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Help your little one develop strong neck and shoulder muscles and work on their gross motor skills with our pick of the best baby play mats on the market
Yogis and home fitness fans will know how much a good mat can transform your workout. And if you have kids? You can share your love of exercise and encourage them to hit the mat early on!
But why do you need a play mat, how do you use it and what's the best one to buy for your family? Keep scrolling for 20 of the best baby mats on the market.
Baby play mats differ from baby gyms in that they don't come with quite so many accessories, so your baby can focus on their workout. Say what? That's right, mama, think of it as home gym equipment for really little people. Just like you benefit from a good stretch and a sweaty HIIT class, babies need to get fit too, and play mats are the optimum place to develop all manner of essential life skills for growing tots. Plus you can join in the fun too and everyone benefits!
'Having a play mat gives your little one a safe and dedicated space to practise tummy time,' says Susie Stubbs, Founder of Totter and Tumble. 'Creating a supportive, clean place for them to lay will encourage you to both to practise more often. If you have hard surface floors, the cushioning of the play mat can transform any room into a tummy time ready place.'
If you haven't yet heard of the term, tummy time is big news in baby circles as it's an essential workout routine for your growing tot. 'It's the practise of placing your baby on their front, while awake, to encourage development of their neck and stomach muscles,' explains Stubbs.
But do babies really need to work out? 'Tummy time is critical for new babies development!' adds Stubbs. 'Not only does it strengthen those core muscles that they'll need for sitting and crawling. But it can also prevent any skull deformations and tight neck muscles.'
Aside from the obvious fun time, play mats are an essential piece of exercise kit for growing tots. So once you've chosen your ideal piece of kit, Stubbs has outlined the following ways to get the most from your mat and keep your baby happy to boot!
Not sure which baby play mat to buy? Our list has been compiled with the help of our in-house testers, the best reviews online and recommendations from our mum panel to help you choose the best tummy time play mat for your family.
This large and interactive play mat made from hand-embroidered cotton muslin and featuring a menagerie of animals will make a great addition to the nursery. But it's not just pretty to look at – It comes with a number of key elements including toys, rattles and even a mirror to support your baby's sensory development.
This padded reversible sensory play mat by UK brand Etta Loves fuses science with style to support your baby's development. The brand has an in-house orthoptist who helps design the mats in order to support your baby's visual and cognitive progress. What's more they look seriously cool. We're big fans of the brand's Keith Haring collaboration too.
Carry case: comes with a band to hold the mat together when not in use.
A super-soft quilted cotton play mat made with non-slip backing, this one will make a simple but stylish addition to the nursery. It's also designed to fit perfectly inside the teepee play tents for in and outdoor pow-wows.
Dimensions: 120 x 120cm
UK brand Totter and Tumble's funky memory foam mat can be rolled out at playtime so your little one can comfortably experiment with tummy time on any floor surface. Our mum tester used it for baby yoga and praised it for size and comfort. It's also really easy to clean should you have any inevitable spills, and it looks so cool you'll be reluctant to pack it away.
Dimensions: 185 x 125 x 1.3cm
This bold and colourful deep sea-themed mat from US child development experts Lamaze is more than just a play accessory. All the brand's toys are designed in collaboration with Yale University specialists to support your baby's development, so you can relax safe in the knowledge that while your little one is rolling around laughing at Captain Calamari they're also reaching new developmental milestones. We're big fans of Rusty the Robot by the same brand too.
Dimensions: 71.12 x 71.12 x 13.97cm
We love this simple but stylish cotton play mat from nature-inspired baby brand Avery Row. It provides the perfect spot for your wriggly tots to practise tummy time, but more importantly the gorgeous nordic forest print doubles up as a bedspread and will look seriously stylish in any Scandi-inspired nursery. The brand makes gorgeous swaddles too.
Dimensions: 100 x 100cm
If you have a particularly energetic child or more than one baby rolling around you'll benefit from this ultra-thick foam play mat featuring interlocking tiles that can be customised to fit your growing brood.
To join in the fun too, read our Postnatal Exercise Guide.
Dimensions: 66 x 10.2 x 66cm
This clever mat from Belgian brand Play and Go doubles up as a storage bag so once your little one has perfected the child's pose, after playtime you can clean up the toys in a flash. And when your kid gets bigger, it's the perfect way to store Lego and other precious (but painful to tread on) toys that you don't want lying around on the floor.
Dimensions: 140 cm in diameter
We're big fans of this versatile reversible play mat made from soft and spongey foam that's easy to clean and turns the whole floor into an adventure! Featuring eye-catching city graphics on both sides, your little one can use the mat to develop neck and stomach muscles in the early days and then as a playground for toy cars and dolls as they grow older.
Dimensions: 218.44 x 132.08 x 1.27 cm
These durable foam squares in a funky colour mix are great solution to comfortable floor play. Your little one can roll around safely on most surfaces and can even try out the giant puzzle as they get older.
To join your little one on the mat try our full-body postnatal workout at home with minimal equipment.
Dimensions: 92 x 92 x 1.3 cm
This colourful patchwork mat from award-winning interactive toy brand Taf Toys comes with a number of sensory elements including a pineapple teether and a mirror to encourage extra tummy time and help your little one nail their core work.
If your infant is reluctant to spend time on their front, pop this great tummy time pillow in your shopping trolley too.
Dimensions: 1 x 100 x 150 cm
Carry case: features carry handles.
A large circle made up of 13 pieces, this original play mat will look stylish on your living room floor but can be easily packed away and taken on trips using the handy storage bag. We love it in grey too.
Dimensions: 122cm in diameter
If you live in a smaller property, this cute cloud play mat is ideal for families with limited floorspace. Made from waterproof sponge it will liven up even the dinkiest living room and will encourage your whole family to hit the mat.
Dimensions: 145 x 145 cm - thickness 12 mm
This extra-thick and gloriously colourful activity mat comes with a number of built in activities including textured fabric for sensory development and a bonus tummy time pillow. With over 20 square feet of padded play to enjoy, your baby will be super fit. We love this tummy time piano by the same brand too.
Dimensions: 61 x 7.6 x 38.1 cm
Made from gorgeously soft fabric in a simple yet modern Scandi-inspired design, this paired-down quilted play mat will create a cosy play space on your living room floor and you can even use it in the garden on a summer's day. It will also look great in the nursery or as a bedspread and you can choose from grey and turquoise or grey and pink trim.
Turn your front room into a giant activity centre and get the whole family working on their fitness with these oversized foam tile mats from Skip Hop. The squares can easily slot together or dismantle to be stored safely away, and we love the grey and white chevron design.
Dimensions: 177.8 x 142.2 x 1.5cm
If your baby is reluctant to spend time on their tummy, this gorgeous organic cotton play mat featuring a gang of safari animals should convince them to work on their core. To tick all of your baby's sensory development boxes, combine it with the brand's super-cute teepee activity arch.
This gorgeous seashell-shaped mat is ideal for rolling about on during play time and also doubles up as a decorative rug for your child's room. We love this organic cotton star cushion from the same range.
One of the comfiest play mats on the market, this generously sized mat from UK brand Munchkin and Bear will make a great addition to your nursery. Made from 5cm thick foam padding, it's the ideal spot for playtime and thanks to a range of tasteful designs it will look super-stylish on your living room floor too.
Dimensions: 2m x 1.4m x 1.5cm thick
Designed to help your baby develop sensory skills, we love the super cute shapes, crinkle sounds and tactile materials on this cotton play mat from Copenhagen based kid's brand Liewood – and who can resist the fruity fabric?
Dimensions: 110cm in diameter