Introduction about Parklon Playmats
As one of the top leading manufacturers of household mats in Korea since 1993, Parklon is best known for its award-winning playmats for babies and toddlers. Here in Singapore, we wonder why these Korean playmats have been so popular via word-of-mouth despite their premium price tag.
We surveyed 34 mommies who used a total of 8 different playmat brands. Here are our main findings:
- 20% of mommies prioritised thickness and size when looking for a playmat, making this the top consideration when buying playmats.
- 50% of mommies own a Parklon mat, making it the most popular playmat.
- 40% of Parklon users mentioned the most well-loved aspect of Parklon playmat was the safety aspect – it absorbs impacts well and it is non-slip.
- Price was the main deterring factor for mommies to buy Parklon playmats, confirming our assumption that yes, the Parklon mats do come with a premium price tag.
What Mommies Say About Parklon Playmats
We asked mommies what they loved about the Parklon playmats and here are some of their reasons.
- The playmat was big, comfortable and cushy enough to lie and sleep on.
- It absorbs impact really well and breaks babies’ fall
- It is low-maintenance and a breeze to clean
- The playmat is really long-lasting and could even last after 7 years of using them
50% of the mommies used Parklon playmats, making it the most commonly used playmat.
Half of the mommies also mentioned that they trusted their friends’ and family’s recommendations and went ahead to buy Parklon playmats.
How Do I Feel About These Playmats?
Personally, I own their Size L15 Bumper Playmat, which I absolutely love since the birth of my child. Not only was it a breeze to clean, but it was also comfortable to lie on, and it absorbed the impact of my then tumbling 1-year-old daughter.
2 years ago, I was lucky enough to be handed down this playmat. Previously it has been used for about 5 years and kept away for another 3 – 5 years. Despite that, it still looked as good as new.
Apart from its premium price tag, I feel that another possible deterrent to buying this playmat could have been its bulkiness. I found it tough to roll and keep away for cleaning purposes. Eventually, I found myself cleaning around the playmat, and then wiping down the playmat separately.
I have been lucky enough to try this playmat and I am completely sold by its quality. For my new place, I may very well hand this down to someone else, and purchase a particular design that would suit the interior of my house. In fact, more than half of the mommies who use Parklon playmats felt it was in good enough condition to hand down to someone, or even sell it away!
Importance of a Playmat & What to Consider?
A playmat plays an important role in encouraging your baby’s development. It serves as a comfortable, and clean base for your child to explore in. A good playmat also breaks your child’s fall, keeping him/her safe.
When buying playmats, mommies mainly considered these factors – size and thickness, durability, material and if it could absorb impact well.
Pros and Cons
Most Loved Reason: Safety & Quality Material
38.9% of the mommies voted that they loved Parklon playmat mainly because of its safety aspect – the ability to absorb impact and break babies’ falls.
Playmats are usually made of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) or Polyethylene (PE). PVC is highly flexible, resilient, non-slippery and heavier. As a result, it’s more durable and much more expensive to produce. On the other hand, playmats made of PE are lightweight and much more portable but as a result, they tend to be slippery when placed on the floor.
Parklon has different types of materials that could suit your budget and your needs. Most mummies purchase thicker and heavier ones that are made of nontoxic, non-phthalate PVC or PE and are BPA-free. The Parklon La Pure series is also made of upgraded material which comes with ‘churros’ type embossing. According to Parklon’s official U.S. importer and authorized dealer, Parklon’s playmats are scientifically proven to be safe by SGS, a world-leading testing and certification company, which means you can rest assured that you are placing your child in a safe play environment.
Here is a comparison of the more commonly purchased Parklon playmats.
Foldable
Thick (40mm)
Shock-absorption technology
Sturdy
Waterproof
Thick (15mm)
It is evident that playmats made from PE material are much cheaper as compared to those made from PVC. Moreover, playmats made from PE material are much lighter (2.5kg), which could either be great, because they’re easy to keep, or dangerous because they slip easily.
Lasts More Than 7 Years
Through our interviews with mommies, we found out how durable the playmats were.
My parklon mat was a hand-me-down and it is 7 years old and counting!
Owner of L15 Parklon bumper playmat
I personally think that would justify the $200-$300 investment ha-ha!
The material of the mat also bounces back to shape regardless of the weight of the item placed on top of it. I chucked the playmat aside for 1-2 years and had a double decker bed stacking on top of it. It merely took a few days before the playmat bounced back to shape!
Owner of L15 and L12 bumper playmats
I once placed my heavy sofa on the edge of the playmat to prevent it from sliding and lo and behold, a year later, it did not even cause a dent in my playmat!
Most mommies mentioned they could hand it down or sell it away even after years of using them.
Many Uses
Aside from the playmat being just a mat for your child to play on, it can be used as a/an:
- diaper changing station
- mattress (comfortable enough for adults’ movie time too!)
- exercise mat
- rug replacement, adding warmth to the house
- baby tummy/playtime
The material of the playmat is so comfortable that you can sit and lie on it so comfortably. It can also be used to change diapers, and even for your baby to nap on! A mommy mentioned that it was firm, yet soft enough to not feel the hard floor and be able to lie on it like a mattress.
Two mommies said they used their playmats to exercise when their child was sleeping. The playmat cushioned the impact well and absorbed any sounds. After exercising, it was such a breeze to clean and within seconds, it was as good as new for their child to lie on.
Ease of Cleaning
As your child would be on the mat most of the time, it is imperative to find a playmat that’s easy to clean and disinfect. Playmats with interlocking features can be easier to keep, but it also means that there are more grit lines to clean.
Wide Range of Designs & Sizes
Over the years, Parklon has also produced a wide range of designs, which you could choose from to suit the interior design of your house.
Something many mommies love about Parklon is their wide range of sizes. Their playmats come in 5 different sizes – S, M, L, XL, and Round. That would also mean that you could purchase the size that fits your living room or playroom.
Unfortunately, some mommies found their designs limited because designs can sell out really quickly, leaving behind the more common ones.
Places to Purchase Parklon Playmats
You can purchase Parklon playmats from the following places.
Parklon Playmats
How Do I Get Them for Lesser?
11 out of 34 mommies mentioned that they disliked the costliness of the Parklon playmats. However, they do understand that this premium quality playmat meant a premium price tag. Hence, we asked mommies where they bought their playmats from, and if they had any tips to share about how you can get it for lesser!
26.5% of mommies purchased their playmats from Shopee and they have given some discount tips for you! You could wait for:
- Special sales like 9.9 and 10.10 etc.
- Shopee/Lazada vouchers/flash deals/sales
- Shopee Mum’s Club discounts and cashback vouchers
Other mommies bought their playmats from reputable sites like Pupsik Studio and Mummysmarket.
They also recommended to:
- Go to mommy/baby fairs for special pre-order discounts
- Join Group Buy chats for discounts
- Follow influencers for promo codes
- Purchase second-hand playmats from Carousell
Thoughts on Parklon Playmats
Is this Korean playmat worth every cent?
I hope this review has managed to convince you that it is worth the investment. For the quality, this price tag is worth it. This mat is like a child companion – your child plays on it, you change your child’s diapers on it, and your child can even nap on it. Isn’t that simply the joy of parenting? You can do so many things with just one product. The best part? Super easy to clean! As parents, we are particular about our child’s safety due to their lowered immune system and with an easy-to-clean product, it truly gives you peace of mind.
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.
