Make Your Own Wooden Play Den

Most parents and carers will be familiar with the following scene – your home delivery arrives at the door in the midst of your toddler’s carefree rearrangement of everything in the lounge. Whilst you have a safety gate to stop them getting near the front door or stairs, how do you leave them in an overturned room long enough to bring the groceries or other shopping in?

This is where a playpen really comes into its own as a very convenient safe space to place your crawling baby or younger busy toddler when life throws some multi-tasking challenge your way. Equally, some days there are just times when you need to sit down and have a moment for yourself. Playpens provide that opportunity to continue being part of your child’s playtime without having to chase them round the home, giving you a chance to recharge your batteries and them a chance to experience independent learning.

We are able to test our playpens to the BS standard BS 8423:2010. All Safetots’ playpens come with an integral base which is one of the criteria for being eligible to be tested under this safety standard. If you are looking for a multi-panelled, tailor-made solution, our playdens will provide this. Please see our Safety Information on our Playden pages for further information of the testing we apply to Play Den products.

Playpens should be placed on a level floor surface away from dangling wires, heat sources or items which could be pulled into the playpen and used to assist them in climbing out – sofa cushions or throws would be examples which are easy to lift in and could be stood on to make climbing out easier. Consider the size of the toys placed in the playpen with your child for this same reason; keep them small and limit the number so they cannot be stacked to create height. Books are frequently used by toddlers to reach toys out of reach so only provide a couple in the playpen. If you have a sleepy dormouse of a tot who crashes out mid play, never place pillows or blankets in the playpen with them as they could get wedged between these and the playpen and suffocate – if they are asleep, they’re comfortably warm already. The most suitable place for routine nap time will always be their own bed.

Important Information

All Safetots’ playpens are designed for children up to the age of 2 years and have been tested and comply with the safety standard EN 12227:2010 when fitted in accordance with the instructions.

Routinely check your playpen for any damage to the material or frame. There is always a chance that a toy may cause a rip in the mesh or it is snagged on an item of furniture in your home when moved around. If your playpen has a zip doorway, check that the zip has not been fiddled with, particularly if you have older children in the home who are fascinated by how these sorts of fastenings work.

If there are older siblings, check that they have not generously left one of their own toys in the playpen for their little brother or sister to play with before you place your tot inside. These toys may not be suitable for this younger age group and could cause a serious accident.

Avoid tying toys to the frame as these pose a strangulation hazard. Once your toddler can climb out it is time to stop using the playpen.

Safety Testing

When buying a product to help keep your child out of harm’s way, Safetots believe it is worth investing in one that has been tested to a professionally approved level of safety using rigorous testing methods.

For this reason and where applicable, our products are tested to a British Standards Institution (BSI) standard and/or equivalent international standard. Each standard that our products complies with has been drawn up by a group of experts in the field. Not only do they have extensive knowledge about their product and credibility in the child safety product industry, they are also fully aware of the potential hazards posed by poor quality items being used in the home where children are involved.

The European Standard for playpens is EN 12227:2010. You can be reassured that all Safetots’ playpens comply with this standard and are retested whenever design upgrades are made, or components changed.

The title of the safety standard, EN 12227:2010 will be marked on your purchased playpen next to Safetots’ contact details.

What types of tests are carried out and why?

Small children and babies on the move are focussed on exploring everything in sight and, as they are speedy learners, they are permanently on the lookout for new things to play with. It goes without saying then that being placed in a playpen with restricted boundaries may prove challenging for some and not for others. The tests carried out are designed to mimic the actions of a small child looking for ways to break free from their safe playpen space as well as for those who are more than happy to bounce themselves off the sides and treat it like a gym. As everything goes in the mouth to aid learning in this age group, expect your child to mouth, chomp and teeth on the frame and materials no matter how interesting the toys sharing the playpen with them may be.

The standard includes tests to check for parts of the playpen which could be used as a foothold to assist climbing, finger and limb entrapment risks and entanglement hazards. Locking mechanisms within the frame are investigated for resilience and the stability of the playpen is ascertained using impact tests conducted from various angles. Regarding materials used, the durability of any paints or varnishes that the frame has been coated in (and the safety of the chemicals within these) undergo review, and bite tests are carried out to ensure parts cannot be removed by teething babies and create a choking risk. The materials also undergo flammability testing, and the mesh is checked for strength and durability to ensure even the most boisterous tot stays safely out of harm’s way.

In short, every effort has been made to ensure that a playpen complying with EN 12227:2010 will be a safe and hazard free product