Review: Kidco PeaPod Plus

I was super excited to try the Kidco PeaPod Plus as I'd been eying it for a long time. Since we've transitioned to a "big girl bed" I knew that I could no longer rely on the trusted pack-n-plays on the road and really didn't want her to sleep with us. We gave it a whirl a few weeks ago when we visited my parents.

For those of you unfamiliar with it, it's basically a portable pop-up tent. It includes an air mattress (w/pump), a sleeping bag, and ours included an optional super cute mini version w/mini sleeping bag for dolls. The "PeaPod Plus" is different from the regular PeaPod in that it is larger, includes the sleeping bag and offers the option of the the mini toy version. It all folds up and stores in a circular storage bag with straps for easy travel. It has doors/screens just like regular tents and has UV protection so it can be used outside as well.

Unfortunately, my gal saw it more as a play thing than a cozy sleeping spot and we were unsuccessful in getting her to sleep in it. Note, that I didn't use the air mattress because it was going to be used on a carpeted floor and I wanted to keep the weight below 50lbs in my suitcase (we flew). If I had used the mattress, it may have made it feel more like a bed.

I have a feeling that it would work better when camping, and will definitely use it the next time we go (although that will likely be far from now since I'm due with #2 in a few weeks). I also have a feeling that if we had introduced it to her earlier when she was still in her crib we would have had more luck.

Like all kid gear we get, I will continue bringing it out and trying it because as we all know our finicky kids don't like something one minute and the next they are all over it. I think it's a great product and am confident that she'll sleep in it at some point, and if not we'll introduce it to her little sister earlier on who will hopefully take to it. If anything, we now have a sleeping bag and air mattress that fit her, and she loves playing with it and the mini version.

On to the review....
All reviews on a four star scale ****

Functionality *** 1/2: This product delivers on exactly what it's supposed to do. It's easy to pop up and fold up. It stores conveniently and easily in the storage bag, and is easy to carry with the straps. Not to mention how much lighter and smaller it is to travel with vs. a pack-n-play.

The screen windows, UV protection, and fact that the air mattress is inserted into a zippered pocket on the bottom of the tent show real thought went into the design and usage of the product. Although we haven't given it a lot of wear and tear yet, the material seems strong and reliable. The zippers seem to be the weakest link as they could be stronger/wider and I wouldn't be surprised if they break at some point.

Cost *** 1/2: At $67 through Amazon, the Kidco PeaPod Plus is comparable or cheaper than a basic pack-n-play. The closest tent-like products to this are the Phil and Ted's Traveller at ~$150 and the Baby Bjorn Travel Crib at a whopping $214. Kids sleeping bags alone look to start around $40, so I think that this is a great value and priced right, I'd even pay the regular cost of ~$85 given everything it includes.

Style *** 1/2: This is the "Princess" pink version, so it's definitely very girly. But the PeaPods come in other colors as well. The overall tent design and style are great and a lot of fun.

Overall *** 1/2: If she had actually slept in it I would have definitely given it a 4 star rating. I really think it is still a fantastic product and am confident we'll get good use out of it with one or both of our girls.

FYI - Useful tips from other reviews that I've read:

• You don't need the pump to blow up the air mattress, you can blow it up yourself.
• The red/blue version is darker and may encourage sleep better.
• To acclimate your child try it in their crib for a few nights.
• A crib mattress fits over the air mattress in the "Plus" version if you don't want to insert the air mattress into the zippered pocket on the bottom.