North States Superyard XT Gate Play Yard
This playard from North States is a great choice for parents who spend time outside and need to keep an eye on baby while gardening or enjoying the sunset. The weather-resistant plastic allows it to stand up to Mother Nature and most toddlers up to the age of 2. North States? playard folds up easily for convenient portability. But it?s not only meant for outdoor use. It can just as easily be set up inside–for a few hours of entertainment while at the grandparents? or permanently at home base. Once the six interlocking panels are connected, the size-adjustable device boasts 18.5 square feet of protective play room. If you decide to purchase the 2-panel extension kit (sold separately), this can increase to 34 square feet. Imagine the possibilities! Other benefits are that the playard is durable and lightweight for easy portability (a carrying strap is even included), it is easy to clean, and it offers quick access to baby. Should you want to prevent baby from…
Buy North States Superyard XT Gate Play Yard at Amazon
I bought this as a playpen substitute. It’s as advertised, so I don’t have any complaint about the quality, but up close it looks even cheaper than it does in the photo. The person who said it looks like a dog kennel nailed it. So if you’re looking for something that will go well with the decor in your living room, don’t bother with this.
The way it looks doesn’t bother me that much; what does bother me is that my son, by the age of 12 months, had learned how to push this thing around. It doesn’t anchor to anything, so he started to shove it all over the living room, making it tip and generally creating chaos. My solution was to attach those removable non-marring 3M “Command” hooks to the wall and tie coated wire around them, then lash that wire to the play yard. It doesn’t look beautiful, that’s for sure, but it works; the play yard doesn’t budge any more. If your little one is walking, you too will have to jury-rig a solution to their tendency to push the yard around and even lift it if they’re strong enough.
I also recommend you get those colorful interlocking foam tiles to put under the play yard; it makes the play area a bit safer. Amazon sells the “Edushape” brand, but you can get various brands just about anywhere.
All in all, it’s not an elegant solution, but weary parents who need a break will love it with all its flaws.
I purchased two of these gates for my twins with hopes of connecting them together forming a rectangle around their existing play mat. This product certainly could not perform that function. My 10m/os tipped it over immediately. Then we tried the gates as advertised, individually as hexagons, and they still were able to move them.
The worst part was trying to return them. They were placed in one order, but Amazon shipped them as two. When requesting a ‘call tag’ to retrieve them, they only picked up one box. The other remained on my front porch. Multiple emails and calls finally rid me of the other gate and I received my refund.
I ended up buying two Kidco Playdens PD10. They connected together in the 8′ X 4′ configuration I needed (I called Kidco first to make sure), there is two swinging entries, it is very sturdy, it is taller than the Superyard, and they can not climb it. This solution costs more, but was really my only option.
For children of the age where they are challenging their standing and climbing skills, I would keep moving when looking at this product.
When our 2nd kiddo started getting mobile, I knew it was time to kid-proof the great room. Problem is, our great room is just that – great, as in large. The doorways are wide, the floor space is large, and our very curious 9-month-old was eager to explore every nook and cranny. Our older daughter wasn’t quite as curious at this stage, plus we were living in a different house at that time, so we were faced with a new challenge of creating a safe play area for the baby.
One day I had the idea of getting a play yard for the great room, instead of covering/blocking every single potential “hazard” (the entertainment cabinet, the CD tower, etc.). I ventured to Babies R Us and found this play yard and the extension kit (2 extra panels) and bought it. I set it up at home and have been happy with it ever since.
For awhile, I used it in its totally enclosed state, but the baby didn’t like being separated from the rest of us. I tinkered with it and came up with a way to keep her out of trouble, while still allowing her access to us – right now, it’s in a large arc shape with one end butting up against the couch, the other end butting up against a chair. She has plenty of room to play (I keep her toys in there with her) but she can’t get out or get to any “dangerous” stuff in the great room.
As for looks, yeah, our great room isn’t company-ready right now. But we have a 4 year old and a 10-month-old in the house, so the house isn’t pristine anyway (my house is CLEAN, just not always NEAT…ha ha). I figure it’s temporary, until she’s old enough to know to not touch certain things. Besides, we don’t have company, except for family, so the unattractive-ness of the play yard isn’t an issue here. Even so, I’d gladly overlook the ugliness of it just for the convenience and benefits it provides.
When the time comes that we no longer have to use this for the kiddo, I’ll probably hang onto it, either to offer up to friends/relatives someday, or to keep as a puppy play yard for the future.