If you are a parent to a young child, you may be trying to adjust your RV for living with a toddler or infant. This means you need to find a safe and secure place for them to sleep or play inside your camper. Pack n’ plays are often used by parents in homes, so it is natural that you would wonder if your pack n’ play will fit inside your RV. The answer to this question will depend on the size of your pack n’ play, as well as the size of your RV, but many people have used pack n’ plays and play pens inside their campers.
When camping with small children, safety must be your number one priority. While older children (ages 15 months+) can sleep in twin beds with a rail or enclosure to prevent them from falling, infants need more attention and care, especially while on the road. Play pens and pack n’ plays are excellent for keeping your children in an enclosed area for sleeping and playing, however you must choose one that will best fit the layout of your RV.
Keep in mind that you may not be able to find a pack n’ play that fits in your camper just right, but you may need to remove furniture from your RV for it to fit. Many RV owners who have attempted using a play pen needed to remove their dinette or a table from their living space in order to make one fit. Another option, would be finding a pack n’ play option that is slimmer, so it could possibly fit in between your living room and kitchen area.
An idea that is great for infants who are still young enough to fit in smaller areas would be to have a bedside sleeper. If you have room next to your master bed, you may be able to fit a small bedside crib. This would allow the parents to sleep closely with their child, which is especially great for newborns or children who can’t sleep through the night yet. Bedside sleepers take up less space than a large pack n’ play, and can also double as a changing table if needed.
Another common solution for RV owners who have infants is placing the pack n’ play in travel position on top of your dinette table. This creates a makeshift bed for your child that takes up less floor room. Some people may not find this as safe for your child, but if you safely secure the legs of your playpen to the table using some cords or ties, it should be completely safe for your infant. Keep in mind that this is ideal for sleeping at night, and we don’t recommend doing this while your RV is in movement.
This idea is best for people camping in smaller RV’s or pop-up campers, or anything with insufficient room for a pack n’ play. However, if you have a bigger RV, you may be able to fit your playpen inside your bedroom or within your living room space. As a parent, we’re sure you want to be as close to your child as possible, especially if it is their first camping trip. So if possible, you may choose to have your infant sleep with you in the master bed. If you don’t already have a pack n’ play that you want to use, you should consider buying one that will better fit inside your camper. There are many great play pen options in all sizes to choose from that may be more suiting to your needs. While you can find pack n’ plays in many sizes and styles, a mini pack n’ play may be one of the best options for those with limited space. Getting a play pen that can easily fold away would also be an important feature you should look for when purchasing a pack n’ play.
For those who find using a pack n’ play to be cumbersome and difficult, keep in mind that using a playpen inside your camper is only necessary for night time, and you can always take the play pen outside during the day hours. Pack n’ plays may seem large and take up a lot of space, but they are actually a great portable option that can be folded up and placed in a closet when not in use. If you are child is big enough, they shouldn’t need to be in the pen at all times, especially if you bring along a high chair or something they can sit in.
Ultimately, pack n’ plays are a great option for your child and will usually fit in a RV as long as you are willing to make room for it. If you plan on keeping your playpen up while traveling, take the proper safety measures and make sure it is properly secured and won’t rock back and forth due to movement.
Continue reading to find out if you can place a baby crib inside your RV:
Can I Put A Crib In My RV?
For those who do a lot of traveling in their RV or camper, you may be searching for a more permanent option for your baby to sleep in. Pack n’ plays, as we have discussed above, are a great solution if you have the space. However, they can take up a lot of room when you are traveling for days or even weeks. Despite pack n’ plays taking up a lot of room, cribs can actually take up even more and be more of a hassle to get around than a portable play pen.
There are some baby cribs on the market that are made to fold up and slide underneath another bed. However, they do still require a mattress, and will be in the way if you don’t have a bed to slide the crib under. Portable cribs are a good idea in theory, but they are really just play pens made of metal, wood, or a hard plastic.
If you have the space in your bedroom, placing a standard baby crib in your camper would be the perfect permanent bed and play area for your infant child. But if you do not have the space, using a portable folding play pen or pack n’ play would be the best option as it can be folded and placed away when not in use. If you insist on using a portable baby crib, you should try and find the smallest possible option that wouldn’t need an additional mattress.
Another option that is perhaps more ideal for babies ages 12 months and older would be using a baby mesh gate on the bottom bed bunk (if this is something you have in your RV). By placing this baby mesh gate around the opening of your bunk bed, you can create a safe space where your child shouldn’t be able to roll off. You may want to take more precautions if your child already knows how to roll around, but it would be a good temporary option if you haven’t figured out what to do permanently.
At the end of the day, it is not likely you will be able to fit a standard infant crib inside of your RV camper. However, a better choice may be a smaller portable crib without an extra mattress, or a small foldable pack n’ play. These ideas are safe for your child, while still not taking up too much space inside your camper.
Check out some of these pack n’ play and portable crib options that may be best for your RV layout:
Graco Pack ‘n Play LiteTraveler
This pack n’ play made by Graco is created specifically for traveling! This awesome play pen is nearly half the size of a standard pack n’ play, has a compact folding design, a mesh fold canopy, and is for indoor and outdoor use. This is a great for inside your RV or camper, and can be easily folded away when not in use. Check out this awesome Graco pack n’ play lite traveler.
Lightweight Foldable Travel Crib
This is another foldable travel crib option that is great for small spaces and for flexible living. This is a small and lightweight travel crib that is reliable and won’t tip over. This play pen is great for both infants and toddler, and can be used both indoors and outdoors. Check out this amazing child’s foldable travel crib for traveling in your RV or camper.
Snuggle Nest Portable Infant Lounger
This is another sleeping option for infant children in a RV or camper that takes up significantly less room than a playpen or portable crib. This small, soft, and cuddly infant lounger can be placed in a bed or inclosed area for your baby to safely sleep in at night. Many parents worry about having their child sleep in bed with them, so this snuggle nest lounger can help provide you with the security you and your child needs.
Mika Micky Portable Bedside Sleeper
This bedside sleeper is another great option for infants or small children to sleep inside your camper or RV. A bedside sleeper can provide both you and your child with the comfort needed to sleep soundly all night long. Bedside sleepers take up much less room than a playpen or portable crib, possibly making it the best option for you.
We hope this article helped you determine if a pack n’ play will fit in your RV! Sharing problems and solutions can make RV living so much easier. So if we didn’t include something that you have experienced, please leave a comment below to share with others. Until then, enjoy, be safe and have fun RVing!
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