The Best Play Tents for Kids

A kids’ play tent can be a wonderful way to spark your child’s imagination! The sky really is the limit with this toy—they make excellent forts, outdoor playhouses, or can even be a castle for a princess!

With so many options on the market, though, choosing the best one can be tricky. Don’t worry, we’ve done the hard work for you! Below you’ll find our curated list of the very best play tents for kids along with the reasons we rate them so highly.

Contents:

• Our Top Picks of Play Tents for Kids
  • Monobeach Princess Playtent 
  • Playvibe Kids Teepee Play Tent 
  • Play Tent with Ball Pit and Tunnels 
  • Mitcien Kids Camping Play Tent
  • Police Car Pop-Up Play Tent
  • Kiddie Play Supermarket Play Tent
  • iBabify Kids Dinosaur Play Tent 
  • AIR Fort Inflatable UFO Play Tent 
  • Joyin Rocket Ship Play Tent
  • Yoikoi Play Tent with Accessories 
  • Safari Kidz Aventure Play Tent 
  • Crawl Through Tunnel Play Tent 
  • UTEX 3-in-1 Pop-Up Play Tent 
  • Bohemian-Style Play Tent 
  • Deluxe Lemonade Stand Roleplay Play Tent 
  • VBY Play Tent for Beds 
  • Baby Beach Play Tent 
• FAQ

Our Top Picks of Play Tents for Kids

Monobeach Princess Playtent — Best for Creating an Enchanted Fairyland

Credit: amazon.com

• Age rating: 3 years+
• Material: Polyester, polyester blend
• Size: 55 x 55 x 53 inches
• Price: $33.49

This gorgeous fairytale castle-inspired play tent is perfect for girls who dream of being princesses! It comes with a string of pretty fairy lights to hang inside to create a cozy space that can fit up to three kids—and it can also serve as a great place where your little one can relax, read, or maybe even curl up for an afternoon snooze.

The material this play tent is made from is soft, durable, and—good news for parents!—it’s easy to move at packing up time or when you need to get some housework done.

Pros

• Unusual, pretty design
• Perfect for group or solo play
• Comes with fairy lights
• Spacious and comfortable

Cons

• A little tricky to assemble for the first time

Playvibe Kids Teepee Play Tent — Best for Easy Putting Up and Down

Credit: amazon.com

• Age rating: 3 months+
• Material: Plastic
• Size: 48 x 48 x 71 inches
• Price: $39.99

Perfect for even the smallest of toddlers (with supervision), this fun teepee play tent can be used for either indoor or outdoor play. It features a high-quality design and child-friendly materials and is extremely easy to both put up and take down at the end of the day.

One of the loveliest features of the teepee is the built-in interior pockets, which are perfect places for your child to store their favorite toys and books. And it comes with a string of fairy lights to add to the magic, too.

Pros

• Very easy to assemble and take down
• Incorporated pockets
• Comes with fairy lights
• Constructed from high-quality, durable materials

Cons

• Tying the top is a little challenging!

Play Tent with Ball Pit and Tunnels — Best for Having Lots of Fun!

Credit: amazon.com

• Age rating: 3 years+
• Material: Polyester
• Size: 17.28 x 13.46 x 5.2 inches
• Price: $69.95

When it comes to tents for kids, it doesn’t get much more fun than this option, which includes incorporated tunnels and ball pits! Durable, safe, and easy to store and transport, your kids will have hours of fun in this pop-up play tent, which also features a target wall game and four dart balls, plus two basketball hoops.

Use this toy for a rainy day diversion, to add excitement to outdoor play, or even take it along with you to the beach or for a picnic. It’s also a great way to help support the development of gross motor skills, and the sensory elements could be especially beneficial for children with autism spectrum disorders.

Pros

• Great for providing hours of entertainment
• Lightweight and portable
• Spacious
• Extra games included

Cons

• Ball pit balls not included

Related: Autistic Children’s Toys — A Guide to Help Them Thrive.

Mitcien Kids Camping Play Tent — Best for Fuelling the Imagination – $33.99

Credit: amazon.com

• Age rating: 3 years+
• Material: Various
• Size: 13.39 x 12.83 x 5 inches
• Price: $33.99

Perfect for indoor or outdoor role-playing, this camping play tent comes with a huge range of fun accessories, including a real-look bonfire that lights up and emanates the sounds of crackling logs and singing insects. There’s a light-up pretend oil lamp, too, binoculars, and a variety of plastic play food and implements.

The tent itself pops up, so there’s no need for any complicated assembly, and is lightweight there’s room inside for two kids. Best of all? The set is wipe-clean and foldable for easy-peasy maintenance and storage once bedtime rolls around!

Pros

• Easy to assemble
• Comes with a wide range of accessories
• Wipe-clean
• Very durable

Cons

• Batteries for campfire and lantern not included

Police Car Pop-Up Play Tent — Best for Roleplaying Fun

Credit: amazon.com

• Age rating: 3 years+
• Material: Polyester
• Size: 55 x 27.5 x 27.5 inches
• Price: $27.98

If you’ve got a little one who wants to grow up to be a policeman or policewoman, then this pop-up play tent is ideal! The tent is spacious, even featuring room inside for a fun ball pit; kids can activate a range of sounds, too, including an emergency siren and dispatch calls.

There’s no assembly required to get this tent set up, it simply pops up, so your child won’t need to wait to start playing. It’s lightweight, durable, and portable, so it’s easy to take it with you on vacation or for an afternoon at the park. The play tent features doors with zip openings, washable polyester fabric, reinforced stitching, and a mesh windscreen.

Pros

• Great for roleplay and developing fine motor skills
• Required batteries are included
• Spacious
• Washable

Cons

• Ballpit balls are not included

Kiddie Play Supermarket Play Tent — Best Value Option

Credit: amazon.com

• Age rating: 3 years+
• Material: Polyester
• Size: 36 x 28 x 40 inches
• Price: $19.89

This supermarket-themed play tent is easy to assemble and dismantle and is a great toy to encourage role play and using the imagination. It features a front door and pass-through window for serving ‘customers’ and comes with an optional soft floor to add, which is handy when being used for outdoor play.

If you’re looking for ideas to keep your kids entertained in the holidays or to play in with friends, this durable, fun, budget-friendly option could be the perfect solution!

Pros

• Budget-friendly

• Sturdy and durable
• No-tool, easy assembly
• Optional soft floor included

Cons

• Doesn’t come with a carry/storage case

iBabify Kids Dinosaur Play Tent — Best for Interactive Fun

Credit: amazon.com

• Age rating: 3 months+
• Material: Fiberglass and plastic
• Size: 39.4 x 39.4 x 53.1 inches
• Price: $32.99

As well as the striking dinosaur-themed play tent itself, your child also gets a realistic dinosaur roar button, and a projection flashlight for an immersive, panoramic Jurassic adventure! Inside, the tent is roomy, boasts a patterned domed roof, and is made from durable material with reinforced stitching.

While kids will love letting their imaginations run riot with this play tent, parents will appreciate how quick and easy it is to set up and take down and the fact that it’s easily wiped clean, too!

Pros

• Kids will love the roar button and dinosaur projector
• Easy-clean
• Fade-resistant fabric
• Folds up for easy storage

Cons

• Doesn’t come with a ground mat or pillow

AIR Fort Inflatable UFO Play Tent — The Ultimate Kids’ Fort

Credit: amazon.com

• Age rating: 3 years+
• Material: Polyester
• Size: 77 x 77 x 55 inches
• Price: $59.95

Looking for something a little different? How about this option: an inflatable UFO-shaped play tent? This unique fort can be inflated in just thirty seconds and is extremely spacious, making it perfect for sleepovers and parties.

The play tent has been tested and approved for safety and has been designed for easy entry and egress. It also features a mesh fan divider and a viewing window. It can be inflated with most standard box fans and comes with a handy storage case for when it’s not in use. If your kids love to make a fort, this is a great option and does away with the need for all of your chairs, blankets, and pillows to be commandeered as part of its construction.

Pros

• Great alternative to a fabric play tent
• Inflates in just thirty seconds
• Extremely spacious
• Comes with a storage case

Cons

• Doesn’t include a box fan

Joyin Rocket Ship Play Tent — Best for Unique Design

Credit: amazon.com

• Age rating: 3 years+
• Material: Polyester
• Size: 16.5 x 12.8 x 1.9 inches
• Price: $29.99

Lots of kids dream of being an astronaut and heading off for a space adventure in their very own rocket… make their dreams come true with this uniquely designed play tent in the shape of a rocket ship!

Building this tent is quick and easy, and your kids may even like to get involved with ‘constructing’ their space vehicle before stepping in, ready for blast-off. You may even find that your little astronaut enjoys taking their naps within this play tent, as they drift off thinking of all the new worlds they’ve been exploring. This is a practical option for parents, too: it’s lightweight, durable, comes with its own carry case, and the material is wipe-clean.

Pros

• Kids will love the fun rocket design
• Easy to assemble
• Features windows
• Foldable poles for easy storage

Cons

• Not as spacious as some other options

Yoikoi Play Tent with Accessories — Best for Spaciousness

Credit: amazon.com

• Age rating: 3 years+
• Material: Polyvinyl chloride
• Size: 50.4 x 39.4 x 47.3 inches
• Price: $72.99

An indoor or outdoor playhouse that’s sturdy and robust, this option from Yoikoi is sure to be a hit with your toddler or young child. The soft, skin-friendly material is anti-static and breathable for extra comfort, and the play tent features four fully-openable windows and a pair of pretty, long curtains. It also comes with a set of star-string lights and a cloud-shaped pendant.

If spaciousness is what you’re looking for, this play tent fits the bill: three young children can easily fit inside the structure. The thick material adds to this option’s durability, and it’s easy to assemble and keep clean, too.

Pros

• Constructed from premium materials
• Soft and comfortable on the skin
• Comes with sweet accessories
• Spacious

Cons

• Batteries not included for string lights

Safari Kidz Aventure Play Tent — Best for Additional Fun Accessories

Credit: amazon.com

• Age rating: 3 years+
• Material: Plastic
• Size: 13 x 4 x 13 inches
• Price: $32.95

Have you got a young wildlife adventurer on your hands? Then look no further than this safari play tent kit that comes with loads of exciting accessories for your junior park ranger! As well as the tent itself, a pair of binoculars, a flashlight, a magnifying glass, a backpack, a whistle, a compass, and a menagerie of small plastic animal tools are included in the set.

The tent is pop-up, so there’s no assembly required, and it’s suitable for both indoor and outdoor play. It’s a great way to promote and nurture a love of nature and help your child develop a lifelong interest in the environment around them.

Pros

• Comes with a huge range of accessories
• Easy to assemble
• Set includes a water-resistant carry bag
• Batteries included

Cons

• Tent is comparatively small—will only fit one child

Crawl Through Tunnel Play Tent — Best for Toddlers

Credit: amazon.com

• Age rating: 3 years+
• Material: Various
• Size: 16.34 x 13.3 x 1.65 inches
• Price: $26.99

Very young children will have fun crawling through this colorful, caterpillar-shaped play tent tunnel made from soft, durable polyester material. The steel spring construction provides a sturdy frame, but the tunnel collapses down for easy storage at the end of playtime.

This option is a great way to help young kids to be physically active: encourage them to play hide and seek in it, incorporate it into an obstacle course, or race to see who can crawl through it in the quickest time! It’s suitable for indoor and outdoor play, so whatever the weather, it’s a great way to divert the kids from the screen.

Pros

• Bright and colorful
• Easy to assemble and store
• Versatile
• Can be used indoors and outdoors

Cons

• Doesn’t include any accessories

UTEX 3-in-1 Pop-Up Play Tent — Best for Ball Pit Fun

Credit: amazon.com

• Age rating: 3 years+
• Material: Polyester
• Size: 119 x 31 x 34 inches
• Price: $38.95

Bring the fun of the soft play ball pit into your own home with this versatile pop-up tent! Incorporating a square tent house perfect for filling with colored balls, a teepee house, and a long tunnel, it also features two mesh windows for extra fun (and ventilation!) and provides lots of opportunities for imaginative play.

Although suitable for indoor use, this option comes into its outside, and the set comes complete with pegs provided to secure it into the ground. It’s also sturdy, lightweight, and easy to store when not in use.

Pros

• Pops up quickly and easily, no need for tools
• Provides lots of opportunities for play
• Components can be used separately
• Perfect for indoor and outdoor use

Cons

• Balls for the ball pit are not included

Bohemian-Style Play Tent — Best for Minimalist Design

Credit: amazon.com

• Age rating: 3 years+
• Material: Cotton and aluminum
• Size: 16.2 x 11.9 x 7.8 inches
• Price: $69.99

This simple, minimalist play tent is so beautifully designed that you may never want to put it away, even when your child is finished playing for the day! Generously spacious and featuring a door and upper window, it’ll make for a cute and cozy den or a place to relax after an exciting time playing.

The thick, high-quality cotton material is durable and washable, and the play tent comes with a string of pretty starlights, banner, and non-slip canvas mat. It’s so large and looks so good, that you may want to incorporate some small wooden shelves or crates for toys inside the space.

Pros

• Looks beautiful in any room
• Comes with accessories
• Easy to assemble
• Can be used indoors or outdoors

Cons

• Relatively expensive option

Deluxe Lemonade Stand Roleplay Play Tent — Best for Premium Materials

Credit: amazon.com

• Age rating: 3 years+
• Material: Cotton, steel frames
• Size: 34 x 48 x 66 inches
• Price: $219.99

If you’re in the market for a very special gift, this deluxe lemonade stand play tent could fit the bill perfectly! It comes with everything your budding entrepreneur needs to open their very own lemonade business, including the tent itself, two chalkboard signs for advertising their wares, an apron, and ‘Open’ and ‘Closed’ signs.

Tested for safety and durability and made from non-toxic materials and water-based pigments, this play tent has all the bases covered. The high-quality, thick cotton material hangs from a sturdy steel frame, and the outer walls feature velcro strips to attach the signs. And as a pleasant bonus, it’s surprisingly easy to assemble and dismantle, too!

Pros

• Unique design offering lots of opportunities to play
• Can be used in or outdoors
• Comes with accessories
• Extremely high-quality design and materials.

Cons

• By far the priciest play tent on our list

VBY Play Tent for Beds — Best for Relaxing at Bedtime

Credit: amazon.com

• Age rating: 3 years+
• Material: Various
• Size: 17.75 x 17.5 x 1.3 inches
• Price: $26.99

A play tent with a different! This option is designed to fit over the head of your child’s bed to create a cozy nighttime wonderland to help them drift peacefully off to sleep. There are four designs to choose from, space adventure, dinosaur island, winter wonderland, and unicorn fantasy.

This bedtime play tent will fit over most double beds and makes for a snuggly nest in which to share a story or simply relax. It’s a pop-up design and is highly portable, so can easily be taken on vacation or for a night away to help your child settle more easily come nighttime.

Pros

• Helps promote calm bedtimes
• Four designs to choose from
• Made from high-quality materials
• Doesn’t restrict movement

Cons

• Does not incorporate built-in lighting

Baby Beach Play Tent — Best for Babies

Credit: amazon.com

• Age rating: 6 months+
• Material: Polyester
• Size: 54 x 25 x 35 inches
• Price: $29.99

This spacious play tent is perfect for babies and toddlers to rest and play in. Although it can be used indoors, it’s also great for outdoor use— it incorporates 50+ UV protection to keep your little one safe from the sun’s harmful rays, and the all-around mesh design both allows for cooling ventilation and keeps insects away from your baby. It comes with two tent pegs that can be used to secure it while on the beach or at the park.

There’s no assembly required—the tent pops up in seconds—and it’s lightweight, so carrying it to and fro is no problem. And it’s waterproof, too, just in case you get caught out by a shower during your picnic!

Pros

• Provides effective sun protection
• Can be easily secured when outside
• Mesh fabric offers protection from insects
• Well-ventilated

Cons

• Cannot be unzipped from the inside

FAQ

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Are kid’s play tents safe?

In general, as long as you check that the play tent is suitable for the age of your child and complies with all the relevant safety regulations, then play tents are a safe choice. Young children should always be supervised while playing, and care should be taken that the play tent is assembled correctly and used appropriately to ensure safety.

Are tents good for toddlers?

As long as they’re adequately supervised while playing, a play tent can be a great toy for a toddler. They’re interactive and so encourage imaginative, and often physical, play, both of which are great for developing youngsters.

What is the age that play tents are best for?

Most of the play tents on the above list are suitable for ages three years and older. In most cases, kids up to the age of about six will enjoy playing in and with a play tent.

What are the benefits of tent play?

There are many advantages of tent play. These include the development of fine and gross motor skills, promoting creative, imaginative play, and the opportunities it provides to play socially.

Choosing the Best Play Tent for Your Child: The Takeaway

A play tent is a great gift for a young child and can provide hours of imaginative play opportunities, as well as a relaxed space in which to nap or simply wind down. Use our guide above and take some time to ensure you get the play tent that’ll suit your kid best. To this end, consider its size, theme, and additional components and accessories, as well as crucial elements such as its durability and ease of assembly.

Do your kids enjoy having fun with a play tent? How does it get used in your home? We’d love to hear your stories—drop us a line in the comments box below!

The picture on the front page: Yuganov Konstantin/Shutterstock.com