The best baby playpens recommend by parents: Safe and fun spaces for your little one

Designed for life on the go, this playpen aims to make your life easier and boasts a super-fast 30-second assembly - ideal for home garden or even a family holiday (it weighs less than 6kg). When done, it packs away into its own compact carry bag so you get your room back at the end of the day - great for those with small living spaces.

Reviews Editor for M&B, Emily Gilbert loved that she could keep a close eye on her baby while thanks to the mesh fabric which is also breathable. The padded play mat offers extra comfort for play or rest time, and the zip-up door gives easy in-and-out access for toddlers who like a bit of independence, although she felt it would be nice if the door could be tied away neatly. It’s especially handy for families on the go, she was really impressed with the compact size and that it fit neatly into the carry bag. Emily did find the buttons needed to pop up and pack away the Fiesta were a little stiff but thinks they may get easier over time.

It's the smallest one in our list and it really ticks the boxes for convenience, comfort, and style - we particularly love the pale green version!

The Tutti Bambini Hexa Playpen is a stylish and practical choice for parents looking for a safe and flexible play area for their toddler. Its hexagonal mesh design not only adds a touch of elegance to any room but also ensures visibility and breathability for your child.

Mum tester and M&B's features and review editor, Emily Gilbert says: "I knew I would need somewhere safe for my little one when he starts to crawl, and the Tutti Bambini Hexa ticks every box for us. It looks lovely in our living room and folds up so compactly that we don't need to leave it out all the time. We can also take it along with us when travelling in the handy travel bag." She particularly appreciates the playpen’s easy folding mechanism and the zip-framed door that simplifies access for both parents and toddlers.

The playpen’s ease of use is enhanced by its foldability, great for effortless storage and portability. Its mesh sides are functional for visibility and ventilation. Some parents might find the playpen’s smaller size a bit restrictive for their needs.

The Joie Cheer Playpen is a versatile and stylish option designed for smaller spaces where safety and comfort are priorities. Its square design is practical and features detachable plush toys that engage your baby.

Mum tester Zoe Ward appreciated the playpen's thoughtful features: "The breathable mesh sides are perfect for keeping baby cool, and the zipper allows Aubrey to crawl in and out easily, which is great for both play and supervision. The removable mattress is comfy and doubles as a play surface or napping spot, adding to its versatility." The playpen is easy to assemble and fold into a compact rectangular tube, making it highly portable. This feature is particularly useful for families who travel frequently or need to store the playpen in tight spaces. The included carry handle further enhances its portability, making it a practical choice for trips to visit family or overnight stays.

Despite its many benefits, the playpen is somewhat heavy when folded, which might make it challenging for some parents to carry. However, its size and features justify the weight, especially if you have a vehicle with adequate storage space. Zoe notes that while the playpen fits well in her car boot, it may be cumbersome for some.

The Venture All Stars Joy Baby Playpen is a top choice for parents seeking a spacious and convenient play area for their little ones. Its large design offers ample room for babies to play, and it easily collapses for quick storage, making it perfect for families with limited space. The playpen is durable and wipe-clean, ensuring it can handle even the most energetic playtimes.

Our M&B mum tester Breige Swift praised its practicality: "This model is foldable and comes with a handy carry bag, which makes it a viable option for us living in a flat with limited storage." She also appreciates the netted sides, which allow for easy visibility, and the zip-open side panel, which offers additional flexibility. The understated grey colour makes it aesthetically pleasing and suitable for any interior, even though it’s a bit bulky and heavy at 15kg.

However, Breige notes that the base could use more padding, especially if you plan to use the playpen on hard surfaces or outdoors. Despite this, the removable and washable fabric covers were given top marks.

The Venture All Stars Joy Baby Playpen earned the Gold award for Best Safety Product at the Mother&Baby Awards 2023.

Read our Venture All Stars JOY Baby Playpen review.

The Dreambaby Adventure Pop-Up Playpen is a great choice for parents who need a versatile play area that’s easy to set up and take back down. Once up, this pop up playpen is like a mini adventure park. It's easy to pop up indoors or out, and it comes with a UV-protected top, so it’s safe and breathable for your little one even when it's warm outside.

One mum to an 11-month-old said: "It is easy to pop up and down, simply pop it up and peg it down. It also comes with covers for the side and top to help keep him safe from the sun rays as well as the rain." Another mum mentioned how practical it was saying: "It folds up neatly into an easily tote-able bag which means taking it to the park or beach is no hassle whatsoever."

It comes with a mesh base so may require playmats or carpet underneath. It may also be better suited for smaller babies as it's not very big.

The Venture All Stars Duo Plastic Playpen is a popular option for parents looking for a spacious and secure area for their little ones. Its size is one of its biggest advantages, offering ample space for babies and toddlers to play safely. Mum tester Jasmine highlighted, “This playpen is fantastic. It's very large, so my toddler can play inside it safely with a lot of her toys in there as well. It’s also a handy place to store her toys at the end of the day, which keeps everything tidy.”

Assembling the playpen is straightforward, thanks to the click-together design of the plastic panels. However, the playpen is best suited for use on hard floors, where the suction cups on the feet can stick securely. Dad tester, Ben Clarke shared his experience: “The panels are very light, and if the base isn’t stuck down, a determined little one will be able to move it around the room by pushing."

While the Venture All Stars Duo Playpen is practical for those who plan to keep it up permanently, it’s not ideal for parents who need something more portable. Ben found it "too bulky to store away easily" and noted outdoor use was impossible due to its design. A safety concern arose when his daughter removed an activity panel star, accessing a "choking hazard." Venture promptly replaced the faulty panel, which Ben believes was an isolated "manufacturing fault."

Overall, the Venture All Stars Duo Playpen is a good choice for parents who have the space to keep it set up permanently. Mum tester Jessica said: "I would definitely recommend this playpen to any parent/carer. My baby automatically goes in as he recognises it as his safe, playing space."

This playpen earned the Bronze award for Best Safety Product at the Mother&Baby Awards 2022.

Read our Venture All Stars DUO Playpen review.

One of the most recognisable and well-loved playpens for years, this BabyDan playpen is functional with an emphasis on safety over style.

It’s a basic design with steel railings, and a padded, washable play mat; one side is a door opening, and the playpen can be attached to the wall or used as a room divider. It’s not the easiest or quickest to assemble, but that’s down to its serious practicality with one reviewer saying: "this is because it is such a sturdy and safe structure once it is built up that it's understandable that it takes a bit of elbow grease to put it together. The mat has cushioned many a tumble, and it has been through the wash a few times now and come out fine. It's really helpful to be able to pop baby in here to play for a short period just to give us a chance to get on with little jobs. She has also helped with her strength as she is supporting herself by holding the bars as she practices standing up."

This brand has been making safety products for babies and children for more than 75 years, so if you’re looking for peace of mind with a safe playpen, this is the one for you.

This playpen is easy to assemble or collapse, making it great for travelling on holiday or simply on playdates to friends’ houses; one review said: "Assembly... or rather 'put up' is extremely easy.. just pull out the bars and lift the cross bars. To pack away, the unit easily pushes together and folds up very small (like a small pram).”

It’s blue, making it different from most other playpens, which are generally grey, but no other colours are available. The base is water-resistant, meaning it’s a great option if you want to place it outdoors. Like most mesh playpens, there’s a zipped door for the baby to use, and it’s easy to fold up into the travel bag. However, we think the price is a little on the high side, especially given it doesn’t have any additional features.

The Vivo playpen is simple and stylish but also super practical. It is really easy to fold away and store when your baby isn't playing in it or moving the sides into different shapes. Out of all the ones we tested, this is the only one that is multi functional meaning and can be set up in 3 different shapes - rectangle, square or hexagon.

Our mum tester Georgia commented on how easy it was to assemble saying, "Aside from fastening two ends together with a screwdriver, everything else involved loosening and tightening brackets, which made the process straightforward and efficient."

She loved the minimalistic design but noted that some of the interlocking plastic parts could use some improvement. She noted that it was heavy if she wanted to move it around as it's made from wood but means it's also a sturdy playpen.

From a design point of view, even though it's multi-functional, one downside our tester found was that it's not suitable for carpeted floors. For the cost, this doesn't make it a very practical option for most family homes.