Do you need a playpen for children. Why is the arena necessary? How and when to teach a child to playpen

This question is primarily asked by parents whose babies are not yet crawling. When the kids begin to move around, the awareness of the need for this design comes by itself. Today we will talk about how to properly fit a playpen, and how to teach a baby to sit in it.

With one hand you are trying to cook soup, with the other you are cleaning up thrown on floor toys, and hold the phone with your shoulder to tell your mother about your child's new skills. Meanwhile, your child has already reached the locker where the spices are stored and generously sprinkled himself with salt ... Isn't it time to think about a safer place? Perhaps this will be a real lifesaver for you.

During pregnancy, it seems that you do not need a place where you can leave the baby for up to a year, because why, if the child is so desired, and this strange accessory seems like a lattice for small children. It seems to every mother that she will be the best for her child, and will be there all the time. But only when the baby begins to crawl and it is no longer possible to keep up with him, many mothers begin to think about the need for a safe place for their child. Now this is not a lattice for a child, but a real salvation for young mother who in parallel studies in the magistracy and combines the upbringing of the child, study and housekeeping.

Why do you need an arena

In principle, we can say that the arena is a fenced off place for the baby. You can even make it yourself, but you can also buy it ready-made in the store, which, of course, is much more reliable.

Most of them vary in size. From the smallest, which are not much larger than a crib, to the huge ones, whose area reaches 10 meters.

In addition, they differ in the side slats. Playpens come with a side net, wooden plates, plastic, inflatable and this is not the whole range that almost any children's toy store can offer you.

They also differ in the lower part. It can be made from:

• soft material;
• solid;
• absent.

REFERENCE! An excellent option is a transformer, which has additional functions, and can perform both the role of a crib and the role of an arena.

Safety is of the utmost importance. In the arena, it will be quite difficult for a child to get some- or injury, because he is fenced off from all dangerous things.

Above all the above, it is the personal space of the baby. This is his space where he can play without hurting himself.

But it’s not worth keeping the child locked up all the time! The arena is such a “magic wand” when there is no way to watch all the time.

How to teach a child to playpen

You need to start leaving the baby in the playpen even before he can sit down or stand up on his own. Put the baby down for a couple of minutes and leave the room. In addition, there should be new toys that can interest the child. Do not give these toys in the crib so that the child understands well that they can only be found here. Don't keep your baby alone for too long. Over time, the child will begin to understand that his mother has not forgotten about him, but only went away for a while and will soon return for him.

Over time, increase the length of time your baby is in the playpen. Do not make a playpen a punishment for a baby.

REFERENCE! It is necessary to teach the child as soon as possible so that he does not perceive it as a punishment. You can avoid screaming with gradual teaching a child who after that it will be possible to leave in a safe place called an arena.

Do not forget that kids are very impressionable people. They enjoy the toy, but also quickly get bored with it.

How to choose the right playpen

Let's find out - how to choose the right playpen that will be convenient for both parents and the baby?

There are two varieties - simple and transformer. It is convenient to use the playpen-bed, because at a party you can simply move the lower shelf and the playpen will turn into a cradle.

Playpens can be different forms- round, square, polygonal, but square models are considered the most convenient. In addition, they are very easy to fold and do not take up much space when stored.

Make sure it's stable! Some models can be thrown over, which calls into question the safety of the baby.

NOTE! It is important that all metal parts are hidden from the baby, and there are no sharp corners.

Transformers are a convenient option for parents who travel a lot. They fold up nicely and don't take up much space.

Also there are wooden structures that can be placed in the hall or in the kitchen. It is worth noting some shortcomings of such models. Rigiditystructures about which the child may hit. Between the slats, the arms or legs of the baby can get stuck, so it is absolutely impossible to leave the child in such playpens for a long time unattended! Besides, from wood, a child can bring a splinter. Also, wood will require a lot of time and effort to clean up from pollution.

Each model is convenient and easy to use. Decomposition and assembly does not take much time. Plus, it takes up minimal storage space. Now you are familiar with the minimum rules, thanks to which you can purchase comfortable model just for you and your baby.

When choosing a playpen, be as careful as possible, because your child must be safe!

“Oh, how convenient it would be - put the child in some device, he would play there, have fun, and at that time I washed the dishes, and lay down in the bathroom, and talked to my friend”.

And it turned out that such devices have been around for a long time - playpens! Will the baby be there? Like it? Isn't it harmful?

In fact, the child does not need playpens. They need parents. So are pacifiers, diapers, slings and walkers. To make your decree easier - find time for household and personal affairs, get less tired and enjoy life. On the other hand, think about whether newfangled things are really needed. Will they do harm?

The arena can help out a lot, and stand idle, collect dust. The child may not want to stay in it, feeling uncomfortable there. His activity is high and the whole apartment is needed for research, and not a small shred of it! However, if your kid likes to look at books, shift toys, the playpen will become a place for him to play, which is also safe.

BEHIND

Whatever you say, it's convenient. The child is busy, which means there is some free time.

So that the playpen is associated only with positive emotions - put him there when he is as calm as possible, full, set to play . If the baby is naughty, and you put him there to calm down, the arena will become a place of "punishment", and it is unlikely that he will play there calmly another time.

The time spent in the arena is a maximum of half an hour . As soon as the baby gets tired of being with himself and requires attention, pull him out and take him to other things.

The arena should not be bright - the child will either get overexcited, or quickly get tired and begin to act up.

Place the playpen so that you (dad, grandmother, nanny) are in sight . Even if he is very carried away, he will look around - and if his mother is nearby. Near? Everything is good. And you can go about your business without sitting near the arena - everyone will be fine. If you sit the child down and leave (for a long time) - there will be no pleasant associations with him. Therefore, determine the place in that room (in the kitchen) where you need it most.

AGAINST

There are opinions that using the arena is a whim. It is harmful to the development of the child and creates a psychological barrier.

A child needs a large area to learn to crawl. In the arena, the baby will be able to sit, get up, walk, adhering. But doctors recommend not to lose sight of the process of crawling, as it is very important. The arenas do not provide this possibility, with the exception of large arenas, which are half the size of a room. It is especially not recommended to put children in the playpen who have hip dysplasia or any other types of disorders in the musculoskeletal system. Getting up early and walking is a load on the spine and legs.

And pediatricians do not advise even healthy children to stay in the arena for a long time.

But, no one says that the child should be placed in the arena for 24 hours a day. Let it be only 15 minutes, but a very important 15 minutes when mom has time to iron dad's shirts. Reduce the intervals of stay in the arena, let the child spend most of the time outside of it.

The same applies to psychological barriers. This fear is greatly exaggerated. After all, the stroller is a barrier, and the crib is a barrier, but they cling to the arena.

If the child is categorically against being left in the arena, do not put him there. If the baby calmly plays in it, showing that he is comfortable, no psychological trauma is created for him.

Another argument against is that you can do without it.

That's right. Many families do this by adjusting to household chores in other ways.

Always watch the child's reaction. Yes, the playpen can be very useful to your friend, and she will praise him and convince him that the thing is irreplaceable. And your baby won't stay in it even for a second. Don't get upset, just look for another way out of the situation. There are no definitive advices in its acquisition. Consider all the pros and cons, do not panic and always look for the golden mean!

Did you use the playpen? Useful? What are your impressions?

For the baby, the playpen becomes a new space that he can explore. The playpen holds a lot of toys. The child will be happy to take his old friends there with him and will be happy with new toys. Many models are equipped with special rings, holding on to which the baby learns to stand up and sit down. It is safer to fall in the mesh walls, unlike the hard sides of the bed, which can cause injury. It is difficult to fall out of the arena or get out without outside help. In it you can be next to your mother, for example, in the kitchen while your mother is cooking, and not be left alone in the crib.

But at the same time, the arena is a very limited space. A long stay in it can interfere with the development of crumbs, which already knows how to crawl or walk well. Even if the child plays calmly and does not act up, you should not leave him there longer than you really need.

Not every child agrees to spend time in the arena. Some children can occupy themselves for a long time, crawl, get up, play, throw toys over the side and demand them back. Others express loud indignation at any attempt to place them in the arena and do not agree to spend even a minute in it. Then this piece of furniture quickly turns into a large basket for toys or non-ironed linen.

Whether your son or daughter will like a new place to play is impossible to predict in advance. If your child enjoys playing in the crib for at least 20 minutes and remains calm when mom leaves the room, he may also like the playpen. If your baby spends most of the time in the arms of their parents and cries as soon as they lose sight of adults, it is better to refuse to buy.

Playpen for mom

If a mother with a child is at home alone all day, without assistants, the playpen can be a real salvation for her. To wash the floors or calmly drink tea, iron the baby's things or look at the Internet, cook dinner or do homework with the older child - free minutes for the baby's mother are necessary. If the baby sleeps a lot in the first months, daytime sleep becomes shorter with age.

Mom can be in the same room with the child and go about her business while the baby plays in the arena. Folding playpens are easy to move from room to room and set up where they are needed. Mom can even leave the room for a few minutes, knowing that the child is safe.

The stores present great amount different models of arenas, and you can easily find the right fixture for functions and budget. The compact folding mesh playpen is suitable for a city apartment when there is a need to move the playpen from room to room. A collapsible wooden structure is used when it is necessary to enclose part of the room for the baby. The playpen bed is ideal for cottages and travel. A cheerful inflatable playpen will give a lot of happy minutes to the crumbs.

A newborn baby needs a lot of attention, care, and care. Over time, he grows up, begins to sit down, crawl, actively explore the world, depriving his mother of personal leisure. Therefore, when a “ball of happiness” appears at home, parents think about an arena. Is he needed? Will it hurt the baby to stay in it?

Is it worth buying

The main advantage of the arena:

• baby safety;
• the appearance of personal free time with mom.

The use of a protective structure is more important for parents than for a child. They leave the baby in safety and do household chores. After all, vigilant control can not always be provided to a beloved child.

The disadvantages of using the arena often include:

• territory restriction;
• decrease in baby's mobility.

These shortcomings of the effect of the fence on physical development crumbs are still debatable. Firstly, in the intervals between sleep, the child will not always be active, he also needs to develop fine motor skills, play with educational toys. For these purposes, the arena is best suited. Secondly, we are not talking about the fact that the baby has been in a confined space all day. This is definitely harmful.

But for a while, while mom needs, for example, to cook dinner, it will be very useful. In addition, the design can be transferred to the kitchen and talk with the baby all this time. Of course, the older the child becomes, the less time he should spend in the arena. Due to the limited space, the child moves less, which affects the poor development of muscle mass.

At what age do you need

If there is a need for a playpen for a baby, then it will be needed from 3-4 months, because later, when independent movement begins, this will be perceived as a restriction of personal freedom and may be protested. In more early age newborns are much more comfortable in a crib or stroller.

You can use the playpen up to 1-1.3 years, then the child will be able to get out and its main function - safety, the design will cease to perform.

Or not, each parent decides for himself. All children are different, some can stay in a fenced area for about an hour, calmly playing, others protest from being in it for a minute. Therefore, only personal experience, knowing the nature of your little one, will help you make the right choice.