib, but you will have to add a mattress to make it more comfortable. Some playpens have a separate top area made for just sleeping, which is detachable and easy to put on again, and the bottom area is intended for safely playing without too much supervision.
Final Thoughts
Sometimes a travel crib is needed to give your little one enclosed space of their own when you need to keep them nearby to keep an eye on them. Or, it’s meant to be their napping place when you’re on a family trip or away from home.
Regardless of what you need it for or how often you plan to use it, finding and purchasing the right travel crib can help you out. Clearly, there is a lot to choose from for your own specific needs. And regardless of which one you choose, you’ll be getting a long-lasting and, in some cases, cost-effective travel crib for your baby.
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