The Best Travel Cribs: Top Four Picks
More and more parents have started to be more inclusive when it comes to spending time with the family. Previously, infants and toddlers are often left with a baby sitter or with the grandparents while the parents and older kids go traveling during summer or winter. New manufacturing technology and evolving designs have allowed parents to bring along the best travel crib and, of course, their little ones who can now start experiencing the joys of traveling.
Advantages
Portable
A travel crib is designed to be folded and packed for, well, travel and this means that they are compact and lightweight.
Frees up the hands
Having the best travel crib handy means that you would have more time to do other stuff, like cleaning, cooking and packing up for the next destination.
Worry-free travel
A travel cribs is considered a carry-on, thus allows you to board planes and boats without any hassle. Its compact size allows it to be stashed in the trunk of a car or the luggage space of a bus. Having the best travel crib also ensures that you baby will be sleeping in comfort, even when you’re not.
Disadvantages
Takes up storage space
A travel crib is compact and this is a benefit when traveling, however, for people with limited housing space, having a packed travel crib can cause a storage crisis and it might end up being stored in an attic or crawl space.
Occasional use only
Having two sets of cribs can also be disadvantageous on the financial side of things as you would have to invest in the best travel crib that would only be used once or twice a year.
How to Choose the Best Travel Crib
Just like regular cribs, there are several things you would want to look at when purchasing the best travel crib that suits your needs.
Comfort
The first measure of success. The fabric and mattresses of the travel crib should be soft and comfortable, while the frame itself should be sturdy and strong.
Weight
A true travel crib is lightweight and is easy to carry. The materials used for manufacturing travel cribs are often light materials like nylon, mesh, and hard plastic. Most models would even come with a carry bag or a strap that would make things easier.
Size
Typically, a travel crib would be smaller than a regular crib but size things up so your baby will be able to fit comfortably within the crib; a clearance of one foot in all directions should be considered to give your baby more room to roll and play.
Ease of Use
The best travel cribs are easy to put together, all it takes are several clicks and a few clips and you would have your crib ready to use. Be sure to give the crib a little shake to test for loose joints.
Footprint
This is relative to the size of the crib but footprint is more of the actual size of the crib in relation to the space it would occupy. Ask yourself these questions: Where would you be using your travel cribs? Does it have to be this specific length or width to be effective? Would the crib end up cramping up the living space of the room? Simple, obvious questions but the answers are important in deciding which best travel crib to buy.
Image |
Product |
Price |
Rating |
 |
Lotus Travel Crib and Portable Baby Playard | $$$ | 4.7/5 |
 |
Editor’s Pick |
$$$ | 4.7/5 |
| Ingenuity Smart and Simple Playard- Ridgedale | $$ | 4.3/5 | |
| Portable Crib. The Traveling Crib, Pack n Play, Best Travel Mini Baby Crib with Canopy. | $$ | 4/5 |
Top Picks for the Best Travel Crib
Here are some of the best travel cribs and why you should choose them.
Lotus Travel Crib and Portable Baby Playard
Having a Greenguard certification, the Lotus Travel Crib boasts of having been tested against chemical emissions. What does this mean for you? It means that you don’t have to worry about dangerous plastic components being absorbed by your child while staying inside the crib. The materials used in manufacturing are non-toxic and does not contain any flame retardant and heavy metals. The mesh side walls can be fully zipped down allowing for a more accessible playtime, it also zips up securely for a peaceful naptime.
The Lotus Travel Crib and Portable Baby Playard takes only a few seconds to set-up with sturdy corner posts and a clear mesh that is breathable and gives you an unobstructed view of your child while asleep or while playing. The Lotus Travel crib weighs a mere 13 pounds and is deep enough to hold any one or two-year old without having to worry about them falling over.
The included mattress is soft and fits the interior of the crib snugly. It comes with tabs that are pulled from the corners to secure everything into place. The crib is also lined with soft fabrics that have modern colors and stimulating graphics that help with your baby’s overall development.
And just like any travel kit, it can be folded into a compact unit and the Lotus Travel Crib comes with a travel pack that fits your folded crib nicely. The best thing about the travel pack is that it can be used as a carry-on luggage or be adjusted to become a snazzy looking backpack that leaves both of your hands free to hold your baby or carry another pack from the car.
BABYBJORN Travel Crib Light
The BabyBjorn Travel Crib is a light and simple travel crib that comes with no frills and no hassle. It can be assembled easily with legs that unfold automatically and locks securely; it even folds back into its own carrying case within seconds!
The mattress is situated a little above ground level which allows it to have gentle rocking movements as your baby sleeps. The comfy mattress also comes with a built-in base plate that offers stability when your baby starts learning how to stand. The base plate also keeps the mattress secure and ensures that your baby is sleeping in the best possible position.
The side walls are made with transparent mesh for better visibility and the assembled unit has no loose bars and straps that can cause accidents. The fabric around the crib is compliant to existing manufacturing standards which means that it is hypoallergenic and safe for your baby to chew on. The mattress and the crib fabric are both machine washable and easy to remove and replace.
The BabyBjorn Travel Crib clocks in at 13 pounds and is easy to move around the house or hotel or wherever you may be. Its simplistic design allows it to casually merge into the overall theme of your house or hotel room.
Ingenuity Smart and Simple Playard – Ridgedale
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Portable Crib. The Traveling Crib, Pack n Play, Best Travel Mini Baby Crib with Canopy.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How does a travel crib differ from a regular crib?
There are several differences between the two. First is the size; travel cribs are relatively smaller while regular cribs are designed to have a larger footprint. The best travel cribs are also lighter and easier to carry. There are also far more regular crib designs than travel-sized ones.
Up to what age can I use a travel crib?
Ideally, any crib should be able to fit up-to a three-year-old toddler but it really depends on how active they become as they grow older. Some retire their cribs as soon as their child hits their first year, while some use a crib until after three or four years. Take note that not all travel cribs are sturdy and can only take so much weight.
Can I use the best travel crib instead of a car seat?
This is a definite no. A travel crib should never be used as a baby car seat. Even the best travel cribs do not have the safety features that a baby car seat has. It does not come with any strap and doesn’t have any attachment or device that would affix it inside a car and prevent it from moving. It is not advisable to use any substitute for a car seat, other than the fact that it may be illegal; doing so would also mean that you are willingly placing your child in grave danger.
How can I wash and maintain a travel crib?
Majority of travel cribs come with easy-to-wash materials, like machine-washable fabrics and mattresses. The recommended temperature is around 40 degrees Celsius, warm. Frames are easy to wipe down and set-up; and a handy user manual that would have the specifics on how to properly maintain your travel crib. Some kits would even come with their own tools and wash cloths.
Can I use a travel crib instead of a regular crib?
While you can use the best travel crib in place of a regular crib while you are at home, it’s much better to have a regular crib AND a travel crib. This not only prevents excessive wear and tear on both cribs but it also gives back more time that you would have used collapsing a travel crib at home and packing it for travel. Another advantage is that regular cribs are sturdier than travel cribs as they are designed for regular use, unlike travel cribs that were designed for occasional use only.
Verdict
Clearly, the most important thing to look for in a travel crib is its weight, its features and the materials used. The best travel crib is one that carries the most features without sacrificing comfort; and we are not talking about your baby’s comfort alone. Comfort is both your comfort as a parent knowing that your child is safe and comfortable, as well as comfort as what the child using the travel crib will feel with all the mattresses, bedding and what-not.
Information is a key factor in any decision and the best way to get all the information you need is to research and ask the right questions to the right people; otherwise it will just be opinions not facts. There may be several travel cribs out in the market today and you will need more than just patience to find what the best travel crib fits your lifestyle.