Our writers test and research products independently. When you buy through a link on our site we may earn a commission but this never affects our product choices.
Best baby play mats and activity gyms
Whether it is a baby play gym, activity centre or luxury floor covering, a play mat is a multi-use baby toy that's perfect for your child's development and offers hours of fun. Here's our guide to the best play mats and activity gyms for babies.
By Natasha Gregson | Last updated Jun 27, 2024
Every baby is like a sponge; they soak up the world around them and show incredible curiosity for everything (even the things they shouldn't!). The best baby play mat or baby gym is a mainstay of every family's toy collection for a reason. They're engaging, versatile and stimulating, perfect for helping your baby strengthen their muscles, focus their eyes and safely enjoy their tummy time. There really is a lot to love about them especially because, much like a baby playpen, they can also buy you a quick five minutes to pop to the loo.
The problem is play mats and activity gyms come in all kinds of styles with wildly varying price tags and features. You might think of them as plastic arches with dangly bits babies can grab, shake, squeeze and pull. Now they play music, come with flashy lights and do all kinds of magical and wonderful things. Some even come with ball pits! So, how do you pick one that’s right for you and your baby?
From finding the best baby thermometer to the most engaging bath toys to keep them occupied in the tub, picking the right products for your baby can be tricky, and that includes selecting the right play mat. That's where we come in; every option on this list comes recommended by the real experts – parents! We searched the Mumsnet forums for those tried, tested and loved by mums, dads and their babies to find you the best play mats for babies and activity gyms for every budget, need and floor space.
Plus, when your baby is a little older and more active, we've rounded up the best baby walkers to help them toddle along further than their play mat.
Here's our guide to the best baby play mats and activity gyms to buy in 2024.
Best baby play mats at a glance
Best overall play mat and activity gym: Tiny Love Black and White Gymini | Buy now
Best budget baby play mat: Red Kite Baby Peppermint Trail Play Gym | Buy now
Best multi-use baby play mat: Bright Starts 5-in-1 Ball Activity Play Gym | Buy now
Best baby play mat for newborns: Fisher-Price Deluxe Kick 'n' Play Piano Gym | Buy now
Best reversible baby play mat: Totter + Tumble Standard Reversible Play Mat | Buy now
Tiny Love Black and White Gymini 2-in-1 Musical Baby Play Mat
Highly recommended by Mumsnet users and consumer reviewers
Grows with your child
18 engaging activities and textures
Generous padding
Easy to clean
Comes with a black and white contrast book, mobile, teether, mirror and wind chime
Some found it difficult to dismantle
Comparatively pricey
Price: RRP: £75 | Size: 88 x 78 x 45cm | Material: Plastic | Batteries required: No | Suitable for: 0 - 12 months | Skills: Best for motor skills and cognition
Mumsnet parents highly recommend the Tiny Love Black and White Gymini Magical Tales. Easy to clean, portable and well made, it has a large detachable play mat and adjustable arches that make it suitable from birth to 12 months. So, although it's comparatively pricier than other options, it’ll grow with your child and last long enough for their siblings too.
It's a popular choice for active babies that like to grapple with baby toys, chew teethers and are alert to what’s around them. Some parents say that their babies loved this product right up until they could sit up unassisted, making it excellent value. From that point, you can detach the arch and use it as a padded mat for comfortable play.
This activity gym is interactive too and includes baby-activated kick-and-play music that starts up at the touch of a little foot or hand – this is a developmental milestone as babies need to build an understanding that their physical actions can control and shape their environment. Once they’ve got the hang of it, they’ll never stop.
The black and white design is ideal for newborns as it helps to develop the optic nerves and encourage development without overstimulating them. However, the mat has a slightly bigger footprint than competitors’ products, even when packed away, so that’s something to bear in mind if storage and space are at a premium.
Read next: The best baby changing mats
Can be used as either a play mat or a ball pit
Great value
Mat is padded for comfort
Great for tummy time
Comes with five toys to attach to the arches
You only get six balls included for the ball pit
Some found it too small when the sides are up
A few users reported the sides are a bit floppy when up too
Price: RRP £35 | Size: 82 x 82 x 51cm | Material: Plastic | Batteries required: None | Suitable for: Can be used from birth | Skills: Best for hand/eye coordination and gross motor skills
At around £35, this two-in-one activity gym would make a fantastic addition to your nursery or living room without costing a small fortune. The Red Kite Baby Peppermint Trail Play Gym comes with five colourful toys with sensory features that clip to the overhead arches to engage your baby and encourage them to develop their motor skills by reaching for them. Plus, there's also a mirror – one of the most basic but best sensory toys for babies – so they can entertain themselves with their own reflection.
We love that this can be used as a play mat when laid flat, and then the edges can be folded up to create a ball pit for your little one. However, some reviewers did note that when the sides are up it becomes a little small, so this feature is better suited to younger babies.
On the whole though, this mat offers great value, and while it may not have all the bells and whistles such as music and lights, you can't go wrong with this if you're wanting to avoid paying £40+ for a play mat.
Read next: The best baby bouncers
Bright Starts 5-in-1 Ball Activity Play Gym
Grows with your child
Great features (ball pit)
Comes with storage
Detachable toys
Machine-washable and wipe-clean
Pricey – the Red Kite Play Gym is a good budget alternative, though it does have fewer features
One reviewer found the foam shrunk after washing
Price: RRP £58 | Size: 113 x 52 x 76cm | Material: Plastic | Batteries required: Yes (3x AAA) | Suitable for: 0 months+ | Skills: Best for gross motor skills
If your baby is the one who doesn’t sleep when you’re trying to catch a coffee with your mums’ group, we think the 5-in-1 Ball Play Activity Gym from Bright Starts is the ideal buy.
It has five ways to play and can be converted into a ball pit for hours of endless fun and an extended lifespan well into your baby’s toddler years. Compared to our budget pick, the Red Kite, which only includes six balls, you get an impressive 40 colourful balls with this model. We certainly think this activity gym is worth every penny.
The 48-inch jumbo mat and play gym has adjustable walls that keep boisterous babies safe during play time and tummy time (see our guide to the best tummy time toys approved by parents if your little one needs some encouragement with this). It also features an easy carry storage case for portability and comes with seven take-along toys that include an elephant music player, crinkle toy, mirror, flashcards, hanging leaf toy and bead rattle. The elephant even plays 20+ minutes of merry melodies.
The only fault we could find is that although the mat claims to be machine-washable, one reviewer reported that the foam inside the mat shrank after washing.
Read next: The best toys for 9-month-olds
Four ways to play with great features
Adjustable
Super soft and thick
Machine washable
Pricey
Small surface area with arch and piano
Price: RRP £79 | Size: 66.86cm x 91.5cm x 45.7cm | Material: Not specified | Batteries required: Yes (3x AA) | Suitable for: 0 months+| Skills: Best for communication, language and numeracy skills
The Fisher-Price Deluxe Kick 'n' Play Piano Gym is a bonafide Amazon hit with hundreds of reviews and an 87% five-star rating. It's designed by a trusted brand among Mumsnet users, and it comes with four ways to play: lay and play, tummy time, sit and play and take along. It is a little more expensive than other options, but many say it is well worth the price.
As a gym combining a piano and five hanging toys, it promises a genuine workout for your baby, accompanied by a musical accompaniment that is self-generated by their kicking feet against the keyboard’s keys – perfect for budding musicians.
There is one consistent moan here, and it's that the surface area of the activity centre is quite small once the piano and overhead arches have been added in. But the consensus is that, while this is a gym that really captures the imagination of newborns, there’s enough interest here to keep the baby coming back for more for at least six months.
Read next: Top sensory play activities for babies
Award-winning play mat
Doubles as an exercise mat
Wipe clean
Attractive, reversible design
Non-toxic
Comparatively more expensive than other options
No toys or play features included
Price: RRP £160 | Size: 210 x 140 x 1.3cm | Material: Memory foam | Batteries required: No | Suitable for: All ages | Skills: All skills
Totter + Tumble's Standard Reversible Play Mat is a simple but effective concept. It's a practical, one-piece, easy-to-clean, large-scale mat that protects your baby and your flooring. Although expensive, industry experts highly rate it, and it's featured in a number of publications including the Evening Standard, the Independent, Stylist and Ideal Homes. We love that it's an indestructible solution for anyone who doesn’t like all-singing, all-dancing baby activity gyms or has limited storage space.
While you can admittedly pick up a cheaper play mat, this non-toxic, waterproof memory foam mat has years of life built in. With a number of different prints to choose from, blending seamlessly with your décor, this is a solution that is unequivocally designed to last. Plus, it's reversible if you want to change it up every now and again.
As a play mat, the Totter + Tumble will take the chill off cold, hard floors and save your carpets from the thrills and spills of drinks, sick and dribbles. It's a great option for families that don't want to compromise on style, plus you can add your own toys to it too to keep your baby entertained – our guide to the best toys for newborns has got plenty of options to choose from.
If the standard mat size is too large for your space, you'll find compact (185 x 125cm), round (138cm) and play runner (180 x 65cm) versions too, ranging from £80 to £140. The brand also offer a handy swatch service for just £5 if you want to test out a couple of designs before fully committing.
Read next: Best pram toys for newborns
More best baby play mats: tried and tested
My son loved his Baby Einstein one. Spent up to 10 minutes under there which was great for me. He loved the music box in the middle of the stanchions.
Baby Einstein Neptune's Discover Reef Play Activity Gym
RRP £35
I literally couldn’t be without it! We have wooden floors and the mat is a godsend for both me and my family. So easy to clean (quick spray with Milton) and wipe. Highly recommend.
Tutti Bambini Luxury Padded XL Reversible Play Mat
RRP £129
We have one of these in kitchen. Nicely padded and easy to clean and folds up when not needed.
UANLAUO Foldable Baby Play Mat
RRP: £40
Very pricy, but the Lovevery playmat has activities designed to grow with them and converts to a play tent.
Lovevery The Play Gym
RRP: £140
At what age can my baby use a play mat or activity gym?
Your baby can use an activity gym or play mat from day one, but it is best to wait until they’re at least two to three months old before you expect them to engage.
How long should a baby use a play mat or activity gym for?
Quite a few baby play mats and activity gyms are obsolete by the time your baby is six months old. However, some play mats and activity gyms have great longevity and can go up to two years of age.
Are baby play gyms or mats necessary?
No, they aren’t necessary, but they have many benefits developmentally and are a great place to pop your baby when you need to free up your hands for a few minutes. If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative, a thick blanket or yoga mat with household objects like bangles, a wooden spoon and some stacking cups can do the trick, too!
Which baby play mat or activity gym is best?
We think that the Tiny Love Gymini Kick and Play Baby Play Mat is the best baby play mat to buy right, and it seems that Mumsnet parents agree.
Tiny Love is a brand that knows its stuff, and this activity gym has been designed to grow with your child; with its XL play mat and adjustable arches, you’ll get many years of use out of it before it inevitably joins the charity pile. There are plenty of features that will keep your child entertained for hours whilst simultaneously developing their skills.
Why are play mats and activity gyms good for babies?
All baby mats, gyms and activity centres serve the same purpose. They offer an opportunity for your baby to explore the world around them in a safe, soft and stimulating environment. They also provide visual and sensory stimulation and are ideal for tummy time. Here are the skills your baby can develop, depending on the play mat or gym you opt for:
Communication
Language
Numeracy
Cognitive
Gross and fine motor skills
Read next: Baby milestones
How do you choose a baby play mat or activity gym?
When buying a play mat or activity gym, it is important to consider the following:
Budget: It is important to know how much you can or are willing to spend. Ensure you balance this consideration against its quality and features, as the last thing you want is an activity gym or play mat that breaks within months of owning it.
Longevity: Read reviews to check if it is built to last and if it has adjustable features that can grow with your baby.
Features: More doesn’t always mean better. Look for activity gyms with a good balance of interactive features, with space to add to or change it up.
Your needs: If you travel frequently, a portable activity gym or play mat is better than a large clunkier option. Ditto, if you have a small or limited space.
Aesthetic: You have to like the look of it as much as your child, as you could be staring at it in your living room for quite a few years, especially if you are planning on having more, so ensure that it appeals to you as much as your baby.
What makes a good baby play mat?
Here are some key features to look out for when shopping around:
Machine-washable
Offers multiple stimulating features
Helps babies to develop a range of skills
Has great storage options (like a bag) or is easy to fold away
Has longevity or adjustable features
How we chose our recommendations
We use a triple-check verification process to create our guides because it ensures that our write-ups are balanced and trustworthy and that the products we recommend are high quality.
Parent recommendations
All of our Swears By articles start with research via the Mumsnet forums. We know nothing beats a real recommendation from a parent, so we thoroughly scoured the forum threads in search of the activity gyms and mats parents and their babies love.
Expert opinions
We then took our long list and cross-referenced it against parenting experts' opinions, noting the products that are award winning, frequently recommended and featured on multiple best buy guides.
Verified customer reviews
Finally, we looked at each shortlisted product's customer reviews and selected highly-rated ones that boasted a large percentage of five-star reviews and positive write-ups. We also took into account the merits and disadvantages users found with each to bring you an honest, in-depth guide.
Celebrated play mats and activity gyms
Our process left us with this guide to the best play mats and activity gyms for babies, recommended by parents, trusted by experts, rated by previous customers and loved by babies.
About the author
Natasha Gregson is an Affiliate Content Editor at Mumsnet, with a focus on product reviews and round-ups.
After a three-year stint on Gransnet's editorial team, Natasha joined Mumsnet in 2021, and has since carved out a specialism in all things home, lifestyle and baby.