A play tent is a great toy that can keep your child busy for hours, and it can be very educational, too. But like with all toys on the market, just buying the first thing you see is not always the best idea. Ever bought a toy for your child that you were convinced was great, but he didn't really play much with it? Or it took less than a week until it broke?

Here are 5 tips that help you find the right play tent for your child:

• Consider interest
• Consider available space
• Consider where to use it
• Consider quality
• Let your child choose

Tip #1: Consider interest
If your child doesn't like the style of his play tent, he won't play with it. On the other hand, if you can find a play tent with your childs' favorite theme, you can be guaranteed he'll love it. If your child likes knights stories, get a play tent with a medieval theme, like a castle tent. If he's more into soldiers, get an army style tent. Or get a gazebo or playful design for your little girl. If your child is very active, you might also consider a tunnel tent or tent tunnel combination which makes a great "adventure playground".

Tip #2: Consider available space
Of course, the theme must be right and the play tent must look nice. But where are you going to put it? In your child's room? The lounge? The tent might not look that big in the large shop, but play tents are fairly big toys. It's a good idea to take the measurements and check at home if it will fit into the room. You don't want to discover later that there's no more space to walk once you set the play tent up, or even worse, that it's too big. It's best to get a play tent of a size that allows you to set it up and leave it there. Setting it up every time your child wants to play with it can be quite annoying.

Tip #3: Consider where to use it
Most products can be used both inside and outside, but not every play tent on the market may be equally suitable for outside play. If you intend to take your play tent outside, get one that is explicitly outdoor friendly. It should be water resistant and easy to clean, since it will get dirty easier than inside.

Tip #4: Consider quality
A cheap play tent is not necessarily bad, but it might be of lesser quality than a more expensive one. If it's just used inside, or you expect your child to only play with it for a year, and your child is one who looks well after things, this might be fine. But if your little one is a bit rough, and the play tent is likely to face quite a few years of boisterous play, then it will pay off to invest a bit more and buy a higher quality and more durable tent.

Tip #5: Let your child choose
Of course, your child won't think about all the things we just talked about, and you will have to help him pick a really good play tent. But involving your child in the buying process can do wonders in finding a tent that will be loved. Because he won't choose what he doesn't like. If your child is a bit older, you can try to explain about things like quality and size. Otherwise, it's a good idea to check out some really good options and then let your child choose amongst those.

It's worth it making a careful decision when buying a play tent, since this kind of toy you don't usually buy a lot of because they are so big. Most likely you will stick with just one, so you should make sure your child will be happy with it.