Do You Need Sheets for a Pack and Play? Safety & Comfort Guide

Do you actually need sheets for a pack-and-play, or is that just a scam by Big Baby to take your hard-earned money? After all, shouldn’t the pad included with it be enough? And if sheets are needed, does it matter which kind?

Yes, sheets are necessary. A fitted sheet is the only bedding item that belongs in a baby sleep setup inside a pack and play. At most, you might also need a mattress protector. The sheet is not optional, and the kind of sheet matters for both safety and hygiene.

• Yes, you need a sheet: a fitted sheet is required for every sleep, not optional
• It is the only bedding allowed: no blankets, pillows, or extras. Just the sheet and maybe a mattress protector. 
• The sheet must fit properly: loose or bunched fabric creates a suffocation risk
• Hygiene is a key reason: sheets protect the mattress pad from spit-up, sweat, and leaks. A mattress protector adds additional protection.
• Use a sheet specific to your playard size: standard playard sheets fit most models at 39" x 27"
• Wash sheets regularly: at least once a week, immediately after any blowout or spit-up

Do Pack and Play Sheets Count as Necessary Baby Gear?

A fitted playard sheet is not a comfort upgrade. It is a standard part of a safe play setup, especially if you plan to use your playard as a place for your baby to sleep. The American Academy of Pediatrics 2022 safe sleep guidelines are explicit: place your baby on a firm, flat, noninclined sleep surface covered by a fitted sheet, with nothing else in the sleep space.

The CPSC safe sleep guidance puts it simply: "Bare is Best, nothing but a fitted sheet in a crib, bassinet, or play yard." That guideline applies directly to pack-and-plays used for infant sleep.

So the question is not whether to use a sheet. It is which sheet to use, and how to make sure it fits correctly.

What Do the Safety Rules About Playards Actually Say?

Medical organisations such as Johns Hopkins Medicine agree with national guidance: the only item on the sleep surface should be a fitted sheet. Everything else is a hazard.

Anything else significantly increases the risk of sleep-related death.

What Belongs in a Pack-and-Play During Sleep

Make sure you remove any toys and plushies when you place your child to sleep in their playard

Why a Sheet Is Not Just About Comfort

Here are some of the reasons you need a properly fitted sheet for your playard:

The Safety Case

The mattress pad included with a pack and play is designed to be firm and flat. The bare surface is fine from a safety standpoint. The problem comes when parents add bedding that does not fit.

A sheet too large will bunch and fold onto the sleep area. A sheet too small will pop off the corners. This can be an entrapment risk for sleeping babies as well as playing infants who can roll, sit up, and crawl about. 

The Hygiene Case

Babies in a pack and play generate a steady stream of mess: spit-up, diaper leaks, drool, and sweat. Without a sheet between your baby and the mattress pad, that mess soaks directly into the pad.

Mattress pads for playards are not easy to wash. Most are not machine washable. And damp mattress pads can harbour mold, bacteria, and unpleasant smells. A fitted sheet and a mattress protector that takes the brunt of daily mess is far easier to remove and launder than the pad itself.

According to the Cleveland Clinic's guidance on washing sheets, sheets should be washed at least once a week because bacteria, dead skin cells, and allergens accumulate even without visible dirt. For a baby who spends many hours a day in a pack and play, that guidance applies directly, and more so after any blowout or spit-up.

For more details on quantities and rotation, see our guide on how many bassinet sheets you need, as the same logic applies to playard sheets.

The Comfort Case

The thin pad supplied with most pack and plays is functional, but its surface can feel stiff and cool to the touch. A soft pack 'n play mattress cover in the form of a fitted jersey cotton sheet adds a layer of warmth, softness, and texture that makes the sleep surface feel less clinical.

What’s the Difference Between a Surface With a Fitted Sheet vs. No Sheet

How to Choose the Right Sheet for Your Pack-and-Play

Once you find the right brand for playard or pack-and-play sheets, buy some extras so you’re never caught off guard.

How Important Is Size for Playard or Pack-And-Play Sheets?

Most standard pack-and-plays have an interior mattress area of approximately 39 inches long by 27 inches wide. A sheet labelled for that size will fit the majority of standard models.

However, dimensions vary slightly between brands and models. A pocket depth of at least 4 to 5 inches keeps the sheet securely on a pad up to 1.5 inches thick, the maximum allowed under 16 CFR Part 1221 federal safety rules for play yards.

Does Material Matter For Playard or Pack-And-Play Sheets?

100% allergen free cotton is the best bet for any material that the baby will spend a lot of time in contact with. 

• Jersey cotton: soft, stretchy, breathable, the most practical choice for a safe baby bedding surface that stays in place
• Woven cotton: less stretch means corners can pop off more easily; generally not ideal for playard use
• Fleece or flannel: traps heat, a recognised risk factor for SIDS, so avoid for sleep surfaces.
• Polyester blends: less breathable and can feel sweaty; opt for natural fibres instead.

You can read more about material comparisons in our blog here. 

Safe, Clean, and Simple: What a Pack and Play Actually Needs

A fitted sheet makes the sleep space safe, hygienic, and comfortable for your baby. It is not an unnecessary extra.  The rule is straightforward: one fitted sheet, sized correctly, and nothing else.

Get the fit right, keep a spare in rotation, and wash after every mess. That is the whole formula for a clean, safe baby sleep and play setup.

Looking for sheets that stay put and wash up easily?

At Joey + Joan, our fitted playard sheets are sized both for standard 39" x 27" playards as well as specific models, made from 100% OEKO-TEX certified jersey cotton, and built to hold their shape wash after wash. Browse the full range at joeyandjoan.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Can a baby sleep in a pack and play without a sheet?

Technically, the bare mattress pad is not unsafe on its own, but the AAP and CPSC both specify that a fitted sheet should be used, and without one, any mess goes straight into the pad, which is much harder to clean.

Q. Is a waterproof mattress cover the same as a sheet?

No. A waterproof cover protects the pad from moisture, but is not a substitute for a fitted sheet. If it is tightly fitting and thin, it can be used under a fitted sheet but not instead of one.

Q. Can I use a crib sheet in a pack and play?

No. A standard crib sheet is designed for a 52" x 28" mattress, far larger than a playard, so the excess fabric will bunch and create a suffocation risk.

Q. Does the type of fabric affect safety?

Fabric choice mainly affects comfort and breathability. The safety priority is that the sheet fits snugly and stays in place, with no loose or bunched fabric anywhere on the sleep surface.

Q. How do I know if my pack-and-play sheet fits correctly?

Run your hand across the surface: it should be completely flat and smooth, with the elastic hem gripping firmly around all four corners and no part of the sheet lifting without real resistance. 

Sources

• Safe Sleep – Cribs and Infant Products - The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission's guidance on safe sleep for infants
• Infant Safe Sleep - An article by Johns Hopkins Medicine on ensuring safe sleep and reducing SIDs risk for infants. 
• How Often You Should Wash Your Sheets - A Cleveland Clinic blog with washing instructions for beddings in the home. 
• eCFR. 16 CFR Part 1221: Safety Standard for Play Yards - United States Federal Guidelines for the safety standards of playards or pack-and-plays.