We never publish any content related to the health or well-being of your child without first consulting with expert pediatricians, midwives, therapists, OB/GYNs, and other specialists as appropriate. But given that it's so lightweight, it's also a bit sparse on the padding and comfort, which is its primary limitation. You've come to the right place! The zip-down door on the side was huge and convenient for crawlers and toddlers, making an even larger opening than the Lotus, which is a nice touch. Folded up and in the included carry case, the travel crib is about 25" long, 22" wide, and 7" thick, which is a bit more portable than the Lotus. As a playard it's a ton of fun with the zippered side, the wide top opening, and the see-through mesh; the size is impressive at about 7 square feet of play space. In fact, it's so sturdy that it makes a somewhat loud zipping noise during use - so make sure you do any zipping before your baby falls asleep! Of course, this doesn't solve the climbing issue. It also makes it less sturdy than some of the others, and we found that our 1-year old test toddler was able to tip it a bit to the side when he was pushing against the mesh. The lack of the zip-up side can make it more challenging to lower a sleeping baby onto the mattress, especially for shorter parents. It has a convenient bassinet feature that attaches and hangs from the top sides. We found it perfect for car travel to the beach or park, great for an indoor ball pit or out in the yard, but less suitable for travel by plane. It has a removable changing station you drop right onto the top when needed, true one-handed folding, and a truly excellent quilted mattress that is among the most comfortable portable crib mattresses used. The biggest travel crib on our list, the Room2 comes in at about 40" wide, 40" long, and 31" high. We never used it as a travel crib because we're not quite that adventurous, but we do see how valuable it could be to have something so small and light to take with you when travelling. Like all Nuna products, such as their awesome car seats, it is very high quality, well designed, and uses soft-touch fabrics. The legs do stick out a bit on the corners, so the length and width measurements are actually about 5" longer and wider when measuring from leg to leg. on the bars, but that seems like a bit of work that should have been done by the company in the first place. At the bottom of each leg are little feet that are about 2" long that swing out diagonally from the crib, helping the crib maintain stability and prevent tipping when larger toddlers are pushing against the side. Who else loves the Lotus travel crib? You can check out the Nuna SENA Aire here. It assembles and disassembles in about a minute each, is nicely padded and comfortable, is GreenGuard GOLD Certified for low VOC emissions, free of harmful chemicals (PVC, BPA, Lead), and has a zippered side-door for fun (think play fort!) Well, the architecture of the playard is a bit unfortunate with the cross-bars all around the sides. It's still nowhere near as heavy as a Graco Pack N Play, but worth mentioning. Our friends at Babylist, Babygearlab, WhatToExpect, and The Bump also call it a top pick! Interested? This is an awesome newcomer, and we're happy to have gotten a chance to test it out (thanks, 4Moms!). Check out the, This Kidco travel crib is most similar to the BabyBjorn Travel Crib Light, with similar styling and functionality. As one of the only square travel cribs on our list, it offers a huge 11 square feet of sleeping and play space - this makes it a great option for twins, or simply more play space for a baby and toys. Everyone! The entire travel crib folds up and fits into an included backpack. The Graco Pack N Play is like the Cadillac of playards - you can get a basic model for a mid-range price, or you can load it up and get it into a much higher range with all sorts of options: attachable changing tables, baby rockers, music players, vibrations, etc. The bassinet is convenient but unfortunately not very soft or comfortable. The Breeze is good sized and a bit heavy, coming in at 46" by 33" by 29" high, and just under 25 pounds. Check out the, This is the lightest travel crib on our list, coming in at only 6 pounds, but offering some impressive features and functionality. It is also a top pick by our friends at Babylist, Babygearlab, and The Bump! Outside of that, we love it, and think it's definitely the best travel crib of the year! Check out the LuckyDove Travel Crib here. This thing is big, but the price is not, coming in at about $140! ), ultra-compact (but doesn't fit in a carry-on-sized backpack like the Lotus), assembles and disassembles in about 30 seconds, has a very thick and comfortable mattress, and is durable and easy to use. While it is very sturdy and looks great, it's also quite a bit heavier than other options, tipping the scales at just under 30 pounds! As a playard it's a ton of fun with the zippered side, the wide top opening, and the see-through mesh; the size is impressive at about 7 square feet of play space. But given that it's so lightweight, it's also a bit sparse on the padding and comfort, which is its primary limitation. Who else recommends the 4Moms Breeze? This excellent playard is very similar to the Lotus option, with a few important differences. Whether those points justify the higher price is up to you! Looking for a Fisher Price travel crib, or any other travel crib with a reclining or inclined sleep surface? Overall, we're very impressed with this travel crib and think it's a great inexpensive option if you're considering the Lotus but apprehensive about the price. But it's so inexpensive, lightweight, and easy to assemble, it's almost forgivable that it's so spartan. That's really impressive and makes it an awesome candidate for popping right into a large suitcase without going over the airline's weight limits. It has awesome breathable/ventilated mesh sides that aren't too scratchy on the face or skin. It's a truly awesome idea for more adventurous kids who would value the experience of sleeping in something that looks and feels like a real camping. Note that Graco makes a lighter-weight version of this, the, This is a super unique portable crib that looks like a miniature tent for your baby or toddler, complete with the zip-up mesh sides and fly covers. We actually bought it and used it only as a baby beach tent, which it does a great job of given its UV protection and anchor straps that you can use to secure it down into the sand (with stakes, which it doesn't include). The zip-down door on the side was huge and convenient for crawlers and toddlers, making an even larger opening than the Lotus, which is a nice touch. Look familiar? When you're ready to disassemble the crib, first remove the mattress and fold it up and place it into the carrying bag. The 4Moms is slightly rectangular, and the Joovy is square. This is an awesome, stylish, portable crib that has a unique look and feel. It is a bit smaller, but it also folds to a smaller footprint, has a larger zipper opening, and seems to be nearly similar quality. Interested? You'll have a great playard, but you'll also have a very heavy (37 pounds!) Opening and setting up the LuckyDove was super simple. Not to mention that the 4Moms fitted sheets for this playard are an additional $40 or so. To secure the legs in the open position, you fasten the four upper fabric corners onto the legs, and then you're ready to place the mattress on the bottom. With all those options you will end up paying around $150-200. Well, the architecture of the playard is a bit unfortunate with the cross-bars all around the sides. In our testing, we actually ended up taking this portable crib on a little road trip and set it up in a hotel for our 18-month old to use. So, it has good features and high quality that put it high on the list, but a price that drops it down several notches. There are some ways to solve this, for instance by placing foam pipe insulation (or even pool noodles!) The legs do stick out a bit on the corners, so the length and width measurements are actually about 5" longer and wider when measuring from leg to leg. At 14 square feet of play area this is the largest playard on our list. Interested? The BabyBjorn Travel Crib Light is stylish, lightweight (11 pounds! Coming in at just about $130, it's a pretty good deal given its features. Since we started this site in 2009, over 100 million parents and parents-to-be have trusted us to provide honest and well-researched information on the topics of pregnancy, parenting, and baby and toddler gear reviews. So overall, you're getting a very large, sturdy, and well-constructed playard that is great for some particular uses. We also liked that it is well built and sturdy, has a nice simple style, and is very spacious. But we also want to point out some things. Check out the, Looking for a Fisher Price travel crib, or any other travel crib with a reclining or inclined sleep surface? That's enough to make a sore arm if you need to carry it through an airport. At the bottom of each leg are little feet that are about 2" long that swing out diagonally from the crib, helping the crib maintain stability and prevent tipping when larger toddlers are pushing against the side. If you're looking for a regular crib for the nursery, check our reviews of the best cribs of the year, and best bassinets. Check out the Summer Infant Pop and Play Travel Crib here. It takes about 20 seconds to assemble once you figure out what you're supposed to be doing. It's more like the old-fashioned playpen rather than the traditional playard shape. What's really amazing about this travel crib is that it's super lightweight, coming in at only about 10 pounds! It's also great when you need to shower, get ready, get dressed, or do some cleaning - a safe place where your baby can't get in trouble while you're not in within direct view. That makes it simply too heavy for most parents to comfortably carry to the beach or through the airport, making it an ideal option for at-home use. The primary mattress is actually quite good, not too firm or soft. Interested? Check out the 4Moms Breeze Travel Crib here. We'll update this after we complete a longer-term reliability test. This thing is big, but the price is not, coming in at about $140! Once those are removed, you can easily fold each leg down, then fold the entire crib in half to slide into the carrying bag. You can check out the, Opening and setting up the LuckyDove was super simple. Interested? It folds into a flat rectangle, about the size of a very large briefcase. It is also a top pick by our friends at Babylist, Babygearlab, and The Bump! The mesh netting is a bit loose, so a few things happened during our testing. Check out the BabyBjorn Travel Crib Light here. When it was time for bed, the mattress is very firm against the floor, making it a bit uncomfortable for a toddler (but good for an infant). We love the concept, making it amazing for play and also super convenient to pull a little baby in and out (since the mattress height doesn't adjust). It folds in a clever way, in three sections, to make a little spot to squeeze the folded crib into. The mattress is about the same thickness and comfort as the Lotus, which means it's just fine (but nothing like the BabyBjorn). If you were looking for the popular Flisco travel crib, which looked exactly like this one, it was discontinued early last year. Outside of that, it's an excellent playard option and you'll likely get used to the opening/folding mechanism after a few uses. Second, when we used it as a ball pit, one toddler bonked his head on the cross bars. Coming in at just about $130, it's a pretty good deal given its features. When it's opened up, we'd say that's not really a noticeable difference in size in comparison to the Lotus. Yes, the backpack is pretty large, but this is still an awesome capability! The Joovy Room2 is all about, you guessed it, room! Interested? LuckyDove clearly was studying the top travel crib, the Lotus, when they were designing this product. When it's all folded up in the small carry bag, it feels super lightweight and easy to transport, making it the perfect travel crib for air travel or travel in smaller vehicles. They call this the Breeze for good reason - it is extremely easy to pop open and close up when you're done using it, especially on a hardwood or tile floor. Worth checking out, but probably not worth a higher spot on our list. Or you can just use it as a baby tent for the beach or pool; for about $90, it might be worth the versatility and ease for portably baby travel. This particular Delta Novel Ideas unit is a bit smaller than the other two, however, coming in at 36" x 36" (9 square feet of play area), which may seem large but when it's next to the Joovy Room2 it looks quite small. Interested? It uses highly breathable side mesh, removable fabric for machine washing, a decent mattress that's a little flimsy for our tastes, and supports from baby up to about 3 years of age. We've been testing playards and travel cribs for over 10 years - in the stores, in friends' houses, and in our own home. Other than the potential stability issue, if you're looking for a super lightweight and highly functional travel crib for a relatively low price (about $180), this might be a good option for you. Our hands-on tests considered five primary things: weight and portability, ease of use, durability, comfort, and safety. They call this the Breeze for good reason - it is extremely easy to pop open and close up when you're done using it, especially on a hardwood or tile floor. Yes, the backpack is pretty large, but this is still an awesome capability! First, it's really expensive and only available at premium retailers like Nordstrom, coming in at around $300. The question is whether you can get quality, features, and comfort levels of the Lotus for nearly $100 less? ), stylish, can fit into an included backpack, and can be brought on a plane as a carry-on (folded, it measures about 24" x 11" x 7"). Second, it's a bit heavier than some other options, coming in at 25 pounds, so keep that in mind if you'll be traveling alone and trying to carry this, your bags, and wrangle your baby at the same time. But it's so inexpensive, lightweight, and easy to assemble, it's almost forgivable that it's so spartan. When we took it out of the box we were pleasantly surprised that it was not only fully assembled, but it was very easy to pop completely open and have it ready to use within a minute or two. Just like the Joovy option, this is another square playard. The only con is related to how lightweight it is: because the entire thing only weighs about 6 pounds, it's not very sturdy or stable, and we worried a bit about it tipping over when our toddler was leaning on the side. But it's also a little bit outdated in comparison to the portable cribs higher up on this list. There are some ways to solve this, for instance by placing foam pipe insulation (or even pool noodles!) Overall, we're very impressed with this travel crib and think it's a great inexpensive option if you're considering the Lotus but apprehensive about the price. We found the legs and other supports to be high quality and sturdy, the fabrics to be well-made and easily wiped clean, and the mesh sides to be surprisingly durable. Interested? So why so far down on our list? This baby travel bed and toddler bed is super easy to set up and fold down, and get into its included carrying case. At 14 square feet of play area this is the largest playard on our list. Interested? We found it very sturdy, easy to pop open and fold closed, and quite large. Check out the Delta Novel Ideas Travel Crib here. On the other hand, we do think the quality of the BabyBjorn is slightly superior to the Lotus, and the mattress is definitely more comfortable for a toddler. Interested? There are a lot of types of travel cribs, most of which are crib based, but this one really takes the cake for its unique form and function. It's more like the old-fashioned playpen rather than the traditional playard shape. Even completely folded up in the included carrying case, it's just way too big for that type of travel. The entire travel crib folds up and fits into an included backpack. The mattress is about the same thickness and comfort as the Lotus, which means it's just fine (but nothing like the BabyBjorn). With all those options you will end up paying around $150-200. Of course, infant sleeping surfaces are supposed to be quite firm, so this is expected. The Lotus Travel Crib is made by the Guava Family, which has a stellar reputation for quality and customer support. It was one of the first portable cribs to make the idea of travelling babies more tolerable for parents, providing a safe and clean option for infants and toddlers, rather than using the old and often dingy and dirty hotel crib or bassinet. and cumbersome portable crib with lots of peripheral parts to lose, break, and replace batteries in. It's pretty heavy, but we also point out that the weigt pays off in the sturdiness department. Check out the Graco Pack and Play Travel Crib here. Overall, we recommend the LuckyDove for anyone who loves the Lotus but is looking to save some cash! In fact, we liked how the legs didn't flare out from the corners and take up more space in the room than necessary. When we tried this portable crib out, we found it easy to assemble and use. Unlike other portable cribs with bassinets that require you to remove the bassinet attachment and pack it separately, this system combines it all into a single folding mechanism that fits easily right into the included carry bag. What we didn't like is that it's quite heavy and awkward to carry along, the bassinet attachment doesn't fit into the carrying case, and its price is a bit outrageous coming in at around $300! The mattress was impressively thick and soft, coming in at about 2" thick, and the entire travel crib felt high quality, sturdy, and durable. But it's sturdy, well built, and has basically any feature you can imagine having in a playard - except for an ultra-portable carrying case or zippered side. Traveling has never been easier for parents - no longer do you need to rely on a hotel or in-laws to have a clean and safe crib for your baby. This is the lightest travel crib on our list, coming in at only 6 pounds, but offering some impressive features and functionality. and cumbersome portable crib with lots of peripheral parts to lose, break, and replace batteries in. When it was time for bed, the mattress is very firm against the floor, making it a bit uncomfortable for a toddler (but good for an infant). Check out the, The major downfall with this unit is that it was honestly rather difficult to set up, and required a bit more brute force than we thought it should in order to fold open. When you're ready to disassemble the crib, first remove the mattress and fold it up and place it into the carrying bag. Our friends at Babygearlab and The Bump call it a top pick! That's enough to make a sore arm if you need to carry it through an airport. You can check out the recall notice on the, Summer Infant Pop and Play Travel Crib here, 1968 S. Coast Hwy, #1103, Laguna Beach, CA 92651. We actually bought it and used it only as a baby beach tent, which it does a great job of given its UV protection and anchor straps that you can use to secure it down into the sand (with stakes, which it doesn't include). Who else loves the Joovy Room Travel Crib? It takes about 20 seconds to assemble once you figure out what you're supposed to be doing. Less for sleeping, more for playing, unlike the Lotus and BabyBjorn options. Looking for a portable, comfortable, safe, sturdy, lightweight, and reasonably priced travel crib? The square units are quickly gaining in popularity, giving parents and babies more flexibility to spread out and nap without having to face one direction or another. The size makes it a comparable square footage to the Joovy Room2, both coming in just over 10 square feet of room for sleep and play. Check out the Lotus Travel Crib here! Update: Version 3 (v3) of the Traveller has been discontinued, in favor of the Version 4 (v4), so be sure you're getting the most recent version. With a travel crib (sometimes called a playard or Pack and Play), you simply unzip it from its carrying case, unfold it, and throw on a sheet. The major downfall with this unit is that it was honestly rather difficult to set up, and required a bit more brute force than we thought it should in order to fold open. Interested? Since it is relatively new to the market, however, we're holding off on putting it higher on our list until we see some good reliability out of it. It's not quite as easy on carpet since the legs can't slide out into position easily on a thick carpet (too much friction). Second, when we used it as a ball pit, one toddler bonked his head on the cross bars. Kudos to Peapod for figuring out that new marketing angle for this! The shape is a bit more angular, tapering to a relatively small opening once it reaches the top. It has a unique style and shape, durable construction, and is super easy to use. It uses highly breathable side mesh, removable fabric for machine washing, a decent mattress that's a little flimsy for our tastes, and supports from baby up to about 3 years of age. Everyone! We really liked this playard for these reasons. This baby travel bed and toddler bed is super easy to set up and fold down, and get into its included carrying case. The only little cons are that the mattress is relatively thin (about half the thickness of the BabyBjorn option), and the price is a little steep at about $230. Our friends at Babylist, Babygearlab, and WhatToExpect all consider it a top pick! It's a truly awesome idea for more adventurous kids who would value the experience of sleeping in something that looks and feels like a real camping. This travel crib has an awesome feature where the mattress can be placed at a higher position to make it a bassinet - providing a sleeping surface that is much higher up than the bottom of the actual travel crib. What we didn't like is that it's quite heavy and awkward to carry along, the bassinet attachment doesn't fit into the carrying case, and its price is a bit outrageous coming in at around $300! It's not quite as easy on carpet since the legs can't slide out into position easily on a thick carpet (too much friction). Keep that in mind if you have a monkey like us! Since it is relatively new to the market, however, we're holding off on putting it higher on our list until we see some good reliability out of it. The mesh sides felt high quality and super breathable, and the zipper was sturdy. The bassinet is convenient but unfortunately not very soft or comfortable. Our friends at Babygearlab and The Bump call it a top pick! This is a super unique portable crib that looks like a miniature tent for your baby or toddler, complete with the zip-up mesh sides and fly covers. The upper edge fabric feels durable and easy to wipe clean, but as an added bonus it can be removed and machine washed. Without further ado, here are the results of our testing! When we took it out of the box we were pleasantly surprised that it was not only fully assembled, but it was very easy to pop completely open and have it ready to use within a minute or two. Check out the Kidco Travelpod Portable Crib here. Check out the, Just like the Joovy option, this is another square playard. The BabyBjorn is similar in size to the Lotus, coming in at about 42" long, 32" wide, and 25" high. It fit nicely between the bed and the wall, and our toddler loved playing in it during the day. Overall, we recommend the LuckyDove for anyone who loves the Lotus but is looking to save some cash! Our friends at Babylist, Babygearlab, WhatToExpect, and The Bump all call it a top pick! We also thought it was super sturdy, with its 8 grippy feet on the bottom, and its cross-rails. So overall, you're getting a very large, sturdy, and well-constructed playard that is great for some particular uses. Use of this site is subject to our, Rest assured that as doctoral-level scientists, parents, and the owners of this small business, we have over 20 years of combined experience testing and reviewing over 2400 different baby and toddler products. Just in case it's hard to conceptualize what 6 pounds feels like, that's lighter than a single brick! Overall, it's cute, durable, functional, and super fun for babies and toddlers who might like this sort of thing. It has a convenient bassinet feature that attaches and hangs from the top sides. For reference, that's about 1" shorter, 2" narrower, and 1" taller than the Lotus, or about 15% smaller than the Lotus, and slightly taller. Who else recommends the Phil and Teds Traveller Crib? Interested?