when is it too late to introduce playpen?

[MPalmer]

Hello all~

My DS will be 7-11 mo's old during this coming summer months...where I HOPE to spend time outdoors doing some yard work and gardening... (or is that a fantasy?) ha ha 

I was thinking of buying a playpen to put him in under a shade tree while I'm outside.  Since he has not seen a playpen yet, is it too late to expect him to sit in one now?   He is a textbook baby that can amuse himself in his bumbo chair for 30-40 minutes independently already at 5 1/2 mo's old.

Also, if he's crawling during this 7-11 mo period, would that only aggravate a baby if he's pent up in a playpen?

Thanks,

First time mom~Michele

[ryan's mum]

Ryan never liked his playpen , but i wouldn't say it's too late . a friend of mine still uses one at 15 months even though her son can walk. she sits him in there with play balls and he loves it . if he is good at amusing himself then i think you will benefit , as long as you put enough toys in. at least you know he's safe . my friend had a playpen that had the netting around the sides and padding on the rims , in the summer she got a cat net that you have to put over cribs , she pulled it over the playpen to stop flies , bees and any other pests getting in to her son.

[evanskimberley]

I'd say if you started now then it would be fine still in the summer. But if you left it till then to start it may be too late. I tried at  8 mo and it was too late. Wished I'd started earlier.

[*Natasha*]

I have just started my DD a week ago with one and she will play in it for short periods. I have filled it with balls and strung across it lots of toys that dangle down.

[Katet]

I have to say "why" do you need to introduce one... I have had both my boys outside (both mobile) with no play pens & ok it is slower doing stuff, but they learn heaps & explore.
OK I admit I hate them, I feel like it is caging them to do it, we got given one second hand & use it to "block off areas" neither boy has ever spent time in it & No I don't have a super childproofed house & nor is the garden super super safe, but I find by giving them plenty of things to do when outside... water in a container etc. I find with my almost 10months old his mobility is such that crawling on grass is "uncomfortable" so he is fairly content to sit on a rug & play with toys or pull himself up on the stair side & stand watching. It really only tood 3 times (about 1/2hour each)  in the garden  for him to know the areas that he shouldn't go/hurt him to go.

[MPalmer]

Thanks so much for everyone's advice!!!!

Ya know...I just assumed that it would be a nightmare having a potential crawler loose outside while I'm doing yard work...but that just goes to show how much of a newbie I am to this mom stuff! haaaa   I am all for him exploring the outdoors (as DH & I love it) so I think I should wait a little bit longer to see how he reacts to just being on a blanket outside.  As of right now, he's just working on stabilizing himself while sitting...so maybe I'm jumping the gun thinking he'll be a crawling machine in 3-4 mo's. ha ha 

Thanks again for everyone's input.  I really do need it! haaaaa

[lilysmommie]

You can also buy these things that are like a little playyard that snap together and make a little "pen" (for lack of a better word). They are larger than a playpen and they can still touch the grass and dirt. 

http://www.onestepahead.com/jump.jsp?itemID=187755&LS=1&URL=http://www.onestepahead.com/http://www.onestepahead.com/L=&sourceid=qIZ6RC11URuHAnH80XcO0041024721&cm_cat=0041024721&cm_ven=befree_aff&cm_ite=osa_redirect&BFURL=http://www.onestepahead.com/jump.jsp%3fitemID=187755&itemType=PRODUCT&lGen=detail&iMainCat=117&iProductID=187755&change=117


There are lots of different kinds out there this is just one I found quickly.

lilysmommie

[maggieruth]

we have just introduced a playpen at ten months with relatively little fuss... i feel kinda bad about it, but there are times that i just want to shower without discovering more things in the bathroom that Ethan will try to eat KWIM? now he goes into his playpen to give me 10 spare minutes and i don't make a big deal of scooping him up straight away and let him play with until he lets me know he wants out.  i don't think i could cope as easily if i didn't have a place that allowed Ethan to be safe for a few minutes while i do what needs to be done.