Best playpens for babies and toddlers, as recommended by parents

When your baby starts to crawl, cruise or take those tentative first steps, simple tasks like going to the loo or doing household chores can become a challenge, particularly if your child is no longer entertained by options like a baby bouncer.

A playpen can be a great solution to suit both you and your child's needs. Not only do playpens offer a few moments of hands-free time, but also the chance to make yourself a well earned cuppa or catch up on general life admin while your little one is kept calm, entertained (check out our guide to the best baby toys for help there) and, most importantly, safe while you supervise.

For those new to the world of parenting who are worried that playpens aren’t conducive to proper learning and reaching those all-important baby milestones, we’re here to reassure you. Whilst one-on-one playtime with your baby is extremely important, the best playpens allow babies and toddlers to have some independent playtime, which is also a crucial part of their development. Simply place some sensory toys inside and watch them explore and learn about their environment.

If you’ve already begun the search for the best baby playpen, you may be finding it all a bit overwhelming, but fear not – we’ve done the research so you don’t have to, collating honest online reviews, expert recommendations and advice from Mumsnet users, the largest online network of parents in the UK.

Here are the best playpens for babies and toddlers, as recommended by parents.

Best playpens at a glance

• Best overall playpen: BabyDan Deluxe Playpen | Buy now

• Best budget baby playpen: Hadwin Baby Playpen | Buy now

• Best playpen for versatility: Venture All Stars Duo Baby Playpen | Buy now

• Best playpen for small spaces: Safetots Deluxe Fabric Playpen | Buy now

• Best foldable playpen: Summer Infant Pop N Play Playpen | Buy now

• Best playpen for travel: Koo-di Happy Home Foldable Playpen | Buy now

1. Best overall playpen: BabyDan Deluxe Playpen

Price: RRP £170 | Buy now from Amazon

Key specs

Dimensions: 72 x 360 x 3cm | Age suitability: Birth to 24 months | Material: Metal | Foldable: No | Assembly required: Yes (no tools required)

What we like

• Can be configured to suit almost every room setting

• Comfortable play mat included

• Easy assembly with no tools required

What we don't like

• Costly

• Wall fixings are sold separately for use as a room divider

What Mumsnet users say

“The BabyDan hexagonal playpens are great because you can use them as a traditional playpen or use it to section off an area of the room” - tried and tested by Mumsnet user and childminder NannyR

“I used ours for all three of my sons and all loved it. The large BabyDan one is great. It comes with a lovely, padded floor cover (my son used to always conk out for his morning nap!) and opens out to become a room divider, so is really, really useful” - tried and tested by Mumsnet user wildbhoysmama

Our verdict

Tested by Mumsnet: Read our full BabyDan Deluxe Playpen review

Lovingly known by the brand as a ‘Park-A-Kid,’ the BabyDan Deluxe Playpen is a versatile and practical metal playpen suitable for babies from birth to 24 months.

You may be wondering if you need the best baby play mat to act as a base to your play pen, but luckily this comes with one included and we like that it's machine-washable. The BabyDan Playpen also comes with an extra wide door which opens one-handed in both directions, ensuring you always have easy access to your child.

Our parent tester, Beccy, says, "Beyond its safety accolades, I love the BabyDan Deluxe Playpen for several reasons. Its design is sleek and modern (unlike some playpens which, IMHO, can be ghastly), and personally suits our home decor. The fabric play mat itself is detachable and easily washable, and the playpen itself can be easily cleaned with a wipe. I also love the fact you can attach things to the bars, like toys and a baby mobile, to create your own makeshift playden to suit your baby’s age."

With a 360cm circumference when used in the traditional hexagonal set-up, it can also be converted into a stair gate, half gate, fire guard or room divider (using wall fixings) to adapt to your space as required.

Easy to assemble and disassemble, you’ll be relieved to know that the BabyDan doesn't need any tools to put it together. You can simply reposition and realign the pieces to suit your environment, even changing the location of the door.

Read next: The best baby toys according to parents

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2. Best budget playpen: Hadwin Baby Playpen

Price: RRP: £50 | Buy now from Amazon

Key specs

Dimensions: 139 x 70.3 x 76cm | Age: Birth to 24 months | Material: Alloy steel and cotton | Foldable: Yes | Assembly required: Minimal

What we like

• Affordable price

• Folds down for portability

• Mesh sides

• Suitable for use indoors and outdoors

What we don't like

• Base is not padded

• One large-sized configuration only

• Doesn’t come with a door

What Mumsnet users say

“We used this one. We filled it with ball pit balls and toys and popped my daughter in it for toilet trips, getting stuff in the car etc. I also used to bring it into the kitchen when I was cooking so I could chat and play while making dinner (well away from the job or any surfaces!)” - recommended by Mumsnet user MindatWork

Our verdict

If you’re after a high-quality playpen that comes without the eye-watering price tag, this affordable six-panel playpen from Hadwin comes well rated by Mumsnet users and online retailer reviews.

It’s quick to assemble and can accommodate two babies with room for a parent too – ideal if your little one needs a little encouragement to play with things like baby toys. If you prefer to put toys away at the end of the day, you can easily fold and pack this baby playpen up ready for use the next morning. It even comes with a handy storage bag, making it a portable choice for travel or visiting friends and family.

The wipe-down base is suitable for use indoors and outdoors and will keep bottoms dry even when the grass is damp. Indoors, you may want to place a mat or rug underneath for additional padding as the base material is relatively thin.

If you're planning to use this playpen to entertain your toddler whilst you tend to your newborn, it’s also worth noting that it doesn’t have a door. For that reason, you’ll need to be able to physically lift your child – something to bear in mind if you’ve had a c-section.

Read next: How to babyproof your home

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3. Best playpen for versatility: Venture All Stars Duo Baby Playpen

Price: RRP £140 | Buy now from Amazon

Key specs

Dimensions: ‎155 x 155 x 65cm | Age: Birth to 24 months | Material: Plastic | Foldable: No | Assembly required: Yes (no tools required)

What we like

• Lightweight panels with push-fit mechanism

• Can be customised to suit the size of your room

• Has a fun activity panel for interactive play

• Comes with a jigsaw-style play mat

• Suitable for indoor and outdoor use (but we only tested it indoors)

What we don't like

• Suction cups at the base of each panel come unstuck easily on hard floors

What Mumsnet users say

"We don’t live in a big house, so it’s great that you can take the panels out to make it smaller if need be" - recommended by Mumsnet user Pixiefringe

“I got this one because we have a big dog and this allows my little one and I to play without him and ensures my baby’s safe when I nip to the toilet. It's quite large but can be made smaller” - tried and tested by Mumsnet user Yokey

Our verdict

Tested by Mumsnet: Read our full Venture All Stars Duo Baby Playpen review

This square-shaped baby playpen from award-winning brand Venture is not only spacious and designed to British Safety Standards, but comes with cushioned jigsaw play mat and a bag of brightly coloured balls too.

Parent tester, Laura, says, "For babies, the Venture All Stars Duo is very appealing. My daughter loves the activity panel and can regularly be found spinning the shaker balls while practising standing up."

This playpen comes with a dual lock system, so you can be confident that your little one will be safe inside. However, Laura adds, "The latch on the door is simple for adults to operate. But, once unlocked, you do need two hands to hold the latch in place while opening the door, which I find tricky when I’m holding my baby in my arms at the same time."

If you consider yourself less than experienced at DIY, you’ll be delighted to discover that you don't need any tools to assemble this baby playpen. It has push-fit panels, which means that it can be configured to suit the shape of your room and taken apart for easy storage. It can even be used as a room divider – convenient if you have pets too. It’s big enough for multiple children (and you) to gather inside, with plenty of space to crawl around, interact, play and explore.

Read next: The best baby walkers and push-along toys

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4. Best playpen for small spaces: Safetots Deluxe Fabric Playpen

Price: RRP £65 | Buy now from Amazon

Key specs

Dimensions: 120 x 120 x 71cm | Age: Birth to 2 years | Material: Fabric (unspecified) | Foldable: No | Assembly required: Yes

What we like

• Zip opening

• Smaller footprint

• Easy to assemble

What we don't like

• Doesn't fold - has to be taken apart for storage or travel

• Playpen mat is sold separately

Our verdict

Tested by Mumsnet: Read our full Safetots Deluxe Fabric Playpen review

There are specific playpens that work really well in small spaces and the Safetots Deluxe Fabric Playpen is most definitely one of them.

This playpen consists of six connecting elements and durable fabric that’s soft to the touch. It’s wipe clean and machine-washable, and has a zip door for easy access.

Our parent tester, Anna, says, "[This playpen] is sturdy and there are no sharp edges so it feels safe for my baby, even if he’s bouncing around in it. There are no gaps in the fabric where his small fingers could get trapped."

While it is small and portable enough for travel, it doesn't fold, so you'll need to take it apart first.

Read next: The best baby play mats

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5. Best foldable playpen: Summer Infant Pop N Play Playpen

Price: RRP £67 | Buy now from Amazon

Key specs

Dimensions: ‎22 x 66 x 130cm | Age: Six months to 24 months (or 35 inches tall) | Material: Mesh sides and metal frame | Foldable: Yes | Assembly required: No

What we like

• Spacious yet compact

• Very lightweight

• Comes fully assembled

• Pops open for instant use

• Folds down easily for travel - travel bag included

• Can be used both indoors and outdoors

What we don’t like

• Not very attractive

• Can’t be used from birth

• Separate play mat not included

What Mumsnet users say

“I use a Summer Infant Pop N Play for DD. We have a dog so it is used just as much to keep DD's toys safe as to keep her safe. It folds up fairly small and we have also discovered we can loosely fold it with all the toys/play blanket inside and store it neatly in the corner. It also has a waterproof base, so good for the garden” - tried and tested by Mumsnet user Eryri1981

“I had the Summer Infant Pop N Play, which folded really easily when we weren't using it” - recommended by Mumsnet user Swearwolf

Our verdict

Tested by Mumsnet: Read our full Summer Infant Pop N Play review

While basic in design, the Summer Infant Pop N Play ticks a lot of boxes. It comes fully assembled so pops open in seconds straight out of the box (once you get the hang of it), and folds down compactly for storage and travel.

At 5.4kg, it’s lightweight enough to move between different rooms in your home and it comes with its own travel bag, so it can be carried over your shoulder whenever you need to take it away with you, whether that’s to the grandparents’ house or on your family holiday.

The green-coloured base might not appeal to some parents, particularly if you plan on keeping this playpen up permanently. Parent tester, Rebecca, who used this playpen for around three months says, “The colours aren’t great, but it can be folded away, which I’m glad about!”

She used the Pop N Play to keep her baby and dog separate and felt confident leaving her daughter to play in it safely during the day.

While it doesn’t come with an activity panel or any added extras, the Pop N Play is very spacious. Rebecca adds, “There’s enough space for my daughter to move around in the playpen and you can fit loads of toys.”

Read next: The best tummy time toys

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6. Best playpen for travel: Koo-di Happy Home Foldable Playpen

Price: RRP £130 | Buy now from Amazon

Key specs

Dimensions: 139 x 118 x 75cm | Age: Birth to 3 years | Material: Polyester | Foldable: Yes | Assembly required: No

What we like

• Fold-out design

• Portable with travel bag

• Padded base

• Suitable for indoors and outdoors

What we don't like

• Costly

• One fixed size

Our verdict

First up, it’s hard to not comment on the baby blue design of this playpen, making a really unique choice compared to other playpens on the market.

Folding up and down in seconds, the Koo-di Foldable Playpen is ideal for travel, coming in a portable carry bag that allows you to create a safe space for your baby wherever you go. The water-resistant padded base is suitable for use both indoors and outdoors. When in use, the mechanisms are completely inaccessible to your child, ensuring a safe and comfortable environment for your baby, whilst providing plenty of space for them to play.

It doesn’t come cheap and is fixed in size, but for overall aesthetic, safety and comfort, we feel it’s a worthy investment.

Read next: The best umbrella pushchairs for travelling with a baby

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More of the best playpens: tried and tested

Read next: The best sensory play activities for babies

Are baby playpens a good idea?

Playpens are a good idea as they provide your child with a safe place to play independently, especially if they are crawling or cruising. While you’re busy, your child can be occupied with soft toys and baby books, and a playpen is a great way for them to explore and learn new skills without getting hurt.

The types of baby playpens

Wooden playpens

The most traditional style of playpen is wood framed and spacious, with plenty of space for your baby to crawl and explore. They normally require assembly and tend to be best for more long-term use, becoming a somewhat permanent feature in your room.

Plastic playpens

They tend to be eye-catching and durable, but can be on the large side for modern homes. Usually fairly easy to assemble, some plastic playpens can adjust to the size of your room by removing panels.

Metal-framed playpens

Probably the most versatile, playpens with metal frames are usually adjustable to the shape and size of your room, with some even offering the ability to use as a fire guard or room divider. They tend to be more expensive, but often come with fold-down benefits which make them ideal for travel or for bringing out as and when required.

Pop-up playpens

Pop-up models tend to be less durable and hardwearing, but for temporary short-term use on holiday or when visiting friends and family, they are a relatively stress-free way to create a safe space for your baby, whatever the environment.

What age do you stop using playpens?

The age you should stop using a playpen is when your child can climb out. Most parents find that when a baby can pull themselves up, they might start to get tired of being in the playpen if it’s small.

How much does a baby playpen cost?

Generally, baby playpens aren’t particularly cheap, especially given that they need to be made from high-quality, durable materials and adhere to UK safety standards. For a decent playpen you can generally expect to pay at least £100, although you can pick up cheaper alternatives that do the trick for more ad hoc use. If you’re planning to use one regularly, it’s best to invest in one that will stand the test of time.

How do I choose the best playpen for my baby?

With so many different playpens to choose from, here are some things to consider when making your decision:

• Dimensions: How much space do you have for a playpen? Some playpens are extremely large and spacious whilst others have a smaller footprint. Consider whether the size is fixed or if the playpen offers some choice depending on the positioning or removal of panels. A larger-sized playpen is great if you want to get inside too, whilst a smaller playpen is ideal if you are limited on space.

• Ease of assembly: How easy is the playpen to assemble? Does it require tools to put together? If you’re not keen on sacrificing a whole section of your living room, you should consider how easy it is to fold down and store when not in use.

• Portability: Does the playpen come with a storage or carry bag that enables you to take it with you when travelling or visiting family? More portable playpens tend to be a little less sturdy, but are ideal for occasional use.

• Where can it be used? - Is the playpen suitable for use outdoors as well as inside? Some metal or alloy-framed playpens can be used outdoors and double up as a fun play area in the summer months. Is the base waterproof to prevent your child getting a wet bum on damp grass?

• Does it come with any accessories? - Consider whether the price includes any accessories such as padded mats, balls, and entertainment or whether they are available to purchase separately.

• Other uses: Some playpens offer a fixed shape and size, whilst others can convert into fire guards, safety gates and even room dividers with additional wall fixings.

Important safety points for baby playpens

Babies should always be supervised in playpens, but in addition to this, there are a number of other safety considerations you should make when using one.

• Only buy a playpen with BS EN 12227: 1997, 1999 or 20110 safety mark.

• Ensure that your playpen is not located near to an open fire or other heat sources.

• There should not be any large items inside that your baby can step on and use to try and climb out.

• Make sure that nobody ties anything across the top of a playpen as this is a strangulation hazard.

• The playpen mustn’t be placed near doors or windows that your little one might be able to open.

• Keep the playpen away from dangling cords or cables.

• Always keep the playpen clear and ensure that it is in good condition with no holes or broken pieces of wood or plastic.

Which are the best baby playpens to buy?

Overall, the BabyDan Deluxe Playpen is the best playpen to buy as it’s safe, attractive to look at, comfortable for your baby and incredibly flexible too. Whilst it’s not cheap, the ability to adjust and reposition the sides to suit your environment certainly makes it worth the investment. It can even be used as a room divider with additional wall fixings.

How we chose our recommendations

Recommendations from real parents

First up, we sought out the trusted opinions of Mumsnet users, to get their feedback on playpens, as well as the playpens that they rate, recommend and have used in their own homes with their babies. We considered the elements they looked for in a playpen, including versatility, size and comfort.

We also looked out for any negative reviews, where Mumsnetters highlighted products that they felt were poor quality, difficult to clean or they felt were a bit of an eyesore.

Expert opinions

Next up, we considered reviews and feedback from trusted industry experts. We want to be confident that the products we recommend are fit for purpose and safe to use with babies and toddlers, so we looked out for award-winning products or those that were well regarded in the marketplace, including those bearing the relevant UK safety standards.

Authentic consumer reviews

Finally, to bring you our definitive list of the best playpens on the market, we thoroughly investigated genuine, in-depth customer reviews on retailer sites such as Amazon, Argos and John Lewis to get wider consumer experiences regarding the products on our shortlist.

About the author

Lucy Cotterill is a mum of two and Content Writer at Mumsnet, specialising in baby/child and lifestyle product reviews and round-ups. Having written product reviews on her own blog Real Mum Reviews since 2012, Lucy loves to research and explore the pros and cons of baby products, scrutinising reviews and consumer feedback to help parents make confident purchases that benefit their families.

Originally from a HR background with a degree in Business Studies, Lucy developed a real passion for blogging and writing when her children were young, going on to write for several online publications including US parenting site Pregistry and the Evening Standard.

When she’s not manically tapping the keys of her laptop, Lucy loves nothing more than to cosy up with her Kindle and enjoy the latest thriller, or compete in Nintendo Switch rallies with her daughters aged six and 10.

Why you should trust us

We work hard to provide honest and independent advice you can trust and we spend hours scouring the Mumsnet forums and online bestseller lists to find products that real parents rate.

Transparency is really important to us and that's why we're always upfront about where we find our recommendations. We write about products that we feel offer the best value to most parents – the ones that our users would recommend to their own friends and family.