Activity gym

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My little one is nearly 2 months old and I'm looking at activity gym/play mats for her. It needs to be fairly easy to transport(and put up) and have space to add her own favourite toys. I was thinking about a doughnut type one to help her sit up when she's at that stage but I read some bad reviews on Amazon(Galt-Playnest) which say your baby can fall down the inside and get a bit trapped. I also thought about the Tiny Love Sounds and Lights(with pads the baby can touch to play music) but read reviews that say it's a lot to pay for only a few months of use. So I've narrowed it down to the ELC or Baby Einstein play mats...can anyone tell me their experience of either of these?
The more reseach I do, the more I go round in circles! Maybe I should just make something out of coathangers and a bathmat

The Galt one is good for when they can sit up but I found the toys were either too close or too far away when you have the ring half inflated when they are small.

Have you thought about this one:

www.toysrus.co.uk/Product.aspx/BruHome/BruBabyToys/BruBabyToysBirth/BruBabyToysPlaygymWalkers/375950?ref=Search

Only suggesting it cos you said you wanted something easy to transport and put up

I had the basic tiny love one and it got a lot of use

ELC and mamas and papas both do nice travel ones but tbh just keep the plastic case they come in for travel.

I'd say if you're looking at spending around £20 you'll just get a basic one and there's not much odds - just dangly toys hanging over baby. More than that and you start to get music/moving parts which I think (I got one that moves and plays music) is a gimmick and your money is better spent on get a mamas and papas nice padded one - the new ones are so soft! (try ebay for bargains).

I've got a play nest too and really for what it cost (£10 on ebay) I wouldn't combine the two items as you'll get a nicer playgym if you don't. Also I'd consider whether it's something you'll keep for further babies or in the cupboard for when friends come as that might help you decide what to spend.

Hi Anna
I have a basic tiny love one bought 2nd hand which is fine, I've hung other little things on it too. You could prob. get one on ebay if they only do the lights & sounds ones new in shops. One that is machine washable v.useful in my experience, those velour-type ones from Mamas & Papas etc not v.washable.
I had a galt ring too, but got rid of it as it never saw any use really, ds1 slipped down alot & it just became toy storage!
Really the mat itself doesnt matter that much, it's what you hang on it, my ds1 never looked at the mat itself even when he could lie on his tummy as there were more interesting thing by then!
Vertbaudet did some cute mats, I seem to remember, but none of them are particularly easy to tranport.

Hi, thanks everyone...I've had a nightmare weekend(very unhappy little baby) but Ive been looking at all your recommendations today. It sounds like Tiny Love, Toysrus or ELC then. A big thumbs down for the Galt ring thing. I agrre Liquidclocks..maybe the musical ones are gimmicky-my LO has other musical things that will last longer....and I could always get other stuff, like a cushion to help her sit up, separately.

And I agree Accessorize, how easy they are to wash is very important...I forgot about that! Is your LO sick? I havent had a chance to catch up on our postnatal thread for a while. I hope your LO is/gets better!! Winter is not a good time for newborns, is it?

My DS had the baby einstein one and loved it. He still plays with some of the attachments (toys / mirror / musical thing) and he is about to be 1. I would definitely recommend it.

The tiny love music one is fab as it has the large mirror which they love and I bought wind chimes for mine which were also favourites. My tip is buy second hand you will be able to sell them for around what you bought them for.