Slumber Pod Review: Get Baby to Sleep Soundly While Traveling

For some, the idea of traveling with a toddler or baby can be intimidating. Kids thrive on routine, and sometimes when their routines get disrupted when camping, all-inclusive family resort hopping or even just going to a grandparent’s house. Toddler travel beds are an amazing way of keeping some consistency, but for those who need that sense of home to sleep, it can be hard to achieve.

If you’re a blackout-curtains-and-sound-machine kind of family, then there’s a hack for traveling with kids to save both their sleep and yours. The Slumber Pod will level up your ability to travel with kids this summer.

What is a Slumber Pod?

The SlumberPod is a portable tent-like contraption that you put over your kid’s pack-n-play mattress or crib bedding to create a blackout environment. It creates privacy for both baby and yourself so that you can both get a good night’s sleep.

The pod blocks out 90% of light and is perfect for those awkward situations where you don’t want to be pinning up blackout curtains or where you and your child are sharing a room, such as at a hotel. The fabric is breathable and stretchable and can be machine washed if needed. It comes in five colors and some models come with a fan for circulation.

My Slumber Pod review

We’ve been able to get by with our toddler travel adventures so far by putting her travel crib tucked partially in a closet, but light definitely leaks in and I’m always worried about airflow in there for her as she runs hot.

The clever SlumberPod seemed like an excellent solution for my family because she normally sleeps like a champ at home when she's got her sound machine, blackout curtains and fan. Plus, the SlumberPod is easy to put together and includes a series of poles and fabric pieces that you pop up.

It really does look like a mini tent, and that's part of the beauty of how SlumberPod works.

You just place the SlumberPod over the child’s sleeping area and blackout conditions are instant. Voila! Plus, it's easy to order and ship directly from Amazon.

Our family beach trip was the perfect testing ground for just letting the SlumberPod hang out in the middle of the bedroom. I wanted to test the ventilation, so I got in the tent myself. I'm happy to report that it was nice and comfortable. I may even need a sleep pod for myself.

I loved that my husband and I didn’t have to tiptoe around her as we went to bed and could even finally turn the bathroom light on instead of using our flashlights so as not to disturb her. Heck, we even enjoyed the testing process of this SlumberPod review.

Pros

• Creates a truly dark, quiet environment for little ones to sleep in with added ventilation panels
• Lightweight and easy to travel with—even fits in carry-on luggage
• Just a couple of minutes of quick, tool-free setup with tent poles
• Fun to use as a playspace or tent as kids graduate from the toddler stage
• Fits over most standard playards, mini cribs and toddler cots
• Fits a baby or toddler
• Comes with a built-in fan pocket and space for a baby monitor
• Ideal for hotel rooms
• Measures 50 inches long and 36 inches wide

Cons

• Not much—just that it's a bit pricey, but worth every penny if filtering light out of your baby's sleep environment means a lot to you

Final verdict

If your child sleeps best with blackout conditions, then the Slumberpod is a game-changer. It packs down into a nice little parcel that can easily be tucked into a suitcase or a duffle bag. The fan can double as white noise, too, which is a nice touch. For parents looking to save their evenings while traveling, the SlumberPod is a must.

Where to buy a Slumber Pod

You can purchase the SlumberPod on Amazon, where almost 2,000 parents have rated it and given it a nearly-perfect 4.7-star average. You should hurry up though—popular colors sell out FAST during high travel seasons.

At about $180 USD or $280 CAD, it's a brilliant investment in healthy sleep.

FAQs

How to set up a Slumber Pod

The Slumber Pod is easy to set up. Following the directions, insert the metal rods through the fabric as if you’re popping up a tent. It breaks down into a compact package that is easily packable.

Are Slumber Pods safe?

Slumber Pod has passed all the requisite juvenile product safety tests in the U.S., Canada and Europe, and the brand has done additional testing to ensure that there is minimal risk of CO2 rebreathing. Parents who wish to keep the flap open for more airflow can, although it will reduce the amount of blackout.