A pack and play can be a play space, bassinet, and diaper-changing station all in one or some combination of those three features. You can fold them up and tuck them away into an easy-to-carry bag for travel. It’s also one of those rare baby items that isn’t made for short-term use. “Some [pack and plays] have newborn inserts that make them just right for [infants],” pediatrician Whitney Casares, MD, tells Verywell Family, so they can “grow with your baby.” To collect firsthand data on how the top pack and plays perform, we purchased 13 of the best models on the market and tested them in the Verywell Testing Lab. We spent eight hours assessing the ease of assembly, compactness, cleaning instructions, and the overall value of each product to help you choose which one is right for you. Based on our tests, these are the best pack and plays you can buy. The features that we really appreciated and noticed about the 4moms playard during testing were the smaller, more intentional details. The two extra legs created unmatched stability, which we know can come in handy for older toddlers who are more active. We also loved that this pack and play featured four wheels instead of the typical two. The wheels are partially covered to prevent tiny curious fingers from touching them, and they have a stacked design, making it easy to push the pack and play across the carpet, hardwood, and even shaggy nursery rugs. Finally, we thought the easily adjustable mattress was quite genius, as they allow you to unzip the extra pieces of the mattress to adjust the size to fit into the bassinet version of the pack and play. When it came to setting up the 4moms playard, it lost a few points and we rated it a 4.6. It took our testers around 10 minutes to fit all of the extra pieces onto the playard securely. While this is a larger option that is great for families that want to hang on to it while their baby grows into toddlerhood, it does take up a considerable amount of space, which may not be ideal for some. Overall, our tester determined this product is well worth the cost and has everything parents need in a pack and play. Price at time of publication: $300 When set up, this playard has a simple, compact design, but it’s still large enough to fit little ones up to 3 years old safely. It also comes with a water-resistant mattress that can be wiped down for cleaning. You can also toss the removable sheet and outer crib fabric into the washer and dryer whenever it gets dirty. While the design is quite simple, we love that it gets the job done by offering your baby a safe place to sleep, play, and hang out while on the go. This option is one of the higher-priced pack and plays on our list and doesn’t come with many features. However, we still really like this product, especially for families that travel a lot. Price at time of publication: $300 While this isn’t the smallest playard that we tested, it’s still fairly compact, given all of the different ways it can be used. It features two back wheels, which makes moving it from room to room easy, especially given it’s one of the heavier pack and plays available. The Snuggle Suite lost points for assembly because it took the longest to set up and we rated it the lowest with a 2 for the assembly attribute. Thanks to the robust features, the unclear directions, and more than 15 parts, it took our tester nearly 40 minutes to set this one up, with the bassinet being the most time-consuming part. The playard can be tucked away into its sturdy carrying case, however, it’s not large enough to hold all of the attachments, which can make traveling with it difficult. If you’re looking for something that will serve as a crib alternative, though, we think this is the best pick. Price at time of publication: $330 While we didn’t need to know much to set it up, it was convenient that the Joovy playard had the directions printed on the bottom of the mattress. This means you’ll never have to rummage through your junk drawer to find the paper manual. That same mattress doubles as a high-quality travel bag. Although we thought the mattress quality and the roomy size were standout features, our tester noted that its perfectly square shape would make finding extra fitted sheets tricky at best, since the standard size won’t work. We weren’t surprised to find this was heavier than most pack ’n plays, but we were pleased to discover that it’s quite easy to move around when it’s set up, thanks to the two back wheels. We also really like that this playard has mesh sides all the way around, so your baby will be visible no matter where you’re standing. Price at time of publication: $185 While most of the pack and plays that we tested featured two wheels, our testers noted that the wheels on the Graco seemed the most functional. Pushing it across hardwood, cement floors, and even a shag rug was a breeze. It’s also lightweight enough that our tester was able to pick it up and move it from room to room with ease. It has an overall compact design, but it still doesn’t feel small compared to other standard-sized pack and plays. Although we were able to set this playard up in under a minute and a half, the breakdown wasn’t quite as intuitive. Tucked away underneath the fabric is a hard-to-grasp button you have to push in order for the sides to properly collapse. Also, this basic model does not come with a fitted sheet, but since it’s a standard size playard, sheets are easy to find in most stores that sell baby gear. If you’re in the market for a basic, portable, easy-to-use pack and play, this is a great option. Price at time of publication: $70 This playard comes with a high-quality and stylish carrying bag, which could have been improved with a shoulder strap in addition to the carrying handles. Our favorite feature of the pack and play was how easy it was to collapse and how compact it was folded down. It folds together like a road map instead of an umbrella, allowing us to pin it closed with the small snaps and lay it flat like a book. We loved the compact design and rated it a 5 for this feature. Our testers were able to slide it underneath a couch, making it a great choice for families living in smaller spaces without a ton of extra storage. While this pack and play is on the pricier end of the spectrum, the infant insert allows you to use it from infancy through toddlerhood. Price at time of publication: $339 While this is a pretty basic design, our testers found that the setup wasn’t intuitive. The poles of the pack and play have to be clicked into place, which added a few minutes to the assembly time when we first set it up. However, we still rated it highly with a 4.5 for the assembly because once we figured out how to click the poles in place, it made sense and wouldn’t be an issue in the future. Plus, the take-down process took mere seconds! We loved that the 360-degree mesh sides allowed for good airflow and featured a zippered opening for children to get in and out. A zipper on a pack and play can seem like a design flaw for curious toddlers, but our tester noted there is a safety clip on the front to keep little ones from unzipping it and escaping. Additionally, all around the perimeter of the playard is a cover to keep little fingers safe from pinches. Although our testers liked the water-resistant interior, we deducted a few points from the overall rating because of a lack of cushioning on the bottom, which could be uncomfortable if your kiddo is hanging out on a patio, concrete, or other hard surfaces. Price at time of publication: $110 We rated this pack and play a 4 for assembly because it was not immediately clear how to attach the bottom to the legs. But once that was resolved, the Summer Infant Pop ‘N Play assembled and folded down in minutes. The Pop ‘N Play is made from super lightweight nylon that our tester compared to the windbreaker material. The bottom of this playard is lightly padded, which makes it the perfect space for little ones to nap during the day. It also features mesh sides that allow airflow, as well as a plastic pouch where you could safely store a tablet. Price at time of publication: $131 We really like the carrying bag that comes with this playard, too. It’s the only one we tested that had a dual design that can be worn as a backpack and on the shoulder, which we found makes it so much easier to carry around (you’ll need all of the free hands you can get when traveling with kids). It took our tester a little over two minutes to set up this pack and play, and she didn’t need to consult the manual because the process was so intuitive. However, we deducted points from the assembly attribute because the legs of the Guava were difficult to collapse, making it challenging to close completely. While our testers liked the carrying tote, the pack and play required a substantial amount of effort to force back in the bag. While we liked the material of the Guava, it wasn’t nearly as stain-resistant as the other pack and plays that we tested, so we rated it a 3 for the care attribute. During our applesauce test, the material absorbed the liquid instead of repelling it, causing a small stain to be left behind. However, the good news is that the crib cover is machine washable so you can toss it into the wash to clear away any stains. Overall, we appreciate how little space this pack and play takes up and how easy it is to transport, whether it’s already set up or tucked away in the carrying bag. It’s the best option for anyone looking for a super-compact model. Price at time of publication: $280 During testing, we found this pack and play to be relatively simple to assemble and we rated the simplicity of assembly a 4.8. However, our tester struggled to get the mattress to lay completely flat when it was set up as a bassinet, though this was minor and did not create an unsafe sleeping environment. As for the folding process, this model was one of the most difficult of all the pack and plays we tested. It took our tester around six minutes because the trigger buttons were difficult to find, and even after the buttons were pushed in, the sides were still stiff, which made it tricky to collapse down. Like many of the other pack and plays that we tested, the crib cover on the Baby Trend Nursery Center repelled the applesauce during our stain test. But, we did notice that a slight watermark was left behind which could be an issue when it’s time to clean away drool, slobber, and milk. Still, we found we were able to overlook the difficult tear down because there were so many other things to love about the playard. It’s super lightweight and features two wheels, so it was easy to move from one room to another. Also, compared to other budget-friendly pack and plays, this one seems to be much more durable, and its design is compact, but not too small. Price at time of publication: $100 4.5 to 4.7 stars: These pack and plays are top of the line but they may have minor flaws like excessive setup time or complex takedown. 4.0 to 4.5 stars: We think these are great pack and plays, but others are better. 3.5 to 3.9 stars: These pack and plays are just average. 3.4 and below: We don’t recommend pack and plays with this rating; you won’t find any on our list. To determine portability, we pulled each playard across a linoleum floor and a shag rug. We also carried each product from one end of our testing space to the other to determine how easy they were to lift and move from room to room while set up. Finally, we purposely spilled applesauce on each product and wiped it away with a baby wipe to determine how stain-resistant the material was. After each test, we gave the product a rating, which we then used to come up with an average star rating based on all of the tested factors.
What to Look for When Buying a Pack and Play
Safety
“Never use or purchase a pack and play that doesn’t meet the standards of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, or that is broken or damaged in any way," says Whitney Casares, MD, pediatrician, author, and founder of Modern Mommy Doc. Also, it’s important to ensure any pack and play you plan to use as a bed meets safe sleep guidelines for babies under 1-year-old to reduce the risk of SIDS. The sides should be made of a breathable material, mattresses should be flat and firm, and any included fitted sheets should fit snugly without the risk of coming loose. To ensure your little one is safely sleeping, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends avoiding bed-sharing, placing babies on their back for every sleep, and sharing the same room, if possible, for the first six months of the baby’s life. You also want to keep any soft objects, loose bedding, or any other items, like blankets, pillows, and toys, out of the baby’s sleep space as those all pose an entrapment, strangulation, and suffocation risk.
Size & Weight
Think about what you will be using this product for the most and take its size and weight into consideration. If it’s going to be set up at home, something larger with storage and a lot of attachments will benefit you. However, if you plan on doing a lot of traveling, you’ll want something a little smaller and more lightweight for easier transportation.
Ease of Use
Ideally, you want a pack and play that is easy to set up and take down, with as little frustration as possible. Many of them are designed with one-step or one-hand mechanisms, simple buttons, or easy interlocking pieces that pop right into place. Also, consider how hard it is to collapse the pack and play and get it in and out of its carrying bag.
Functions
Not all travel cribs and playards are meant for the same purpose. Some convert from infant bassinet to toddler playard, some are strictly for sleeping, and others are designed only for play. Consider what purpose you need the pack and play to serve when choosing the right product for you.
Why Trust Verywell Family
Ashley Ziegler is a full-time parenting writer and mom to a 2-year-old and a 5-year-old. She has personal experience in researching and purchasing a variety of children’s products.
