9 of the best baby playpens UK 2024

Award: Won Gold at the Mother&Baby Awards 2023 for Best Safety Product 

Perfect for parents with limited space, the Venture All Stars Joy Baby Playpen provides little ones with a safe, spacious environment to play and have fun. And when playtime is over, the baby playpen can be collapsed and popped easily into a corner or cupboard. Venture's Joy is wipe clean and strong enough to survive many rigorous playtimes. Its toughness doesn't make it any less comfortable, though, all of the fabrics are soft enough for shuffling little legs and feet.

One parent tester said: "The item feels well made and high quality. I really like the fact it is an understated grey colour rather than lurid colours with garish patterns. Other than being quite large, it wouldn't be a huge eye-sore if you are bothered about the aesthetics of your home. The material is wipeable and is also entirely removable so that it can be machine washed - I think this is invaluable. Size-wise, it is quite large, and it is pretty heavy too (15kg), which is worth bearing in mind. Although it comes with a handy carry bag with a strap, I wouldn't really describe it as portable due to its bulk and weight."

Read our Venture All Stars JOY Baby Playpen review.

This Hadwin Foldable playpen is portable and folds into a compact travel bag, meaning it's great for taking with you on holiday or for playdates. It has a weather-resistant canvas floor, so it's great for use outdoors too. There is no door or gate opening, so you will have to lift your baby in and out - bear this in mind if you've had a C-section and it's still tricky to lift your baby.

One review said: "My little one has recently started crawling and pulling everything down. I couldn't leave the room but didn't want to put him into a small place in which he couldn't move around much. This playpen is a fantastic size, he has all his toys in there and still a lot of room to crawl and move around. It is easy to put up and take down, which means you could easily take it with you to a friend's house, to the beach etc. It folds down to a very small size and is easily carried and put in the car. My baby enjoys being in it, no troubles so far."

The size of the Venture All Stars Duo Plastic playpen is a massive selling point, plus it's so flexible - it's easy to change the size and shape depending on how much space you have. This is great if you're moving the playpen between rooms or if you take it to a friend's house for a play date. We love this grey colour, as it matches pretty much any colour scheme in your home. It's also easy to build and take down - the plastic panels click together easily, and it's lightweight, too.

Tested by mum Jasmine: "The product is fantastic. It's very large, so it means my toddler can play inside it safely with a lot of her toys in there as well. This is a handy place for me to store her toys as well, so it means that at the end of the day, everything is going back into one place rather than various toy boxes and bags.

"Because it's spacious and secure, I can sit her in there whilst she's happily playing if I need to nip out of the room quickly to get her a drink etc. While in there, the dog and her are kept separate. Although I don't obviously rely on this, but it's an extra barrier between them whilst she is playing. The soft mats mean she's safe for small trips and falls, so gives me peace of mind."

Read our full Venture All Stars DUO Playpen review.

Offering a safe and versatile space for your little one to play and explore, the Hexa is crafted with a sleek and modern design featuring hexagonal panels. Made from sturdy materials, it provides a secure environment for your child while allowing ample airflow and visibility. The playpen comes with a soft padded mat for added comfort during playtime. Folding seamlessly in less than a minute, the lightweight and portable design makes it easy to move around the house or take on the go.

Tested by Reviews Editor Emily Gilbert: "I knew I would need somewhere safe for my little one when he starts to crawl and the Tutti Bambini Hexa ticks every box for us. Not only does it look lovely in our living room but it folds up so compactly that we don't need to leave it out all the time if we don't want and we can also take it along with us when travelling in the handy travel bag."

Whether you have space constraints or want to create a dedicated area for your little one to play in, the BabyDan Baby Playpen With Wall Fittings is the perfect solution. We love its modern black design and the fact that it comes with a washable playmat. If that wasn't enough to convince you that this is the right option for you, then the fact that this playpen meets the latest European safety standard will.

One review said: "The pen wasn't particularly easy to assemble, however, this is because it is such a sturdy and safe structure once it is built up that it's understandable that it takes a bit of elbow grease to put it together. The mat has cushioned many a tumble, and it has been through the wash a few times now and come out fine. Really helpful to be able to pop baby in here to play for a short period just to give us a chance to get on with little jobs and has also helped with her strength as she is supporting herself by holding the bars as she practices standing up."

This UANLAUO Baby Play Pen with Mat comes in a lovely neutral colour that matches any home decor. It is durable and has T-joints to ensure stability and also has four-floor suction cups to ensure grip on wooden or laminate floors. It also comes with a reversible floormat that's also waterproof. It's a good height, and babies can't climb out of it, but it does have secure pull handles to help with your baby developing their arm and leg strength.

One review said: "Both my children love the playpen, and it definitely helps with the parenting life. The size is also really good, and they have space to crawl around in the good quality mat."

This lovely Joie Cheer Playpen is a square design to allow more space to play, and even has a feature side with detachable plush toys to make the playpen more exciting and engaging for babies. It's also suitable for nap time, so you don't need to worry if your baby falls asleep while in the playpen (just be sure to remove any toys when baby is asleep!)

One review said: "I am delighted with this product. My little boy loves it. The design is great for babies to look at, especially with the detachable toys. I was worried that the bottom of the playpen would be too hard, but its soft and comfy enough for baby to nap if they fall asleep whilst playing. My little boy is 4 months at the moment and is trying so hard to roll and this has given him the perfect, safe space for him to try and do so. It's a decent size.

The zip at the front was the selling point for me. Because I am short I found it hard placing my baby and lifting him back out of other playpens. This is perfect, plus you are able to easily lean in and play with your little one. It may seem more expensive than others, but the first playpen I purchased was a nightmare to put up, kept collapsing and by the time you buy a comfortable mattress to put at the bottom there is really not much difference in the price. Extremely easy to assemble. Will certainly recommend this product."

How adorable is this Koo-Di Happy Home Foldaway Playpen? Boasting features like a zip door for easy access, a foldable design that neatly stores away in a travel bag and its mesh material that is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use, it's easy to see why this option is high on our list.

One review said: "Assembly... or rather 'put up' is extremely easy.. just pull out the bars and lift the cross bars. To pack away, the unit easily pushes together and folds up very small (like a small pram)"

A perfect playpen if your house is styled with Scandi designs - it's beautifully simple and stylish but also super practical. Really easy to fold away and store when your baby isn't playing in it or mould into different shapes. We love the range of colours for the connectors that the Baby Vivo Baby Playpen is available in - whether you want vivid blue or a lovely grey colour. It also gets brownie points for being made mostly out of wood, which is important to us these days.

One review said: "The playpen is of very high quality, the colour is beautiful. It is also really practical because it can be folded up and stowed away or set up elsewhere so super quickly."