We surveyed 34 mommies who used a total of 11 different brands of play mats. Here are our main findings:
- 50% of mommies are users of the Parklon play mats, making it the most commonly used play mat.
- The other play mats are: Primobabies, Lollibly, and Little Wiwa
- The top 3 main considerations when buying a play mat are size and thickness, durability, safety and quality material.
Find out which are the best baby play mats based on our survey with 34 mommies below!
Why Should You Trust Me
Hello! I’m Serene, a mom of one.
I’ve personally tried and tested two different play mats – Parklon and a random polyethylene (PE) play mat. After using the random PE play mat that I bought, I decided to stick to Parklon’s play mat. The PE play mat peeled within a few months of usage, and it kept sliding because it was really light. My daughter has already fallen a few times because of this sliding play mat.
I’ve also been to friends’ houses and tried their play mats. I have my personal favourite (Parklon play mat) but this could differ based on your needs. To gather a more comprehensive view of play mats, we surveyed 34 mommies who used 11 different play mat brands. With their help, we consolidated the different play mats mommies use, and described their pros and cons for you.
Why Do You Need a Play Mat?
According to BabySecurity, play mats offer a range of benefits and serve an imperative role in encouraging your baby’s development. It can get tiring to be the sole entertainment! With a play mat, you can place toys and books on it for your baby to explore safely.
Apart from serving as a comfortable base for your child to lie on and explore safely, it is also much more hygienic than the floor. With a baby’s constant need to put things into their mouths, floors are not the cleanest places to have a baby roaming around. As your baby’s immune system is developing, it would be best to have a play mat that you can repeatedly clean when necessary.
A play mat is also crucial in breaking a baby’s fall, especially when they have just started learning to walk. In colder countries, a play mat is helpful in allowing a baby to walk barefooted as they can better grip the play mat instead of wearing socks and trying to grip the floor.
Now that we better understand the role that a play mat plays in the child’s development, what are some of the considerations when buying a play mat?
What to Look Out for When Choosing Play Mats?
The size of your play mat usually depends on how much space you have in your apartment. It is important to get a play mat big enough for your child to play on so that your child does not outgrow it that quickly. It is important to get a play mat thick enough to cushion your child’s fall and be a comfortable surface to crawl around. Moreover, mommies mentioned that it would be a bonus if a thick play mat is comfortable enough to lie and sleep on.
The second most important consideration that mommies are concerned about was the play mat’s durability. They hope their play mats have a longer mileage so their child can use them for a longer period of time.
Play mats can be made of different materials and it is important to purchase a play mat that is made of non-toxic material so it does not irritate your child’s skin or cause more serious problems. In today’s post-covid times, mommies are also looking out for anti-bacterial play mats.
One of the top considerations was the safety aspect of the play mats. Mommies are concerned if the play mats were able to absorb impact i.e. cushion baby’s fall and if it was slippery. Some play mats made of PE material can be lightweight (which is good!) but as a result, they slide and that can cause babies or adults to slip and fall.
When thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent on house renovation, mommies do consider if the play mat’s designs suit the house’s interior design.
Apart from the aforementioned factors, mommies also mentioned that they also considered the prices, ease of cleaning, versatility – multipurpose, foldability, and if it was waterproof/water-resistant.
From the survey, we also realised that more than half of the mommies chose to rely on word-of-mouth recommendations, and preferred to purchase tried-and-tested play mats. This was heartwarming to hear because this is exactly what Nuevamae is trying to do – to conduct market research, gather insights from mommies and share with the world so mommies aren’t swarmed by unnecessary sponsored reviews.
Best Baby Play Mats
Parklon Play Mat
50% of mommies we surveyed own a Parklon play mat, making it the most popular play mat.
40% of Parklon users mentioned the most well-loved aspect of the Parklon play mat was the safety aspect – it absorbs impacts well and it is non-slip. Mommies also loved the play mat for its thickness and comfort. Some even said they could sleep on the play mat itself.
Price was the main deterring factor for mommies to buy Parklon play mats, confirming our assumption that yes, the Parklon mats do come with a premium price tag. Mommies also shared ways to get them for lesser.
Primobabies play mat
Primobabies pride their play mats on scratch resistance. Their Greensoft Protection film protects the mat against accidental scratches from toys, enhancing the durability of the mat. For easy storage, they gift thick velcro straps to hold the mat in place when rolled up.
Lollilby play mat
Three mommies who used Lollibly play mats loved them for their design. They also mentioned that it was thick enough to cushion their baby’s fall.
Other Play Mat Brands Mommies Used
Little Wiwa
Four mommies used the Little Wiwa play mat but mentioned that it turned yellow after one year of usage.
Wandermats
Two mommies used this Wander Mats but mentioned that it felt very thin, and could feel the floor.
IKEA
Mommy loved this IKEA play mat for its foldability and affordability, but not the colour choice.
Skip Hop
Mommy bought this Skip Hop Size L play mat (SGD 179) as it was more affordable than Parklon. However, she found it harder to clean due to the grooves.
Babycare by Dwinguler
Two mommies used the Babycare by Dwingular play mat as the material is firm and comfortable to lie on.
Bambam Kids
Mommy bought this Bambam Kids play mat (SGD 229) in their kid’s playroom.
Lucky Baby
One mommy received this Lucky Baby play mat as a gift from an insurance company.
Kormat
One mommy bought this Korean Kormat play mat as it is easy to clean, but mentioned it was heavy.
Frequently Asked Questions About Play Mats
When should I buy a play mat?
I would suggest buying a play mat the moment your baby is out. In the early stages, your baby would spend most of his/her time lying on his/her back. Hence, with a play mat, you can place your baby gym on it, and hang toys above their eyes for entertainment. You could also spend time pumping on the floor, while watching your baby play or sleep.
How thick should a play mat be?
A good play mat should ideally at least be 10mm or 0.4 inches thick to cushion the fall of your little one!
Thoughts about Play Mats
These days, mommies purchase play mats not only for their baby’s development; they also take into account the aesthetics of it. Mommies preferred play mats that were pretty, suited their house’s interior design and were functional.
If you have the budget, go for the Parklon play mats.
If you want something scratch-resistant, go for the Primobabies play mat.
If you prioritise aesthetics, go for Lollibly.
Out of the 11 play mats that were used by mommies, we narrowed it down to 3 of the best play mats. Do let us know in the comments section if you’d like us to review the other play mats. Play mats will be reviewed periodically to ensure this information is updated for you!
We hope that through this article, we were able to give you the information you need to buy a play mat.
To end off this post, I would like to give thanks to the sweetest mummies, who replied me amidst their busy schedules to make this review possible:
- alyssalsy
- flyaholic
- Veryvivien
- Zcyainyi
- Janice miranda
- Luxiz
- chiawenfang
- Musicfeng
- Suthexian
- Jiggly.boo
- Wanfong1
- Markraziel
- Suhua89
- vivianpjm
- joeyshoww
- Makichan
- suelsaz
- cinteo
- _joycetan_
- Arndyh
- Onesquaredd
- Czihui
- Desxgoh
- Drawasmile
- minnotosan
- Helloeveryday
- chuacuijing87
- angxueer
- cyingjunn
- jessiehuenmade
- Jingyiscrazy
- Cheesecabbage
- weeqiweeqi
- Casabellaaa
Disclaimer: Nuevamae is not sponsored by any of the mentioned brands or platforms. This article expresses our honest opinion based on our experience and research. Read more about our mission. This article includes affiliate links so we may earn a commission (at no additional cost to you) if you make a purchase via the link.
