Hobbies And Interests
For Babies
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, an infant should be placed on her tummy at least two to three times a day for three to five minutes. A hard-surface activity mat provides a strong surface, which is an important safety feature for tummy time. When the infant becomes a baby at around three or four months, he can lay on a soft activity mat and bat overhead at dangling items and press buttons to play music. Mats, such as the Infantino Activity Gym, stimulate a baby's hand-eye coordination through the many interactive items attached.
Interactive for Toddlers
When babies start to crawl and sit up, get a solid, interactive activity mat. Alphabet and number puzzle mats enhance a child's creativity, cognitive mind and social play. The child can practice fitting the mat pieces together, learn to recognize letters and numbers, and engage in side-by-side play with the soft foam inserts that pop out. The Toddler Matching Mat and Blocks Set, for example, is a vinyl-covered nylon mat featuring soft blocks that a child can use for endless creative play and coordination exercises.
Creative Play Mats
Play carpet mats allow hours of creative play. Most mats are themed, such as the construction zone, airport or city mat. The Ride the Train Play Mat, for example, features highways, waterways and byways so that children can use their own cars and toys for imaginary play. Another popular play mat is hop scotch, perfect for the indoor play center or home where children are restricted to inside play due to weather. Or try puzzle mats, such as the Kids World Map Foam Puzzle Mat, which can be used simply as an extra padded area where kids can play or as an educational puzzle activity in the classroom.
Tumbling and Yoga Mats
Tumbling mats can be used in a variety of ways, including in the home to practice gymnastics or in a play gym setting for light exercise general play. The SoftPlay Tumbling Mat, for example, features a firm density that helps prevent ankle and wrist injuries. For young yogis, the Lazy Lizard Kids Yoga Mat is a non-slip mat featuring animals in yoga poses. Pictures of the poses are brightly colored as a reminder of how to place the body.
Ideas for Parents
While driving children around, keep a small, durable mat in the car. Stop at the park for a picnic lunch and use The Original Tote-N-Mat, a padded floor mat that converts into a storage box when not in use. If your child is napping at a daycare facility or preschool during the day, consider getting a fun, inviting rest mat. The Kaleidoscope Nap Mat includes a convenient, attached flannel blanket.