Playpen for children: yes or no?

The box is not essential, indeed. But not even to be abolished. The point is to make a rational and time-limited use of it. In other words, when mom and dad have to look away from their watchful eyes.

Box yes or box no? "To parents who ask us, we answer: make good use of it"

The playpen in early childhood is not to be abolished and banned, as long as it is used rationally. This means that it must not become the "parking lot" where you can leave your son or daughter for hours.

A matter of age and time

"The use of the box has pros and cons". "First of all you have to take into account the age of the boy or girl. At 1 year old - he explains - the playpen is a sort of prison, a cage that actually limits the movements of the little ones who try their first steps. Before, however, the box can be used. Attention, however: yes to use, no to abuse ".

In short, the child should not be abandoned in the playpen. But on the other hand, if used moderately, "the box can facilitate the management of the daily routine". What do you mean? "Very trivially because it may be more prudent to leave the baby in the playpen when mum or dad (if alone in the house) have to leave even just to go to the kitchen to the stove or to the bathroom to take a shower, especially when he is crawling".

Safety issue

The use of the box, in practice, can be useful to avoid the many dangers that lurk at home ", when a commitment takes away the watchful gaze of mum or dad: because there is a phone that rings, pasta to drain, the bed to be made, the shopping to be fixed… So, in that moment of time, letting him play in the playpen may be more appropriate, safer.

Laura Baroni, head of the physiotherapy service of the Meyer pediatric hospital in Florence, also agrees on the absence of contraindications to the use of the box if used sparingly and for the safety of children. "But it is not essential, on the contrary".

The physiotherapist also warns the parents: "sooner or later your child will start moving, so immediately make the house suitable for him by adopting appropriate safety strategies, so that when he begins to explore the environment, first crawling and then walking, will be able to do it serenely ".

What about autonomy?

On the fact that the box limits autonomy, if used, as we said, sparingly, when it has between 4-9 months, what autonomy can it harm? A 4-6 month old baby stands still or rolls over to one side, begins to climb around 6-8 months, stands at around 11 months and begins to take the first steps on the threshold of the year.

The playpen after the year of the child's life

After the year, however, nothing but box: you have to consider bending your back, holding out your hand and accompanying him in his first steps

In short, it is a question of measure and common sense not to make the playpen a tool that limits the exploration of the environment and interaction with others, such as the possibility of playing with mum or dad while all lying together. on the ground on a mat. In other words, on a mat or a blanket spread on the floor, parents can play and interact with the baby. In the box, however, they cannot enter. The playpen represents an environment that protects the child when mom or dad (or whoever is in charge of the care) has to temporarily leave. But the playpen is not to be placed in the hit of purchases to be made for the arrival of a baby because, if there is not already one in the house or no one can lend it, for the same purpose it can be used for example the cot with the side rails. In fact, the box has no other function: it does not serve to promote psychomotor development.

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