Baby play mats and play gyms offer baby a fun time even before he or she is able to sit up or stand. For younger babies, play gyms encourage reaching, lifting the head and sitting up. Older babies can learn cause and effect, and even begin learning songs and words. Play mats and gyms make great baby gifts, too, for baby showers or for the holidays. These baby play gyms and play mats have plenty of fun toys and activities for baby to enjoy, in a range of prices and sizes for your convenience.
1. Tiny Love Activitot Developmental Gym
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This play mat from Tiny Love features the familiar Gymini flexible gym bars, but now they can be rearranged to different locations around the circular mat to create a custom play gym for your baby. Seventeen different activities are available on this play mat, and the mat can be used for tummy time, while baby lays on his or her back, and also from a seated position. An included tummy time pillow helps baby explore the activities on the mat itself, and the included carrying bag also can be used as a laundry bag. The Activitot gym folds easily for travel and pops open quickly so baby can play anywhere.
2. Lamaze Spin & Explore Garden Gym
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The Spin & Explore Garden Gym from Lamaze can be used without the spinning part for babies who don't hold their head up well yet, so it's a good choice for younger infants. Once head control gets better, you can add the spinner, and baby can kick to move around in a circle to explore the different colors and textures of the play mat. Toy pockets and flaps let you hide things to show baby and give some additional interaction possibilities for baby.
3. Fisher Price Miracles & Milestones Gym with Mobile
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The adorable panda play mat entices baby to play on this colorful activity center. The musical mobile with lights gives even the youngest baby something to look at and reach for. The toys on the top of the play gym can also be moved to the panda mat so that baby can enjoy them during tummy time.
4. Fisher Price Ocean Wonders Kick and Crawl Aquarium Play Mat
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Part of Fisher Price's popular Ocean Wonders series, the Kick and Crawl Aquarium play mat and gym features soothing colors, a soft play mat and lots of exciting toys to keep baby entertained from birth through toddler years. Infants will love the mirror and dangling toys, while older babies can enjoy crawling through the aquarium tunnel and peeking out of the portal window. Music and other toy noises excite babies of all ages. At under $30, this play gym is a great value, too.
5. Tiny Love Gymini Monkey Island Play Mat
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Whether your baby is still laying down or has learned to sit, the Gymini Monkey Island play mat will entertain for hours. A mirror captures baby's silly faces, and the monkey toy makes noises, music and has lights to captivate baby. You can adjust the height of the bars so the toys dangle in front of baby for tummy time, or up above when baby is laying on her back. This play gym also folds nicely for travel.
6. Galt Playnest and Gym
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An inflatable fabric-covered ring is at the center of this play mat and gym, and it allows younger babies to sit up a bit to see and touch the included toys, allowing interaction and play earlier than some other play gyms. Farm scenes and animals in beautiful colors cover the playnest ring, giving baby plenty of things to look at, and the gym bars above have dangling birds, bees and a musical sun to encourage baby to reach for the sky.
7. Infantino Tummy Time Activity Center
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This tummy time play mat is slightly different than most. It encourages baby to look up and in front at the pyramid-shaped plush activity center, where baby can then take birds in and out of the little "nest," play with fish in a fish bowl, look at himself in a mirror and peek under leaves to see what's hiding there. The Tummy Time Activity Center folds up easily, too, so you can take it with you for fun away from home.
8. Bright Starts Baby's Play Place
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The classic play gym gets a makeover with the Bright Starts Baby's PlayPlace. The sides of the mat fold up to create a cozy hideout for baby, and the soft bars overhead hold a variety of toys to kick at and play with. As baby grows, you can configure the sides and bars differently to encourage tummy time fun or to create a tunnel to crawl through. Later on you can remove the bars entirely and use it as a play mat. The whole thing folds up for storage or travel, too. I love the way you can customize this play mat and gym for your baby's skills and environment.
9. LeapFrog LeapStart Learning Gym
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Featuring more than 10 minutes of music from all over the world, the LeapStart Learning Gym offers baby more than just fun, but also an introduction to five languages. A mobile spins to entertain infants as they lay underneath. As baby progresses to grabbing and pushing button, and even sitting up, the rewards of playing with the toys are greater. The spinning globe and animal roller teach baby "hello," animal names, numbers and colors in several languages, and the mirror treats baby to music.
10. Cariboo Activity Gym
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Cariboo's gorgeous activity gym will blend nicely with your home decor and provide a fun and soothing spot for baby at the same time. It's available in several wood finishes, and has four plush toys that hang from the bars. The Cloud B baby sheep, baby lab, turtle and moon don't flash or make music, but baby will love looking at them and reaching for them anyway. This gym is made from sustainable pine and it has lead-free finishes.
