Is a Play Mat Good for Your Baby?

As a parent, you always want to do what's best for your young ones. The baby gear you invest in should keep your child safe while supporting their development. That's exactly why play mats are so good for babies. By providing a protective and engaging surface, they're indispensable to tummy time and play time.

If you've been considering picking up a play mat, we'll help you understand their key benefits, how to choose the best one, and what to expect from play mats as your baby's development progresses.

Table Of Contents

1. Benefits of Baby Play Mats
2. How to Choose the Right Baby Playmat
3. How Play Mats Support Different Stages of Development

Play mats aren't just good for babies - they're fantastic. By creating a safe, soft surface, play mats set the stage for two of the most important child development activities: tummy time and play.

The Importance of Tummy Time

During the early years, the more tummy time the better. Spending time on their belly strengthens your baby's neck, shoulder, and arm muscles, allowing them to lift their own head. This prepares them for sitting, standing and walking. Tummy time is also associated with better overall development, including improvements to gross motor skills, movement, and a healthier BMI-z score.

Optimal Padding for Safety

While babies need a firm surface for tummy and play time activities, some cushioning is important to protect them. Play mats provide just the right level of padding to keep your baby comfortable.

Stimulating Motor Development

Research shows that having access to stimulating materials such as play mats can also be incredibly beneficial for infant motor development, such as learning to roll over and sit up.

Enhancing Cognitive and Fine Motor Skills

By interacting with colors, textures, and patterns on the mat, there might also be benefits to your baby's cognition and fine motor skills. That's why playmats are superior to simple mats or blankets - they're designed for babies, with just the right level of visual stimulation.

Hygiene and Portability

Finally, baby playmats also act as a hygiene barrier that protects your baby from contact with potentially unclean surfaces like floors or couches. The more portable the mat, the better, to allow for a few minutes of playtime even when you're out and about with your baby.

The main decision you'll need to make when choosing the right play mat is between fabric or foam play mats.

• Fabric Play Mats for Newborns

  Fabric play mats like the WildBird Baby Play Mats are better for newborns thanks to their softness and portability. Thicker foam mats might be a fit later on, since they provide a thicker, firmer surface that can help in the early stages of walking.

• Prioritizing Safety and Certifications

  No matter which type of mat you choose, look for certifications that guarantee the material has been tested and is certified free from potentially harmful chemicals. The WildBird Play Mats are made of an all-natural cotton/linen blend that is OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 Certified. This means it has been tested for over 1000 harmful substances.

• Considering Practicality and Design

  You should also take into account how the mat will fit into your life and routine. Portability and ease of cleaning are all worth considering, as is the visual design of the mat.

• Selecting a Design That Engages and Calms

  Your baby will enjoy patterns and some color variation, but you don't have to pick a busy or overly childish design. For our WildBird Playmat, we developed a quilted starburst pattern with options in calming natural shades, to engage your baby while fitting adult tastes.

• Avoiding Built-in Toys for Longevity and Cleanliness

  The final thing to consider are mats with built-in toys. We'd actually encourage you to avoid those. Baby's outgrow different toys quickly, so this makes for a mat you'll be able to use for longer. Instead, it's better to purchase toys and mats separately. This also ensures that all items your baby comes in contact with are easy to keep clean.

Playmats offer support from the newborn stage all the way to toddlerhood, but in slightly different ways.

0-3 months: Tummy time can start when your baby is just a few days old, so you'll want a play mat from the very beginning. During these early days, your baby is still learning to interact with the world, and a play mat can help boost that process by providing a new source of stimulation.

Even the simplest toys will draw your baby's interest and teach them to grab.

Fabric play mats are ideal at this point as they are soft, portable, and versatile. You can bring them with you and lay them out on beds, floors, or any other surfaces to let your baby play or have tummy time.

3-6 months: This is when your baby's movements become more sophisticated. Letting your child continue to have tummy time will ensure even better head control. Your baby could learn to roll over on their play mat, and eventually to even sit up. You'll know that the cushioned mat will protect them should they fall over.

7-9 months: This is the stage when crawling becomes a factor during play time. You may want to add-on a larger foam play mat at this stage, as your child becomes more mobile and is even starting to stand up for the first.

Having a larger surface area might be imperative for keeping your baby engaged. That said, while out and about, portable play mats can still help during on-the-go play.

10-12 months: As the line between baby and toddler begins to blur and your child starts learning to walk, many parents introduce large foam mats that cover up a lot of space. These surfaces are a little firmer, which is useful as your baby takes their first steps, and their ample size means there's a ton of room for your child to play. Soon enough, they won't need a special surface at all!

FAQs

Q: At what age should I introduce a play mat to my baby?
A: Simple fabric play mats like our WildBird Play Mat are safe even for newborns.

Q: Are play mats safe for my baby?
A: Yes. As long as you choose a soft, simple play mat made of non-toxic materials, play mats are very safe.

Q: How often should I clean the play mat?
A: Clean your play mat at least once or twice a week or anytime it gets soiled.

Q: Do play mats help with tummy time?
A: Yes! Play mats are ideal for tummy time because they act as a soft, clean surface that protects your baby.

Q: Can older children use play mats?
A: Yes. In the toddler years, children often benefit from larger foam play mats especially as they’re learning to walk.