You asked for it. You really did. You wanted a healthy, energetic, curious, smart, and fun baby. You got it. Now what are you going to do so you can clean the house, and cook supper? Is a baby play pen the right answer?
It sounds terrible. You are going to put your baby in a cage. In reality, it is the best thing you can do for them. You are giving them a safe place to play, be rambunctious, and to stay out of trouble. You will not need to be yelling, “No, No No!”.
The biggest fault parents often make in choosing a baby play pen is going to small. You want something easy to move around, and hopefully portable. It is a great idea, and having a portable playpen is a great idea. You just do not want it to be the primary playpen.
The ideal baby play pen is one which is the maximum size the rest of the family can tolerate. Yes, you need a big playpen. You may want to choose one of the playpens which does not have a floor, which consists of only the walls. This allows you to use a large area in the living room, kitchen, or family room to let them play safely. Many of these playpens can be re-sized by simple adding or removing sections. This is a big benefit as you move from a small kitchen area, to the expanse of a large recreation room.
Why do you need one which is big? If you get a small baby playpen they are going to be hanging onto the side, shaking the pen, and screaming at the top of their lungs. They feel trapped, and lonely. With a larger pen they can move about, have more toys, and get closer to other family members. All of those items help them relax and enjoy playing in their “captivity”.
How soon should you start using a playpen? The earlier the better is the best answer. If they learn to play in a playpen as they begin to roll, and continue using it throughout their toddler months, they will be accustomed to the idea, and not get as upset. You will want to get larger baby play pens as they grow to accommodate their mobility and toys. You will quickly find toddlers in too small of playpens try to climb out sooner, cry more often, and will be more unhappy about being put in the pen.
As you begin looking at a baby play pen check into the different styles and materials. Wooden playpens are still very common and inexpensive. Plastic playpen walls often add other items not available on a wooden playpen. Some wall section can have toys, mirrors, and other entertainment items built-in. This helps to increase your baby or toddler’s enjoyment of being in their cage. They many not even think of it as being kept captive, but might begin to believe this is their fortress of fun, the perfect outcome for everyone.