If like me you have a toddler who is recently on the move, you’ll be familiar with the feeling of fearing what they’re getting up to as soon as you turn your back. The Hadwin 8 Panel Foldable and Portable Baby Playpen could help combat this fear by giving you a safe space to put your toddler down whilst you answer the door or nip to the bathroom.
A safe play environment with a steel frame and breathable mesh sides. The playpen provides a clear view of your child whilst allowing you to interact with them from outside of the pen.
Pros
- Lightweight and compact when folded down making it an excellent choice for storing and on the go
- Quick and easy to assemble
- Generous size allowing baby to explore safely or for multiple babies to play together
Cons
- There is no padding to the flooring, making it uncomfortable for younger babies, slippery on wooden flooring and a hard landing for babies tumbling over
- No door requiring you to lift baby in and out
| Folded size: | 39.37 x 8.67” |
| Fully assembled size: | 74.8” (L) x 66.93” (W) x 29.13” (H) |
| Age range: | 6-24 months |
| Material: | Steel, Cotton |
| Assembly: | Required (minimal) |
| Additional info: | Storage bag, sturdy build, breathable mesh, steel frame, thickened anti-collision cotton |
- Room for 3-4 babies
- Travel bag included
- Retractable safety belt to prevent sudden closure
Testing the Hadwin 8 Panel Foldable and Portable Baby Playpen
As a busy first-time mum, watching my now 15-month-old son, Jesse reach milestones has not only been exciting but at times, challenging too! Jesse was slower to hit some of his gross-motor milestones. Eager to get him moving I tried everything whilst others told me to enjoy the moments that he was happy to sit still. Hindsight’s a wonderful thing and it wasn’t long before Jesse caught up with his friends and was crawling everywhere and was into everything - mostly things he shouldn’t!
Having previously used smaller playpens on the market I was keen to find something that allowed Jesse more space to learn and explore but remain safely contained when needed. So, when given the opportunity to test the Hadwin 8 Panel Foldable and Portable Baby Playpen it felt like perfect timing.
On initial glance the playpens compact design makes it easy to store when not in use. It is lightweight, with a bag and carry handle. Packing away like a camping chair, it is extremely portable for use on the go!
The instructions included were basic but simple and very easy to follow. I was able to assemble the playpen myself in under 10 minutes. After removing the playpen from the storage bag, it was easy to walk out to full size and secure the mesh sides to the steel frame, using plastic buckle clips at the bottom of each adjoining panel.
Although given the dimensions I was surprised by its size when fully assembled, it requires you to have a good space to sit it down. But if space allows then the generous size makes it perfect for multiple children to play safely. Great for siblings or playdates. The playpen appears to be a great contender for any busy parent and their little one at an affordable price point.
We tested the playpen for 3 weeks, in which time Jesse went from crawling to walking. Eager to explore it became increasingly hard to contain him. With its large space I was able to add a variety of toys keeping him focussed for longer as well as giving him the space to roam.
Not only Jesse’s mummy I am also a dog mum to 4-year-old doodle, Bonnie. Who likes to get involved in everything! The playpen is useful to create some separation between the excitable pair! And now that Jesse is really on the move, I see this being a useful tool whilst we teach them both about being gentle around one another.
We had previously used the Tutti Bambini CoZee Go. A 3-in-1 travel cot and playpen. Although an excellent travel cot we found it to be too small and impractical as a playpen. Leaving Jesse wanting to get back out quickly. As he also associated the CoZee Go with sleep having a stand-alone product for the purpose of play really helped us create the right play environment.
With lots of space I was able to join Jesse in the playpen. It became the perfect place to set up activities to do together. The only downside being there is no door. So, you have to step over the high sides and lift baby in and out too. As the base of the playpen is waterproof, we found it easy to clean making it an ideal space to set up craft activities. We were only able to test the playpen inside because of the weather but with its waterproof base I can tell this would be a great product to use outside, in the garden, playdates at the park or even on the beach.
With Jesse in his climbing era, it is important for us to have a product that is safe. The product specification boasts a visual mesh wall and strong all-steel frame. We did find that the frame lived up to our expectations and withheld the weight of Jesse pulling himself up to stand. We also found that without lots of bars like other playpens on the market, Jesse was unable to slot his foot in anywhere in an attempt to climb. Making this a space I felt confident to leave him to play safely.
However, where the bars cross over on each panel a little higher up, it could provide a platform for taller children to place their foot and pull themselves up. Due to its lightweight nature this could potentially cause the playpen to topple as we did find Jesse was able to move the playpen along our wooden floor when stood on the outside.
The base is a very thin sheet material without any padding which could be problematic for younger babies. We found that when placed on a wooden floor it was sometimes slippery. I would recommend placing on firmer surfaces such as carpet or a playmat. If using outside I would place on the grass or use floor tiles inside for extra comfort and to reduce injury because of tumbles.
The mesh fabric and stitching doesn’t seem that high quality and I can imagine the wear and tear is common to where the mesh sides join the base. However, we found this to be very minimal over the 3-week period, but we didn’t move the playpen around much nor did we transport it to other locations.
The incorporated storage pocket on the playpen is very small and doesn’t hold much more than a couple of books or a packet of wipes. It could be useful when out and about to hold wipes and nappies or to keep personal items out of sight.
Final Verdict
After testing the playpen for 3 weeks, we felt that it was very good value for money, especially given it is very compact when packed away, making it portable for a variety of uses. It acts perfectly as a playpen for older babies and toddlers who require the space to roam, and its large size is perfect for multiple children. It is worth making sure you have the space as even with a good-sized living room, we found it was too big to have out all the time – though its easy assembly, take down, and compact storage does mean you can just use it when required. I would also consider the age of your child before buying. Without floor padding, it may be uncomfortable for younger babies.