Non-toxic play yards, also known as travel cribs, a baby playpen, or a pack ‘n play, are essential baby products that are convenient when you’re on the go.
They’re also perfect when you need some time to unwind, relax, or have a quick bathroom break.
You can contain your little one inside and you don’t have to worry about a thing!
In this list, we picked out the best non-toxic play yards you can find in the market. These are all lightweight, easy to bring around, and made with safe materials!
4 Best Non-Toxic Play Yards, Travel Cribs, and Pack ‘n Plays
1. Guava Lotus Travel Crib
OUR PICK
Out of all non-toxic travel cribs out there, the Guava Lotus Crib is known to be one of the best options for portability!
What makes this non-toxic travel crib special is its travel-friendly design. It only weighs 13 pounds, and you can store this away and bring it around with its backpack carry bag!
You’ll need 15 seconds to set up and pack away the Lotus Crib, which isn’t the most convenient on this list, but it’s still convenient enough for any parent.
This travel crib is also GREENGUARD Gold certified. It’s the ONLY travel crib with this certification.
It’s reviewed to be non-toxic and BPA-free, phthalate-free, PVC-free, and flame retardant-free! This also applies to the crib mattress that comes with it, so that should ease your mind.
This play yard also has breathable mesh sides and a quiet size zipper opening. The Lotus Crib gives great air ventilation and it will be easy to access your little one because of the zipper!
Pros
- Lightweight
- Can be carried like a backpack
- GREENGUARD Gold-certified
- Easy to access
- Breathable mesh sides
Cons
- Some parents commented that the legs aren’t the sturdiest
- Some parents found the crib mattress pad too thin
- Low mattress height can make it uncomfortable
- Not the easiest to set up and pack away
2. BABY BJORN Travel Crib Light
CERTIFIED SAFE OPTION
The Baby Bjorn Travel Crib is almost always compared to the Guava Lotus Travel Crib for good reason.
Both of these non-toxic play yards are the best in the market, and they share a couple of similarities too. Both of them weigh 13 pounds, have mattresses that touch the floor, and have full mesh sides.
For the differences, the Baby Bjorn Travel Crib has no size zipper for easy access. This could make it a hassle to reach down to the floor every time you need to pick up your baby.
Although, you can detach the play yard from the legs and machine-wash it! This innovative design makes it easier to keep your baby in a fresh and clean environment!
What’s also great about this portable travel crib is that it’s made of Oeko-Tex certified fabric. It’s also certified to be safe by the JPMA and ASTM International. This is one of the safest play yards you can find!
The mattress is made of flame-retardant-free polyurethane foam. This material can be a red flag for some parents, but rest assured, this material is free from harmful chemicals and is certified baby-safe!
Pros
- Lightweight
- Easy to set up and pack away
- Certified to be safe for babies
- Breathable mesh sides
Cons
- Expensive
- Some parents found the mattress too thin
- Low mattress height can make it uncomfortable
3. 4moms Breeze GO Portable Travel Playard
EASIEST TO SET UP
What makes this non-toxic play yard stand out is its simple and convenient mechanism for easy setups and pack-aways. You only need to push or pull the center of the play yard using one hand, and you’re done!
This product weighs around 23 pounds, which isn’t the lightest travel crib option on this list. Even so, we still consider it as a portable crib that can be moved around the house.
This play yard also doesn’t touch the ground, which could make the mattress feel more comfortable for your baby. It also means you should strictly follow the weight limit of 30 pounds. The foundation of this travel crib might not work well for heavier babies, so you should be careful!
4moms recently released a newer version of the Breeze GO Play Yard, although they didn’t specify if there are any differences. They only said that the new version shares the same features as the older one. The newer one costs less though, so that’s great!
Pros
- Fast and easy to set up and pack away
- Free from BPA, PVC, lead, and flame retardants
- Water-resistant mattress is easy to clean
- Convenient travel bag
Cons
- Heavier compared to other travel cribs
- Mesh sides don’t extend to the bottom
- Material of the mattress is not specified
4. Joovy Room2 Portable Playard
BUDGET PICK
Baby products can be expensive, and baby cribs and play yards land on the pricier side of the spectrum. For those looking for more affordable non-toxic play yards, then this product is the way to go.
This is a great play yard because of its unique square shape. This product covers more than 10 square feet, which is enough room for multiple babies! You can even lay down a non-toxic play mat inside this for more comfort.
What we love about this pack ‘n play is how sturdy it is. Even with multiple babies inside, you don’t have to worry about flimsy legs giving out!
Another great feature of this play yard is that there are two front wheels attached at the bottom. This makes it more convenient to move around the room. It also comes with a 100% cotton fitted sheet and a travel bag, so that’s a plus!
Joovy also claims that all of their products are flame-retardant-free and JPMA certified!
Joovy also sells separate waterproof fitted sheets if you’re interested.
Pros
- Square shape gives a lot of space
- Can handle multiple babies
- Wheels make it easy to move around
- Comes with a travel bag
- More affordable compared to other play yards
- Flame retardant-free and safe for babies
Cons
- Not the easiest to set up and pack away
- Heavier than other play yards on this list
- You can feel a lump down the middle of the play yard
What Are Baby Play Yards?
Play yards are wonderful baby products that are perfect for older infants.
It’s a safe space where they can be contained, and it’s safe enough to leave your baby inside while you do other quick tasks.
A play yard is also called a travel crib or a pack ‘n play, and it’s a great product that’s perfect for parents who need to travel.
Anywhere you go, you can have a portable space for your baby to play!
Does My Baby Need a Play Yard?
As long as you supervise your baby and they’re in a safe and hazard-free environment, they can play wherever you’re most comfortable with.
However, having a play yard will help make things more convenient for you. You can take a quick shower, have a bathroom break, or a quick breather. You can do other stuff while your baby enjoys playtime inside a safe space!
A play yard is a lifesaver! It’s a good thing to keep your child busy before he starts fully walking.
Play Yards vs. Cribs
In terms of functionality, a play yard and crib can work the same way. They can both be a safe sleeping space, and they can both be a playtime space for your baby.
The main difference between play yards and cribs is portability. Most play yards also work as travel-friendly cribs, while most cribs were meant to be permanent sleeping spaces for your baby.
Since a play yard was made to be portable, these are usually lightweight and easy to move around. For cribs, a lot of them are meant to stay in one place. This is why you would often see bigger and sturdier cribs that are also made of wood.
Toxic Chemicals to Avoid in Baby Play Yards
Your baby’s health ALWAYS comes first.
Since they’ll probably spend a lot of time inside a play yard, it’s best to keep the environment as non-toxic as possible.
These are some substances you should know more about and avoid!
Flame Retardant Chemicals
Flame retardants are bad news for your baby.
Harmful flame retardant chemicals have been linked to endocrine disruption and other developmental problems.
Baby products with flame retardant chemicals are a big no-no!
Polyurethane Foam
As previously mentioned, this material is a red flag for a lot of parents. This is because flame retardant chemicals are commonly applied to polyurethane foam.
The BabyBjorn Travel Crib Light mattress is nothing to worry about though, this is certified to be safe and free from any flame retardants.
BPA
BPA (Bisphenol A) is commonly used to harden plastics. These substances have also been linked to developmental problems and even cancer when ingested. Avoid at all costs!
PVC
PVC Plastic is very toxic because of all the chemicals added to it. As much as possible, you should make sure that none of your baby essentials contain PVC!
Phthalates
Phthalates are harmful substances that are additives to PVC. These have been linked to endocrine disruption, hormonal imbalances, and cancer!
Lead
Lead usually goes hand-in-hand with phthalates, and it’s also an additive to PVC. It’s linked to nervous system damage, ADHD, and decreased IQ.
Conclusion
The Guava Lotus Travel Crib is our pick for the best non-toxic play yard on this list. We love how portable this product is, and any parent would appreciate the convenient side zipper door for quick and easy access!
We also recommend the 4moms Breeze GO Portable Travel Playard because of how simple and easy it is to set up and pack away. With just one hand, you can instantly open this pack ‘n play for your baby’s playtime, and you can pack it away just as fast!
Baby gear essentials can be expensive, so budget options are great for any family looking to save up as much as possible. The Joovy Room Portable Playard is a great pickup that’s more affordable compared to other products on this list. Despite the price difference, the quality of this non-toxic play yard doesn’t suffer, so that’s great!
And once your little one starts becoming even more active and playful, you can invest in getting a non-toxic activity gym. It’s highly helpful for their brain development!
Changelog:
October 14, 2021 – reviewed and updated article formatting and content
July 23, 2021 – revised article title, reviewed and updated article links, improved readability
