I heard about the Nugget a couple of years ago in a parenting Facebook group. I had never heard of them, but so many moms mentioned them daily that I knew I had to check them out. They would swear that the Nugget is perfect for their little ones as a play couch/climbing blocks. And with two kids who love to climb… I was intrigued.
Nugget describes its play couch as an “infinitely configurable play couch” made up of four foam pieces. A foldable base, foldable cushion, and two triangle pillows come in each set. The fabric covering is microsuede, and Nuggets come in a variety of colors. They have sold out multiple times, which may have you asking, “Is the Nugget couch worth it?” and maybe even “What even is the Nugget?” With tons of videos available for a variety of Nugget couch builds, there’s opportunity for endless play.
So here’s my honest review of the Nugget couch, along with some great Nugget couch alternatives.
An Honest Review of The Nugget Play Couch
At the time I first heard about the Nugget, my then-3 year old was really into creating forts out of the couch cushions. So we put it on the Christmas list and a family member was able to get one before it sold out (again). The Nugget allowed her to create forts but in a play space, and without taking apart the living room sectional. If you have kids who love to jump and climb, and take the couch apart, then you’re in the right place reading about the Nugget couch here! (And you might also want to check out my post on our Pikler triangle, too.)
The four-piece Nugget couch costs around $229. When we got ours it took weeks for it to ship, so if you’re interested in it as a gift, don’t wait!
The Nugget couch comes in a big orange box. I knew from an automated email they sent that it needed to be opened within a certain time period (I think two weeks) or the warranty would be void. So we opened it up, put the navy blue covers on, and watched as the foam de-smushed itself into much larger pieces than were in the box.
I was a little underwhelmed at first. To be honest, I thought to myself that I had just acquired an expensive floor mat. But then my 3 year old came in the room, saw the pieces, and immediately started moving them into a fort structure. I was pretty impressed that she just knew this “couch” was actually an indoor playground of sorts.
Nugget couch ideas and configurations
Some parents insist that you need more than one Nugget to make the really cool “Nugget couch builds.” But with just one (meaning the four pieces), we’ve made it into a fort, a tent, a goal, and a movie watching mat for the whole family. If you’re looking for ideas on what to do with a Nugget, just search #nuggetcreations on Instagram or YouTube. I’ve seen a Christmas tree, a slide, a ball pit… some parents (and kids!) are really creative.
What’s the Nugget couch made of?
The inner parts of the Nugget are substantial foam inserts, covered by a machine-washable microsuede fabric. If you anticipate having to wash the covers a lot, you can add on waterproof covers. The Nuggets materials include high-quality, low-VOC CertiPur certified foam.
Cleaning a Nugget couch
Cleaning the microsuede cover is pretty easy, just by wiping it with a clean damp cloth. Our Nugget is a dark navy blue, so not much shows on here. But we also have the Nugget couch in the playroom, where the kids don’t bring food or drinks. If you really need to clean it well, I’d suggest using the incredible mini cleaner I have that gets stains out of almost anything!
Best Nugget Couch Alternatives + Add-Ons (that you can buy on Amazon)
If you want to try out a Nugget-esque product but don’t want to invest in the $229 product right away, there are some alternatives that you should look at.
The Blocksy ($259) looks almost identical to the Nugget, but it’s made of vinyl (and is wipeable vs. machine-washable).
The Blocksy Mini ($122) comes with 4 pieces, just like the Nugget. There are 9 colors available. It has wipeable fabric, not the soft microsuede of the Nugget. But at half the price it’s a great alternative, especially for toddlers.
The Delta Children Cozee Flip Out Sofa ($51) is a great option if you’re looking for something comfortable for your child to relax on. You can’t beat the price, too!
Modular Microfiber Sofa ($158) is made of microfiber. The design looks like a loveseat or you can assemble to put all pieces together to make one big bed. Or build with it! It has great reviews, and the square blocks included allow for just as much building as a triangle block would.
Mod Blox has a lot of 5-star reviews and I like how many different shapes it comes with.
As for add-ons, we got the Foamnasium Blocks set the same Christmas as the Nugget, and our kids have an amazing time creating obstacle courses with these, our Pikler triangle, and our stepping stones, too.
Foamnasium Tumblers and these blocks are great add-ons for any obstacle course building!
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