A Travel Essential: BABYBJÖRN Travel Crib Light

As a family that travels frequently, I am always searching for items that make traveling with little ones easy and efficient. Often our travels include planes, trains, and small automobiles, so I have a special spot in my heart for items that are made with space and efficiency in mind. New on my list of must-haves for every traveling parent is the BABYBJÖRN Travel Crib Light, which is the perfect portable crib and mini play yard for wherever your travels take you, even if it’s just to the family room.

On our first trip after our daughter had moved to her big crib, we realized that our sweet, snuggly baby was now unable to sleep without flailing wildly in all directions, kicking everyone in her path. Gone were the days of the three of us sharing a bed when we traveled, because exploring with no sleep is no fun for anyone. To solve this problem, we tried a pack and play style playpen and were disappointed by the weight, bulk, and the multi-step set up. Add that to the fact that our daughter absolutely hated them, and we knew we had to find a better solution for traveling as a family.

One of my first introductions to the Travel Crib Light was through a link to the BABYBJÖRN Travel Crib Light Challenge which shows parents, siblings and grandparents setting up the Travel Crib in mere seconds. You can read over and over how easy the Travel Crib Light is to set up, but there is something about seeing it in action that is so compelling. And even more so is the fact that the BABYBJÖRN Travel Crib literally needs no instructions, the design is that intuitive and easy for just about anyone to master in minutes.

And, we mastered the set up in seconds, putting the crib together in one easy movement over and over just because it was fun. Of course, we had to take the BABYBJÖRN Travel Crib Light Challenge ourselves, timing ourselves setting up the portable crib in our living room. Our crowning achievement was when hubby set the crib up in 11 seconds… one handed. Why one handed? Anyone who has ever held a sleeping baby in their arms and been struggling to find a safe place to set them while they set up bed knows how much this little fact is worth. The easy set up and clean up makes it perfect for when we’re visiting the grandparents for the day or if she’s coming with me to work for a few minutes, and it’s nice to know that I have a safe and clean place for her to play without having to fully babyproof every place we visit.

Easy set up aside, the BABYBJÖRN Travel Crib Light has a list of features that make it an essential travel piece and one of our top picks for baby. Weighing in at only 11lbs and secured in its own sturdy handled carrying case (24" x 19.5" x 3"), the BABYBJÖRN Travel Crib Light is incredibly easy to transport around town or to check as luggage for airplane travel. We found that there was even enough extra room in the carrying case to fit in some minimal bedding of our own and even a small toy or two.

The Travel Crib Light is made with high quality and machine washable Oko-Tex Standard 100, class 1 approved fabrics that offer piece of mind as well as being soft and comfortable against your little one’s skin. Unlike other portable cribs, the BABYBJÖRN base is designed to sit directly on the floor with a stable and supportive bottom that is wider than the top of the crib. This trapezoid design is to prevent tipping from both inside and outside of the crib and makes it safer for siblings and hectic, multi-kid environments. With a padded top bar, fully hidden hinges, and a sturdy metal frame that cannot be felt from the inside of the crib, I feel completely comfortable with both small babies and active toddlers alike sleeping and playing in the crib. The ultra comfortable design is complete with a one-piece waterproof mattress that is both plush and breathable, offering a level of coziness that is unparalleled in traditional travel cribs.

As surprised as I was to find that the BABYBJÖRN Travel Crib Light is not only incredibly easy to use but also answers all the design flaws we found with other portable cribs and play yards, the truly shocking thing is how much my daughter loves the Travel Crib. She actually asks to be put in it daily and truly enjoys it once she’s been placed in it. I think the comfortable mattress paired with the solid base contact makes the crib more comfortable than others and resembles her crib more closely, but also I think she sees the Travel Crib Light as a cozy little hangout where she can relax, read books and play in her special little area. But, whatever the reason she loves it is fine by me, as long as the end result is a happy toddler and a well rested family of travelers, the details of why suddenly become very unimportant.

Price: $279.95

http://www.babybjorn.com/

And now for the Giveaway…

One lucky Rave and Review reader will win a BABYBJÖRN Travel Crib Light!

To Enter: You must visit BABYBJÖRN and tell me another product you would love to own.

And, as always, there are extra entries available!

1) Let me know you subscribe to Rave and Review, top of right sidebar (2 extra entries, must be verified to count – leave two comments)

2) Go to BabyBjorn Believers and see if you qualify to join. Click here to sign up. (2 extra entries for signing up – leave two comments)

3) Become a BabyBjorn fan on Facebook and leave a comment on their page letting them know that Rave and Review sent you or that you have signed up for their BabyBjorn Believers Group!

4) Tweet about this Giveaway using @raveandreview and @BabyBjorn and #giveaway after following us both (daily Tweet, just post link here)

5) Blog about this Giveaway with links back to this post as well as the www.raveandreview.com homepage

6) Place my button or logo in your sidebar on your blog or website (must have an active link)

7) Comment love. Enter any of my other Giveaways or comment on any non-giveaway post!

8) Email love. Share this Giveaway with friends and family via email and cc Leanne (at)raveandreview (dot) com (I will never, ever contact your email recipients)

9) Vote for Rave and Review on Top Baby Blogs, logo in right sidebar (daily entry, just tell me what rank I have)

On April 16th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email. Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway open to US addresses only.

Winners, winners! This giveaway is closed. Thank you to all who entered and congratulations to Alma who won the Travel Light Crib!

Alma said…

I love the BABYBJÖRN Baby Carrier Active Organic, it looks really safe and it's fashionable. I'd love to own it.

A huge thank you to Baby Bjorn for saving our travel sanity by sending their Travel Crib Light for us to review and for offering a giveaway to our fabulous readers. No monetary compensation was received for this Rave Review.