Best travel cots for babies and toddlers

• Best for: instant opening, quick closing
• Weight: 6.8kg
• Age range: birth to 3 years

From the Swedish company that brought us one of the first baby carriers, each of their items has been carefully thought through and beautifully designed.

The BabyBjörnTravel Cot Light, in silver or black, has an interesting shape with a very good reason behind it – stability. Its wider base and external frame means that your little one won’t be able to tip it over, no matter how hard they rock, and they won’t bump into the frame; the top edge is padded too. All sides are mesh, which means both good visibility for you and your baby and it allows good air flow.

Folding is simple, as each leg pulls out and then folds down on itself, then the whole cot flips in half. It packs away with the mattress, also folded in two, into a neat carry case that’s a lot less unwieldy than some. It opens out again with one quick and easy movement – just flick it open and then click each leg into place, then add the mattress. The mattress is firm and comfortable and you can add a fitted organic sheet for sleeping (one comes included and you can add extras for £27).

All the fabrics used against your baby are organic and OEKO-TEX Standard Class 1-certified for peace of mind and they can be machine washed too, keeping the cot looking good for longer. If you’re going to be using the cot a lot, add an additional mattress for more comfort.

• Best for: lots of added extras
• Weight: 12.95kg
• Age range: birth to 3 years

If you want a safe place for your baby to play during the day, somewhere to change your baby and a solution for travelling from birth right through to three years, this travel cot has lots of great features, even though it may be a little heavier than some models.

For small babies, start with the bassinet section attached at the top. This is ideal for younger babies who can’t sit up or pull themselves up yet. Over this, you can clip on the wipe-clean changing table – hey presto, a travel changing space!

When your baby is older, remove the bassinet for a large sleep space that can be used to three years. Both sleeping options use the same comfortable mattress for a good night’s sleep. There’s a neat control panel that plays musical sounds and has a nightlight too, ideal for nighttime nappy changes. It has a timer, so it automatically turns off the music and lights after a set time. In addition, the unit vibrates, a great way to help your baby get off to sleep.

The Contour Electra is simple to assemble and it folds easily, at the click of a button, into a travel bag, plus it has wheels on one end to make it easy to transport Lastly, there’s a toy bar decorated with three little toys that will hold your little one’s attention while they are being dressed or having a nappy changed. It comes in one colour choice, which is a mix of different greys.

• Best for: All you need from birth to three
• Weight: 15kg
• Age range: newborn to three years

This all-singing, all-dancing travel cot is from baby product specialists Joie and has several uses.

As a travel cot, it has a large sleeping space with a decent mattress and four mesh sides that allow you to be able to see your baby, with good ventilation. When your baby is tiny, there are extras that can be added to the top of the cot that make it easy to change your baby and put them down for a nap without straining your back – great if you’ve had a caesarean.

The full-sized bassinet can be used from birth to around four to five months. The toy bar keeps your child entertained and all fabrics can be wiped clean. When you’re not using it or when traveling, it has two wheels and packs down quickly and easily into its own carry case.

• Best for: bassinet is easy to attach and detach
• Weight: 10kg
• Age range: birth to 15kg

This travel cot is not only spacious and airy, as the name would suggest, it’s stylish too and will look at home in the smartest of décors. It can be set up and folded simply and easily using just one hand – to fold, pull up on the loop located on the inside base, squeeze the zig zag frame together and the cot can be strapped inside the mattress and put into its neat travel case. All sides are mesh, for good air flow and so that your baby can see you easily and the mattress is made from triple-layered mesh, which prevents overheating and wicks away moisture, making your baby’s sleep safer and more comfortable. It is sturdy enough to be durable yet light enough to move easily.

For newborns and small babies, there is a bassinet that will be perfect as a place for your baby to sleep during their early weeks and what I particularly like about it is that the bassinet just zips off, meaning there are no fiddly extra pieces to assemble. I also like that the bassinet and the cot use the same mattress – again, a streamlined approach to baby gear. Once you have removed the bassinet, the sleep space is large enough for toddlers and is also a great place for your child to play, keeping them safe at home or on holiday.

It comes with an organic cotton sheet and the bag is also included in the price and there are two colour choices: a black frame and mesh with charcoal fabric, or a silver frame with silver fabric.

• Best for: camping and festivals
• Weight: 2.8kg
• Age range: birth to 2 years

If you are the type of family that is always throwing the kids and the dogs into the car and heading off into the great outdoors, this will fit right in.

The Phil&Teds Traveller is one of the lightest travel cots around and it’s a neat size, both when it’s folded up and when erected, so while it may not be the best one for long-term use as a sleep and play option, it is great for occasional overnight stays, festivals and camping. When folded away into the travel bag, it is almost as small a yoga mat, so it will fit even into smaller car boots. Easy to assemble, the four black mesh sides make it super breathable and it’s high on visibility for you and baby.

Another great feature is that one side unzips, which means that a toddler can have adventures crawling in and out at bedtime. The mattress is insulated, to protect your baby from the cold ground. The external silver frame prevents accidents and the top rails are padded as well. Fitted sheets made from organic OEKO-TEX fabric will help your little drift off.

Traveller to Bassinet version also available

• Best for: easy to open and close
• Weight: 8.2kg
• Age range: birth to 2 years

If you have the kind of child who must get to bed the instant they’re tired, Bugaboo’s Stardust is ideal. This lightweight travel cot unfolds in seconds.

Free it from the travel bag, unclip the poppers on the strap that hold it together and it opens out - just like that. You can even fold it back down in just three seconds, thanks to its unique zig-zag side frames.

It has a multi-layered mattress that’s comfortable for your baby and all the sides are mesh, giving you the visibility and ventilation you need. The mattress can be used at a higher level, with the addition of a zip-in bassinet, making it suitable for very young babies and this makes it easy to put your baby down for a nap without bending, or waking them up.

It’s a smaller size than many travel cots, which is great for smaller rooms and for portability but it won’t be able to be used as long as some models. When it is folded (you can fold it with the mattress in place, which is very handy) and packed into its travel bag, it is just 14 centimetres wide, so it can be slipped behind a sofa or popped into the car boot.

Both frame and fabrics are a sleek black.

• Best for: a longer-term solution from birth to 4
• Weight: 8.8kg
• Age range: birth to 4 years

Ideal to use at home as a bedside crib in the early weeks, or as a bedside travel cot as soon as your little one comes along, it has a safety strap and clip that attaches to your bed, keeping it snuggled right up against the bed to keep your little one safe with no prospect of a gap between the two sleep spaces.

In the early weeks, use the bassinet on the top of the travel cot, a cosy, high crib that makes putting your baby down kinder on your back. The side of the all-grey travel cot nearest you can be lowered using two clips, so that you can access your little one for a feed or a cuddle at night.

Once your child is a bit older, the bassinet simple unzips from the frame and you have a fully-size travel cot. It has two wheels to make it easy to move around in your home, is easy to fold and it packs down neatly into a travel case. The mattress is suitable for overnight sleeping.

One of the mesh sides can be opened with a handy zip, so you can slip some clothes, baby bedding, toys and all you need beneath the bassinet while you’re using it – and later on, your toddler can use the opening to crawl in to play!

• Best for: great space-saving option
• Weight: 5.96kg
• Age range: birth to 3 years

A compact little travel cot, yet one that can still be used to toddler years, or until your child can try climbing out. It has two mattress base positions, meaning you can use it for newborns when travelling or you can even use it at home as a bedside crib for those first few months of your baby’s life.

This travel cot is a little different to others. The base rises up and is fixed in place in bassinet mode, so it resembles a newborn crib.

When your baby is a little older, the base of the mattress drops down to its lower position to create a cot that can be used for sleeping and for playtime, right up to three years. It is simple to fold and packs away to a nice, compact size which means that travelling with it is easy. It is one of the lightest around too, so it’s great for those with any mobility problems.

All the fabric can be machine washed, which is great for keeping it clean and hygienic and then the fabric simply zips back onto the frame again – an excellent touch. The mattress is made from thick foam, which is very comfortable and all the fabrics used are nice and soft against your baby’s delicate skin.

With its wood-effect legs and grey fabrics, it also looks a little different to other travel cots so it may suit your style.

• Best for: budget, no-frills option
• Weight: 7.6kg
• Age range: birth to 36 months

This simple, no-frills model could be just what you’re looking for if you’re after an option for occasional use. It comes at a budget price yet has a full-sized sleeping space and a comfortable mattress for your little one and it’s also ideal as a playpen when you want to get on with some chores – just pop your little one in with a selection of toys to keep them amused.

You might choose to buy this travel cot to leave at a relative’s home that you visit fairly regularly, as then it’s always there when you need it and familiar for your baby. The mesh sides mean you can see what your child is up to and it has a padded top rail to avoid bumps. It is simple to fold and comes with its own travel bag, though it does not have wheels. You can add a fitted sheet (sold separately) to make it sleepy-time ready and it comes in two colours: either a black fabric with white mesh and blue and green accents, or navy fabric with white mesh and yellow accents. There are two new colours on the way, smart dark grey or navy.

• Best for: side opens for toddlers to crawl in
• Weight: 7.65kg
• Age range: birth to 3 years

When buying a travel cot or crib, it’s a good idea to consider whether you’ll use it most as a travel sleep solution, or a safe place to play – and this Micralite design performs well as both.

The travel bag is wide yet flat and has both shoulder and hand straps, so can be carried without wheels. For a newborn, fix the bassinet in place and it is an ideal place for a very small baby to sleep in safety and comfort before they can sit or roll. It can also be used as a travel bedside crib.

Once your child is a little older - say three or four months - you can remove the bassinet by simple unzipping it and then you place the mattress into the bottom of the cot for a full-sized travel cot. All sides are mesh, so that there’s good visibility for you and your little one. It’s very lightweight and easy to use, with a clever design allowing the cot to just pop up, with each leg clicking into place. The folding mechanism works with the same simplicity when you want to fold it.

It can be used for sleeping overnight and the wide base shape makes it stable. The padded top rail prevents bangs and injuries and when your little one wants to play, you can unzip the end panel to allow your toddler to crawl in or out.

Picture the scene: you’re away in a lovely holiday house or hotel – but there are no blackout curtains and you’re sharing the room with your baby. The solution? SnoozeShade has created this blackout cover that will keep your baby’s sleep space dark, distraction-free and will protect from biting insects. It stops your little one – and you - being woken at 5am by the sunrise, too.

If you are going to use your travel cot a lot, you might want to add an extra mattress to keep your little one comfortable. This organic, breathable and hypoallergenic quilted mattress from Naturalmat is made from cotton and organic Devon lambswool and has a pure cotton cover. Available for several popular travel cots including the Babybjörn and Nuna, plus a standard size.

Forget sheets and blankets – they are so 2010! The best bedding for your baby is a sleeping bag. Easy to pop on over a nappy and vest, they keep your baby at just the right temperature and even work as a sleep cue for your baby. I love the Gro range, the original bags, especially this jolly ray of sunshine one.