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How to Choose and Buy a Play Mat or Play Gym

Why Buy a Play Gym or Play Mat?

Baby will spend a lot of his early life lying flat on his back or on his tummy. So it's only fair that you provide him with a level of comfort and entertainment that is going to keep him amused and help him to discover his world.

How Can a Play Gym or Play Mat Help Your Child's Development?

Play mats and play gyms have been created to help baby learn about his world in a gentle and safe environment. In the first few weeks baby can really only see things at a distance of about 12 inches – enough to learn about who is looking after him. So provide him with a small world where he feels safe and secure – the play-gym.

Here's the science bit. Play gyms and play mats have distinct boundaries both above and around baby. The boundaries demarcate baby's world so make sure that the play gym or play mat you choose provides him with a cross bar above and clearly coloured floor boundaries. Baby will feel safe on this playgym or playmat until he is ready to start investigating further.

Hints and Tips - Choosing a Play Gym or Play Mat

Play gyms and play mats can be used until baby is about 9 months to a year old so it's well worth investing in the best type of play mat you can afford. Advances in play mats have been quite dramatic and baby can now listen to a variety of music as well as have the tactile experiences associated with experiencing texture and colour.

What Types of Play Gym and Play Mat Can You Buy?

A few examples of play mats have been selected to give you an idea of what is available for baby. All are suitable from birth.

Crawl Mat

A series of interactive pictures on the mat encourage children to pull themselves along its length, examining each picture in turn. This helps the development of large and small movements, an awareness of cause and effect and the evolution of musical understanding

Read more about this Crawl Mat from James Galt

Baby Einstein - Discover and Play Activity Gym

The Baby Einstein “Discover & Play Activity Gym” is a soft play-gym which sits on the floor.

It features Baby Einstein characters on the floor mat that match its hanging characters.

It includes 10 accessory toys such as colourful birds, a star with lights which if pressed plays music from Bach or Beethoven and crinkly, rattly and peepy toys. It has a mirror and comes with a beautiful soft book.

Mamas & Papas - Lotty Ladybird Playmat and Gym

The Mamas and Papas “Lotty Ladybird Playmat and Gym” is an activity rich playmat made of beautifully soft velour.

Babies will enjoy playing with the baby gym which includes colourful soft toys, tinkly bells, mirrors and lots of crackly sounds. And if baby presses Lotty`s left antenna, Lotty plays a catchy tune!

Tiny Love - Gymini Lights and Music 3-D Activity Gym

The Tiny Love “Gymini Lights and Music 3D Activity Gym” is an award-winning interactive playmat which will intrigue baby for some time.

It offers baby six activities including a `lights and music` touch-pad and a large mirror. Five toys and rattles hang from the gym.

Early Learning Centre - Blossom Farm Lavender Lamb Arch & Quilt Play Gym

The Early Learning Centre “Blossom Farm Lavender Lamb Arch and Quilt Play Gym” is a beautifully soft Lavender Lamb shaped snug that has a gym and dangly toys.

Baby will be able to ring the bells on Poppy Puppy, rattle Dillon Donkey and squeeze Daisy Duck.

This multi-sensory playgym will keep baby busy for some time as they explore the various crackles and sounds.

To find out more about what to look out for when choosing and buying nursery toys visit our How to Choose and Buy a Baby Toy for Helping to Develop Different Skill s section and How to Choose and Buy a Baby Toy for Different Ages section.

To find out more about the different online baby and nursery toy shops and stores visit our Top Sites section.

To see what different nursery toy manufacturers offer visit our Brands section.

You can also find out more in our How to Play with Baby section.