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When traveling with toddlers, you need excellent travel toys, and what feels like a mountain of toddler gear. So finding great, ultra-portable gear is key! And finding a super-portable but still-comfortable-for-your-toddler travel bed is a particularly tricky piece of travel gear. But luckily, there are some really great options out there that you AND your toddler will love!
What We Were Looking For
When looking for great options for a toddler, or even a kid, travel bed, we are looking for a UNICORN. We wanted something small and portable, but also comfortable. Something high quality that can be used for a growing child (and even passed on to the next child!), but budget friendly.
Portable
Toddler travel beds are tough because well.. beds are big!
Ideally, a travel bed should be small enough that it can be packed in a suitcase for a flight. Our top choices are beds that fold up small, and are lightweight- less than 10lbs. We figure that you’ll want a travel bed that works in ALL situations so you won’t have to buy more than one.
However, we recognize that the options are limited when it comes to super portable, small kid and toddler travel beds. So, we’ve also included some more road-trip friendly options. These still fold up small, but maybe not QUITE small enough to be stuffed into a suitcase.
Comfortable
Durability/Size Range
We HATE spending hard-earned money on products that just break a week later. So we always recommend the most durable products we can find, especially when it comes to toddler gear. Because if your toddlers are anything like mine, they’ll put their gear through the wringer.
We also prefer items that a growing child can continue to use as long as possible. No one wants to buy a travel bed EVERY time they go on vacation because their child has outgrown the one from the last vacation. We love gear that lasts and lasts.
Value
We love finding great, low cost items for families because basically EVERY family would love to save a little money. However, sometimes we find that, for the right gear, spending a little extra can end up saving you in the long run. Perhaps because the gear lasts a little longer and you won’t end up buying a second item. Or perhaps because it’ll end up being something you love and use a ton!
We’ve selected items that we think are a good balance of quality and price.
One Strategy: Use What's Available
The easiest choice for travel beds for babies and toddlers is whatever you can find at your destination! If you can totally avoid hauling a travel-bed and pack a little lighter, you won’t regret it!
Hotels or Vacation Rentals
Hotels often have pack’n plays or cribs available to borrow during your stay. However, they typically operate on a first-come-first-served basis. So that can be a LITTLE scary if you really need somewhere for your child to sleep. I am not a risk taker, so I always call or email ahead and do anything I can to ensure that we will get one ahead of time.
Vacation rentals often have cribs or pack’n plays available as well. Check the listing, or ask the host. Certainly not EVERY vacation rental will have one, but it’s worth checking.
Friends and Family
Renting Gear
Did you know you can RENT toddler gear? Companies like Baby’s Away rent out baby and kid gear for traveling families. They often have cribs, strollers, high chairs, and all the little things you miss when you are away from home. And often, you can get all these items delivered to your hotel!
One note- these services are typically only available in bigger cities or prime vacation locations. But they often have really reasonable prices and can be a huge space saver for families with kids!
Best Travel Beds for Babies and Young Toddlers
Finding sleep solutions for wild and crazy younger toddlers can be TOUGH. They are strong, opinionated, and have a hard time adjusting to big changes, like falling asleep in not exactly perfect situations (unless their parent DOESN’T want them to fall asleep, then they totally will).
We looked for travel beds that would feel like their crib at home, or could be used frequently enough that they start to feel comfortable.
Pros
- Small and light- great for airplane or car travel
- Sets up in a snap
- Large enough to use for the baby and toddler years- perhaps even longer!
- High quality- built to last
Cons
- Expensive
- It can be a bit tricky to fold up, until you get the hang of it.
The Peapod Plus is a LOT like the Gloo. Just like the Gloo, the Peapod pops open making setup a snap, and it works well for indoors and outdoors. And, like the Gloo, its so portable that we know you’ll end up taking it everywhere with you, so your toddler will become super comfortable and familiar with it, making sleep easier every time.
The Peapod comes in two sizes, the standard, and the Plus. The Plus model is bigger, and has more features. We’ll be focusing on the Plus because we prefer that model.
The Peapod Plus is 52.5″ in length, and 34″ wide when setup, making it wider at the widest point, than a standard crib, and about the same length. It’s also slightly longer and wider than the Gloo.
Additionally, the Peapod plus weights in at only 3.65 lbs, making it SUPER lightweight and portable, and 1.85 lbs lighter than the large Gloo. It folds up small to a 19″ circle about 3.5″ in height.
The Peapod features a lightweight mattress, which snaps into the exterior of the travel tent, so baby will not come in direct contact with the mattress. So you don’t need to worry about deflating and inflating. In fact, the mattress can remain clipped to the tent even when you fold it up. One problem is that the Peapod does not come with any kind of washable sheet, and you really can’t add one since there is nothing to tuck it around and the bottom is super slippery. So cleaning up this travel tent can be a bit difficult.
According to the manufacturer, this travel tent is safe for age 1 to 5, so you’ll definitely get a lot of use out of this product.
Pros
- Super lightweight and portable- the lightest toddler sleep bed we are recommending!
- Instant setup!
- Large enough to use for early toddler through preschool, or longer!
Cons
- The quality isn't as high as the Gloo
- Mattress is a bit thin
- No sheet, making it more difficult to clean
Comparing Gloo Large to Peapod Plus
Because the Joovy Gloo and the Peapod Plus are SO similar, we created this chart to help you understand the differences and determine which one is right for you.
Gloo
- Folded up, Gloo an 18" circle, 4.5" thick and weights 5.5 lbs.
- Gloo is a bit more expensive
- High quality construction
- Slightly smaller at 51.5" long and 28" wide
- Inflatable mattress has a bit more padding for your toddler
- Includes a zip in sheet for easy cleaning
Peapod
- Folded up, Peapod is a 19" circle, 3.5" thick and weights 3.65 lbs
- Peapod is lower cost
- Some quality concerns
- Slightly larger at 52.5" long and 34" wide
- Mattress has a bit less padding for sleeping toddler
- No sheet, making it tougher to clean
The Lotus Travel crib is NOT your standard Pack’n Play. Weighing in at only 13 lbs, the Lotus is less than half the weight of many others and with tons of extra features. Plus, the Lotus packs in to a smaller backpack style case, making it much more portable than a standard play yard. In fact, the backpack case is only 24″ x 8″ x 12″ (whereas a Pack’n Play is about 40″ x 10″ x 10″ folded up).
Set up of the Lotus is quick and easy. Just pull out all 4 legs and snap to lock. The mattress is thin, but still a big improvement over the standard play yard mattress.
The Lotus also has a zippered side, which is SUCH a handy feature. No more breaking your back, or tipping over as you attempt to GENTLY place your sleeping child in the bottom of the play yard. Or, if you child has a hard time falling asleep, mom or dad can lie on the ground, or partially in the Lotus to help.
Plus, you can leave the Lotus zippered side open while just out playing so your baby or toddler can climb in and out as needed.
And the Lotus rests on the ground, so there IS no weight limit, unlike most play yards. Your child can continue to safely use this travel crib as long as they can fit! The mattress is 41″ long, so we don’t expect your 5 year old will be sleeping in there, but you’ll definitely get plenty of use in the baby and toddler years.
Pros
- Much smaller, lighter, and more portable than a traditional play yard
- Easy to set up
- Crib-design and soft mattress will likely feel familiar to your child, making sleep easier
Cons
- The price is high
- Still too large for airplane travel
- Big enough for babies and toddlers, but not older kids
Older Toddlers and Kids
Pros
- Thick mattress is comfortable for toddlers and kids
- Standard sheets fit the mattress without slipping off
- Tall bedrails prevent toddlers from rolling off the bed
Cons
- At as much as 26 lbs, this sleep solution is too large and heavy for easy airplane travel
- Not suitable for babies or younger toddlers. The manufacturer recommends age 2+
This kids air mattress is simple and perfect. At 62″ long and about 4 lbs, they are light but large enough to work for kids as they grow. It comes in fun, bright colors, and the price is GREAT.
The manufacturer did not provide ‘official’ folded up dimensions, but I measured about 9″ x 12″ x 3.5″ folded.
Even though it doesn’t come with any kind of bumper or bed rail, we felt comfortable having our younger kids sleep on it because it’s so close to the ground that, even if they fell off, we weren’t worried about them getting hurt. In fact, one child has rolled off and didn’t even wake up.
We also love that it is sturdy enough for kids. Our kids have jumped on these mattresses a million times, even from high up, and not one leak yet!
This mattress also doesn’t come with it’s own pump. We have tons of those little pumps lying around, so it’s no big deal for us, BUT if you don’t, it can make this not QUITE as budget friendly.
Pros
- At 4 lbs, this mattress is travel-friendly, even for airplane travel
- Budget-friendly
Cons
- No bumpers or rails
- Standard-sized sheets did not fit
- Does not come with a pump
Even if you have a bed available for your toddler, you may be hesitant to allow them to sleep on it after witnessing the wild nighttime gymnastics moves they are performing on the reg. Sometimes those hotel beds are HIGH, and you definitely don’t want your kiddo falling off.
But the Shrunks inflatlable bed rails really work! Place the bedrails under the sheet, then be sure to tuck the sheet (if you can’t tuck it securely, wrap it around the bed rail to keep it in place). They stay in place, and are high enough to keep your child in bed.
In fact, these bed rails are what my boys use MOST of the time when we travel. We LOVE them!
They fold up small to about 8″ x 5″ x 2.5in, and two weight only about 1.5 lbs. Shrunks provides a carrying bag, and a foot pump, but it’s really not necessary. They are small and can easily and quickly be blown up with only your breath.
Pros
- Small and light- perfect for travel, even by plane
- Works for all ages. Even safe for infants!
Cons
- Only works when there is a bed available for your child.
- Can slip off if not placed under the sheet correctly
Pros
- Travel friendly at 7.7 lbs and 48" x 24.5" x 9". It's a bit bigger than we'd like for airplane travel but still doable
- Comes with a fitted sheet
- Can work for your child as they grow for years, especially if you buy the extra long
Cons
- Not all models come with a carrying bag
- Works best with a bit of extra padding
- Cot-style bed can feel strange for some kids, making it impossible for them to relax and sleep.
Wilkin makes the CUTEST high quality kids stuff (we love their backpacks!), and this nap mat is no exception. They have several super adorable prints, and the material is soft and plush, as advertised. Many of the nap mat prints even coordinate with lunch boxes, backpacks, pencil cases, and more!
This nap mat has a padded bottom mat, and a build-in blanket. Note that the pillow portion of the mat is really a sleeve for folding up the nap mat, so it doesn’t really function as a pillow on it’s own. So, if your toddler needs one, you will need to bring one separately. The nap mat is 57″ long and 20″ wide, so toddlers and younger children will be able to use this mat.
The nap mat folds up into the pillow portion, and weighs in at about 3.8 lbs. The manufacturer did not provide ‘official’ folded up dimensions but my measurement is about 20″ x 15″ x 5″. So even though it’s a bit large, it’s quite lightweight, and it is squishy and can be packed into a suitcase fairly easily.
Pros
- At only 3.8 lbs, it's light enough for airplane travel, and squishy enough to stuff in a suitcase
- Cute patterns are lots of fun for toddlers
- Includes a blanket which can help minimize the number of items you need to bring.
Cons
- Not a TON of padding, so best when used on top of carpet or rugs
- Machine washable, but need to hang dry, which can be inconenient.
- No pillow included