It's not surprise to learn that baby play mats have become very popular over the last few years, you can probably find them in any house with young children. Childhood development studies have shown that it's you can't be too early to the party when exposing your baby to a stimulating environment. Being a father of two young children I have enjoyed the fact that play mats offer a clean and comfortable environment for your baby to play on the floor.
Most if not all play mats are produced using soft and durable materials that are good for babies. As you'll find they all have vibrant colors which stimulate baby's visual senses. Another great feature is that play mats us many different textures and materials that make noises. This helps their development of tactile senses. Note: it's important to purchase a play mat that stimulates as many of your baby's senses as possible.
As any parent who has gone through the infant/newborn stage can attest, sometimes you just need to be able to put baby down for a bit and relax. However, a lot of first time parents struggle with the guilt of wanting to put their baby down for a while. It was comforting for me and my wife knowing when we did put our children on the play mat; it was a good healthy environment for them. In fact, it is important for babies to spend some time moving on their own instead of being perpetually attached to their parent's hips. So don't fret when you feel this way. Just realize that it is a good for baby as it is for you to spend some time rolling and playing on the floor. These activities help baby tremendously with the strength and coordination skills they'll need as they grow and become more mobile.
Advice for choosing and using a play mat:
-Don't skimp. While it is expensive to outfit baby with great new toys, this is one of those instances where you can afford to spend a little extra. Because baby will spend so much time on the mat you should find a one that offers stimulation of the most senses possible. It's better to purchase one toy that does the job of many of them. While it may cost a little bit more you're certain to get the most out of baby's time on the mat, while saving money and space in the long run.
-Buy a name brand product. Again, don't skimp here. Name brand products usually make the best product and have a much more capable customer support department if the need to contact them arises.
-Keep it clean. Even though your baby is the only one who uses the play mat doesn't mean it doesn't need to be cleaned. Just like anything else that comes in contact with the ground and baby, it needs to be washed. We always used organic/non-toxic cleaners to wash the mat and I'd recommend you do too.
-Alternate baby's time on the mat. When baby is on the mat, it's a good idea to alternate between having them on their stomach and on their back. Our son and first child, wanted nothing to do with being on his stomach and would spend most of the time on his back while on the mat. Because babies' skulls are still forming, too much time on their backs can cause a flattened skull as your baby grows. While the problem almost always corrects itself (it did for us), it was a period of stress as first time parents.
Most if not all play mats are produced using soft and durable materials that are good for babies. As you'll find they all have vibrant colors which stimulate baby's visual senses. Another great feature is that play mats us many different textures and materials that make noises. This helps their development of tactile senses. Note: it's important to purchase a play mat that stimulates as many of your baby's senses as possible.
As any parent who has gone through the infant/newborn stage can attest, sometimes you just need to be able to put baby down for a bit and relax. However, a lot of first time parents struggle with the guilt of wanting to put their baby down for a while. It was comforting for me and my wife knowing when we did put our children on the play mat; it was a good healthy environment for them. In fact, it is important for babies to spend some time moving on their own instead of being perpetually attached to their parent's hips. So don't fret when you feel this way. Just realize that it is a good for baby as it is for you to spend some time rolling and playing on the floor. These activities help baby tremendously with the strength and coordination skills they'll need as they grow and become more mobile.
Advice for choosing and using a play mat:
-Don't skimp. While it is expensive to outfit baby with great new toys, this is one of those instances where you can afford to spend a little extra. Because baby will spend so much time on the mat you should find a one that offers stimulation of the most senses possible. It's better to purchase one toy that does the job of many of them. While it may cost a little bit more you're certain to get the most out of baby's time on the mat, while saving money and space in the long run.
-Buy a name brand product. Again, don't skimp here. Name brand products usually make the best product and have a much more capable customer support department if the need to contact them arises.
-Keep it clean. Even though your baby is the only one who uses the play mat doesn't mean it doesn't need to be cleaned. Just like anything else that comes in contact with the ground and baby, it needs to be washed. We always used organic/non-toxic cleaners to wash the mat and I'd recommend you do too.
-Alternate baby's time on the mat. When baby is on the mat, it's a good idea to alternate between having them on their stomach and on their back. Our son and first child, wanted nothing to do with being on his stomach and would spend most of the time on his back while on the mat. Because babies' skulls are still forming, too much time on their backs can cause a flattened skull as your baby grows. While the problem almost always corrects itself (it did for us), it was a period of stress as first time parents.
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Before you head out to purchase anything for your child, take a minute to peruse your options of Baby Gym and Activity Gym here at the Baby Gym Marketplace.