Investing in the best baby play mat is a good way to ensure your child is being given the opportunity to play and learn in a specific environment.
To ensure that you don’t go wrong with this purchase for your little one, this post will go into detail about comfort, safety, material, colors, variety, portability, and size. Also included will be the pros and cons of each baby play mat, based on user reviews.
5. The Play Gym by Lovevery
[amazon box=”B075R8BXXC”]The Play Gym has a simple look that will complement any room and is made with sturdy material. This best baby play mat isn’t just for infant use, because it actually grows with your child into their toddler years. It features removable accessories, different development activities for different age groups, and can eventually become a fort for an active toddler.
While negative reviews are few and far between, most of the ones that do exist are about the baby not being interested since there aren’t bright colors, and others complain that they were missing pieces when they received the item.
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- Activities on the mat can be hidden to allow child to focus on just one at a time.
- Child can learn focus, sounds, sensory, hiding, finding, and colors.
- Portable and easy to store.
- Wooden legs, making it sturdy.
- Easy assembly and disassembly.
- Machine washable.
- All non-wooden pieces are made with organic cotton.
- Doesn’t require batteries.
- Easy to spot clean.
Nopes
- Not very colorful.
- When zones are out, product side increases by 12″ W and 4″ L.
- Used/returned items are sometimes resold and received by customers with missing pieces.
- Quite heavy compared to others, weighing 7.6 pounds.
Surprise your kids today:4. Skip Hop Baby Treetop Friends Activity Gym/Playmat
[amazon box=”B01MS92ROR”]This nature-inspired baby playmat has many activities for your little one to choose from, and it also comes with 5 removable toys that can be arranged in different places above your baby. Made from polyester and cotton, it is safe and soft for babies. Free of music and lights, your baby will enjoy built-in sounds such as crinkle leaves and squeaking toys.
Some customers who reviewed this playmat complained that the seams come undone easily and that the color fades after washing once or twice, and other customers complain that the toys are too difficult to squeeze so little ones are unable to make it squeak.
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- Many activity options for your baby to learn from.
- 13 loops to hang the removable toys from.
- Has a baby safe mirror.
- Includes a tummy time pillow.
- Easy assembly.
- Lightweight at 14.1 oz.
- No batteries required.
Nopes
- Not all parts are machine washable.
- Seams come undone and color fades.
- Squeaking toys are difficult for little hands to squeeze.
Surprise your kids today:3. Tiny Love Meadow Days Super Play Mat
[amazon box=”B071RD3PPD”]This play mat is made with plush and polyester material, making it soft to the touch for your baby, while it also has textures and activities to promote sensory and motor skill opportunities for your little one’s development. The Tiny Love Meadow Days play mat also comes with a detachable mirror for self-recognition and practicing facial expressions.
With nothing hanging overhead, your baby will have lots of room to roll and crawl around, practicing their gross motor development in a specific area. Some of the few complaints about this best baby play mat are that it doesn’t come with many toys so their child loses interest quickly, and others complained that it could use a little more padding.
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- Easily folds up for portability.
- Offers different textures for sensory exploration.
- Baby friendly mirror can be propped up.
- Lightweight at 1.96 lbs.
- Doesn’t require batteries.
- Machine-washable and dryable.
- Has hooks to attach toys.
- Has a carrying handle for travel.
- Comes with a pretend carrot teether.
Nopes
- Doesn’t come with many toys.
- Could use more padding.
- Once baby begins to roll and crawl, it is easy for baby to end up on the floor.
Surprise your kids today:2. Baby Play Mat With Fence, Foam Letters, and Tiles
[amazon box=”B07GRPVQ4F”]This foam, non-toxic baby play mat is extremely versatile, as it can be used in many different ways while also allowing opportunities for fine motor practice, hand/eye coordination, problem-solving, cause and effect, visual development, and alphabet learning.
With a 6.5 inch wall around the sides, it can keep toys in this specific area (including ball pit balls!), and sometimes prevent an infant from rolling onto the floor. The walls of the play mat can also come down for open play options, or to create larger walls and a smaller play area. The main complaints about this best baby play mat are that it is too easy for a baby to pull the walls down and that it is smaller than some customers were expecting.
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- Can be used as a ball pit.
- Mat is thick to protect your baby if they fall.
- Wipes clean.
- Doesn’t come with any small pieces.
- Somewhat lightweight at 3.25 lbs.
- No batteries required.
- Colorful and gender-neutral.
Nopes
- Fence will not keep a mobile baby inside.
- Doesn’t come with a carrying case.
- Only comes with letters A-P.
- Easy for a baby to pull apart.
Surprise your kids today:1. Yookidoo Baby Gym and Play Mat
[amazon box=”B00KZ6LQHK”]This baby play mat is different from others because it has a motorized robot track, with a removable plush figure that goes on top of the car. It also offers more than 20 other activities for a growing baby, all the way into their toddler years.
The offered activities will help your baby with cause and effect, fine motor development, strength exercises for an infant, hand/eye coordination, gross motor development, focus, and eye-tracking. The only complaint this product seems to have is that the car may not work when you receive the product, or it may quit working shortly after use.
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- Offers 3 stages to grow with your baby, including an option to remove the arches for a sitting baby.
- Has more than 20 activity options.
- Includes a removable mirror that can hang or prop.
- Can turn off music completely, or your baby can have 10 minutes of straight music play.
- Portable and easy to store.
Nopes
- Upon arrival of play mat, car doesn’t always work.
- Requires batteries (3 AAA)
Surprise your kids today:Wrapping Things Up
When it comes to the best baby play mat, it’s up to each individual parent and child to decide which one is the right fit. With many different options available including battery-operated or electronic-free, cloth or foam, with toys included or not (just to name a few), you are sure to find the perfect one.
If you have tried any of these play mats, please tells us what you loved about it and what you didn’t! Also, if you have tried a different one that you think is the best baby play mat, tell us about that one so other parents can try it, too.