Baby Playmat, Baby Play Gym – Same or different?

Baby gyms, floor gyms, activity gyms, play gyms, playmats … Are these just different ways to describe the same thing?

Well, the first four are practically interchangeable. A manufacturer may prefer one phrase over another, but there is nothing that really distinguishes a floor gym from an activity gym. Play mats, however, are something else. It’s usually pretty easy to tell a play mat from a play gym. That said, there are even some manufacturers who, perhaps deliberately, muddy the waters and use the gym to describe what is essentially a play mat. And vice versa. So what exactly is the difference?

A safe place for baby to play

Let’s start by recognizing that playmats and play gyms meet the same basic need. They provide a clean, safe, and smooth surface for your baby to lie down or play.

Playmats come in two main forms. The variety of padded fabric and the type of interlocking foam tiles. Many are variations on a theme, but some really stand out as unique. One of these is the K’s Kids Big & Big Cushions and playmat, which is a quilted fabric mat with removable sausage-shaped cushions that create a protective barrier around the edge of the mat. But in general, the key choice is between a cloth mat and a tiled play area.

Padded fabric floor mats

The padded playmat comes in a surprising variety of designs. Rectangular, circular, square, oval … even in the shape of an elephant and giraffe. Some are small enough to fold and store in a bag. Others are as big as a baby’s quilts. Some play mats are nothing more than a patterned piece of padded fabric for baby to lie on. Others have strategically placed pads for support or add-ons for recreation, exploration, and learning.

In general, cloth mats are best suited for young babies. But some are designed to adapt as the baby grows. Tea K’s Kids Big & Big Cushions and playmat It does exactly that: the mat perfectly doubles as a mini sofa or obstacle course.

Interlocking foam tiles

Foam tile play mats usually come in packages. You can buy as little as nine or you can cover an entire floor. You can move them from room to room or leave them in place indefinitely. And you can add to your collection as baby becomes more mobile.

Foam tiles are pretty similar in shape, but they come in all kinds of designs – numbers and letters are among the most popular. Some of the more sophisticated tile mats have built-in developmental toys and activities. Lights, textures, sounds, lots of things to keep little hands and minds busy.

So what is a play gym? The main difference between a baby gym and a playmat is that the gym has hanging toys. That’s an over-implication, but when you look at a mat next to a gym on the floor, you can see that a mat is flat, but a gym has crossed arches with various hanging toys.

Manufacturers like to think that their gyms stimulate baby’s senses and promote development. They may be right. But this type of exercise is probably not much different from any other opportunity your baby has to look, listen, and touch. That said, they are great and when my sister offered to buy one for me and our baby, I wasn’t going to say no.