If you’ve read quite a few blog posts, or have listened to some podcast episodes, you’ve likely heard me talk about the importance of having a dark nursery. In a perfect world, your baby or toddler’s bedroom would be so dark you can’t see your hand in front of your face.

I know it sounds crazy, but it can make such a difference!

But I go into all of those details in this post, so if you’re surprised to hear that level of darkness is important, or you have questions about why, start there.

So piggybacking on the fact that having a dark room is so key to great sleep, here comes the SlumberPod.

What is the SlumberPod?

The SlumberPod is literally a little blackout pod – it looks like a tent, but it’s not, because it doesn’t have a bottom so it can stand alone. You can fit a SlumberPod over a pack n play, mini crib, or several toddler cots, and it instantly blacks it out! It has a big zipper flap so you can lay your little one in their bed, and then zip it up and it’s completely dark.

Truly a dream of a product, for babies and toddlers four months and older.

Use the code VIAGRACESPOD at checkout to get a discount on your SlumberPod!

Why the SlumberPod?

I recommend the SlumberPod to all families of babies and toddlers for traveling, specifically. You can certainly use one at home (we have many times!), but traveling is probably the more common use across families.

So first, for the obvious reason – it provides an instant blacked out environment for your little one to sleep in! You don’t have to worry about how many windows, what size windows, bringing the foil or suction cup blinds, etc. You simply set it up over the pack ‘n play and you’re done!

It’s also great for room sharing – whether that’s you sharing a hotel with your baby or toddler, or them sharing with a sibling, or your little one still sleeping in your room at home. The SlumberPod lets you still read a book in bed while your little one is snoozing and the reading light won’t wake them. You can watch a show in your hotel bed while your toddler is sleeping next to you instead of ducking into the bathroom. You can put a sibling to bed later and they won’t see you walking by.

We’ve absolutely had hotel situations where we’ve had two SlumberPods set up, one for a baby and one for a toddler.

We’ve also used it on day trips! A few years ago, I took my 8 month old with me for a weekend away to celebrate my grandma’s birthday. We were going to be at my grandma’s house all day, and while I could have worn her and attempted a carrier nap, I wasn’t confident she’d get a great nap, plus it would limit my socializing a bit, so I brought the SlumberPod and set it up during the party! Yes, just for a one time use, which might seem silly to some, but it’s so easy to set up and my baby took a delicious two hour nap while I kept mingling! It was a win win.

We even set two up in the room where the bridal party got ready when my sister got married so we could put our girls to bed and keep partying! And we hired a teenager to hang in there to make sure everything was fine.

I also think the SlumberPod helps bring familiarity with travels. Especially if you travel often, your little one will recognize it and it could almost feel like one more piece of home. Rather than being in a new place, the SlumberPod can feel like a second home. This definitely rings true for our current three year old – it’s her “special bed” and she loves it!

It’s also so light and compact! I think it weighs 5 pounds, and fits in something as small as a carry on.

And it has a pocket for a baby monitor, which helps you see and/or hear what’s going on inside. The founders literally thought of everything!

Frequently Asked Questions About the SlumberPod

How long does it take to set up the SlumberPod?

I’d say five minutes max. Maybe faster, if you’re my husband. The easiest way to set it up is to drape it over the pack n play and put the little tent poles in from there.

(Watch a video of how to set up a SlumberPod here!)

Is the SlumebrPod safe?

Yes!

First, a SlumberPod is not a crib tent; crib tents are NOT safe, which I talk about here. Because SlumberPods are stand alone products (they don’t attach to the pack n play or toddler cot), they’re safe!

It’s also made with breathable fabric, and there are even little ventilation flaps you can use, if you’d like, and they’ve also created a little fan and fan pocket you can stick in the pod for extra air flow, if you’d like. In all our years of using the SlumberPod, we’ve never opened one of those ventilation flaps, and we’ve never used the fan, and it passes all of the safety testing without the use of those, so it’s totally safe! But if it makes you more comfortable to use them, it’s an option.

And not only did the founders do all of the required safety testing, but they went above and beyond to do extra because they care that much about your kiddos and also your comfort with the product. I won’t go into all the safety details, as it’s all on their website, but they went above and beyond with their testing.

Now that you know what the SlumberPod is and why it’s so amazing, I want to switch gears slightly and talk about the SlumberPod and toddlers.

How to Help Toddlers Sleep in a SlumberPod

Especially if your little one is a toddler the first time they sleep in one – some toddlers can get a little scared or hesitant!

Our now 6 year old and 3 year old slept in a SlumberPod in our bedroom the first year or so of their life, and then with all of our travels they were so used to it, so it was never a problem. And our current 3 year old still sleeps in one anytime we travel and has never batted an eye.

With our oldest, however, we didn’t get a SlumberPod until she was 2, and she was a little nervous the first few times she slept in there.

And it makes sense – toddlers are so much more aware of their surroundings, and they’re used to a door closing behind them – not something zipping over them!

So if you know you’re going to be using a SlumberPod with your toddler for the first time, practice with one while you’re at home!

And the first area of practice I recommend is honestly just playing in it. Set it up without the pack ‘n play or mattress, and put it in your living room, the play room, even their bedroom, and just play in it! Put their favorite toys in there, pretend they’re camping, crawl in with them…make it fun!

And then I would even have them practice sleeping in there. You could even keep it set up in their room, just over the pack ‘n play or travel mattress, or you could even set it up in your room to feel special, again over their pack ‘n play or mattress – and this will help them feel more comfortable with it. The SlumberPod is strange, but everything else is normal, this is home!

And I’d do that practice at bedtime, not nap time, as it’s always better to make changes at night when that natural melatonin is on our side.

That way, when you travel, it’s more familiar; they’ve slept in it before, it’s not so scary.

And finally, if your toddler is at all nervous about the zipper, consider keeping the flap open at bedtime and zip it once you know they’re fast asleep (or only zip it halfway!).

Will it be totally blacked out with the flap open or partially open? No, but it’s a lot better than having nothing at all! Because they’re still low to the ground and the flap is on the top half of the pod.

You could also come back and do check-ins if your toddler is having a tough time, to reassure them.

Now, if you’re toddler still sleeps in a crib at home, I definitely recommend using a pack ‘n play while traveling and sticking the SlumberPod over it! Like I mentioned at the beginning, it can also fit over a mini crib (sadly not a standard sized crib).

And also many travel cots! My two favorite travel mattresses that work with the SlumberPod are:

• The SlumberTot – SlumberPod made their own travel toddler air mattress that fits beautifully inside the SlumberPod. And it’s really simple to travel with, too. (The code VIAGRACESPOD works for SlumberTots, too!)
• Millard Travel Bed – it’s not an air mattress, which I love so we don’t have to worry about potentially leaking. And you literally just open it right up and it’s good to go. The only downside is it’s big – you definitely wouldn’t fly with it, and it takes up a good amount of space in the car. So it’s amazing, but it’s not for light packing.  

I share about more travel toddler mattresses in this blog post!

Conclusion

I remember life with a baby and toddler before the SlumberPod, and I’m so thankful I don’t have to go back! It just makes it so much easier to travel and room share and be as confident as possible that your little ones are going to sleep just as well as they would at home.

And that’s the whole plan! The goal of this post is of course to tell you all about the SlumberPod and why I think you should get one – or at least borrow one from a friend for your next adventure. But it’s not because I’m an affiliate and get a little kick back, or because I think a certain product is going to all of a sudden fix your little one’s sleep.

It’s because the SlumberPod helps keep your little one’s sleep intact while away, and helps give you the peace that you can travel, and room share even when not ideal, or cozy up in a hotel room when you’d rather an air bnb, and it’s going to be okay!

I’ve traveled pre-SlumberPod and I’ve traveled post-SlumberPod, and I just can’t recommend it enough.

Also remember, however, that one amazing product isn’t going to fix your little one’s sleep. And just because you travel with the SlumberPod doesn’t mean jet lag won’t hit, or your little one won’t fight sleep a bit more! Or your toddler might be nervous about using the SlumberPod for the first time.

Or you might not be able to get a SlumberPod right now, and that’s okay. The goal in all of this is not perfection, the goal is to have a plan, because with that plan comes confidence. AND grace, because you just never know.

Don’t forget to use the code VIAGRACESPOD for a discount! And if you live in Columbus, Ohio, or somewhere in Central Ohio and you’re looking to give the SlumberPod a try, we have a few that we rent out! So don’t hesitate to reach out to take one on your next trip, or over the holidays.

Note that I am a part of SlumberPod’s affiliate program, but this blog post is my opinion from personal use!