Last Updated on September 24, 2026
Editorial note: Pack ’n Play is Graco’s brand name for its portable playards, but over the years, the term has also become commonly used by parents as a general way to refer to this type of product. In this article, I use Pack ’n Play and playard interchangeably when referring to portable playards.
When your baby needs to nap but the room is still bright, it’s tempting to find a quick way to make the Pack ’n Play darker.
I’ve been there. When you’re sharing a room with your baby, you still want to be able to read or go to bed without turning the entire room into a cave.
The important part is how you create that darker environment. You don’t want to change your baby’s sleep surface or improvise with blankets, sheets, or other loose fabric. Instead, start by darkening the room around the playard. And if you’re traveling or room-sharing and that isn’t enough, a purpose-made playard darkening product can be another option.
Here’s what I would do and what I would avoid.
Quick Answer: How Do You Make a Pack ’n Play Dark Enough for Sleep?
To safely make a Pack ’n Play dark enough for sleep, focus on darkening the room environment using blackout curtains or strategic placement away from windows. Never drape loose sheets, blankets, or towels over the playard, as they pose severe suffocation and overheating risks. If room-sharing or traveling, use a purpose-built, breathable blackout tent (like a SlumberPod) or an air-permeable mesh cover (like a SnoozeShade) that meets current juvenile product safety standards.
First, I’d work with the room—not the Pack ’n Play
If the room is too bright, I’d rather start by making the room darker, not by covering the playard.
If you’re at home, this is usually the simplest solution. Use blackout curtains or blinds if the room has them.
A corner away from windows and bright lamps may work better than placing the Pack ’n Play directly beside a window or other light source.
If you’re sharing a room, keep the lights on only where you need them. This includes lamps, overhead lights, hallway lights, and other light sources you don’t need during nap time.
Check around the edges of curtains, under the door, or from nearby hallways and other rooms. You don’t need the room to be completely black for every baby to sleep—the goal is simply to reduce unnecessary light and distractions.
If the room is still too bright, consider a purpose-made playard darkening product. A blackout tent or darkening cover designed for use with a playard can help darken the sleep area without improvising with a sheet or blanket.
Why I Wouldn’t DIY a Blackout Cover
A sheet over the Pack ’n Play may seem like an easy solution, especially when you’re traveling. But once you start adding fabric or other materials around a baby’s sleep space, you’re changing an environment that is meant to stay clear of loose materials.
The AAP recommends keeping loose bedding and soft objects out of an infant’s sleep area, while the CPSC recommends keeping a playard bare except for its fitted sheet. That’s why I wouldn’t use a sheet, blanket, towel, or other loose fabric as a DIY blackout cover.
I’d also skip tying a sheet to the Pack ’n Play. Adding strings, cords, or ties around the sleep space introduces another potential hazard.
The same goes for the sleep surface itself. Don’t add anything to the playard mattress or pad to make it softer or more comfortable. Keep the original sleep surface and fitted sheet as they are.
If you’re wondering about other ways parents sometimes try to modify a Pack ’n Play, I cover those topics here:
Using a Blackout Tent or Darkening Cover
Sometimes darkening the whole room just isn’t practical.
A purpose-made blackout tent or darkening cover can give your baby a darker sleep space while the rest of the room stays usable. This can be especially helpful when you’re sharing a room and still want to read, get ready for bed, or move around without turning the entire room into a cave.
These products are also useful when you’re traveling and can’t control the curtains, blinds, or other sources of light in the room.
They generally fall into two categories:
A blackout tent creates a larger enclosed space over the playard. The structure extends above and around the playard, leaving more room between the child and the outer fabric.
This can be useful as your baby gets older and starts sitting or standing in the playard, since the darkening material isn’t right against the playard frame.
For example, SlumberPod is designed to fit over playards and mini cribs and is currently recommended by the manufacturer for children 4 months and older.
A darkening cover fits more closely around the playard. These are generally smaller and simpler to pack than a structured tent.
For example, SnoozeShade makes a cover specifically for travel cots/Pack ’n Plays and describes it as an air-permeable mesh cover designed to block light.
Blackout Tent vs. Darkening Cover
The two types can work in slightly different ways, so it’s worth understanding the basic difference before choosing one. Neither type is automatically appropriate for every baby or every playard. Age recommendations, compatibility, ventilation, and setup instructions vary by manufacturer, so always check the product’s instructions before using it.
| Feature | Blackout Tent | Darkening Cover |
| Design | Structured cover with more space around the playard | Fabric cover that fits more closely around the playard |
| Space | More room above and around the playard | Less additional space |
| Portability | Usually bulkier | Usually lighter and more compact |
| Setup | Usually requires more setup | Usually simpler to put on |
| Best suited to | Parents who want a more enclosed, room-like dark space | Parents who want a simpler, compact darkening option |
Want to use a blackout tent or darkening cover? See our guide to the Best Blackout Tents and Darkening Covers for a closer look at ventilation, setup, and features to consider.
Alternative: How to Black Out Hotel Windows on the Go
If you’re traveling with a baby and don’t plan to buy a darkening product for the playard itself, you have another option: a portable blackout curtain made for travel.
Some use suction cups or other temporary attachments that let you cover a hotel window without installing anything permanently. These can be useful when the room has thin curtains, large windows, or light coming in around the edges.
You may also see parents using temporary DIY solutions such as dark fabric, cardboard, or even large trash bags secured over the window. If you use any temporary window covering, keep it on the window itself and well away from the Pack ’n Play, and make sure there are no loose cords, ties, tape, or other materials within your baby’s reach.
Can a Pack ’n Play Be Too Dark for a Baby?
Generally, no. A very dark room is not considered harmful for a baby, and some babies actually sleep better with less light. There’s no need to keep a light on just to prevent the room from being “too dark.”
Bottom Line
You don’t need to turn the Pack ’n Play itself into a completely enclosed space to help your baby sleep in a bright room.
Start by darkening the room, not the sleep surface. Close the curtains, move the playard away from direct light, and turn off lights you don’t need.
If you’re traveling or room-sharing and need to keep the rest of the room usable, a Pack ’n Play blackout tent or darkening cover made specifically for a playard may be a practical solution.
Just don’t improvise with sheets, blankets, towels, curtains, or cords. And before using any blackout accessory, check its current age, compatibility, ventilation, and use instructions.