Not sure where to start? Jumaimah Hussain from Kiddies Kingdom has outlined the following key features to look out for when buying a travel cot. The door zips up with sturdy zips that stand up well to repeated use and they are on the outside so your little Houdini shouldn’t be able to get out without you knowing about it (if you want them to be able to get out, just leave a tiny gap for their little fingers and they should be able to pull the zip down).

Easy to transport: some travel cots can be heavy, so look for one that suits your needs. Some cots also come with a carry-bag or wheels which can make it easier to transport. As you may have already noticed, there are many different brands, so it’s essential to understand that some brands will be better than others. You need to ensure your child will be safe so ideally, you will buy from a brand that has been established more many years leading to it having a strong reputation for high-quality products.

Top 5 Travel Cots

There are many areas where it’s fine to skimp on quality – we don’t believe this is one of them! Tips For Using a Caravan Travel Cot or Bassinette Let your child acclimatise Is it normal for you to arrive at your destination late at night? If yes, then this is one of the reasons you need to consider how easy it is to assemble the travel cot when you’re ready to use it. You don’t want a cot that’s fiddly and takes 30 minutes of frustration to get into place, especially if you’re in a rush or its late at night. Cost

Travel cots can be more than just space for your child to sleep in, but can also double up as a play area when they’re awake. This also gives you a space that you can safely place a child without the danger of them crawling around the caravan where they can get into accidents. Mattress This essentially gives you added protection so in the case that a fault develops, the manufacturer will offer you support in the form of either a replacement or repair. This gives you the added peace of mind that the manufacturer believes in the quality of their product. Brand It’s important to understand both the assembled and folded size of the cot. You need to ensure that you have enough room in your caravan for it to stay when your baby’s sleeping. The sides are a bit lower than on the Baby Bjorn so it is slightly easier for shorter people to lower the baby in through the top (and there is the door). This means that it is a bit more spacious than a tent style crib and your child will be better able to stand up in this. In fact, they are often used as daytime playpens for young babies.This fits well with our travel style where we will generally be moving location quite frequently on any trip, and often we will be relying on public transport to get around so have to carry our own travel gear quite a lot. It is hard to get the mattress properly flat, it often ends up with a few contours along it. It is also a bit thinner than the Baby Bjorn The BABYBJÖRN travel cot is one of the easiest travel cots to set up and dissemble. All you need to do is lift the cot out of the included travel bag, and you can set it up in a single movement. Mesh window: a good travel cot should have at least one mesh window so that you can always see the baby.

The Peapod is a well-designed travel crib and they have also thought to include some useful features for outdoor use including UV protection and anchor straps. The side panels are a see-through airy mesh that allows you to keep an eye on your baby and allows air to flow in freely. Bassinet attachment: if you have a newborn, you’ll benefit massively from this feature which fits across the top of the travel cot, providing a crib for your newborn to sleep in. With this portable travel crib, you don’t just get a newborn travel cot/bassinet but also a changing mat and a diaper bag all in one.Despite the low weight, this is a decent sized crib so your child will have plenty of space to move around. The mesh sides are seethrough so you can keep an eye on them at all times. We like how the Peapod comes fully assembled with the sleeping pad snapped to the underside of the floor. You don’t need to do anything, and it can be folded and stored with the sleeping pad fully attached. One of the main reasons we still use a travel crib rather than a toddler travel bed is because they can provide protection from mosquitos. You can get pop-up cots, fold out cots and tent style poled cots that all require a different amount of time and effort to put up.