best baby playards

Flimsy but serves its purpose…, October 21, 2007

Pros:

1. It is taller than others, making it harder to be climbed over.

2. It serves its purpose; we couldn’t live without it with twins crawling in 2 different directions.

3. Compared to others that aren’t as flimsy, the price is right. The other option is metal and it’s 2 times the price for half the size.

4. We added the extension and it’s the perfect size for both our twins. They both have plenty of space to crawl around and all their toys.

5. Door.

6. Does fold up well to take with you

7. It does provide a safe place to put non-walking infants while you shower, pee, make dinner, etc. We use it everyday. I recommend the Step2 blue mat to go under it to avoid bumps.

8. It is easy to transport since it is light-weight.

Cons:

1. It is a little bit flimsy. You have to keep the door closed and latched or the whole thing will fall over when baby climbs on it.

2. Holes are perfect size for baby to stick hands/feet in and climb. By 9 months, my twins were able to climb half way up.

3. Only one door, others I’ve seen have a door on every other section, but this isn’t a big issue and would probably make it even more unstable.

4. The biggest downer is that when my twins were only 8 months old, they could already move the entire thing around, including off the mat. I can only imagine how they will move the thing around when they can walk. It will defeat its purpose then since they’ll be able to take off with gate in hand and get to what they want. It’s too light-weight.

5. I only recommend it for babies not walking yet. Unless you tether it down to a piece of furniture or hooks on a wall, it’s not useable for very long since they can slide it around when they start walking (see # 4). I would like to get more use out of it.

6. The “handle” is useless to carry it with. It’s just a strap that you snap around it. The minute I picked up the gate with it, it came unsnapped. It needs something permanent.

7. It does look like a cage. I wish the slats were vertical…it would make it harder for them to climb and take away the cage-look. Who wants to “cage” their children like animals??

Overall, for the price, I would recommend it since it does serve its purpose. I’ve done my research, and for a plastic gate, this is the best one out there since it is taller and can be made larger with the extension. A metal one I’ve seen wouldn’t be as flimsy, but then it would be too heavy to make it portable like this one. I guess there isn’t such a thing as the “perfect play yard” all around.

**UPDATE**

My twins are now 15 months old and we are still using this play yard everyday. They are walking now and can move it around but because all the toys are in the way, etc., it keeps it somewhat in place so they never go far with it. They just move it off the mat a foot or so which still keeps them refined to one area for safety’s sake. They don’t like staying in there by themselves as they prefer their freedom now, so I have to get in with them while they play or they cry. There is plenty of room for me, the two of them, and TONS and TONS of toys! My biggest complaint now would have to be the holes – they are the perfect size for little feet to climb. My kids can get all the way to the top so we can’t leave them unattended at all. Since my kids prefer their freedom now, I think we will be packing it away soon (or using it as a large single gate across an entire room instead of an enclosed play yard), but it has been a life saver and I got more/longer use out of it then I ever thought I would.

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Serves it’s purpose, July 12, 2007

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N. Shore – See all my reviews

  

Works well to temporarily house an infant/toddler and toys when I need to disappear to the loo or remove something hot from the oven. The folding process takes a bit to get used to and the knobs you are supposed to tighten in place and loosen to fold don’t really do anything. It is only stable in the hexagon configuration. It comes in handy, especially while caring for two, and I am glad we have it.

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Keeps my twins safe!, July 13, 2007

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A. Kengla – See all my reviews

  

My twins learned to sit up, crawl, pull to stand and cruise within a 2 week period when they were 8 months old. It was sooo hard to keep them out of trouble and from climbing on furniture. We got the Surround Play Safe Play Yard and it has been a lot easier for us. They play in there and can still see me when I’m in the kitchen. Then, when company comes over, it is easy to put away.

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