I’m going to give you my balanced view on if playmats are good for babies. You’ll get a true parent’s perspective, having used playmats when my three were little ones.
My opinion is that when used appropriately, play mats are beneficial. It adds interest to a baby’s world in a fun way and is a way to interact with Mom or Dad and baby, or babies if you have twins or more.
How Long Should a Baby use a Playmat for?
You’ll soon be able to tell when your baby has outgrown their playmat as they’ll start to roll and try to sit. I also used more than one baby playmat to keep my babies entertained. Because I had 3 very young babies in the house I would have two playmats set up and the mobiles over the playmat were detachable. This meant my babies could sit on the playmat or I could use it for tummy time without the hanging toys. I highly recommend this option.
What is the best Playmat for Babies?
This is going to be a personal choice. All babies are different and they like different things. As an overall guide, get a playmat that has plenty of space, has the option to detach a mobile over the top, has a choice of toys, is easy to wash and is fairly transportable.
I do believe that having more than one playmat is a great idea, as I found through my own parenting.
Can a Baby Sleep on a Playmat?
Ideally you want to catch baby when they are getting tired and put them in their cot to separate the playtime from the sleep time and the area in which they do either. I don’t recommend you let baby fall asleep on a playmat. If it happens, don’t feel guilty, just make an effort next time to watch your baby’s cues such as jerky movements, rubbing eyes and crankiness. These are good signs your baby is tired and ready for a sleep.
Try not to over-stimulate your baby when they are getting toward nap time. Leave a space between playmat time and sleep time for some quiet time in between. This also sets them up for a good routine which will also help you as a parent.
What is the Best Tummy Time Playmat?
The Best tummy time playmat is one that is soft, waterproof, easy to clean, large and entertaining so baby can interact with toys on their tummy. Ideally you want to get a playmat that has different textures to feel, a mirror and is colorful. If you get a playmat that has a detachable mobile you can use the playmat through the growth stages.
When to Use Playmats for Babies
New parents and care givers often ask “when can my baby see?”, “how far can my baby see?” or “what size objects can my baby see?” These are fair questions when considering when to use playmats for babies.
After all, what’s the point of a baby mobile with toys or a baby gym if your baby is yet to fully develop focus and vision.
There’s a great study that’s been done on baby eye sight and it’s well written and will explain more about what and when babies see.
What I did when my kids were newborns, was use black and white mobiles and soft toys for first interactions and progressed to colour. I also had a baby play gym that had both black and white soft hanging toys and colored ones and I could interchange these to suit developmental play stages.
Where to Buy Baby Playmats
I have a range of playmats available via the links on my website. Browse the categories based on the age of the baby and their gender. Buying a larger playmat is ideal to give baby more room as they grow.
If you’re looking for a great baby shower gift then you cannot go wrong with a playmat for baby. There’s a great variety of baby play mats and baby play gyms these days. You can purchase a basic one or get one with lights, ocean theme, interactive features and colorful.
If you’re not sure, send me a message and I’ll do my best to help.
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