A travel cradle is an indispensable gadget in a layette for a child whose parents like to travel – it is extremely comfortable for both the parent and the child, so it’s no wonder that it beats travel cots especially in the first months of life.
If you, even when traveling, prefer to avoid sleeping in the same bed with your baby, be sure to read our guide. You will learn what makes such a piece of furniture different, why you should buy it, and what is the best tourist cradle.
What is a tourist cradle?
Let’s start by explaining what a tourist cradle is. It takes the form of a folding piece of furniture for a child. Usually, the sleeping part is hung on a rack and has a depth of several dozen centimeters. It may look a bit like a pram’s gondola, but the travel cradle is made of much lighter materials and, as the name suggests, you can comfortably rock your baby to sleep in it.
Is it worth buying a tourist cradle?
A good tourist cradle is a godsend on every trip. We fold the furniture to a small size, and it usually weighs less than 10 kilograms, so it is easy to take it everywhere with you, even on the plane. Unfolding it often takes place with one hand and takes a few seconds, so that our tired little one can sleep peacefully, and we do not have to take him to bed in a hotel or other accommodation.
It’s not everything. A travel cradle can also be of great help at home. During cleaning, cooking or other duties or pleasure, we always keep an eye on the toddler. And when at night they lack the closeness of their parents, we can easily place the tourist cradle next to our bed, so that the baby can hear our breathing and smell the familiar smell.
Which tourist cradle to buy and choose?
Although this piece of furniture has been gaining popularity on the market only recently, we will find quite a lot of possibilities. So we have prepared a guide on how not to get lost in them.
When looking for the best tourist cradle, we should pay attention to:
- Weight and dimensions,
- Security,
- Mattress,
- The permissible weight of the child,
- Aeration,
- A mosquito net and a booth,
- Functionality,
- Additional advantages.
Weight and dimensions of a tourist cradle
A good travel cradle should be as light and small as possible when folded, so that it is easy to transport. However, this cannot be a feature that reduces the security of the solutions used. Fortunately, there are many offers on the market with a light, but safe, aluminum frame, a folding mattress and mesh sides.
The best tourist cradle not only weighs 5-8 kilograms and folds to an ankle, in which none of the dimensions exceeds several dozen centimeters, but also has a comfortable bag that protects against dirt and facilitates transport.
Is the tourist cradle safe?
A good tourist cradle ensures our toddler’s safety. A very important advantage is the non-slip feet, thanks to which we do not have to worry about accidental movement of the furniture, which could endanger the small tenant. In addition, it is worth paying attention to the blockade against folding the tourist cradle when there is a child inside. In a stationary store, let’s also check the stability of the entire structure – when buying online, we have to trust the impression and assurances of the manufacturer.
Mattress in a tourist cradle
The best travel cradle is a model with a mattress. It must be thick enough that the child does not feel the hard elements of the bottom of the den under the back. Ideally, in addition to foam, there are also natural materials, such as buckwheat or coconut. If we use a travel cradle at home, we can buy a regular mattress in the right size, but when traveling, we will usually rely on a foldable one, so it is worth paying attention to it.
Tourist cradle and the permissible weight of a child
Usually, good tourist cradles allow children weighing up to 9 kilograms and up to 6-8 months to be placed in them, although this criterion is mobile. It is about the safety of our child, because usually the piece of furniture is so shallow that a toddler who sits down or even gets up could fall out of it. Therefore, older babies should not be left unattended in the cradle.
Does this mean that the tourist cradle will only serve us for a few months? Not necessarily. There are models on the market that allow a child to weigh up to 15 kg, although they usually require the transformation of the cradle into an ordinary travel cot, when the toddler starts to sit down, precisely for safety reasons.
The airiness of the tourist cradle
As we often decide to travel, especially in summer, when the temperatures reach even 25-30 degrees, it is worth choosing an airy tourist cradle. This advantage will be ensured by the fact that the sides are made of a very durable mesh, which, on the one hand, will prevent our child from falling out of the cradle, and on the other, will ensure adequate air circulation even during the hottest heat.
Tourist cradle with a mosquito net and a shed
Mosquitoes and other insects are the bane of many parents. We do not find air conditioning everywhere, and we are afraid to open the window so that our child does not experience itchy bites, or worse, there is no wasp in his crib. A good tourist cradle with a mosquito net and a shed comes to our aid.
Thanks to such inconspicuous furniture, we can boldly spend time outside, while our little one sleeps by our side. The booth will provide shade on the child’s face on sunny days, while the airy mosquito net will not disturb the air circulation and protect against insects. We just have to make sure that it fits tightly to the sides of the tourist cradle, because a wasp, bee or hornet that gets under a poorly installed mosquito net can do even more damage if they cannot get out.
The functionality of a tourist cradle
The best travel cradle can perform several functions:
- Cradles,
- Tourist cot,
- Extra beds for parents’ bed,
- A portable bed for a child (thanks to wheels),
- Play center (thanks to the headband over the child’s head).
How does it work? You can see the example of the following video showing how easy it is to handle a good tourist cradle.
What is the best tourist cradle? Additional advantages
The best tourist cradle is a piece of furniture that we will surely use frequently and willingly. Top models are distinguished not only by stability, solid workmanship and speed of folding and unfolding, but also other advantages. These include, for example, a convenient compartment for diapers, bottles, wipes and other accessories, the possibility of washing the mattress cover, transport wheels and more.
Where to buy a travel cradle?
A good tourist cradle can be found in stationary and online stores with accessories for children, as well as in furniture stores and tourist and multi-branch stores. Manufacturers include, for example, Lionelo, Chicco, Milly Mally, Baby Mix, Kinderkraft, Lovi and others.
Price of a tourist craddle
How much is a tourist cradle? It all depends on the option you choose. We can buy basic models for around $50, and for the most functional propositions of well-known brands, we usually have to pay from $75 to $125.
Tourist cradle reviews
A good tourist cradle makes our child rest as comfortably as in his home bed. In fact, it can successfully replace them in the first months of life.
We are curious if you have had the opportunity to use such a piece of furniture while traveling or at home. How did it work? Which model can you recommend? Your opinions about tourist cradles are extremely valuable to us!
Tourist cradle / Ranking of the best ones
Our ranking of the best tourist cradles is a list of good, proven furniture, which you can trust in your child’s restful sleep.