droolicious : tents

Moontent: Your Outdoor Room with a View

Aaron Burgess — Fri, 22 May 2009 13:30:00 GMT

What adventurous little ones don't love the experience of camping overnight in the back yard? Okay, mine don't, but that's beside the point: With the Moontent's easy setup (it pops open in a few seconds, no assembly required) and two-person accommodations, you can keep the kids company while they get used to the great outdoors.

Despite what its name suggests, the Moontent also holds up well in the sun, thanks to its SPF 50 rating. Just don't expect it to perform well in a downpour -- that moon roof could get treacherous pretty quickly.

£31.49 (around $50 U.S.) from I Want One of Those.

Personalized Loopty Loo Teepee

Lisa Estall — Tue, 05 May 2009 21:12:00 GMT

Kids can have some fun in this Loopty Loo Teepee. You get 25 square feet interior space to hold pow-wows and it's easy to carry around since it weighs only 9 lbs. Personalize it with a child’s name to prove ownership.

If you really want this teepee, you’ll have to fork over $288 at poshtots.com.

Fun In The Sun With The Lil' Nursery

Lisa Estall — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 22:59:00 GMT

Spend outdoors with your baby in this Li’l Nursery Tent. Made by Pacific Play Tents, your little one can be sheltered from harmful rays while you enjoy a nice day out in the park, beach or backyard. It has a roll-up mesh door and a mesh side panel. It’s flame retardent so don’t worry...

about being near a camp. fire.

It's $39.95 and sold at Baby Scholars.

Tent-tastic Butterfly Habitat

Lisa Mulcahy — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:48:00 GMT

I have great childhood memories of an amazing butterfly exhibit at the Bronx Zoo where you were able to walk through an entire room of butterflies as they fluttered about. That’s why I love this Butterfly Bungalow. It’s hands-on and sure to be a meaningful learning experience.

Unlike some of the other butterfly kits out there, The Butterfly Bungalow Habitat, $39.95, provides up-close observation as kids raise their own painted lady butterflies from larvae. The thrill of jumping in the tent with them . . . priceless.

Throw Your Kids to the Shark (Tent)

Heather Kuldell — Wed, 21 May 2008 15:11:00 GMT

Some tents are highly functional pieces of camping gear designed to withstand rain, sleet or snow. The Shark Tent is not one of those. It is, however, a totally awesome piece of play gear designed for two chums to lay down within a predator’s belly. If crawling through a shark mouth isn’t entertaining enough, your lil ones can take off the tent’s eyes and juggle them. (OK, maybe that’s a little dark, but they do detach.) The fiberglass poles are shock-corded together, so set up and take down are relatively easy.

Available at Target for $25.29.