Please follow this tutorial:

The short version: stand the tent up, fold the top edge down to meet the base so it goes flat, then twist one side back on itself until the frame springs into a figure eight. Fold the two loops together and you have a flat circle that drops into the bag. It takes about twenty seconds once you have done it twice.

The video below shows the whole thing in real time. Written steps, and the fixes for when it keeps springing open, are underneath.

The four steps

1. Empty it and shake it out. Tip any water out of the pool section and shake the sand off. Folding a wet tent straight into its bag is the most common cause of mildew spots.
2. Flatten it. Stand the tent up with the opening facing you, take the top edge of the canopy and fold it down to meet the base. You should end up with a rough half-circle.
3. Twist into a figure eight. Hold both sides of that half-circle and rotate your hands in opposite directions. The frame wants to do this — you are guiding it, not forcing it. It folds in on itself and forms two loops.
4. Stack the loops. Bring the two loops together so they sit on top of each other as one flat circle, then slide it into the carry bag.

Why does it keep springing back open?

Almost always because it is being twisted the wrong way. The frame is a continuous sprung hoop and it will only collapse in one direction. If it fights you, stop and twist the opposite way instead — it should suddenly go soft and fold itself. Forcing it the wrong way is also how frames get kinked.

The other common cause is trying to fold it while it is still pegged down. Pull the pegs first.

How small does it fold down to?

Set up, the tent is 117 × 79 × 70 cm (46 × 31 × 27.5 inches). Folded, it becomes a flat disc a little larger than a dinner plate, which fits the round carry bag it arrived in. It is light enough to carry one-handed with a child on the other hip, which is most of the point.

Can I fold it up wet?

You can, but don't leave it that way. Shake the water out and let it air-dry before it goes into storage for more than a day. The canopy is 190T silver-coated polyester and 300 mm water resistant, so it dries quickly — but sealed in a bag while damp, anything will eventually smell.

Does this work for other pop-up tents?

Yes. The twist-and-fold is the same for essentially any pop-up beach tent, play tent or sun shelter built on a sprung hoop frame. The number of loops changes with the size of the frame, but the motion does not.

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The tent in the video is our own Little Cubs Pop-Up Pool Tent — a shaded paddling pool and UPF 50+ sun shelter in one, made for babies and toddlers up to about age five.

Yes! They can be used in your backyard, a flat surface or on grass! The way we recommend to use it is to prop the base up a few cm by putting something underneath the sides, this way you don't have to dig a hole in your garden and can pack it up easily after use! 

However our customers usually come up with creative ways to make it work for them! Some people have even used it as a sandpit!

You’ll receive an automated email with a tracking link once your order ships. You can also check the status of your order on our websites track your page.

We have a 1-3 working day processing period where we pick and pack your order. However we aim to be dispatched the same day they are placed (orders placed after 5pm will be collected on the next working day)

Our shipping partners aim to have your order delivered with-in 4-10 working days.

During the build up to the Holiday season there may be slightly longer delivery times due to a larger amount of shipments.

Please see our shipping policy for more information on this.

Our products are designed for toddlers and children at least one year old.

For our pool tent full adult supervision is required at all times. It is recommended for children 3+ however most of our customers use it for younger children at their own discretion.

For our audible flash cards, you can use them for children at any age or any stage of cognitive development.

For our sleep soothing plushies, it is not recommended to have these in a bed or cot of a baby under the age of one. They can be used to help the baby fall asleep, but removed from the bed or cot once the child is asleep. For older children this is less of an issue.

For our tracing pad - any age a child is comfortable drawing or learning to write.

Yes, absolutely! We're parents too and we wouldn't sell anything that we wouldn't use with our own little cubs! 

All of our products are made from toxic free materials and designed for maximum learning and fun!

Due to high demand some items from your order may be fulfilled and shipped from seperate facilities meaning you may receive one of your items before the others. 

Check your order to see the fulfilment status. It's likely the rest of your order is on its way. If you haven't received all the items and are having trouble with your tracking information please contact us at info@little-cubs.com.

We’re so sorry if the product you ordered arrived damaged! To help us resolve this for you quickly, please email us at info@little-cubs.com within a weeks' time with photos of the damaged product, your order number, and any other details you may have about your order. We’ll get back to you with a resolution as soon as possible!

You’ll have receive an automated email confirming your order immediately after the order has been placed. Occasionally these emails end up in the junk / spam folder. Please check this folder for any emails from us. If the email isn't there please contact us at info@little-cubs.com