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Pediatricians and psychologists are categorically against the child spending all the time in the arena. Psychologists believe that it delays the child's mental development, since the baby is deprived of the opportunity to study the world around him, and pediatricians complain that the playpen restricts the baby's mobility, thereby delaying his physical development.

When can a playpen come in handy?

Of course, it is more useful for a child to crawl around the apartment, and not to spend all the time in the arena!

But often it is impossible for a mother who does not have helpers not only to do household chores, but even to wash, eat and go to the toilet. Because a toddler left unattended can get into trouble. Being inside the arena, the child is protected from everyday dangers, and you can devote at least a few minutes to yourself or to household chores, being sure that nothing will happen to the baby during this time.

In addition, it can be used as a crib at home and when traveling.

What to look for when choosing a playpen?

Walls

The height of the arena is usually 80-110 cm. But even a high arena cannot be used for more than 1.5-2 years, since the child will learn to get out of it.

If the walls of the arena are mesh, then you need to give preference to a grid of pastel colors, which is less eye tiring than a dark or bright mesh. The mesh cells should be small so that a tiny finger does not get stuck in them.

The walls of the arena made of wooden or plastic rods do not cushion the impact in a collision.

However, do not forget that if you try to protect your child from all falls and bumps as much as possible, you can do him a disservice. Because if the baby hits the wall of the arena and does not feel physical discomfort, then he will not avoid collisions, and one day he may get serious injury.

In the arena, the child will learn to stand on his legs, so there must be rigid stands or rings attached to the frame in order to be able to hold onto them.

Floor

The larger the floor area of ​​the arena, the more spacious the baby is in it, but it is also necessary to take into account the size of the room in which he will stand.

The cover should be waterproof and easy to clean.

Safety

The playpen must be strong and stable so that the baby does not roll over with him, trying to get out of it.

If there are casters, then there should be locks to lock in place.

The playpen should not be varnished or painted, as the child will chew on the edges and the paint may get into his mouth.

No parts should protrude from the walls and floor, and smoothed corners will protect the baby from injury.

Compactness

Well, if the playpen is foldable, then you can move it from the room to the kitchen or bathroom, or take it on a visit and travel.

The locking mechanism must reliably fix the arena in the open state, preventing its spontaneous folding.

Once again, I emphasize that a playpen is not needed so that the child spends all the time there, but in order to give you a few minutes for urgent matters.

A playpen is a convenient and comfortable device where a growing kid can play and be even without adult supervision. Here he will master a new space, train to sit down, roll over and crawl. And with the help of special ring handles with which some models are equipped, the baby will be able to stand up and take the first steps on his own.

However, not every parent is convinced of the need for this device. In the article we will figure out whether a child needs a playpen. Consider the rules for choosing products and a rating that includes the best playpens for children.

Why do you need a playpen

The playpen will become an assistant for a mother who is alone with her baby at home all day. While the child is inside the playground, she can calmly go about her business. A kid for up to a year will not be able to crawl out or climb over the sides or partitions of the device. He will be in an enclosed safe area.

In the arena, you can create a comfortable area for the baby, where he will be busy with toys. The child will have his own corner, which can be organized even in small apartments. The playpen will delimit the space and become a place for games, while the crib will be designed exclusively for sleeping.

In the arena it is convenient to learn to get up, stand and walk along the side. At the same time, the walls of the products are, as a rule, solid, so the baby will not stick the handle or leg through the bars. And due to the softness of the product, falling, the child will not hit. With the help of playpens for children, you can develop perseverance, imagination, fine motor skills and independence.

With the help of a screen design, they enclose the necessary part in the room. At the same time, it includes several high sections, where one opens. There is a lock on the gate section so that the child cannot open the arena and get out. This design is suitable for older babies. Here you need to buy a mattress or play mat. Sometimes these items are already included.

In addition, arenas are distinguished by their shape. The most practical are rectangular and square views, as they take up less space than round, oval, or polygonal ones. Lightweight, foldable and compact, models can be easily carried from room to room, transported in a car, train or plane. Triangular views are used for corner mounting.

According to the material of manufacture, plastic, metal, rubber and wooden models are distinguished. The tree is not quite suitable for a baby, since the structure is rigid, and the crumb can easily hit. If the gap between the rods is incorrectly selected, one day the handle or leg of the baby will get stuck there. In addition, skid can be obtained from wood. And caring for wooden products is laborious.

A suitable option would be products with a frame made of metal and plastic, as well as with fabric walls. Such models are stable and at the same time safe for the baby. Inflatable products are safe too. They are lightweight and lightweight. And inside you can even arrange a small pool. But inflatable models are not durable, fail in a short time and are not suitable for very young children. Now let's take a closer look at how to choose a playpen for a child.

How to choose a playpen

It is better to choose larger products so that there are many toys inside and the baby himself fits. Be sure to pay attention to the height of the arena. It is important that the child cannot fall out of there. In any case, the height must be over 80 centimeters.

Some models already include various toys in the kit. Alternatively, you can buy a dedicated play mat. This is a useful device that will help keep your child entertained, develop motor skills, hearing and vision. Play mats have a positive effect on thinking, mental and emotional, physical and mental development. By the way, they produce models that have been used since birth.

The product must be stable and securely fixed to the floor, otherwise it may topple over. Choose models with locking casters, fasteners, and extra feet. Some devices are produced on five legs, one of which is in the center, and some even on six and seven. The arena must not wobble!

For models with mesh or fabric walls, the mesh and fabric should not sag or fall through. They must be firmly and securely fixed. The mesh should be fine so that your fingers cannot get stuck inside. And by choosing transparent walls, you can easily observe what the baby is doing. And the child will be able to see mom.

Fabric or oilcloth is used as upholstery. The fabric is stronger, more durable and safer, which is especially important if. Such a kid will definitely want to bite the sides. However, the oilcloth washes better. Therefore, choose the sides from fabric, and the bottom with oilcloth.

Many products additionally have handrails-rings, for which the crumb can be held and pulled. Due to which he will learn to get up, stand and take steps along the sides. The set may include various toys, a cover or a bag for transporting the playpen, a mattress or rug, a mosquito net, a music unit, and so on.

Choose a calm color so that the baby does not get overexcited, gets tired and tensed less. It is good if the bottom of the product is located at a distance of about ten centimeters, this will protect the child from drafts and diseases. Pay attention to the weight and age of the child for whom the playpen is intended.

It is important that the product is as safe as possible. Therefore, choose designs without sharp corners. Metal elements must be hidden with special plugs. Do not forget about reliable clamps. Next, we offer a rating of the best models. The top 12 includes models that differ in design, cost and functionality.

How and when to teach your child to playpen

Be prepared that the baby will not immediately begin to sit and play in the arena calmly. Many children do not like this design. Experts advise not to wait until the baby learns to sit, crawl or get up, but to buy this product in the first months after birth.

This will allow you to gradually accustom your baby to the playpen. Then the latter will become an integral part of the baby's life. He will become his own corner in the house, where the baby is comfortable, cozy and interesting to spend time.

We begin to accustom to the arena,. Be sure to place toys inside, while they must always be here. Do not carry toys in a stroller, crib, or anywhere else. Put the baby in the playpen and leave it for five minutes, then transfer it back to the crib.

Gradually increase the time your child is in the arena. Over time, the baby will understand that he spends some hours in the arena, while his mother does not forget about him and comes back every time. At the same time, the child will appreciate that here he will be able to play with special toys that are present only in this place. It is important that the baby perceives the playpen only as a place for play, and not for punishment.

As mentioned earlier, the playpen is used as a bed only when necessary. Otherwise, the baby will get used to playing in the crib and will no longer perceive it as a place to sleep. Do not force the baby to sit in the arena forcibly!

First of all, this question is asked by parents whose children are not crawling yet. When the kids begin to move around, the awareness of the need for this design comes on its own. Today we will talk about how to properly fit a playpen and how to teach your baby to sit in it.

With one hand you are trying to cook soup, with the other you are trying to clean up the thrown on floor toys, and hold the phone with your shoulder to tell mom about your child's new skills. Meanwhile, your child has already reached the cabinet where the spices are kept and sprinkled generously with salt ... Isn't it time to think about a safer place? Perhaps this will be a real salvation for you.

During pregnancy, it seems that you do not need a place where you can leave your baby for up to a year, because why, if the baby is so desirable, and this strange accessory seems to be a lattice for small children. It seems to every mother that she will be the best for her child, and will be there all the time. But only when the baby begins to crawl and there is no time to keep up with him, many mothers begin to think about the need for a safe place for their child. Now this is not a lattice for a child, but a real salvation for young mother who at the same time she is studying for a magistracy and combines child-rearing, study and housekeeping.

What is a playpen for?

In principle, we can say that the playpen is a fenced-off place for the baby. You can even make it with your own hands, but you can also buy it ready-made in the store, which, of course, is much more reliable.

Most of them vary in size. From the smallest ones, which are not much larger than a crib, to the huge ones, whose area reaches 10 meters.

In addition, they differ in the side strips. Playpens come with a side net, wooden plates, plastic, inflatable and this is not the whole range that almost any children's toy store can offer you.

They also differ in the lower part. It can be made from:

• soft material;
• solid;
• absent.

REFERENCE! An excellent option is a transformer, which has additional functions, and can serve as both a crib and a playpen.

Safety is of the utmost importance. In the arena, it will be quite difficult for a child to get what- or injury, because he is fenced off from all dangerous things.

In addition to all of the above, it is the baby's personal space. This is his space where he can play without hurting himself.

But keeping the child locked up all the time is not worth it! The arena is a kind of "magic wand" when there is no opportunity to observe all the time.

How to teach a child to playpen

You need to start leaving the baby in the arena even before he can sit down or get up himself. Put the baby down for a couple of minutes and leave the room. In addition, there should be new toys that can interest the child. Do not give these toys in the crib so that the child understands well that they can only be found here. You should not keep the baby alone for a long time. Over time, the child will begin to understand that his mother has not forgotten about him, but only moved away for a while and will soon return for him.

Over time, increase the length of time your baby is in the arena. You should not make a punishment for a baby out of a playpen.

REFERENCE! It is necessary to accustom the child as soon as possible so that he does not perceive it as a punishment. You can avoid screaming by gradually accustoming a toddler then it will be possible to leave in a safe place called a playpen.

Do not forget that kids are very impressionable people. They are happy with the toy, but they also quickly get bored with it.

How to choose the right arena

Let's find out - how to choose the right playpen, which will be convenient for both parents and baby?

There are two varieties - simple and a transformer. It is convenient to use the playpen bed, because when visiting, you can simply move the bottom shelf and the playpen turns into a cradle.

Playpens can be of different shapes - round, square, polygonal, but square models are considered the most comfortable. In addition, they are very easy to fold and do not take up much space during storage.

Make sure it is stable! Some models can be tilted, which calls into question the safety of the baby.

NOTE! It is important that all metal parts are hidden from the baby and there are no sharp corners.

Transformers are a convenient option for parents who travel a lot. They fold comfortably and do not take up much space.

Also there are wooden structures that can be placed in the hall or in the kitchen. It is worth noting some disadvantages of such models. Rigidityconstructions about which the child may be hit. The arms or legs of the baby can get stuck between the slats, so it is absolutely impossible to leave the child in such playpens for a long time without supervision! Besides, a child can splinter from wood. Also, wood will take a lot of time and effort to clean up dirt.

Each model is convenient and easy to use. Decomposition and assembly is not time-consuming. Plus, it takes up a minimum of storage space. Now you are familiar with the minimum of rules, thanks to which you can purchase a comfortable model just for you and your baby.

When choosing a playpen, be as careful as possible, because your child should be safe!

When a baby appears in a family, I want to give him all the best. And now there is such an abundance of gadgets on sale that it's just that your eyes run up. Sun loungers, electronic swings, walkers, wheelchairs, exercise tables and much more. As an inexperienced mother, my eyes just run wild. I want to buy everything at once. In this post I will try to answer the question of whether a child under one year old needs a playpen, based on my own experience.

My son is 11 months old and I declare that he has never sat in the arena for more than three minutes. I didn't buy it, thank God, relatives gave it to us. I, being pregnant, of course, presented grandiose pictures, my eyes drew that I would do my household chores, and my child would sit in the arena to play. I will be happy, my son will be happy. Utopia, in a word !!! Oh, those mothers who are expecting their firstborns !!! Do you recognize yourself ?? You know, when you are expecting a baby, you read a lot of clever books and think that a baby is about to be born, and I will be an ideal mother. And I will not do this, the baby will sleep separately and no motion sickness - this is harmful !!

But life puts everything in its place, and at some point you realize that a newborn child is not a walking manual, he has his own character and often he does not quite agree with your rules and methods of upbringing. The harsh reality sets in and the rose-colored glasses fall off. You can read more about how all my parenting strategies formed during pregnancy collapsed in my post: “What I never intended to do with my newborn son, but I did it anyway !!”

Let's return all the same to the arena. Does a child under one year old need a playpen? Attempts to put his son there began when he was three months old. He rolled wild tantrums, cried and did not want to be there at all. For the sake of fairness, I note that for up to six months he did not want to be anywhere except his hands. How I managed to wean him off the hands, you can find out in this post. Starting from the age of six months, he could sit in the arena for no more than three minutes, then hysterics rolled over him.

The arena had to be abandoned. I threw toys there, and turned on the TV, nothing helped. I have a very active son, he constantly flies somewhere, falls, gets up and falls again. He perceived the arena as a prison and always tried to get out of it.

My advice is this, it all depends on the temperament of your baby. If you have a calm child, if he can, silently sit and play in his crib, perhaps the playpen will appeal to him. In the case when he even does not want to be in his crib, it is useless to acquire a playpen. Wasted money. I do not dispute this is a very, very convenient thing. And I would be incredibly happy if my son stayed there for at least 10 minutes. But for most of my friends, the playpen was not useful. There was a situation similar to mine. And if you really want to, buy a playpen-bed, in the worst case, the child may sleep in it. Very convenient for a trip to the country or out of town.

To summarize, character is everything! The half-year-old daughter of my friend simply loves the arena, she can sit and play in it for about an hour, sleep and eat there. But this girl is just an example of calmness and meekness. A little angel!! If you recognize your baby in this description, feel free to go to the store and buy a playpen. Does a baby under one year old need a playpen? Decide for yourself! I just described my experience of using it exclusively. You may have better luck !!

For the baby, the playpen becomes a new space that he can master. A lot of toys can be placed in the playpen. The child will be happy to take his old friends with him there and will be happy with new toys. Many models are equipped with special rings, holding on to which the baby learns to get up and sit down. It is safer to fall in the mesh walls, as opposed to the rigid side of the bed, which can cause injury. It is difficult to fall out of the arena or get out without assistance. In it, you can be next to your mother, for example, in the kitchen, while your mother is cooking, and not be alone in the crib.

But at the same time, the arena is a very limited space. Prolonged stay in it can interfere with the development of the baby, which already knows how to crawl or walk well. Even if the child plays calmly and is not capricious, you should not leave him there for longer than you really need.

Not every child agrees to spend time in the arena. Some children can occupy themselves for a long time, crawl, get up, play, throw toys over the side and demand them back. Others express loud indignation at any attempts to place them in the arena and do not agree to spend even a minute there. Then this piece of furniture quickly turns into a large basket for toys or non-ironed laundry.

It is impossible to predict in advance whether your son or your daughter will like a new place to play. If your child is happy to play in the crib for at least 20 minutes and remains calm when mom leaves the room, he may also like the playpen. If your baby spends most of the time in her parents' arms and cries as soon as she loses sight of adults, it is better to refuse to buy.

Playpen for mom

If a mother with a child is at home alone all day, without helpers, the playpen can become a real salvation for her. To wash the floors or quietly drink tea, iron the baby's things or browse the Internet, cook dinner or do homework with an older child - free minutes for the baby's mother are necessary. If the baby sleeps a lot during the first months, the daytime sleep becomes shorter with age.

Mom can be in the same room with the child and go about her business while the baby is playing in the arena. Foldable playpens can be easily moved from room to room and installed where they are needed. Mom can even leave the room for a few minutes, knowing that the baby is safe.

There are a huge number of different models of arenas in stores, and you can easily find the right device for functions and budget. The compact foldable mesh playpen is suitable for a city apartment when there is a need to move the playpen from room to room. A collapsible wooden structure is used when it is necessary to enclose a part of the room for the baby. The playpen bed is ideal for summer cottages and travel. A fun inflatable arena will give your little one a lot of happy minutes.