The best pack and plays include features that simplify everyday life and travel, like built-in changing stations and storage areas. See our top picks from Chicco, Graco and more.
Forbes writers and editors independently select all products and services. If you click through links we provide, we may earn a commission.For me, pack and plays have been clutch more times than I can count.
In fact, now that my kids have outgrown them, I still keep a couple in my basement to pull out when friends or family with babies come to visit. The very best pack and plays provide a safe sleep and play area while also offering additional features like built-in changing stations or extra portability. They are a great place for babies in rooms that are otherwise not-so-baby-proofed. Theis my pick for the best pack and play, because it provides a safe sleep space for babies and includes extra features like a changing insert, parent organizer and built-in bassinet. Wheels make it easier to move, too. The best pack and plays have extra features—like changing tables and storage—that make life with a baby easier.Not all pack and plays are safe for infant sleep, however. Some baby play yards, for example, don’t have a flat, firm mattress, making them unsafe for sleep. On our list of the best, we chose to only include options that are deemed safe for sleep. It’s also worth noting that for the purposes of this article, I focus on products that are largely designed to be used at home or packed into the car, as opposed to, which are lighter but tend to have fewer features. Ahead, the seven best pack and plays for babies and toddlers.As opposed to a dedicated travel crib that’s just for sleep, a great pack and play has extra features that make life with babies and toddlers easier. The Chicco Lullaby Zip All-In-One Portable Playard fits the bill, with a changing table, a bassinet, a toy bar and an organizer that you can detach. I often used pack and plays like this one when my kids were babies as a dedicated changing area. The organizer keeps everything in one spot, and the toy bar keeps them entertained while they’re getting their diaper changed. This Chicco one also includes a carry bag and a machine-washable mattress cover. The fold is simple with a push button. There are wheels on two of the legs, making it easy to move around your house and always have somewhere safe to place your baby. If you’re planning on packing it up to travel with it, it’s worth noting that it’s rather heavy at 35 pounds, so this is definitely more pack and play than travel crib.No extras It’s where the pack and play got its name: the Graco Pack ‘N Play Portable Playard. Although it doesn’t have as many features as some others on our list, this classic provides a safe space for your baby to sleep or play. It’s the No. 1 bestseller on Amazon in play yards. This basic model has a push button fold, and the mattress can wrap around the body when it’s folded up to act as a carrying case. Wheels on one side let you to move it around your home without folding it up, and it’s much more lightweight than our top pick at 19 pounds. It doesn’t include a changing pad or bassinet, but it does have a small mesh storage area where you can place wipes, diapers or other essentials. I’ve used quite a few Graco Pack ‘N Plays over the years, and they’re a consistently solid and reliable option—one that many moms stock at Grandma’s house for overnight visits.When you’re looking for a pack and play for newborns, the most convenient feature is a bassinet. This gives your baby a cozier sleeping space, and it keeps them higher up, so you don’t have to bend down so far to set them down or pick them up. Forbes Vetted baby and kids gear editor Margaret Badore named this thefor infants after testing, because the included bassinet is safe for babies up to 20 pounds, whereas most other bassinet attachments are only rated for babies up to 15 pounds. Though this pack and play doesn’t come with as many add-ons as some of the others on our list, you can purchase extras like a. At 20 pounds, and it’s definitely something that you could consider traveling with—although you’ll probably want to check this item if you’re flying.After testing a dozen options, Badore named the Guava Lotus Travel Crib the best travel crib, and it’s my favorite as well. It doesn’t have all of the typical pack and play features, but that makes it more portable, lighter and easier to transport. It folds easily and comes with a backpack travel bag that frees up your hands. It’s safe for sleep and play, and if you really want to avoid checking luggage , it’s carry-on sized. You can opt to add on some accessories like My kids found it really comfortable, too. One of my twins slept in it for months after finding it more comfortable than his crib. I like that it has a side zip entry, because you can squat down to get your baby in or out, while older kids can crawl in or out themselves once you unzip it. Because the mattress sits on the ground, it doesn’t have a weight limit, and it’s safe to use until your child is able to climb out.Like our top pick, the Graco Pack 'N Play Sit 'N Grow Playard comes with plenty of features and accessories that make taking care of your baby easier. In fact, it bundles in several other useful baby gear items that can be used separately, like a floor seat for baby and a portable bassinet, plus an infant insert bassinet. It also comes with a changing station and removable storage console, making it a great value. The pack and play itself can then be used as a diaper changing station, play area or safe sleep area. There are two wheels that make it easier to move. At 32.5 pounds, it’s on the heavier side, so this probably isn’t the best option if you travel often. However, if you're looking for a versatile baby item that reduces the amount of baby gear you need to purchase, this is a great pick.The Nuna Sena Aire is Greenguard Gold certified and includes a Global Organic Textile Standard certified organic sheet. Especially when my kids were babies, I was really conscious of the fabric on their skin and the quality of the air in their room, so I appreciate that this option prioritizes both. The Sena Aire has mesh sides for added airflow and breathability, and perhaps my favorite feature is that the mattress is machine washable and dryer safe. Nearly every baby spits up, leaks or has blowouts , so being able to thoroughly clean the mattress is a big plus. This is another option Badore has tested and recommends. “I found the Sena Aire is a little more complicated to fold up than other options on the market, but it’s still pretty easy,” she says. “The more times you’ve done it, the more you get the hang of it. There are instructions on the crib itself to guide you, and I was able to figure it out without reading the manual.” If you choose to add on the changer, note that some reviewers have found it to be uneven, which makes it difficult to use.With almost 10 square feet of space, the Joovy Room2 is ideal for parents of twins or for those who want some extra space for their baby to play. At 31 inches tall, the walls are slightly higher than many other pack and plays, which can give you added longevity . The playpen comes with a travel bag, so you can pack it up when you want to take it along, though it’s rather heavy at almost 30 pounds. It also comes with a waterproof mattress sheet, something I appreciate because it’s important to have a correctly fitting sheet, and the waterproof material helps protect the mattress. As a mom to twins, I really like that you can also add aWe combined our own experience using a wide range of pack and plays with extensive product research. “Pack ‘N Play” is trademarked by Graco, but the terms “pack and play” and “travel crib” are sometimes used interchangeably. For the purposes of our list, we make a distinction. We consider travel cribs to be primarily designed for travel and more lightweight, while pack and plays tend to can double as play yards and tend to be heavier and come with more accessories. Pack and plays often serve as secondary cribs outside the nursery for daytime naps. We deeply researched available options, and consulted with child health experts to help refine our selection. We focused our list on pack and plays that have additional features like storage or changing tables. All of the pack and plays we chose to feature are also considered safe sleep spaces. We selected a variety of pack and plays to cater to different needs, considering features, prices and weights.Think about your needs when choosing a pack and play. Some families want something more portable and easier to fold away with fewer features. Others want something that can serve additional purposes, like a changing station and storage.Pack and plays are designed to be fairly portable. Some have wheels so you can move them around your home, and many come with carrying bags for travel. Consider whether you’ll be packing it up a lot or if you’ll mostly leave it set up in your home. You’ll also want to think about how heavy it is—our picks range in weight from 15 to nearly 30 pounds.Additional features are what really sets pack and plays apart from travel cribs. Common features include hanging toys or mobiles, storage, changing pads and bassinets. Think about what you want to use your pack and play for and what features you’ll need to make that happen.Not all pack and plays are designed for safe sleep; some are simply play yards. If you plan to use yours for infant sleep, make sure it meets CPSC safe sleep standards. Never use a pack and play for something other than its intended use.Whether your child is sleeping or playing, you want to ensure they’re safe in their pack and play. If you’re going to use your pack and play for sleep, ensure it meets current. They should have a firm, flat sleep surface that is free from toys, bumpers or other additional items. Any sheets should fit snugly and be free from wrinkles. “The most important feature for babies or toddlers who fall asleep in a pack and play is not to have any loose blankets, pillows or objects in the pack and play,” says Jennifer Walker, pediatric nurse and cofounder ofWhen setting up and using your pack and play, follow all the instructions and safety guidelines. Many pack and plays have a weight limit of 30 pounds and a height limit of 35 inches, though some have unlimited weight limits. Regardless of child capacity limits, you should stop using a pack and play when your child is able to climb out. Always set up your pack and play on a flat floor, and never position it on a bed or other unstable surface. When setting it up, make sure your child cannot reach anything that they might be able to pull down on themselves, and is away from curtains and window blind cords. As you use your pack and play and especially as the product starts to age, regularly check it for loose parts or signs of wear that may make it unsafe to use.team at Forbes Vetted knows how important it is to buy the best products for your baby that also keep them safe., is the baby and kids gear writer at Forbes Vetted. She’s also a mom to three, parenting writer and product reviewer. She frequently researches and tests baby and kids products and has used a variety of pack and plays with her kids.is the editor of baby and kids gear at Forbes Vetted, and is mom of three kids ages 4 and under. She has extensive experience evaluating travel cribs and pack and plays., a pediatrician at MemorialCare Medical Group in California; and pediatric nurse and mom to three Jennifer Walker, who is also the cofounder of We frequently update this guide to ensure freshness and accuracy. It was most recently updated by Betz in February 2026., because it’s versatile with lots of add-ons that make life with babies and toddlers easier. It has a toy bar to entertain them, a changing pad and extra storage.All of the pack and plays in our guide are safe for sleep. However “pack and play” is not a regulated term, and you can’t assume that every play yard is safe for sleep. A crib or bassinet needs to meet CPSC standards to be considered safe for sleep.Typically, pack and plays with a mattress on the ground don’t have a weight limit. Instead, they have a height or skill limit, typically 35 inches or when your child can climb out. Our favorite unlimited weight pack and play is theAll of the pack and plays on our list are highly rated. Three of our top picks have an overall rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars:We added information about pack and play safety, answered a FAQ and added two new pack and plays to our list of recommendation, the
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