On our recent staycation just a few hours from home, we packed the lives of four people into a minivan. Unfortunately, there was no room for the crib or even the playpen – our kids have a lot of crap, apparently. My husband would tell you that I do too, but this isn’t his blog so I’ll blame it all on the kids. When we settled in for our night away, we were incredibly thankful for the Kidco Peapod.

The Peapod is a travel bed (and play tent when you’re home) that’s easy to fold and fits in a small circular carry bag. When folded it’s only 5″ thick and 14″ in diameter. Unlike most tents, the bottom is fitted with a secure (zipped in) inflatable air mattress to help protect kids from cold, damp floors while providing a comfortable place to sleep. The pump is included. The fabric contains UV protection making it great for using outdoors, and the zippered panels allow parents quick and easy access.

I also love the Peapod for the beach and the back yard – it keeps the sun and sand off baby and doubles as a fort. The inflated base ensures baby can nap without rocks and shells bothering her. If you’ve ever slept in a tent on a rocky ground, you know how important that it!

With gas prices the way they are, staycations are becoming more and more popular. If you don’t have room for a big playpen in your vehicle and you want an overnight trip with baby, check out the Kidco Peapod.

(I apologize for the photo quality – our ftp isn’t hooked up yet since we lost everything so I had to rely on Wordpress and it didn’t do such a good job of conversion.)