Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Flip

Original poster

Did your baby have a play mat?

25 replies

ApplesTheHare · 08/02/2015 20:16

Dd is 5 months and we have hard floors. Is it worth investing in a play mat for her to sit on with her toys or will she be off it quicker than I can blink?

Would I be better spending money on a nice rug we'll get to enjoy too? Or is there something else that has a longer life baby-wise?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

ch1134 · 08/02/2015 20:20

We had a playmat which got lots of use ages 2-6 months. Then he started crawling/ pulling to standing and fell on our hard floors a lot! We patchedworked lots of rugs on our floors and used the foam alphabet squares too. Then we carpeted! Now he is walking and falling again, I'm so glad we've got carpet!

Hobby2014 · 08/02/2015 20:25

We have a really lovely soft rug & a playmat.
If he's having a sicky/throwy up kind of day he goes on mat. An ok day he goes on rug. Play mat goes in washing machine.
He's almost 6 months and doesn't seem to stay on the rug or may for long though as he's rolling/trying to crawl/just moving somehow off of them.

NormHonal · 08/02/2015 20:26

Don't get a nice rug. My nice rug got ruined during potty training [voice of bitter experience emoticon].

Have a look on GLTC. They certainly used to make big picnic rug things that could double as a playmat, or failing that just buy a big picnic rug and roll that out make sure it's washable. You'll get lots of use out of it in the summer.

But you're right, I think at 5mo a playmat will quickly become obsolete, once she is on the move. If you're going to buy a playpen, they usually have a cushion that sits inside anyway.

And as for rugs...stick to Ikea until after the potty training is done. Preferably a nice dark brown colour .

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

3-6 months old Babies & sleep Families General parenting

jaggythistle · 08/02/2015 20:36

I had a plastic backed cotton thing with a nice pattern for sticky babies rolling about on. I still use it under the kids wee table for playdoh containment. :)

I had a cheap padded activity may thing from Argos for DS2, it didn't get used that much once he was moving around. Looked nice and comfy though.

whyhasmyheadgonenumb · 08/02/2015 20:38

My playmat was worth it's weight in gold - both my DC loved lying on it and kicking their legs.

Original poster

ApplesTheHare · 08/02/2015 20:40

Thanks Norm something that doubles as a picnic blanket is a brilliant idea because I LOVE picnics but usually sit on the grass. Now dd is here I should probably get something anyway. Am I being dim though - what's GLTC?

OP posts:

BertieBotts · 08/02/2015 20:41

Not by five months. Big blanket type things, yes.

Ineedacleaningfairy · 08/02/2015 20:42

We just put the babies on a spare duvet with some toys,

Littlef00t · 09/02/2015 09:39

By 5 months it was all throws and duvets as dd was starting to sit unaided. I think the playmat was amazing for first 4 months but after that it's just too small.

ThinkIveBeenHacked · 09/02/2015 09:44

Id go for a thick rug. I spend so much time on the floor with dcs that Id have broken knees without my rug. Just dont what I did and get a shag pile one.Cosy but a PITA for mess.

Oh and you might find with hard floors dc will "crawl" on hands abd feet rather than knees - mine did as the floor was just too hard under their knees. Was hilarious to watch!

aphrodites · 09/02/2015 09:46

We used a big quilted play mat for quite some time, it doubled up as a picnic rug for lo so we used it for around 2 years.

Twistedheartache · 09/02/2015 09:53

We had playmates & arches when they were tiny & then something like this
www.softfloorkids.co.uk/alphamat30.shtml
Once dd1 was older & more mobile. (Dd2 still on original mats)
Not the most attractive thing to have in your lounge for 6 months but worked for us with very hard floors albeit carpeted

NickyEds · 09/02/2015 09:55

Don't buy a nice rug! I'm not sure I'm going to get anything nice until ds (13 months) moves out! We also used a picnic blanket as it was plastic backed, easy to fold away and it was cheap (I think I paid about £5 from poundstretcher).

squizita · 09/02/2015 17:09

We have 3 (gifts, we're not obsessed or anything). Ours have textures which dd loves to feel and they pop in tge washing machine.

NormHonal · 09/02/2015 17:11

Sorry OP, GLTC.co.uk - although I had a quick look on their website and they don't have picnic rugs for sale at the moment.

Original poster

ApplesTheHare · 10/02/2015 09:43

Oh thanks Norm

Ineedacleaningfairy like the idea of spare duvet, that might just do it!

OP posts:

angelopal · 10/02/2015 10:31

We bought the interlocking foam mats. They are good as you can put as many or as little down as you want and they are easy to pack away.

For ages she loved pulling the end ones up and having a good chew. Who needs toys!

NickyEds · 10/02/2015 10:33

We had some of those foam mat too and they were good. Ds was quite sicky and they were wipe clean and they also cushioned against bumped heads when he crawled.

comeagainforbigfudge · 10/02/2015 10:37

We have hard wood floors as well. I intend to get a nice but cheap rug. Think I'll end up with a play mat as well though

squizita · 10/02/2015 10:49

ikea have a lovely one with woodland animals ... cheap and washable.

DinosaursStillExist · 10/02/2015 11:10

DS is 6 months and sitting wonderfully and though he has rolled he really couldn't give a stuff about doing it most of the time. I find the playmat is brilliant for him as we have oak flooring and if he decided to throw himself back from the sitting position that would really hurt. Not looking forward to him tripping over as he grows!

glasgowlass · 10/02/2015 12:13

m.johnlewis.com/mt/www.johnlewis.com/taf-toys-i-love-big-mat/p231431788#page_loaded
Both of mine had this one. Lasted them both ages and passed them on to relatives. Great value for money.

TokiMats · 28/07/2018 10:07

We had a play mat since JoJo was 3 months old. We love the play time, it's worth checking if the play mat you're about to buy is breathable and made from latex foam, as it's the safest baby-friendly material out there.

TokiMats · 28/07/2018 10:08

look for handmade baby mats: tokimats.com/collections/sale/products/woodland-icy-pines-and-dress-stripe-blue-and-stripe-checkered

anotherangel2 · 28/07/2018 11:08

We had a playat when she was little but my 4 months she could do a weird commando crawl. I am not sure when but by one I had removed the rug from the room she played in as she was making it very dirty.

At 5 months I would not get a play mat now.

Flip