Are toys all over your house? Does it seem the “designated playroom” has become the entire house? Baby gates can really help with keeping those designated areas meant for their purpose. But these days, with so many open floor plans, traditional door-wide baby gates won’t work. Here are some extra wide baby gates that can break up the open floor plan and help kiddos understand visually what is meant for play. Giving kids a designated area can also help with clean up, setting boundaries, and a sense of safety.
When we purchased our new house, we knew the dining room would become a play room. The problem was the open concept of the dining room and the family room. The doorway was 12 feet across! Where would I find a baby gate to fit that width?? Lo and behold the problem solver…the Summer Infant Sure And Secure Custom Fit Gate. It expands up to 12 feet across, customizes to the twists, turns, and width of your room, and doesn’t have that “jail cell” feel because it has open mesh. Also, if you buy two baby gates, you can turn this gate into its own playroom. This gate can corner off an area of a room for safety, protect a stairway, or anything else you may need it for. Having a safe place to put your child when you need to dash into another room is a must have mommy item.
This gate has been a life saver in our house. The Summer Infant Custom Fit Gate is perfect because it can be as small as 65 inches or as wide as 143 inches. I love the mesh because it doesn’t give the kids that “jail” feeling of bars, and toys (and animals for that matter) can’t squeeze through, keeping everything inside the room you designate.
Because rabbits can chew through the mesh, I had to attach some metal wire cube storage shelves so he couldn’t get out.
It screws onto the wall, and can very easily be taken down if need be by detaching the gate from the screwed in portion. If you buy two gates, you can attach them together to create a circular, free-standing area for kids.
If you need something wider, try the Regalo 192-Inch Super Wide Adjustable Baby Gate and Play Yard.
This gate is so versatile because not only does it bend and fit the space you need, but it also converts to a stand alone play yard. It also folds flat for storage so it could also be an easy travel gate if need be.
If you’re looking for something that folds flat against the wall so it doesn’t have to be a permanent structure in your house, try the Retract-A-Gate.
This gate can be rolled up into the tube on the wall, or pulled out to as wide as 72 inches. It has a see through type mesh so parents can easily see what’s happening and will even keep pets out. It comes with everything you need to install and also comes in three colors to fit your room.
Retractable gates are typically not to be used at the top of stairs, but the Retract-A-Gate is JPMA certified for top and bottom of stairs.
If these don’t fit what you’re looking for, search for more here! I’m sure you’ll find something that fits your space.
