North States Superyard XT Gate Play Yard Review.
"This has been wonderful" 2007-09-05
By K. Gehring (Kentucky, USA)
When our 2nd kiddo started getting mobile, I knew it was time to kid-proof the great room. Problem is, our great room is just that - great, as in large. The doorways are wide, the floor space is large, and our very curious 9-month-old was eager to explore every nook and cranny. Our older daughter wasn't quite as curious at this stage, plus we were living in a different house at that time, so we were faced with a new challenge of creating a safe play area for the baby.
One day I had the idea of getting a play yard for the great room, instead of covering/blocking every single potential "hazard" (the entertainment cabinet, the CD tower, etc.). I ventured to Babies R Us and found this play yard and the extension kit (2 extra panels) and bought it. I set it up at home and have been happy with it ever since.
For awhile, I used it in its totally enclosed state, but the baby didn't like being separated from the rest of us. I tinkered with it and came up with a way to keep her out of trouble, while still allowing her access to us - right now, it's in a large arc shape with one end butting up against the couch, the other end butting up against a chair. She has plenty of room to play (I keep her toys in there with her) but she can't get out or get to any "dangerous" stuff in the great room.
As for looks, yeah, our great room isn't company-ready right now. But we have a 4 year old and a 10-month-old in the house, so the house isn't pristine anyway (my house is CLEAN, just not always NEAT...ha ha). I figure it's temporary, until she's old enough to know to not touch certain things. Besides, we don't have company, except for family, so the unattractive-ness of the play yard isn't an issue here. Even so, I'd gladly overlook the ugliness of it just for the convenience and benefits it provides.
When the time comes that we no longer have to use this for the kiddo, I'll probably hang onto it, either to offer up to friends/relatives someday, or to keep as a puppy play yard for the future.
"Fabulous! Sturdy and functional!" 2007-04-28
By F.Faulkner (Hartford, CT USA)
This product does what it says it does. It is a perfect play yard for our toddlers AND our puppy. We bought THREE! It's very sturdy, durable, easy to clean, and ours has lasted four years now.
Our toddler plays for hours in it and all his toys are in there, it's great. We bought an extra for outside so we can sit outside at dusk on the deck with him. When we got our puppy six months ago, we saw it makes a perfect pen for the new puppy! We have a small crate setup inside it, and a small litterbox to housetrain him. It worked great! Fantastic!
As for the reviewer who looked at it and returned it - I don't know what idiot would think it's beautiful, but why would you expect something like this to look beautiful?!?! Duh. It's a play yard. AND best part is, you can buy the extension kit. We bought two extension kits. This thing is practically unbreakable. My only complaint is that it takes a lot of strength, maybe only a man, to snap the ends together. It's very hard to snap together or get apart. But once together, we leave it up for months.
"LOVE IT!!!!" 2007-07-15
By J. Brooks (Central Coast of California)
OK so I have a few friends that call this a "CAGE" or "Puppy Pen" but when they come over they love putting their little ones in with my son and watching them play. I call it my "LIFE SAVER" and I'm sure in many ways it's my son's life saver too. He has learned a valuable session in what is his space and what is not. It's called boundaries and he's happy and secure knowing that he has them and so am I. At end purchasing an item like this is ALL about PARENTAL STYLE. I guess I'm a true centrist when it comes to parenting style; my wife and I wear our son, make his own organic baby food and he sleeps with us on occasion. But before he started crawling we knew that baby proofing the WHOLE house was not economical nor at end would it make it safe for him to wonder. SO I happily purchased a "CAGE" or what we lovingly call "P's Play Pen". I had a "play pen" when I was young and so did my wife. This was THE SMARTEST PURCHASE I've made in baby items.
Here is what we like about it: folds flat, is light weight, comes with a carrying strap, easy to clean, no sharp edges, has a sun shade (purchased separating), easy to put together, great resale value (see Craig's list), sturdy enough for my son to pull himself up to standing (he weighs about 20lbs), good size without the extension kit it can entertain three 6-7 month olds easily.
The things that we hope will improve in future; wow at first glance it's huge (I'd say about 4.5-5 feet in diameter, the sun shade only covers half the pen, there wasn't instructions on how to use the carrying strap, we eventually figured it out, the snapping sound when collapsing or putting it up can be loud. My wife thought she had broken it once. That's about it no disappointing issues. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!
"Hallejuah! Uninterrupted Gardening." 2007-03-18
By laserpuff (McCalla, Alabama)
This play yard is the greatest thing to happen to new mothers, espicially ones that garden, since the invention of disposable diapers! I bought two and an extension panel, which make for an ample size playpen. Inside, I put a Little Tikes climber, a Step One ladybug sandbox filled with pea gravel, and a Playskool Grow-With-Me picnic table, and he still has plenty of room to romp. I can garden without having to pull him out of the fish pond or retrieve him from a newly planted bed of tulips.
"Excellent PlayYard" 2007-07-17
By Melissa Kessler (NJ USA)
The superyard xt is perfect for my 10 month old son. It's sturdy enough for his constant toy banging as well as to hold him up while he tries to walk by himself. It took only seconds to put together (which my husband loved). It's very easy to form to whatever shape you need to fit your space (if used inddors). We all love it.
By K. Gehring (Kentucky, USA)
When our 2nd kiddo started getting mobile, I knew it was time to kid-proof the great room. Problem is, our great room is just that - great, as in large. The doorways are wide, the floor space is large, and our very curious 9-month-old was eager to explore every nook and cranny. Our older daughter wasn't quite as curious at this stage, plus we were living in a different house at that time, so we were faced with a new challenge of creating a safe play area for the baby.
One day I had the idea of getting a play yard for the great room, instead of covering/blocking every single potential "hazard" (the entertainment cabinet, the CD tower, etc.). I ventured to Babies R Us and found this play yard and the extension kit (2 extra panels) and bought it. I set it up at home and have been happy with it ever since.
For awhile, I used it in its totally enclosed state, but the baby didn't like being separated from the rest of us. I tinkered with it and came up with a way to keep her out of trouble, while still allowing her access to us - right now, it's in a large arc shape with one end butting up against the couch, the other end butting up against a chair. She has plenty of room to play (I keep her toys in there with her) but she can't get out or get to any "dangerous" stuff in the great room.
As for looks, yeah, our great room isn't company-ready right now. But we have a 4 year old and a 10-month-old in the house, so the house isn't pristine anyway (my house is CLEAN, just not always NEAT...ha ha). I figure it's temporary, until she's old enough to know to not touch certain things. Besides, we don't have company, except for family, so the unattractive-ness of the play yard isn't an issue here. Even so, I'd gladly overlook the ugliness of it just for the convenience and benefits it provides.
When the time comes that we no longer have to use this for the kiddo, I'll probably hang onto it, either to offer up to friends/relatives someday, or to keep as a puppy play yard for the future.
By F.Faulkner (Hartford, CT USA)
This product does what it says it does. It is a perfect play yard for our toddlers AND our puppy. We bought THREE! It's very sturdy, durable, easy to clean, and ours has lasted four years now.
Our toddler plays for hours in it and all his toys are in there, it's great. We bought an extra for outside so we can sit outside at dusk on the deck with him. When we got our puppy six months ago, we saw it makes a perfect pen for the new puppy! We have a small crate setup inside it, and a small litterbox to housetrain him. It worked great! Fantastic!
As for the reviewer who looked at it and returned it - I don't know what idiot would think it's beautiful, but why would you expect something like this to look beautiful?!?! Duh. It's a play yard. AND best part is, you can buy the extension kit. We bought two extension kits. This thing is practically unbreakable. My only complaint is that it takes a lot of strength, maybe only a man, to snap the ends together. It's very hard to snap together or get apart. But once together, we leave it up for months.
By J. Brooks (Central Coast of California)
OK so I have a few friends that call this a "CAGE" or "Puppy Pen" but when they come over they love putting their little ones in with my son and watching them play. I call it my "LIFE SAVER" and I'm sure in many ways it's my son's life saver too. He has learned a valuable session in what is his space and what is not. It's called boundaries and he's happy and secure knowing that he has them and so am I. At end purchasing an item like this is ALL about PARENTAL STYLE. I guess I'm a true centrist when it comes to parenting style; my wife and I wear our son, make his own organic baby food and he sleeps with us on occasion. But before he started crawling we knew that baby proofing the WHOLE house was not economical nor at end would it make it safe for him to wonder. SO I happily purchased a "CAGE" or what we lovingly call "P's Play Pen". I had a "play pen" when I was young and so did my wife. This was THE SMARTEST PURCHASE I've made in baby items.
Here is what we like about it: folds flat, is light weight, comes with a carrying strap, easy to clean, no sharp edges, has a sun shade (purchased separating), easy to put together, great resale value (see Craig's list), sturdy enough for my son to pull himself up to standing (he weighs about 20lbs), good size without the extension kit it can entertain three 6-7 month olds easily.
The things that we hope will improve in future; wow at first glance it's huge (I'd say about 4.5-5 feet in diameter, the sun shade only covers half the pen, there wasn't instructions on how to use the carrying strap, we eventually figured it out, the snapping sound when collapsing or putting it up can be loud. My wife thought she had broken it once. That's about it no disappointing issues. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!
By laserpuff (McCalla, Alabama)
This play yard is the greatest thing to happen to new mothers, espicially ones that garden, since the invention of disposable diapers! I bought two and an extension panel, which make for an ample size playpen. Inside, I put a Little Tikes climber, a Step One ladybug sandbox filled with pea gravel, and a Playskool Grow-With-Me picnic table, and he still has plenty of room to romp. I can garden without having to pull him out of the fish pond or retrieve him from a newly planted bed of tulips.
By Melissa Kessler (NJ USA)
The superyard xt is perfect for my 10 month old son. It's sturdy enough for his constant toy banging as well as to hold him up while he tries to walk by himself. It took only seconds to put together (which my husband loved). It's very easy to form to whatever shape you need to fit your space (if used inddors). We all love it.
