Best Baby Activity Gym and Playmats Top 13 For 2021

by | Sep 15, 2022

a little one playing with best baby activity gym

You can call it a baby playmat, play gym or a best baby activity gym, the idea is the same a brightly coloured and interactive mat for your baby’s play time. They come in lots of different sizes, themes and shapes. Need can be a solid word, but an activity gym can come in handy.

The playmat offers a large variety of visuals, sounds and the textures, whereas most of the other bouncers and swings may only consist of one or two small plush toys.

Features of Best Baby Activity Gym

Sight

When babies are born they are nearsighted, which means objects far away are blurry. It takes around 6 to 8 months for their sight to become clear and for them to differentiate colours and perceive depth. In the early months, objects placed 8 to 12 inches from their face are easiest for babies to scrutinize.

Muscle Strengthening

Most of the play gyms come with an inbuilt play mat, which is a very comfortable place to rest your baby while they are on their tummy time.

Babies start practicing for the tummy time from the day one, which strengthens both their backs and necks and also their abdominal muscles which eventually aids them with their ability of rolling up crawling and sitting.

Hand-Eye Coordination

Play gyms are very great as they contribute to the hand eye coordination of the baby and honing your little one’s depth perception. As your baby’s eyesight develops, the toys, colours, textures and the shapes will become more clearer and the way they play and touch the toys will change with time.

Parents do find that setting extra toys around the baby on the ground and in front of them will encourage the baby to make small movements, which leads to the start of their crawling stage.

Cause and Effect

Around the age of four months, the babies start to develop the depth perception. This often coincides with the baby starting to intentionally push, pull, or drop the things by themselves to see what change would it make to the objects.

By letting your little one to spend good time in the baby gym, they will be able to safely experiment with the toys, mirrors, textures and sounds in their little lab.

Tummy Time Safety

Remember to always stay close to and supervise your baby during tummy time. As he or she gets stronger and starts moving more, clear away any potentially dangerous objects.

How We Chose Best Activity Gyms

We asked thousands of real baby families regarding the products they love the most, now that their short one has arrived. We gathered the top products which they shared with us and we added our own insight and research about those top products.

Here are some of the play mat picks that we think that you and your baby would love to see. The activity gym is an absolute choice your must make for your kid.

1. Lovevery Play Gym: Stage Based Developmental Activity Gym

Lovevery Play Gym: Stage Based Developmental Activity Gym
4.8

Overall Amazon Rating

The Play Gym by Lovevery product varies essential for baby’s developing stages, offering what your baby needs to see, touch, and do as their little self starts to grow. The play gym combines so many things that include an activity gym-from batting to teething to determining to focus-for a whole year of play.

It is thoughtfully designed to promote cognitive, visual, and motor development from newborn to toddler. Organic accessories, sustainably harvested wood. It has water-based, non-toxic finishes. It is established to keep your baby concentrated on fun and learning during the first year and beyond.

Specifications

Dimensions – 44 x 38 x 24 inches

Batteries required – No

Item weight – 7.6 Pounds

Why Parents Like It

The play gym will be the first play gym for all your baby’s learning stages, presenting what your baby wants to see, feel, and do as your little one will grow. It is made according to parents’ needs, from batting to teething to learning to focus on your baby’s first year of play.

Pros
  • Water-based non-toxic finishes.
  • It is a machine washable Play Mat and cotton teether.
  • It is effortless to set up and take down.
  • Removable accessories for stage-based learning.
Cons
  • It is a little bit costly.

2. The Baby Einstein 5-in-1 Journey of Discovery Activity Gym

The Baby Einstein 5-in-1 Journey of Discovery Activity Gym
4.7

Overall Amazon Rating

This best infant play gym has a 5 in 1 adjustable play environment that grows with your baby. They can explore the world with this global themed gym, packed with grow with me discovery. It has ten balls to enhance motor skill development. The baby einstein activity gym has a fantastic battery life of 300 hours, which gives unlimited fun. The removable contoured prop pillow provides support to the baby.

It also enhances photographic imagery to encourage recognition skills. It improves eating time, coordination of hand and eye, music appreciation, co-play, and curiosity. The toys can be easily cleaned with a wet cloth and mild soap. It’s put and take storage bags that are perfect for co-play and gross motor skill encouragement.

Specifications

Dimensions – 47 x 40 x 18 inches

Batteries required – Yes

Item weight – 1.76 Pounds

Why Parents Like It

It has a ball drop canopy. It gives the baby global themed music, plush toys, and the baby safe mirror that all detach for fun on the go. At the time things get a little dirty, you can easily remove the toy bars from the play gym. Also, toss the play mat into the washing machine.

Pros
  • Put and take storage bag
  • Ball drop canopy
  • Amazing battery life
  • Global themed music and other toys
  • Machine washable mat
Cons
  • Thin toy mat
  • Mat heats up in summers

3. The Fisher Price Deluxe Kick ‘n Play Piano Gym

The Fisher Price Deluxe Kick 'n Play Piano Gym
4.8

Overall Amazon Rating

The fisher price deluxe play piano gym gives your baby four ways to play as they grow. Its learning content changes with the baby’s age. It comes with 3 Smart Stages learning levels and a bonus piano play mode with real music notes. It has a large keyboard with 5 light-up keys and removes for taking along play.

This best play gym has five repositionable toys. It has a fantastic battery life of 15 hours, which gives your baby unlimited fun all day long. This item includes a baby-safe mirror, elephant-shaped teether, crinkly panda, lion-shaped rattle, and clackers. It has a super soft and thick, machine-washable play mat that also features loops to attach toys.

Specifications

Dimensions – 27 x 36 x 18 inches

Batteries required – Yes

Item weight – 4.61 Pounds

Why Parents Like It

Its smart Stages technology lets you change the learning content to best fit your baby’s age and stage. Its real piano notes encourage your little one to create a tune of their own.

Pros
  • Easy to open packaging
  • Mat features loops
  • Five light up keys
  • Bright colours
  • Engaging toys and music
Cons
  • Assembly takes time
  • Toy mat is a bit tiny

4. Bright Starts Ray Ocean Lights & Music Gym

Bright Starts Ray Ocean Lights & Music Gym
4.8

Overall Amazon Rating

The bright starts activity gym lets your baby play under the magical sea with Nemo and friends. It gives more than 20 minutes of ocean-themed melodies. It also has a multi-sensory toy based on favorite characters. It lets our baby play with the Dory finger puppet. Mr. Ray’s canopy illuminates with magical lights.

Get in on the playtime with your little one using the Dory finger puppet. It has a fantastic battery life of 144 hours, which gives unlimited fun. The seaweed-excited prop pillow is like your baby’s own anemone. This play gym will make memories that even Dory could not forget. The all fishy friends are detachable on the go toys. You can bring the magic of Nemo anywhere.

Specifications

Dimensions – 32 x 36 x 18 inches

Batteries required – Yes

Item weight – 2.58 Pounds

Why Parents Like It

Your baby can hang out with your favourite finding Nemo characters which entertains them always. The world is your baby’s underwater oyster with this activity gym.

Pros
  • Pocket friendly
  • Gives a magical experience
  • Multi sensory toys
  • Easy cleaning
  • High battery life
Cons
  • Very compact toy mat
  • Not machine washable

5. The Baby Einstein 4-in-1 Kickin’ Tunes Music Activity Gym

The Baby Einstein 4-in-1 Kickin' Tunes Music Activity Gym
4.5

Overall Amazon Rating

This 4-in-1 Kickin’ activity gym set the stage for music and discovery. It has four modes laying, sitting, tummy time, and take along. It has more than seventy sounds and activities and more than twenty-five minutes of music. It also includes seven detachable toys, including a Magic Touch piano, and a prop pillow.

It is a multi-sensory gym that is made to move with your little one’s development. When they eat when they sit and play, this activity gym is sure to inspire their curiosity. It can easily be machine washed with cold water for cleaning. It has a fantastic theme that gives unlimited fun and keeps your baby entertained.

Specifications

Dimensions – 34 x 27 x 18 inches

Batteries required – Yes

Item weight – 2.8 Pounds

Why Parents Like It

Your little one’s musical genius would see from their head to their toes when it comes to this play gym. The included prop pillow helps make tummy time a more comfortable experience.

Pros
  • Amazing four modes
  • More than 70 sounds and activities
  • Seven detachable toys
  • Easy Machine wash for cleaning
  • Toys in all directions
Cons
  • Easily unscrew able
  • Very small

6. The Infantino Grow with me Activity Gym and Ball Pit

The Infantino Grow with me Activity Gym and Ball Pit
4.6

Overall Amazon Rating

This amazing product is an activity gym and ball pit in one. It includes forty colorful balls that are stored inside the turtle’s head. This best activity gym for newborns has four linkable sea pals. It also includes a BPA-free teether for your little one, which is absolutely safe. It has three ways to play with a unique set, and it will surely be a hit.

As your baby grows and starts moving, the pop-up mesh sides surround them to keep them in a safe zone securely. Toddlers can sit and play in the sensory-stimulating ball pit with a lot of toys. The play area of the ball pit is 24 inches with the recommended age of 0 months to 3 years.

Specifications

Dimensions – 22.1 x 4.6 x 19.9 inches

Batteries required – No

Item weight – 3.5 Pounds

Why Parents Like It

Babies can use the very comfortable plush play mat with 4 linkable nice sea friends hanging above their head. This baby gym features 40 colour balls that store in the turtle’s head.

Pros
  • Lightweight
  • Appropriate for all age groups
  • 40 colourful balls
  • Safe and comfortable
  • Very easy to assemble
Cons
  • Bit small
  • Price is a bit high

7. The Fisher Price Rainforest Music and Lights Deluxe Gym

The Fisher Price Rainforest Music and Lights Deluxe Gym
4.7

Overall Amazon Rating

The Fisher-Price Rainforest Music & Lights Deluxe Gym is the perfect product for your newborn star. It has an amazing battery life of 50 hours, which gives unlimited fun. It gives up to 20 minutes of music in a long-play setting. The Fisher-Price gym comes with more than ten toys and several activities and a toucan with lights and music that are activated by your baby’s kicks and movements. The soft mat lets baby settle well all in this wildly fun rainforest. It keeps your baby busy as a bee, at home or on the go. The little gym is also surrounded by the cute baby lion, zebra, monkey, and snail roller ball.

Specifications

Dimensions – 30.5 x 32.5 x 27.5 inches

Batteries required – Yes

Item weight – 4.3 Pounds

Why Parents Like It

Includes more than ten toys and activities and a removable, take along toucan with music and dancing lights. This amazing baby gym comes with excellent music, lights and nature sounds.

Pros
  • Long battery life
  • Easy to assemble
  • Frustration free packaging
  • 100% recyclable
  • Multiple modes
Cons
  • Bit Heavy
  • Bit difficult to wash

8. Skip Hop Treetop Friends Activity Gym

Skip Hop Treetop Friends Activity Gym
4.8

Overall Amazon Rating

The skip hop activity gym is a complete package, especially inspired with nature, which your baby is definitely going to love. The amazing activity gym comes with seventeen developmental activities and thirteen Loops on the top to Hang Baby Toys Low or High or on the mat. The playmat Surface comes with multiple fabrics plus the activities on the mat, including the Crinkle Leave the Squeaker Flower and a Mirror in the tree trunk, which could be removed when washing. It has an amazing battery life, which gives unlimited fun. It is Safety tested to meet or exceed ASTM, CPSIA, EN71, and applicable safety standards.

Specifications

Dimensions – 36 x 36 x 19 inches

Batteries required – Yes

Item weight – 14.1 Pounds

Why Parents Like It

This activity gym has five hanging toys attached to thirteen easy to hang loops. It offers Irresistible multi sensory play for Baby or infant at every stage of development.

Pros
  • Nature inspired graphics
  • Easy assembling
  • Supportive tummy pillow
  • Five sensory toys
  • Unisex
Cons
  • Complex dimensions
  • Polyester is used

9. Sassy Stages Developmental Play Gym

Sassy Stages Developmental Play Gym
4.3

Overall Amazon Rating

The play gym has been specially designed for your newborn babies to toddlers. The Sassy Stages Development Play Gym comes with a two-in-one tummy time mat, and a play gym designed uniquely to add up individual features for your baby’s exclusive gym.

The gym comprises of 6 developmental zones designed for back lamp and tummy time play. A 360-degree raise up play arches to enable your baby a free movement in the mini gym. The toys are detached so you can bring them in the car seat or the stroller for more fun time on the go.

Specifications

Dimensions – 37 x 37 x 2 inches

Batteries required – Yes

Item weight – 2.5 Pounds

Why Parents Like It

It provides developmental activities including peek a boo flaps, crinkle flags, and ribbon rings. It gives your baby a wide variety of textures and materials to explore during tummy time.

Pros
  • Light weight
  • Easy assembling
  • Machine washable
  • Age appropriate
  • Unisex
Cons
  • Complex dimensions
  • Less toys

10. Baby Einstein Caterpillar and Friends Play Gym

Baby Einstein Caterpillar and Friends Play Gym
4.6

Overall Amazon Rating

The Baby Einstein Caterpillar and friends Play Gym comes with a multi-sensory exploration that will cheer your baby up. Also, it contains eight classical melodies with 20 minutes of playtime, which will make your baby sing along. The 360-degree toys all around the gym will entertain the baby while lying, sitting up, and on the tummy.

It is machine washable and the included toys clean with mild soap or damp cloth. When used as a baby tummy time mat, you can change the place of the hanging toys to this gym for captivating play during this vital position. Also, the blooming detachable stars attached in the gym comes with mesmerizing light effect features.

Specifications

Dimensions – 25 x 2.5 x 23 inches

Batteries required – Yes

Item weight – 4.76 Pounds

Why Parents Like It

This is a large, soft play mat. It features classical music, dancing lights, and six activities to let your baby be busy playing for hours. It also includes a frog rattle with bead chaser for playing.

Pros
  • lightweight
  • Easy installation
  • Supportive tummy pillow
  • Multiple sensory toys
  • Unisex
Cons
  • Complex dimensions
  • Heavy batteries are required

11. Infantino Twist and Fold Activity Gym

Infantino Twist and Fold Activity Gym
4.6

Overall Amazon Rating

This infantino pond pals twist and fold activity gym and play mat is imported and made up of high-quality polyester material. It folds up compactly and easily for storage or travel in two very easy steps. With this activity gym, your kid can Sit and Play. It gives your child a relaxing, entertaining, and comfortable tummy time and overhead discovery. Its age recommendation ranges from birth to one year.

It includes a large peek a boo mirror that entertains baby. This baby activity play gym Includes four linkable toys with a plush prop to up pillow that is great for tummy time play. It has an amazing battery life, which gives unlimited fun to your baby. It includes toys, tummy time bolster, and unique twist and folds design for easy storage.

Specifications

Dimensions – 5.5 x 29 x 10.8 inches

Batteries required – No

Item weight – 3 Pounds

Why Parents Like It

This activity gym has a BPA-free teether while your child is teething. It is the perfect take along for big adventures or for turning little spaces into big fun for your little one.

Pros
  • Imported
  • Peek a boo mirror
  • Four linkable toys
  • BPA free teether
  • Plush prop
Cons
  • Pillow slides apart easily
  • A bit compact

12. The Bright Starts 4-in-1 Rounds of Fun Activity Gym and Ball Pit

Bright Starts 4-in-1 Rounds of Fun Activity Gym & Ball Pit
4.8

Overall Amazon Rating

The Bright Starts Play Gym is intended to fulfill babies’ needs with hours of entertainment and giggles. Your little one can kick & grip the colorful toys in the gym mode and do their tummy time on the prop pillow. You can raise the sides and fill them with balls to keep the fun going as the baby grows. It includes a prop pillow to keep babies comfortable during tummy time, plus toys, music, and lights to keep them amused.

The mat provides massive space for baby and mom to play along, with sides that fold up to form an enclosure as the baby develops. Baby can enjoy and teethe on these exciting and colorful toys and styles on the toy bar, involving a light-up elephant, bead sliders, teethers, “discover me” mirror, crinkle fabrics & much more. Its unique elephant toy charms with colorful, sparkling lights and over 20 minutes of pleasant melodies.

Specifications

Dimensions – 30 x 44.5 x 21 inches

Batteries required – 3 AA batteries required.

Item weight – 2.84 Pounds

Why Parents Like It

This excellent baby mat is adjustable up or down to create walls. It keeps the baby to the correct place with these plush barriers, or you can fill the play gym with bouncy, bobbling bubbly balls. The baby’s playtime will be all around with engaging toys, crinkle fabrics, rattles, tunes, and more.

Pros
  • Playtime is fantastic with the ball-pit play gym.
  • The mat is foldable to create walls.
  • It is an imaginative infant play gym with lights.
  • The toy plays 20 minutes of melodies.
Cons
  • It is machine washable.

13. Bright Starts Zippy Zoo Activity Gym

Bright Starts Zippy Zoo Activity Gym
4.7

Overall Amazon Rating

This bright starts activity gym has a giraffe plush toy that features four fun melodies. It also includes a baby-safe mirror with a colorful spiral bead chaser. Also, it has a leaf-shaped teether, sun-shaped rattle, and a musical toy. It has an amazing battery life with a non-replaceable system which gives unlimited fun and enjoyment.

This activity gym requires three non-standard batteries for complete work. The playmat is machine washable for easy cleaning while the toys can be wiped clean with a damp cloth and mild soap. It also includes four fun links for adding more toys. However, the activity gym shouldn’t be immersed in water for easy cleaning.

Specifications

Dimensions – 30 x 30 x 18 inches

Batteries required – Yes

Item weight – 2.09 Pounds

Why Parents Like It

It lets your kid make silly faces in baby mirror while also shake sun shape rattle. This play mat turns any nursery into a zoo time adventure. It provides all time entertainment to your baby.

Pros
  • Very less price
  • Feature four melodies
  • Machine washable
  • Push toy and bead chaser
  • Baby safe mirror and rattle
Cons
  • Non removable toys’ battery
  • Unrepairable

Guide to Buying Activity Gyms

Comfortable Mat

Make sure your little one enjoys and gets the best play time by choosing the right and perfect toys and play gym. Also make sure that the product that you choose also comprises of a well padded mat which would give your baby best comfort.

Toys

The toys are the most attractive part of the products, the baby will enjoy playing with the toys only when they don’t hurt there soft skin with the sharp edges or any pointed parts.

Material

The type of material used always matters for everyone whether it’s about the adults or about the new born baby shopping, the material should be soft and made up of good baby friendly material.

Weight Handling

Make sure while choosing the product that it does to limit your baby to a certain time as the baby grows up so that there weight make check the product whether the product you are buying for your baby supports an extension in weight support.

Hygiene Mat Maintenance

It is important that the baby plays in an healthy and hygienic environment, for that the baby surrounding should also be clean and healthy so do check on a note whether the product is washable or not.

How long will a baby use an activity gym?

During the starting days when your baby is undergoing the development process of the hand eye coordination the playmats could be used to provide an exclusive play area environment to your baby.

One of the very first interactive toys that your baby would get, playmats come in various variety ranges and with varying features. If your little one has started to roll onto the tummy, you should definitely consider getting a playmat.

Are play gyms good for babies?

If we talk about baby’s developmental benefits then Yes! The activity gym helps in Strengthening your baby’s neck and shoulder muscles, developing motor skills and preventing back of the head flattening.

However, they all have small toys to stimulate and delight your little one. Grasping for the dangling toys is good practice. Once your baby starts to crawl, they will move on to other toys.

Conclusion

You can use the activity play gym for babies from day one, but babies between three to six months old love it the most. Best gyms may dramatically assist with healthy brain development.

However, it would not be long before just looking and touching something is not enough for your baby. Once your baby can sit up and crawl they will be on the move in search of toys and activities for older babies.

About the Author Wendy Parker

I am a nurse and also a mother of two kids and as a mother, I know how difficult is caring. With over 5 years of experience in this field, motherhood is difficult after pregnancy that’s why I’m here I would love to use this platform to help you out to achieve a best caring schedule.

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