Grown Out of a Pack and Play Now What?

We have bought and taken bed guards when travelling that worked well for us at hotels because I found out the hard way that "crib" at a hotel is a pack and play. The ideas of a sleeping bag sound like a great idea, just realize that it'll be an adjustment and the first night you won't get much sleep unless maybe you sleep with the child.

We have put our children in bed with us during those trips. We usually get a double room. We now have 3 kids but our last trip was about 1 1/2 months before our 7 month old son was born. We would put a child in each of the bed with us. We have a portable bed rail. We put the bed rail on one side and a parent on the other.

I've also seen (in the One Step Ahead catalog) a travel bed for kids. It is a mat of some sort with little side rails. I'm not sure if it blows up or how it works but you might want to check at the One Step Ahead website.

Good luck.

How about a fun sleeping bag?

Onestepahead.com has an inflatable toddler bed. It is just like a mattress, but with little bumpers. Check it out. I would stay away from attachable bed rails because many children die each year from them. They roll over and become stuck between the rail and the bed, and if they are facing the mattress, they can suffocate. I know it sounds harsh, but that is what I read when I did the research on travel beds.

I travelled to Atlanta with my daughter and we didn't want to lug the pack and play etc, so we found a service in the area we were staying that rented baby necessities which included a crib with amattress, highchair, toys etc. The person arrived on time set everything up and picked it up when we were leaving. We provided our own linen which just made it alot easier.

Check online and you may find something that is helpful. Or see if the hotel can refer a service.

how old? if only 5 lbs over use pack. Have them sleep with you, sleeping bag, some have cots

We just got our kids new blow up beds for xmas. Our 4 1/2 yr old uses it more than our 2 1/2 yr old, but they are very compact and easy to travel with. They are similar to an air mattress, but its small and you just inflate it with a foot pump and it has a built in pillow at the top so you don't have to pack a pillow. And the top of it is like a sleeping bag, it has a zip down blanket, its perfect and my kids love it! They come in disney themes, I got one at Sams Club and the other on walmart website and they weren't that much. It comes in a little tote to carry it in and its very easy to get it packed up, not like air matresses that never fit back in the box. I would check on the walmart website first, we only saw them at Sams club over the holidays. Good luck, Jennifer

You could go get a couple of the bed rails that slide in between the boxspring and mattress. They fold flat and collapse for storage &/or traveling.

We got a fun, cheap sleeping bag (dora or buzz lightyear for us about 20.00) and made a nest with pillows on the floor of the room next to the bed. The kids thought that they were so cool "camping out" and they slept fine. We loved it because the bag was no big deal to pack and certainly easier than a pack and play to lug around. We did this until they were older and could be in a big bed. Then we would split up and my husband and son were in one and my daughter and me in the other bed. With them together its a giggle free for all. Works for us, hope it works for you!
Good Luck!
L.

Ask for a cot at the hotel and then take the mattress from the cot off and put it on the floor with a sleeping bag on top. Make it an adventure! Kids love to think they are getting something special, so we always make it seem like they get the better deal. Good luck!

We travel alot too. We got an inflatable toddler bed. It is similar to all the disney inflatable beds, BUT with a big difference. It has built in inflatable side rails. It also comes with a pump. Once he is tucked in to the sleeping bag, he really can't roll out of the bed. Ours is the Thomas the Tank Engine theme. We found it at Toys R Us for about $30. I was going to order one of the "nicer" brands, but couldn't see paying $100 for a travel bed. We have used ours a ton without a problem. It washes well and easily. I plan on using it with our daughter as she gets older even though it is Thomas.
H.

My son is a big kid, and we had this trouble early on, when he outgrew the Pack N Play. If you're going to a chain that has related chains nearby, like a Marriott/Courtyard/Springhill/Residence Inn kind of thing, I would talk to the manager of your hotel and see if you can get an absolute guarantee from him/her, even you if have to suggest that he/she obtain a crib from one of the sister hotels.

We had to say, "My son is over the weight limit. This is dangerous," etc., etc., all nicely, but with meaning. Hotels did accomodate.

Alternatively, you may need to find a different hotel.

We did rent cribs a few times, but when staying with friends and family, not hotels. Those rental cribs, like the hotel cribs, never were great...just a warning! You may prefer him staying in a bed, if you crib isn't great!

We moved our son out of a crib months earlier than our daughter, who is older than he is. They both were 2 when we moved them, but at different places on the 2-yr-old timeline. It made things so much easer, in some ways, with travel, not to have that too-big-for-a-crib issue.

Enjoy your trip, and good luck!

I have the Aero Bed for toddlers and we love it! It has a special design to keep them from rolling out. We just spent a week in Florida and my son did great. It is about $65+ dollars, but iss well worth it and uses twin size sheets and should last until they are teenagers! Good luck!

I have a home day care and had this happen with one of my 'kids'. He hit the 30lb weight limit a few months ago (he will be 2 next month) and it still in a crib at home. I got the Regalo Portable Travel Bed for him to use here. He loves it - he moves around a lot at home, his mom says, but when he's in the cot here, he stays put. His mom is considering one now for him at home as a transition to a bed since it's so low to the floor. Best of luck to you: Here's a link to see what I was talking about
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4433186

J.,
They do sell those "nap mats" like daycares have...they look like a floor workout mat, only a little thicker. This could be referred to as his/her "special big-little person rest area". I used to work in a daycare and some children had mats and some had cots. We had no issues there witht he children sleeping in them. I am thinking it would be a little easier to travel with the mat than the cot..lol Target used to sell them....hope this helps and good luck!! G. from Pittsburgh

Depending on where you're going, you may be able to rent a crib and have it delivered to the hotel. Rental companies are common in resort areas. Or maybe a fold out type sleeping bag on the floor with lots of blankets under it?

We have asked for a rollaway bed at a hotel. We take the mattress off the roll-a-way and put it on the floor between the 2 double beds or if their is space over by the window area of the room. It works well.

i havent heard of the tents but what if you packed a toddler size sleeping bag and special pillow and necessary stuffed animals and told him you were going to "camp out" in the hotel. that way he has the security of the sleeping bag but still in the bed either next to you or the same queen size bed. that way they feel safe but are having an adventure at the same time. but take note....DO NOT LEAVE CARTOONS ON. BAD IDEA. :) the first night may be a little rough but if you are in the same room for more than one night they will adjust quickly. if you happen to have to change rooms or in another hotel, talk to them and make them comfortable knowing you are only 10 feet away.