Crib Pockets - Good Idea? | Apartment Therapy

A good survival strategy when you have your first baby is having essentials (a fresh diaper, wipes, pacifier, burp cloth, etc.) always close at hand. Some people keep them all in one place so every caregiver knows where to find them and some people have multiples around the house that can be grabbed at a moment's notice. Maybe crib pockets is another strategy - have you used them?

We've written about the Thilde pocket (first photo) before but with toddlers in mind as a place for them to stow away a few items they might want to use in their cribs. But now we're looking at it again for tucking away a few things for parents to have handy. [Update to the original post: it's no longer for sale at Craftsbury Kids, but you can find a list of retailers here.]

We also spotted the crib pockets in the second photo in a broader post about bed pockets on AT Chicago. We haven't seen this type of crib pocket for sale (have you?), but agree that it looks useful as a space saving idea in smaller nurseries or for parents who share a bedroom with their baby.

Finally, we wanted to see if there were any tutorials out there in case you were interested in making your own. We found the one above (third photo) made by the author of a blog called Sweet Peas. It's no longer being updated but the tutorial is still available.

What about you - have you found a crib pocket useful?

(photo1: Thilde, photo 2: Sarah Coffey, photo 3: Sweet Peas)

Comments (8)

i would not use crib pockets due to my kid having access to them. even if they were just toys for him. durring nap time it would be all games. the third is super cute though!

My daughter would have had all this stuff torn up or on the floor in minutes even when she wasn't very old.

However... I do love the idea for a few playthings for a toddler who may be still in a crib but transitioning to 'quiet time' rather than naptime. I'll likely try it with my daughter when she starts to be more wakeful in the afternoons.

I have a small fabric box at the foot of my son's bed for this. He's 2 and likes to take toys to bed with him. He'll play quietly or read for a little bit before he falls asleep. I also keep a sippy cup in there in case he's thirsty.

I like the idea, and it would for him. The only problem is now he's in a toddler bed so I'm not sure where I would attach it.

I think the kid's hand in the pocket tells the whole story here: Anything in those pockets would become toys for whoever was occupying the crib. Also, how long does it take to walk from the crib to wherever these things are typically stored?

Cute, but impractical.

I made one for my daughter, and she loves it! I keep her nap time binky and a few books in there for after naps. I made a tutorial, here:

http://theadventuresofroryandjess.blogspot.com/2010/01/crib-booktoy-holder-tutorial.html

it totally depends on the child, I think!

The crib looks like the IKEA Sniglar, but what are the rubber feet on the bottom?

I don't think it would necessarily work for a kid this age or an older baby, but if you have your baby in a crib right off the bat it would be great for a newborn. Our bassinet has little pockets like that on the side where we'd keep pacifiers, a thermometer, suction bulb, and the stethoscope (our daughter had a heart condition, so not everyone would need that one!). It was great to have all those things on hand!

I have made something like this for my son. I put it on his crib (on Sundays only) before I go to bed with different toys and books in. I call it the "extra 10 minutes" as he will play with whats in there for a good 30 mins! thats extra sleep time or just snuggling in bed time.

It works every time!