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Babies don't learn much in pens. In the sit-and-play stage some babies may temporarily enjoy their own little "playroom" with lots of stuff within easy grabbing distance. But in later months, as the beginning explorer peers through the net at the whole big room out there, he is likely to protest confinement.

Pens do have their place. A portable pen and a mobile baby may, out of necessity, belong together at your place of work. Plopping baby into a pen while you answer the phone or remove dinner form the oven is often a safety saver for the busy parent. But keep the sentence short. Put pen and baby within easy relating distance while finishing your work, making sure to frequently acknowledge the inmate.

If you need baby to be in the pen, keep it safe. Beginning sitters and crawlers flop around a lot on the pen floor. Keep hard toys out. Soft, cuddly toys make good penmates and are safer to fall against.

As baby progresses from the sit-and-play stage to the move-and-explore stage, pack up the pen and put it in its rightful place (perhaps even next to the crib) at your next garage sale and baby proof the whole house.

• If using a wooden playpen, make sure the bars are not so widely spaced that baby's head could get stuck. The same slat safety of cribs applies to playpens (bars no more than two-and-three-eights inches or six centimeters apart).
• If using a mesh playpen, check that the netting is small enough that it cannot catch the buttons on a child's clothing. Avoid mesh with large openings, which make easy toeholds for climbing.
• Never leave a child in a mesh playpen with the side down. Baby can become trapped and strangled in the pocket of mesh between the floor of the playpen and the lowered side.
• Avoid dangling strings from the sides of the playpen.
• Remove large toys, boxes, or blocks that can be used as steps for climbing out.
• Cover exposed nuts and bolts.
• Secure latching mechanisms that may act like scissors and pinch baby's fingers.

For updates on playpen safety, see Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA).