play yard for outside

Hibiscus2007

Does anyone use play yards outside to contain toddlers if you have no fenced in yard. We have a very LARGE back yard but there is no way we can afford to fence it in, and besides it is shared with our in-laws as they live next door, so fencing it in really isn't even an option. What do you recommend as far as play yards go and how many should I get. The babies are 14 months and getting into everything, when we take them out to the yard to play, they run straight for the driveway, cars, brick stairs, rock retaining wall, etc. Even if we take them to the middle of the yard, they just don't want to stay there with us and play. I really want to be able to have the baby pool and splash pad set up this summer, but there is no way I can continuously chase them the whole time we are out there. It needs to be mobile enough to move off the lawn each time we use it b/c of irrigation and landscaping, etc.  What kind of play yard do you have for outside and how many did you buy to make the area big enough to play in?  TIA

UsedToBeGoldie

we didn't spend much time outside last year b/c of that reason.... now, at 2yo they are much better at staying in the yard so i can actually go outside with them on my own- whew.

there are some cheap "fencing" options you could get - that just get hammered into the ground... they are not pretty- but i know some MoMs who have used them- check Lowes/Home Depot out. 

As for play yards - we never used them outside b/c no matter how big we would have made it- they would have just tried to get out ... but we did use them once at their 1st birthday - in our church parish hall - to make a big play area parents could put their young kids in -and it worked out well...  we had a ton that we got at yard sales - this kind - they work great. https://www.amazon.com/North-States-Superyard-Classic-Gate/dp/B00020L78M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1309282258&sr=8-1

You can add many on to make them huge.... but they aren't cheap new.

kaitley44

I would get 2-3 sets of these https://www.amazon.com/North-States-Superyard-Classic-Gate/dp/B00020L78M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1309282246&sr=8-1 we use them inside our house to block the kids from getting into things, but I think they would work great for what you need. You can hook multiple sets together to make a large play space and they are not that expensive.

kafunder

We also have the playyard that the PPs mentioned. We haven't used it outside; we've only set it up inside as a babyjail. But, I think it would work outside really well if you got a few sets. To save money, check Craigslist. That's where we got ours for fairly cheap.

jamie217

I just got a fairly cheap one off amazon and it was smaller than I thought, but I really want it so I can put one in while I bring the other in or out since our yard is fenced in.

Hibiscus2007

kaitley44:

I would get 2-3 sets of these https://www.amazon.com/North-States-Superyard-Classic-Gate/dp/B00020L78M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1309282246&sr=8-1 we use them inside our house to block the kids from getting into things, but I think they would work great for what you need. You can hook multiple sets together to make a large play space and they are not that expensive.

 

I actually have one of these from DS1 so I guess I will just buy 2 more and try it out.  They have gotten a lot cheaper since I bought one years ago.