Tummy time and play mats: what to look for

Play mats are not complicated, which is why the marketing tends to focus on the toys hanging over them. The features that actually determine whether a mat gets used are duller: how big it is, how it washes, and how firm it is.

What tummy time is for

Time spent on the front while awake and supervised builds the neck, shoulder and trunk strength that later movement depends on. Health services publish guidance on how to start and how to build it up, and that is the right source for the detail.

The shop’s part is simpler: provide a clean, firm, comfortable surface that makes it easy to do.

Size, and the mistake everyone makes

Almost nobody regrets buying a bigger mat. A newborn needs very little space, but the same mat is still in use when the baby is rolling, then sitting, then playing with toys spread out. A mat that felt generous at first becomes small quickly.

Measure the floor area you can genuinely give up in the main room, and buy close to that.

Firm beats soft

Deep, soft foam feels luxurious and gives poor support: arms sink, and pushing up is harder. A firm mat with modest padding is better for tummy time and better for early crawling. It is also less likely to hold a shape once something heavy stands on it.

For a hard floor, a mat around one to two centimetres of firm foam is usually the right balance.

Washability is the deciding feature

Everything that happens on a play mat is washable in theory. In practice, a mat with a removable, machine-washable cover gets washed and a mat that must be sponged does not. If the mat has attached fabric toys, check whether they detach for washing.

Wipe-clean foam mats are the other good answer, particularly for weaning-age messes.

Arches, mirrors and hanging toys

A low arch with a couple of high-contrast objects gives a baby something to track, which extends how long tummy time is tolerated. Detachable is better than fixed: the arch is useful for a few months and in the way afterwards.

A baby-safe mirror is one of the more reliably popular additions, and it is useful for far longer than most hanging toys.

Materials and smell

A new foam mat with a strong chemical smell should be aired thoroughly before use. Look for products stating compliance with the relevant safety standards, and treat a persistent odour as a reason to return rather than tolerate.

Fabric mats should be checked for small parts on any attached toy, particularly after a few months of chewing.

Bouncers and rockers are not the same thing

A bouncer is somewhere safe to put a baby down for a short period while you do something else. It is not a sleep surface, and every manufacturer’s manual says so. Time in a bouncer is also time not spent on the floor building strength, so it is worth keeping sessions short.

If you buy one, buy one with a proper harness and a stable base, and always use the harness.

Getting started

A large, firm, washable mat on the floor of the room you actually live in, with a detachable arch and a mirror. Short, frequent, supervised sessions from early on, built up gradually as guidance suggests. The mats and bouncers we stock list dimensions, thickness and whether the cover is machine washable.

Where to put the mat

The mat that gets used is the one in the room where the adults already are, not the one in the nursery. Tummy time works best in short, frequent sessions, and those only happen if the mat is underfoot rather than down a hallway.

That usually means the living room, which in turn means the mat has to look acceptable and roll away. Foam tiles that lift, or a fabric mat that folds into a bag, both solve this. A permanently deployed play mat in a small flat becomes something to step over, and a mat that is put away every evening tends to stay away.

Building up gradually

Almost every baby dislikes tummy time at first, and the usual mistake is to persist through the protest rather than to stop and try again later. A minute at a time, several times a day, achieves far more than one long session that ends badly for both of you.

Lying down at the baby’s eye level helps enormously, as does a rolled towel under the chest for the first weeks. Health services publish guidance on how to introduce it and how much to aim for, and theirs is the right source for the detail.

The short version

• Buy larger than feels necessary; the mat outlasts the tummy-time stage.
• Machine-washable matters more than any toy attached to it.
• Firm padding supports better than soft, deep foam.
• Tummy time is always supervised and always awake.

From our shelves

• Baby Play Mat Tummy time mat Play mat for Babies — $79.99
• Ingenuity Keep Cozy 3-in-1 Grow with Me Vibrating Baby Bouncer, Seat & Infant to Toddler Rocker — $59.99

Where to go next

Browse the full range on the shop page, read the frequently asked questions before ordering, or check delivery timing on the Shipping Policy page. If you would rather ask a person, contact us — the phone reaches the counter.