Does Anyone Really Use a Play pen/Play Yard

I have a pack n play and it's set up in my living room and if I'm doing something (not focused on her) she goes in there with her toys then I know where she is. We take it every where with us as well.

I used mine, at home and away. When we stayed in a hotel or someone's home he had a place of his own he was familiar with. I used it at soccer and football practices, it kept him safe at home while i was cleaning up, he napped in it, and tried to fight me when I packed it up and gave it away. I more than got my money's worth out of it, 10 times over.

I did with 1st and will with second. It's a nice drop off spot for daddy bathroom breaks. Up till 12-14 months.

Sort of. We put the Christmas tree in it when there was a toddler in the house!

;)

First u have to get them used to it early. My 7 week old granddaughter loves being in there and looking and batting at her "friends.". It is a safe place and gives you a chance to do what you need to do.

I never had one, so obviously we didn't use one.

I would just pick up my son and put him down in whatever area I needed to be in. Even for brief things.

With that said, if YOU think it would be worth having, there is nothing wrong with purchasing one!

U used mine with all of them and will do so with my 4th love it it's the most item I use everyday it's a safe palce for them while I do a load of dishes laundry make a phone call they aren't in it for long periods of time but I love love love mine,I use the bassinet part now then after that I will use the inner part and that is about 5-6 months depedning on weight our rooms are upstairs and I don't like to leave baby sleeping up their while i'm down here so that has a big part in why I use one

I never actually used mine AS a playpen. It's a travel crib for us!

I put mine at the front door for my daughter. While I was getting shoes and coats on my son, husband, and self, my daughter (an adventurous destroyer!) went in there to avoid her getting into trouble in the meantime. I also used it occasionally when I wanted to take a shower. She used it from when she began crawling at 8 months old until she was 18 months old, probably. It had a tons of toys and books in it that she could only play with while in there, so she actually loved it for short periods. My son, who was too old for it (and had never really needed it, anyway) would even ask to get in so he could play with what was in there.

We used ours for camping and other outdoor activities. If you get them use to using it at a young age they seem to enjoy being in it more often.

I used it ith both kids, but with my first I used it from 4-16 months everyday. I'd put her in it and then take shower. It worked great.

With my second, I just didn't have the space to use it all the time.

Only for sleeping when travelling. Never ever for playing in. No way my kids would stay in there happily.

My daughter used it all the time and my son will play in it but will not sleep in there. I mostly use it when we are outside. This way he can move around and is not just sitting all the time. He is 10 months old and I have a feeling that as soon as he is really walking good he will no longer want to be in there.

My son still uses his pack and play when we travel - he naps / sleeps in it, so ours has gotten a lot of use.

You know, I would have one on hand, esp if I had a baby and a toddler. There needs to be somewhere safe you can place them if you can't be holding them at the moment or need to steal off to the bathroom. =) It's a safety issue. They don't need to be in there for long periods of time, but it's very useful in a pinch, esp when you are traveling.

I'd have one, use it, and keep it until they grow out of it or can climb out.

I used mine, mostly because I had dogs and wanted everyone to be able to be "out" with fewer concerns. The baby could see the puppies (HUGE DEAL) and the puppies could smell the baby on his own and that seemed important to them.

If you are not sure about it then I suggest you get a gently used one from a place like Once Upon a Child.

I use a pack and play all the time. I also have a big play yard gate like in he link below that i have blocking off the entire end of my living room so my little bean can't get to the TV, fireplace or door.
http://www.amazon.com/North-States-Superyard-Play-Classic...

Ours was used as a gate at the bottom of the stairs for a brief time, then it was used to take up space. My kids never liked it and we had enough baby proofing around that it was ok.

I'd just make a conscious effort to keep the small toys out of reach, and manage your older ones play with them until the younger one can play too. But this gets hard, for sure.

We used ours for camping and other outdoor activities. If you get them use to using it at a young age they seem to enjoy being in it more often.

Mine was like your first. Handed down to a friend whose baby LIVED it and used it every day for ages.

It seems to split fairly evenly, some kids love, some kids hate.

What my mum did with all of us was a mesh laundry bag, hook type screws, and an empty closet. Poof. Instant playpen. Both at home and in hotels.

My daughter is 19 months old and I just retired mine 3 weeks ago. I have the Graco Tot Block Pack n Play: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2918304. My son (who is 4) used it and didn't mind being in it. I think I had him in it until he was around 20 months or so. I also have a regular pack n play with the bassinet part that attaches but that kind is only good while they are really little because it is narrow. The Tot Block one is big and square. When I would put my daughter in it, I would put a DVD on for her to watch and it calmed her down. She wasn't too crazy to be in it after she had a taste of running around the house. When it was up, I put her in it as soon as she was done eating (before letting her down) and then again while I was making dinner.

Yup, used ours, it was just a octagon plastic fence thing. Planning on using it again for #2. We also still use the baby gates around the house. Our doors are wonkie, they push open real easily then then close flush on their own. A gate in front of the door with the door closed keeps cats from getting "trapped" in rooms. Also keep the cats from leaning against my daughter's door to groom, thus "thumping" against it and scaring her in the middle of the night.

Finally using one for my 3rd can't trust the other two for a second so anytime I leave the room he's in the pack n play. I have one outside by the pool too! My girlfriend was actually the one who asked if I had one, I was like duh, never used it with my other two so it didn't even cross my mind. I love the changing pad that comes with it too! Saves me from having to leave the room for a dirty dipes. Last time I did, I came back to a bathroom flooded with soapy bubbles--boys :)

Yep, sure did...it made a damn good toy chest. Otherwise, our babies never cared for them....

With our son, we used ours in the beginning because we had one that had a bassinet feature. After that, we only used it while visiting family across country (as a crib). At one point, I had it out in the living room for him to sit in and play, but he was much more happy in his jumperoo. I only had him in there when I was vacuuming under the jumperoo, so we ended up putting it away. We now have our second on the way, and I expect to use it a little more often in the fashion you are describing, only because my first born is very curious and will bother the little one while I am preoccupied in the shower or something.

Until they could crawl out they went in one each and every time I was cleaning or busy doing something that needed no help from little hands.

I also have a play yard thing that snaps together and has toys on one section. The kids still love to put it together and play fort with it. It could be very small with only 5-6 panels. Then it could be a lot larger. You just buy as many panels as you want. They sell them all the time on Ebay. They are way over priced though. I have seen them at garage sales for a lot less.

They can go to the park, the beach, the lake, the backyard, the living room, all sorts of places where you don't want them to wander off.

I used a huge Tommy Hilfiger quilt underneath it to cushion when we used it outside.

Well, I never used them for my first 2, but when I had my third it was a godsend. Why? Because my other two played soccer! I would pop her in the playpen at soccer practice and games along with toys and books, even snacks (she was about 9 months-12 months). She never ever sat in it the whole time, but she def. did for at least 1/2 the practice. Tonight is the first practice of the new season, she is older, but I am going to try it again!
L.

The only time I used mine was for travel. It gave the baby/toddler a safe place to sleep while in a hotel or visiting family.

We used a play yard while camping to keep DD out of the fire pit (for example). We have not used it as much since she got older, but it was good for what we used it for. If we did not go camping, I likely wouldn't have gotten one. My nephew will be here this weekend and it will be set up to keep him away from the grill. He will be on the outside.