Directions for Installing a Crib Tent

Crib tents are advertised as a way to keep children safe from injury if they're climbers.

As your little ones grow and begin to explore their new-found dexterity, you may be concerned about your child getting hurt if they attempt to climb out of their cribs. One way to help prevent these well-meaning but potentially dangerous escape attempts from happening is to install a crib tent on your child's crib. These fully breathable devices allow you immediate access to your child but still create a barrier that prevents your child from falling out of the crib.

Things You'll Need

• Crib tent

Instructions

1. Assemble the top rods and border rods. Each top rod is made up of three sections, usually white in color. The border rods are made up of two sections each.

2. Insert each top rod assembly into the button holes of the top rod sleeves, located on the front of the tent where the zipper is. Once in their respective sleeves, use your hands to shimmy the fabric so that each rod is completely covered, forming the dome of the tent.

3. Insert the two border rod assemblies into the buttonholes at the front and back of the tent, respectively. Once threaded through each bottom edge border sleeve, make sure the rod assemblies are completely covered by fabric.

4. Slip the four ends of the bowed top rod assemblies into their respective pockets, located at the corners of the top border of the tent. Then, place the assembled tent atop of the crib, making sure the side cloth swaths lay inside the crib.

5. Tuck the end panels under the crib mattress, making sure to pull the fabric taut. Then, secure the panels to the crib frame by tying the panel ties to the frame. Finally, secure the hook and loop fasteners to secure the tent to the front crib railing by pulling the fabric strings through the loops and pulling taut, and pulling the lock tab over each loop.

Tips & Warnings

• Different crib tents are made for different types of cribs. Be sure to research your options before bringing home a crib tent. For example, most types of crib tents will not work if the crib has a solid back.

• Parents have lodged numerous complaints about crib tents causing risk of entrapment or strangulation if a child rips the fabric or gets caught in any unsecured straps. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions to the letter when installing this product.

References

• Tots In Mind, Inc.: Crib Tent Installation Instructions
• Crib Tents: Another Hazard From The World Of Unregulated Child Products