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Original poster

Playpens - a necessary evil?

146 replies

AnnaVR · 10/05/2008 18:24

Hi, they do look a bit like cages, but my DS is just starting to roll and will soon be crawling, so if i don't get a playpen will i ever get anything done? And are there any nice ones that people that have found that are less cage-like? Thanks.....

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ChippyMinton · 10/05/2008 18:30

travel cot that doubles up as playpen?

never used one myself.

jenkel · 10/05/2008 18:34

Too cage like for me so I've never used one but my aunty made me laugh once when she told me that she used to do the ironing in one.

juuule · 10/05/2008 18:36

I did have one at one point but never used it Found it a bit pointless really.

Emmahugs · 10/05/2008 18:36

My 10 month old has a wooden playpen. She loves it and it's helped her pull herself up and learn to stand. Obviously I don't leave her in it for more than 15 mins...she starts complaining when she's fed up. Sometimes she'll only stay in it for a couple of minutes but it means I can get a few things done and know that she's totally safe and happy. I don't see why they are evil, unless you confine them all day!

Emmahugs · 10/05/2008 18:37

why is it cage like? that's is ludicrous!

OverMyDeadBody · 10/05/2008 18:37

I've never used one myself but a friend has lots of sections of playpen hinged together that can be make into big enclosures or used to divide up a whole room, so it's less like a cage and more like a fence or divider.

It is possible to get thongs done without putting them in playpens, but they are also useful, especially if you have areas that are not baby proofed!

Saggarmakersbottomknocker · 10/05/2008 18:37

Very useful if you have children quite close in age I think.

OverMyDeadBody · 10/05/2008 18:38

I have an artist friend who would sit in a playpen painting while her baby had free reign over the reast of the house!

WanderingTrolley · 10/05/2008 18:38

THey are very out of vogue but I think they're great for when you need to poo in peace or flirt with the window cleaner.

OverMyDeadBody · 10/05/2008 18:39

Yep, definately useful if you have children close in age, or children who want to do an activity like puxxles, lego or playmobil.

Meandmyjoe · 10/05/2008 18:44

Useful if you need to go peg the washing out and dc can't walk so can't really go with you. I leave ds (9months) in it for about 10 mins at a time. It doesn't look like a cage though, it's a material one and is very soft incase he topples over in it!

scottishmum007 · 10/05/2008 18:46

I put my son in the travel cot (use it as playpen tho) whilst I hang the washing outside, so at least I know he's safe and he just sits and looks at his books or plays with a few toys.I don't leave him in it for long just 5 mins maximum so that I can get one or two chores done, hang washing outside etc. It's more for a safety aspect rather than caging them in!

Califrau · 10/05/2008 18:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Fillyjonk · 10/05/2008 18:59

oh god they are just fabulous.

no you shouldn't leave kids in them all frigging day but since i assume you are not an eegit i am sure you won't do that.

if you stick them in when they are happy its a way of getting 10 minutes of stress-free time to make food for older kids/ iron / do the other luxury tasks that just have to be done sometimes.

they are a cage though. sometimes cages are good, I don't want my kids being free to explore plug sockets and so on (btw those plug socket covers are bloody useless)

Emmahugs · 10/05/2008 19:01

As long as you have a brain and some common sense of course they aren't prisons....why is it such a big deal?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

cocolepew · 10/05/2008 19:02

They are great for geting things done, my dd's loved theirs.

yurt1 · 10/05/2008 19:02

USed one with ds2 and ds3. We didn't have any stairgates so needed one.

PinkPussyCat · 10/05/2008 19:04

I have one and I hate it - or more to the point I hate the fact that it takes up so much of my living room space!

It is great as a 'safe place' to plonk ds when someone comes to the door for example. I don't leave him there for longer than about 30 mins - after that he starts to protest.

Madlentileater · 10/05/2008 19:08

I think they're great, used it to give older dc a break from marauding younger twins. Also I think the 'cage' looking ones are actually nicer, they can see out better than with the mesh.

BreeVanderCampLGJ · 10/05/2008 19:08

We used this instead, but I swear to God, 7 years ago it was not branded baby Einstein.

nickytwotimes · 10/05/2008 19:08

I had a travel cot I used to pop ds into for 5 mins so I could get washed/go to the loo without him endangering himself. It was useful, but only for a few months, tbh.
I don't think they're cages at all; they are a helpful item to keep your lo out of danger.

BreeVanderCampLGJ · 10/05/2008 19:09

Cali

Were you only in Germany for 6 months ?, it felt like frigging years and I was only suffering it through you. IYKWIM

tassisssss · 10/05/2008 19:14

we have a tasteful wooden traditional one but not really the space in our house for it, despite the fact that it's a good sized house.

we found it useful for in the garden when they're crawling and would otherwise get FILTHY. Especially good with no 2 as she could stay in her "cage" and watch big brother and his friends safely.

we also had an older version of what Bree linked to and they're excellent...very big hit with my 2 and at least 4 others in between!

Original poster
AnnaVR · 10/05/2008 19:17

Emmahugs, it's the bars that make it look like a cage! But if I had that much of a problem with it I wouldn't be thinking of getting one. Has anyone seen anything that's kind of big and spongy - more like a playmat with walls?

OP posts:
Fillyjonk · 10/05/2008 19:20

would that not look like a padded cell though?