Are travel beds worth it?

At 2 1/2 my girls are still in cribs. And I hope to keep them that way until they're 5. Well, as long as I can anyway. The alternative would be some major childproofing.

So, we're going on a vacation and I have to decide whether to get travel beds since they are too big for pack n plays. We could use them this year and next, maybe three years, and occasional uses during the year for visits to grandparents.

The ones I have in mind are the PeaPod Plus, like little tents. Any one have these? 2 x $90 for maybe three weeks total use? But safe vacation sleeping = priceless? Worth it?

 

We have them and been using them every time we go visit my inlaws. Really been worth the purchase so far, although I suspect that next time (in 3 weeks), they might figure out the zippers...

 

We have the peapods and love them. However, I didn't use them until they were in toddler beds anyway so I knew they knew how to stay in bed. I think it might be tough on you if they are still in cribs and then all of a sudden they can get out. The zippers on on the inside and outside. I don't zip them in but they like the flap to hang down so it is kind of closed. I heard some people use safety pins or something but I would be cautious of that if your kids are some that would fool with that relentlessly until they get it off.

However, I do really like the tents. They love to sleep in them and we used them at Grandma's house once and 2 longer vacations this summer. My guys are 26 months and we've only had them since May. It was so nice on these trips because they knew they were their beds and on previous trips they had to get used to where they were, especially if we borrowed PNPs from a friend or something. The "plus" size are as long as a crib/toddler bed so they will fit for a long time.

We got them for our trips this summer but I did "practice" in their beds first. When we practiced tehy were in converted cribs so I just put the tent right on their bed and it fit fine so I would do that also, just put them in their cribs. One boy was so anxious (he just over 2) he didn't want to eat lunch and collapsed on the floor to go "night night" for nap!

 

T&T could get out of their Peapods at that age (the zippers on the Plus are even easier -- there is a pull tab inside). From 14 months until they could handle the responsibility, I had to stay with them until they were asleep every night and every nap while on vacation. They could climb out of the PNP, unzip the Peapod, and saw no reason to stay in a regular bed. Super annoying but that's how it was. So, if you're looking to keep them in, I wouldn't bet on a Peapod being the answer.

Inflatable beds and lightweight sleeping bags are cheap and very packable. Worst case, you have to stay with them until they go to sleep like I did with my kids. Just remember that they will eventually grow out of it.

 

I was convinced that I would buy pea pods at one point and I ended up borrowing them from a fellow twin mom and they got out of them :headbang: I had one that would NOT calm down in it, no matter what! And they are used to crib tents so I figured it wouldn't be that bad. Plus I put it in their playroom a couple days before for them to get used to them and practice "sleeping" in them. Nothing worked and I'm really glad that I didn't end up spending all that money.
They really didn't work out for us but I do know many that they have! Good luck in your decisiion!

 

It depends on your kids... are they into everything? Would you not sleep at all if they're not contained? Or... are they pretty calm and able to follow rules?

For what it's worth, my girls did just fine on mattresses on the floor at Grandma's house at 26 months, in a hotel bed at 30 months, and again at Grandma's at 38 months. We talked about what they'd need to do (STAY IN BED!!!) and what we expected of them (GO TO SLEEP!!) and it all worked just fine. If they were the type who normally climb on furniture and refuse to follow directions, though, I probably wouldn't have taken the chance.

 

Are you sure they won't fit in a pack n' play? Mine still fit, but are closer to 2. Most hotels have them for you to use, so you don't have to pack them. Just a thought. I have a trip coming up in Jan. and I'm trying to figure out what to do. I figure they might be too big for the pack n play by then. I dread the day I can keep them in a crib or pack n play. Good luck!

 

Hi:

We thought about travel beds (Peapods), but decided against it. Things just changed so rapidly for us between 2 and 4.

We used pack n plays for short trips/stays until just after age 3 (they still fit -- mine are on the small side). For our beach week trip when they were 2.5, we rented portable cribs, which was fine, but like PP, somebody had to stay with them until they fell asleep, or they would climb out, which was the same thing that happened when we did beds on vacation (before we transitioned to beds at home). We transitioned to big kid beds at around 3.5 years and after that, they've been in beds on trips.

Most recently, at age 4, we spent a week with my relatives. My SIL made up a pallet on the floor of the guest room with a pad and sheets and blankets -- worked like a charm and we could tuck them in, then have some grownup time before we turned in.

Good luck with your trip (and getting good sleep!)

Meg -- mom to 4 year old b/g twins

 

mine are 2 1/2 too, we got the pea pods used and tried them at gma's house.....my ds loved it and did very well, dd had royal fits at night very upset and scared, they couldn't get out, I used pipe cleaners to tie the zippers shut at night
then we broke them by folding them incorrectly on the way home so we are back to pack n plays, they are very big kids for twins but don't seem to mind the pack n plays size.
I'm stickin to pack n plays...

 

Thanks for all the advice! I think you may have saved us some $$. Will have to look and see if they'd fit in the PnP one more year. Please girls!