Best Baby Play Mats of 2023

This brightly colored, jungle-themed play mat can be used from birth. You can lay your little one beneath the satin butterflies, soft monkey, and rollerball snail to catch their attention.

Time for tummy play? Attach some of the toys to the giraffe, or attach the mirror at a low level so they can see themselves. Let them experience the different textures of the satin rim or the crinkly leaf.

Then there’s the removable purple toucan. Touch its wing or shake it gently and watch the lights flash while it plays music. If it becomes your baby’s favorite toy, it can be detached and taken with you when you go out.

Over 10 toys and activities will delight and engage your little one as they grow. Toys can be rearranged and placed wherever you want.

Might your baby be the next John Legend or Alicia Keys? You can give them the best chance to find out with this play mat that features a fun piano.

It will play 15 minutes of continuous music while newborns lie and look at the dangling toys attached to the repositionable arch. Tummy time will have them reaching out to hit the keys and hear the notes play as they light up. They might even be able to lie and kick it with their feet, building strength in their legs.

Once they can sit, you’re able to detach the piano and let them create their own tunes. There are also settings for animal songs and phrases about numbers, shapes, and colors.

Bright colors and five repositionable toys, including an elephant teether, crinkly panda, and a mirror, add to the fun. A super soft mat, with loops for the toys, completes this baby activity center.

Baby Einstein has covered all the bases with this 5-in-1 play mat. It has a contoured pillow you can prop a newborn on while they listen to 20 minutes of world-inspired tunes.

Tummy time can be enhanced by hanging the included detachable plush toys, rattle, and mirror within reach. The mat folds out to a 47-inch map of the world. This is great for you to get down and play with your baby as well.

Once your baby starts crawling and toddling around, you can pop up the sides and turn this play mat into a baby ball pit. There are 10 multi-colored balls included and a ball drop canopy. A suitcase-style bag for storing the balls and toys is also supplied.

This 3-foot square mat has 18 different activities and toys for your baby to explore and play with. There’s an activity center built into the mat itself, which plays music and lights up the bird toys at the touch of your baby’s hands.

There’s also a large mirror for your baby to look in and wonder at themselves. Change the toys around to keep them enamored and amused with their different looks and textures.

When it’s bedtime, or you want to travel, this mat and its arches fold flat and the whole mat snaps together. The bonus is the mat is also machine washable — just remember to remove the sound pad first.

This nature-inspired play mat from Skip Hop has 17 different developmental activities for your baby. There are five toys, which you can hang from any of the 13 loops on the arches. The mat has different textures, including crinkly leaves and a squeaky flower.

Included is a plush contoured cushion which you can rest baby’s arms over to get them used to tummy time. This will support them and let them see themselves in the mirror inserted in the tree trunk. The mat can be used from birth onwards.

The arches are covered in soft patterned linen and fold away for storage. The mat measures 36 inches in diameter and is machine washable, with the mirror removed.

Entertaining two babies at the same time can be a tough call. This super-sized play mat could be the answer. It measures 35 inches by 59 inches and has 1-inch deep padding.

The mat features different activities and textures for newborns and older babies to discover. Play peek-a-boo with the tree, look at themselves in the mirror, chew on the carrot teether, or play with the crinkly fox tail. There’s also a ring for you to attach their favorite toy.

It folds easily and is securely closed with a large button. It also has a handle for carrying. When necessary after diaper leaks or spit-ups, the mat can be tossed in the washing machine to clean it.

Infantino brings us this baby gym which gives you the option of one more suitable for girls, one more suitable for boys, or a gender-neutral version.

Infantino will suit either sex. It has bright tropical themed patterns to attract babies to explore, and a few linkable toys.

This baby gym can be unfolded and locked down in an instant to form arches over the mat. The quick and easy push-and-release mechanism lets it easily fold into a parachute-style shape for storage.

It has a soft cushion to encourage tummy-time play and a large mirror to let your baby see their reflection.