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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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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.....

OP posts:

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BroccoliSpears · 10/05/2008 21:45

I was planning to use a play pen or a travel cot to keep ds safe from the attentions of his older sister who is 2, and the dog. Unfortunately big sis can now hop in and out of a travel cot and I suspect she'll make short work of the play pen too. Will have to think again.

yurt1 · 10/05/2008 22:24

I had the (non einstein) thing that bree linked to in the kitched, playpen in the front room. ds2 liked both, ds3 was much keener on the playpen than the standing thing.

Califrau · 11/05/2008 01:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LookattheLottie · 12/05/2008 02:39

Don't have one for dd (11 mo) and yes, I do think they're cage like. Imo, children need to be free to move, not put into a pen to stay. If I need to get things done I either take dd with me or put her in the living room to play with her toys. It means she gets the run of the room which is quite big and isn't being put behind bars. She hates it if I ever put her in her cot during the day, she likes to have the freedom to crawl/walk about. She's a very active child!

I suppose it all depends on the individual and their children though. If you want to give it a go, then do. If it works great, if not, at least you know it wont work lol.

yurt1 · 12/05/2008 07:30

Having one child is very different from three or twins or various other combinations that make it harder to keep an eye on all of them at once.

A second or third active child is a good reason to consider a playpen imo

Broccolli - ds1 used to climb in with ds3, but it wasn't really that much of a problem as- he usually jut used to climb straight back out again.

stoppinattwo · 12/05/2008 08:00

We had a travel cot which we took with us on holidays abroad ...when we spent time by the pool we used to put dd in there with her toys and books and quite often a snooze ....under an umberella she would comfortably kip/play away while we could relax and not worry about her ending up in the pool!!!!! She was far more comfortable in the cot than sleeping in a buggy.

The travel cot was a quite simple foldaway one which was worth the time and effort to bring down to the pool side/ beach as it would stay there all day....with other parents looking longingly over

Original poster

AnnaVR · 12/05/2008 08:37

Hi LookattheLottie, is your living room childproof then? - There are so many potential hazards in ours - fireplaces, glass tables, plug sockets....

OP posts:

scottishmummy · 12/05/2008 08:45

never had one- think they look ghastly and restrictive.they look like agricultural pens
god forbid your child wants to explore its environment.

GooseyLoosey · 12/05/2008 08:46

Another occasional user of a travel cot as a playpen - never saw the need to clutter up my house with the real thing.

Wisknit · 12/05/2008 08:47

I thought they were barbaric til ds1 came along. Then I aquired ds2 and it was a life saver in terms of he went in it and ds1 couldn't kill him.

As mentioned above means you can run outside and peg washing out or whatever without worrying.

yurt1 · 12/05/2008 08:56

"god forbid your child wants to explore its environment."

you see this sort of comment is just daft. I had one for ds2 and ds3 because we didn't have stair gates, but we have a 5 storey house. We have stairs everywhere and sometimes it was easier to pop to the toilet/make a cup of tea without taking 1 or 2 children with me. If the children were busy playing with toys they preferred to do that that be carried upstairs for me to use the loo and go back down again.

I also have a severely autistic son who sometimes could take about 5 minutes to bring into the house from outside. I couldn't manage him and a toddler on the street (not safe) and certainly wouldn't have wanted ds3 crawling/toddling around the house by himself for 5 minutes - so the playpen was a useful solution.

As someone has already mentioned the worst thing about it was that it took up lots of room as it was so large.

It's use was nothing to do with an aversion to children exploring their environmnet- it was a practical solution to a problem. Which I think is the way 99% of people use them and the reason they exist

yurt1 · 12/05/2008 08:58

Oh and the reason ds1 was outside was because I had to bring him in from his school bus- which at the time that ds3 was small was a right palaver. When he was small enough ds3 went on my back and joined in the fun and games of trying to get through the front door, but eventually he (and ds1) got too big. At that stage a playpen was the only thing that could really do the job.

Legoleia · 12/05/2008 08:59

We have the BabyDan one - an absolute lifesaver and DS loved it too - also folds out to divide off part of the room/garden - fireguard, any shape you like.

Nowadays we put a blanket over the top and it's an exciting playhouse.... (It has a door!)

scottishmummy · 12/05/2008 09:04

yurt just because i dont favour playpens does not make me daft thanks, it indicates a prefernce i have. as you clearly have yours

what's the problem?

playpens - love em hate em.up to you

mawbroon · 12/05/2008 09:05

I went for the child proofing throughout option rather than a playpen. I was going to have to do it anyway as I was starting out childminding.

It worked really well for us and for those tasks you mention like hanging out the washing or cooking or whatever, if ds wasn't happy to occupy himself, then he would go in the back carrier and was always happy to see what was going on.

This worked with various combinations of children whilst childminding, and I will do the same if I ever manage to have dc2.

Wisknit · 12/05/2008 09:06

That's what we have Legoleia.
Not up at the moment but even when it was they weren't in it much. Just very handy when you need ten minutes using both hands.

nailpolish · 12/05/2008 09:07

did nothave playpen or stairgate or such like

no probs

Original poster

AnnaVR · 12/05/2008 09:07

Hi mawbroon, I'm a bit daunted by all the childproofing I think I'd need to do. Any tips?

OP posts:

nailpolish · 12/05/2008 09:08

you dont HAVE to do childproffing at all

ThinWhiteDuchess · 12/05/2008 09:13

Gosh, there are some very extreme reactions to this subject, aren't there??!

I have a playpen which my DD absolutely loves. It's the brevi soft & play pen which has handles to help her pull herself up and is a lovely, soft and safe environment for DD to play in whilst I get on with some chores. I would never leave her in there for any significant amount of time, but 15 mins whilst I prep dinner, hang out washing, go to the loo, etc., it is an absolute blessing.

Original poster

AnnaVR · 12/05/2008 09:14

Hi nailpolish, if you don't then surely you need to be free to swoop down at any moment to stop them banging their head on a corner, or sticking something in a socket?

OP posts:

nailpolish · 12/05/2008 09:18

they have just never done that

ok maybe banged head on a table but its just something that happens

did your parents have the entire house childproofed?

nowanearlyNicemum · 12/05/2008 09:20

have used ours loads with both dd1 and dd2 - for most of the reasons given above (except the discipline one ). would have gone mad without it to be honest.

yurt1 · 12/05/2008 09:32

I didn't suggest you were daft for not favouring playpens scottishmummy. I said that suggesting that people who use playpens are averse to their child exploring their environment was daft.

mawbroon · 12/05/2008 09:33

Just common sense AnnaVR. My house isn't like Fort Knox or anything, there just aren't any ornaments or lamps lying around. All the kitchen doors have child locks and the hall cupboards have little snib locks to keep children out.

Also, all my furniture is a bit old and battered so that I am not sressing about stuff accidently getting damaged.

Hi nailpolish, how are you? long time no see!

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