A baby play mat also referred to as a baby play gym is a soft covering that features arches (two) that hang overhead and support toys. It is a comfortable spot where your baby can play on their tummy and practice rolling over.
Baby play mats are highly recommended. They offer a wide range of developmental and cognitive benefits, benefits in visual perception, gross motor benefits, sensory stimulation, awareness, reaching, and grasping skills, and self-awareness.
Baby play mats are fun for babies and incredibly versatile! Baby can use it for playtime, tummy time, and you can also use it as a prayer mat or a meditation mat. It is also easy to clean and portable for travel.
Tummy Time
Tummy time is the act of placing your baby on their stomach, but it should be done when they are awake and supervised. It is crucial for a baby's motor, visual, and sensory development. It also helps the baby develop strong neck and shoulder muscles and prevents its head from developing flat spots (positional plagiocephaly).
With the help of a play mat, you can begin practicing tummy time as early as you arrive with your baby from the hospital. You should start with 2-3 times a day with a 3-5 minutes time interval as you gradually increase the time duration.
Benefits of Placing Babies in a Prone Position
Did you know that placing your bub in the prone position can help them sleep more soundly? Now you know. BUT this prone position naps should be under your watchful eye to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
The prone position has its benefits such as:
It helps shape the baby's skull, preventing flat head syndrome: Prone position is excellent for your tot instead of the supine position as it allows the back of their heads to develop without being flat. Your tot lying in supine positions for long will flatten their developing skull leading to positional plagiocephaly.
It facilitates the development of gross motor skills.
It helps the development of neck and trunk muscles.
It helps your baby build up the strength they need for rolling over, sitting up, crawling, and meeting the end goal of walking.
It will help your baby work the upper body, promoting trunk stability and head control.
It encourages your young to practice reaching and pivoting, skills that lead to crawling.
It is also associated with improved cardiovascular health and body mass index (BMI).
Mental Benefits of Play Mats
A baby playmat in bright colors, texture, shapes, and patterns helps boost mental and cognitive growth. Others are attached with mirrors that help grow your kid's sensory and self-awareness.
It is a crucial activity tool that will keep your little one engaged and has several mental benefits and all the fun your tot gets. These benefits are:
Growth in self-awareness
Diversion from daily routine
Improvement of hand to eye coordination
Cognitive benefits: your baby remembers the correct actions, thus repeating them over and over again
Encourages practicing movement
It leads to a sense of independence
It's a great attention and sensory stimulator
Visual-motor and sensory skills
Physical Benefits of Play Mats
The littlest member of your family will benefit from their play gym physical in ways such as:
They will learn how to start crawling, jumping, dancing, and eventually walking.
It will encourage them to strength build as they engage their muscles
It furthers your baby's independent learning
It promotes basic physical movement as it promotes freedom
Product Benefits of Play Mats
A baby play mat can help you and your baby during the first year of life. Owning it has its benefits like:
Cost-effective with a long life span as it is a gift that doesn't stop giving
It is portable, as it is easy to carry and does not consume much space in storage
It offers a soft ground area where children can play and be safe.
It has a variety of contrasting colors, and it is easily washable with the padded ground.
Finn and Emma Play Mats
At Finn And Emma, we provide you with organic and non-toxic play mats that will lend a dreamy vibe to any decor. Our wide range of mats are made up of:
Our play mats and gyms are adjustable and portable and put your baby's safety first.
Summary
Purchasing a play mat will be the wisest choice you will ever make for your newly born child. This soft mat with two arches that support toys that dangle overhead comes with several developmental benefits for your little one.
A playmat will offer your child benefits such as cognitive, visual perception, grasping, and reaching skills, gross motor benefits, self-awareness, and sensory stimulation.
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