- A play mat is a safe and comfy place to put your baby down.
- Your baby isn’t going to be able to sit up until she is 4 months old at the very youngest. Either someone is going to be holding her, or she’s going to be lying down. A play mat is a convenient and temporary baby-surface to save you hauling your bassinet and/or baby around the house.
- It’s a great place for Tummy Time (for the uninitiated: ‘tummy time’ is when you place a supervised baby butt-side-up, so he can strength his muscles by struggling like an adorable upturned tortoise). Maybe more importantly, if your play mat comes with stuff to look at and do, it can stimulate your baby’s brain at the most vital time of his life for brain development.
Ok, I want a play mat for my baby. What Do I Need To Know Before I Buy?
- How old is your baby? Can she sit up yet? If not, you should think about opting for a mat with some stimulating features to aid the development of your little one’s brain and body.
- If your baby is a little older and likes to play with his own toys, then he probably also likes mashing bananas into the carpet – so you’ll want a mat that is washable, and you can get one with a simpler design, as the baby will be getting his entertainment elsewhere.
- How big do you want your play mat to be? You might want to get something a little larger if your baby is older, as she’ll need more space to crawl around, or if you have twins, or children otherwise close in age.
- Where will we use this play mat? One great thing about play mats is that they provide a familiar place for your baby if you’re visiting friends, or if grandparents, or anyone else is taking care of him or her. So if you’re planning to move the mat from place to place, look for something that is easy to dismantle and folds up easily.
- What about extras? Some play mats come with a special pillow for tummy time, which is cute and super-soft but you might not need this if you have a nursing pillow.
