4 Best Portable Toddler Beds, According to Our Parenting & Travel Experts
Young kids ages 2 and up may need something smaller than a twin mattress but less babyish than a crib.
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When traveling with a baby, it's easy to take along a compact travel crib, usually a playard or Pack 'n Play. But once your toddler hits age 2 or older, they might balk at a crib (and if not, count yourself lucky!) while being too little for a high grown-up bed. A toddler travel bed gets you through the years from about ages 2 to 6, providing a safe, comfy sleep spot that's low to the ground for your boy or girl to use in a hotel, rental house, or family member's home, like the grandparents' house.
Our top picks
• Best Overall: The Shrunks Inflatable Toddler Travel Bed
• Best Value: Regalo My Cot
• Best with High Bumpers: Hiccapop Inflatable Toddler Travel Bed
The beds and cots on this list are not safe for babies, so don't rush a toddler bed. We recommend these for ages 2 and up.
Best Deal
Pros
- Use your own crib/toddler sheet
- Can handle up to 300 pounds
- Inflates quickly
- Glowing version also available
Cons
- Best for a narrow window of toddler/preschool use
Best for: Youngsters still sleeping on a crib/toddler mattress at home. Because you can wrap a crib sheet around the inside (brown) part, you can make it look and feel familiar to your little one.
Why we like it: The guardrails inflate along with the bed. It's all one easy piece to inflate with the electric pump, included. The brand says this bed can handle up to 300 pounds, more than some others on our list.
Tester notes: This comes recommended by our Senior Parenting & Relationships Editor Marisa LaScala, who used it with her daughter. "When my daughter was a toddler she would never settle into whatever sleeping apparatus we brought for her on a trip. Portable cribs with mesh sides were too hard and confining for her once she got active. Any time we tried putting a kids' mattress on the floor, she'd roll off and bonk herself awake," LaScala says. "This seemed to solve all of our problems at once."
Deflated, the bed fits in its included carry bag. LaScala says, "It inflated pretty quickly and easily, and, once full, it was still light. If we needed more space during the day, we just moved it out of the way. I'd usually flip it up so it was leaning against a wall. We didn't have to dismantle a whole portable bed setup."
Other versions: For toddlers, The Shrunks has a glowing version with a remote control so you can customize the color. There is also a twin-sized version for older or larger kids (or adults).
Features at a Glance
| Our recommended ages | 2 to 6 years |
| Max weight | 300 lbs |
| Overall dimensions | 60" x 37" x 9" |
| Sleep space dimensions | 47" x 28" x 4" |
| Sheet size required | Crib/toddler (52" x 28") |
Pros
- Bargain under $45
- Don't have to inflate
- Well-reviewed
- Smallest size on our list, so good for small spaces
Cons
- No travel bag included
- Not cushy, and holds less weight than others
Best for: Families looking for a bargain under $45. It's also a good choice if you don't want something inflatable.
Why we like it: This fold-out travel bed reminds us of what you'd get in a hotel or find in a daycare. It sits less than a foot off the ground, so it's low but your child isn't on the floor like they would be with only a sleeping bag. It gets thousands of five-star Amazon reviews.
This does not come with a carry bag, so it's a little less portable, but if you're traveling by car, this folds small. It could be a good choice for families who go camping. It's the smallest on our list, and can fit in small spaces.
The version shown is not sold with a sheet, and there's not a standard fitted sheet that matches well, but some Amazon reviewers say they put a crib/toddler sheet on it. Alternatively you could buy a daycare-style nap mat and sit it on top, though that adds to the price.
Tester notes: Consumer families tested the My Cot for us. "My toddler loved it," wrote one. "My 3-year-old got sick and had to stay home from school, and we set up the cot in the living room so he could watch movies and rest. It instantly improved his mood during a trying week."
Another said that while they loved that it's lightweight, "It didn't feel as cushy or comfy as I would have liked. Good for a quick overnight but I wouldn't use for like a weeklong trip."
Other versions: For a little more money you can get a cute pink cat version which includes a sheet and pillow.
Features at a Glance
| Our recommended ages | 2 to 5 years |
| Max weight | 75 lbs |
| Overall dimensions | 48" x 24.5" x 9" |
| Sleep space dimensions | 48" x 24.5" x 9" |
| Sheet size required | It doesn't fit any standard size, but some users say they use a crib/toddler (52" x 28") |
Pros
- High bumpers on all four sides
- Inflates in about a minute
- Highly rated by parents
- Hiccapop also sells inflatable bed rails
Cons
- Larger size can be a con for some, pro for others
Best for: Toddlers who rock and roll, because this has tall bumpers on all four sides.
Why we like it: Hiccapop is the most highly-rated inflatable toddler travel bed on Amazon where users say it inflates in about a minute. Reviewers like the quality and write that if they do have issues, the brand's customer service is responsive.
Tester notes: When we crowdsourced with other parents and asked what they use for toddler travel, the Hiccapop got shoutouts. "We started using the bed when my daughter was 2. She’s almost 5 now and it still works great," said one parent. Another parent said, "I swear by this."
This is the largest and tallest portable toddler bed on our list, with sides about 11 inches tall. It comes with the pump and a carry bag.
Other versions: Chose another color of Hiccapop for a little more money, like a pink version or a teal version.
If your preschooler is ready for a twin bed but still needs bed rails, parents told us that they also like the Hiccapop Inflatable Bed Rails as another great option for travel.
Features at a Glance
| Our recommended ages | 2 to 6 years |
| Max weight | 310 lbs |
| Overall dimensions | 62" x 39" x 11" |
| Sleep space dimensions | 50" x 26" x 7" |
| Sheet size required | Crib/toddler (52" x 28") |
Pros
- Pairs with the SlumberPod for a tent-like setup
- Works with playard sheets
- Newer option on the market
- Smaller than other inflatables on our list, if space is an issue
Cons
- Some online reviewers question the durability
Best for: Pairing with the SlumberPod, which fits over the top to give your toddler their own enclosed sleep tent, dark and free from distractions.
Why we like it: If you have been using a playard, you can keep using the playard sheets with the Slumbertot. Doing that and pairing it with the SlumberPod tent means your toddler is still in their own four-walled space, like they were with a playard, but it just feels more fun, like a tent.
Tester notes: This is a newer option, so we have not yet collected feedback from parents. Online reviews are mostly positive, writing that it is easy to travel with but not necessarily as durable as a standard adult inflatable mattress.
This is sold with its carry bag and the electric air pump. It's the smallest of the inflatable options on our list, so a little easier to tuck into a small space.
RELATED: Good Housekeeping Travel Awards
Features at a Glance
| Our recommended ages | 2 to 6 years |
| Max weight | 200 lbs |
| Overall dimensions | 50.5" x 36.5" x10.5" |
| Sleep space dimensions | 39" x 25" x 6" |
| Sheet size required | Playard sheet |
How I chose the best toddler travel beds
Portable toddler travel beds is a small, relatively new category of kids' products. Our best overall pick was tested by our senior parenting editor during real-world travel, and our best value pick was tested by consumer families as part of our Good Housekeeping Parenting Awards program. Editors evaluated both of those and the SlumberTot in our offices for setup, size, and overall design. The Hiccapop was added due to raves it received based on recommendations from parents gathered through our audience outreach. For each of the four choices, I read online reviews at Amazon to confirm consistent positive feedback from users. We considered factors like portability, ease of setup, durability, and comfort for travel.
What to look for when shopping for the best toddler travel bed
When choosing a portable travel bed for a child ages 2 to 6, you have some choices:
✔️ Inflatable bed or folding cot:
Pros of an inflatable: Parents think they're more comfy for their kids, and they usually come with a carry bag and a pump. Cons: You need electricity to inflate one, and they can be large.
Pros of a cot: No electricity needed, which makes them good for camping or just generally easy setup. A cot is also small, so good for small spaces. Cons: No carry bag, and parents say they're not as cushy as inflatables.
✔️ Bedding needed: Most of these work with a fitted crib sheet (which is also a toddler crib sheet; toddler beds use a crib mattress) or a playard sheet. The cot doesn't have a sheet that fits it exactly, but you can wrap a sheet around it, use a nap mat, or put your child in a sleeping bag on top of the cot.
✔️ Portability: Everything on our list is easy to pack, especially in a car. If you want an occasional-use toddler bed and do not need it to be portable—say, something that stays at the grandparents house—there are other fun options, such as a foam flip-out chair.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Contributing writer Jessica Hartshorn is a journalist and mother of two who has covered the juvenile product market for 25 years, previously for American Baby and Parents magazine.
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