16 Best Baby Play Mats for Little Wobblers and Big Kid Stompers

Aug 19, 2023

By Shanna Shipin

Whether your little one is just learning to lift their head or is the next Gabby Douglas in the making, the best baby play mats will ensure they can crawl, scoot, stand, and tumble safely indoors. You can think of play mats in two ways: There's the soft play mat that's typically a kind of quilted blanket or padded space to support those early developmental milestones. (You'll tend to see these in baby shower registries or newborn gift wish lists, though they're also great for family travel.) Then there are the foam puzzle or roll-up mats that basically turn your living room into a gymnasium; these are suited for all ages but are especially useful for toddlers and budding big kids who need ample room to romp—and a stable surface to land. Our favorites run the gamut, whatever your family's needs are. Ahead, the best baby play mats to shop now.

All products featured on Glamour are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Best Soft Play Mat: Pehr Quilted Play Mat

Maisonette

Babylist

Nordstrom

No Pinterest nursery dream board would be complete without Pehr. The company specializes in organic-cotton items for newborns in simple prints and chic colors that would make any parent happy. Pehr's quilted play mats are favorites because they're made of soft brushed cotton, have just the right amount of fluff to support (but not hinder) infant milestones, travel well, and look great.

Dimensions and details: 40" diameter, cotton with polyester fill, machine-washable

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Best Multisensory Play Mat: Lovevery The Play Gym

Amazon

Target

Lovevery

We've sung Loveevery's praises many times before, but it's the brand's Play Gym that started it all. This is a game changer for parents—and a favorite on registries—because it's so much more than just a soft space to spend tummy time. The mat can be used with or without the included activity gym to support the infant through all developmental stages of their first year and includes teethers, hidden crinkle paper, flaps, a tent cover, and more. The system also comes with a handy playbook that parents and caretakers can reference every (literal) step of the way.

Dimensions and details: 23" x 50" x 47" (when assembled), OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified, mat is washable/wipe to clean activity gym

Save when you shop for the best baby play mats with these Target promo codes.

Best Tiled Play Mat: Toddlekind Baby's & Little Kid's Puzzle Playmat

Amazon

Maisonette

Saks Fifth Avenue

For something that'll last a bit longer a firm, foam play mat that's easy to clean and endlessly durable would be your best best. The only issue? Many parents are concerned with potential toxins lurking in their products. That's where Toddlekind comes in; the brand engineers EVA foam mats that are BPA- and phthalate-free, and happen to look better than your average rug. Seriously, take one look through the brand's serene, neutral designs, and you'll want to instantly add them to cart.

Dimensions and details: 4" x 6", assembly required, wipe to clean

Save when you shop for the best baby play mats with these Saks Fifth Avenue promo codes.

Best Infant Play Mat: Manhattan Toy Wimmer-Ferguson Crawl and Discover Play and Pat Activity Mat

Amazon

Target

New parents are up to their ears in advice on developmental milestones, so go ahead and get them something you know they're already contemplating purchasing. This activity mat is made with high-contrast colors, which helps newborns focus and develop their vision. It's developed using Wimmer-Ferguson images, the brand that pioneered high-contrast research-based visual stimulation products for infants.

Dimensions and details: 12.5" x 4.25" x 12.5", multisensory mat, machine-washable (remove mirror)

Save when you shop for the best baby play mats with these Target promo codes.

Best Washable Floor Mat: Ruggable Jungle Safari Multicolor Rug

Ruggable

If you're looking to save money, getting a washable rug is an excellent idea—and Ruggable now makes kid's rugs that happen to be great makeshift play mats. The best part? The brand offers an array of rug choices for each design. In this fun Jungle Safari theme, you can choose from classic (low) pile or premium (medium) pile, three different types of rugs (area, runner, round), and 11 sizes. The cherry on top is that you can choose a cushioned rug pad over a standard one, which makes it instant play mat material.

Dimensions and details: 2" x 3" to 9" x 12" sizes available, and 6" or 8" rounds, machine-washable

Cutest Play Mat: Skip Hop Farmstand Activity Play Gym

Target

Amazon

Nordstrom

Similar to the Lovevery product but with a bit more fun is the Skip Hop activity gym. This is ideal for the parent who wants a cute space for their little one to play in, but that doesn't include unnecessary bells and whistles. It comes with a soft, collapsible activity gym and dangling toys—all in the sweetest farmstand theme. You can fold the sides up or down, and the whole thing can be rolled up for easy travel to Grandma and Grandpa's place.

Dimensions and details: 46" x 32" x 23" (when assembled), entirely collapsible, mat is washable/spot clean activity gym

Save when you shop for the best baby play mats with these Nordstrom promo codes and Target promo codes.

By Glamour

By Emily Tannenbaum

By Emily Tannenbaum

Best Floor Mat for Crawling: Uanlauo Foam Playmat See

Amazon

Wayfair

Another safe foam option is this popular baby play mat by Uanlauo. Some other things we—and the more than 4,000 five-star reviewers on Amazon—like about it: The play mat is waterproof, foldable, nonslip, and big. This makes it great for families with siblings or larger spaces, or anyone who wants a mat to grow with their little one into childhood.

Dimensions and details: 59" x 59" to 79" x 71" available depending on what's in stock, 0.4" to 0.6" thickness options, 11 different designs (all reversible), BPA-free foam

Best Floor Mat With Gate: Tohifer Baby Playpen With Mat

Amazon

Do you have siblings of the furry variety to add to the equation? Take things one step further with this extra-safe playpen and play mat combo. The Tohifer is a top pick on Amazon because it's kind of like a really great baby carrier in that it gives mom two free hands with a sense of security. The soft and foldable play mat can be surrounded by a breathable mesh gate that the baby can easily see out of but creates a barrier so dogs, cats, or even rough-housing older siblings won't disturb the mini's tummy time.

Dimensions and details: ‎38.9" x 16.3" x 8", no gaps between the mat and gate (no finger ouchies), steel gate pipes are wrapped in foam to keep everything soft and safe, machine-washable mat

Best Foldable Play Mat: Toki Mats Padded Faux-Leather Play Mat

Nordstrom

Babylist

Look to Toki Mats for a play area that looks as good as it performs. What sets these foldable mats apart is their use of faux leather as a soft and durable casing. The cover is removable, while the interior is made of natural bouncy rubber latex, it's all OEKO-TEX certified—meaning it's free of harmful substances.

Dimensions and details: ‎40" x 40" or 55" x 55", cover can be wiped clean, made in the USA

Save when you shop for the best baby play mats with these Nordstrom promo codes.

Best Memory Foam Play Mat: Totter & Tumble x Morris & Co. Play Mat

Totter & Tumble

If you're in the market for a high-end play mat that you can use for years to come without worrying about potentially toxic materials, Totter & Tumble is the one. Not only does the UK-based brand use comfortable, durable, and safe memory foam (no BPA, phthalates, lead, latex, formamide, formaldehyde, EVA, or flame retardants), but they come in prints that won't cramp your style. Our favorite is the Brer Rabbit print, a timeless design that evokes the British countryside, made in collaboration with Morris & Co.

Dimensions and details: 83" x 55" x 0.5" standard size, 72" x 49" x 0.5" compact size, and a 55" round, unique memory foam, the brand passes European and UK Toy Standards and provides information on its high safety testing scores

By Glamour

By Emily Tannenbaum

By Emily Tannenbaum

Best Travel Play Mat: Wonder & Wise Farm Activity Play Mat

Nordstrom

Bloomingdales

Neiman Marcus

The best travel play mats are lightweight and entirely collapsible—so much so that you can stuff them into the corner of an already packed trunk. Even better? One that comes with built-in entertainment, like this Farm Activity mat from Wonder & Wise. Not only is it cute and easy to spot, but it comes with a slew of attached interactive elements and contrasting textures that'll keep the tot guessing.

Dimensions and details: 36" round, recommended six months and up, spot-clean

Save when you shop for the best baby play mats with these Nordstrom promo codes and Bloomingdale's promo codes.

Best Thick Padded Play Mat: Charlie Crane Tami Playmat

Pishposh

Albeebaby

Smallable

Perhaps the most comfortable on this list is a plush, but still supportive, play mat from Charlie Crane. The one-piece mat is made of a three-centimeter-thick foam that's wrapped in soft poplin cotton. It comes in 11 beautiful colors and is compatible with Charlie Crane's equally gorgeous activity arch and baby rocker.

Dimensions and details: 37" x 37", OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified, machine washable, made in France

Best Cushion: Liewood Baby Cotton Padded Nest

Mytheresa

If you're a fan of baby loungers (think of products like the Snuggle Me Organic), you may be drawn to this baby nest. Of course, this isn't intended for nap time; rather, this padded cushion is made with short borders some parents like to use as tummy time supports or supervised back-lying activities. Later, when you've got a bigger kid on your hands, it can be a cozy cushion or cuddle area.

Dimensions and details: 39.5" x 39.5", organic cotton, padded, short borders

Best Sensory Play Mat: Playlearn Textured Floor Mat Puzzle

Nordstrom

Amazon

For littles in need of tactile sensory stimulation, this mat will be endlessly beneficial. Playlearn specializes in toys, equipment, and products that meet those with autism, ADHD, special needs, and any child in need of therapeutic experiences, where they are. This package comes with six tiles of various sensory surfaces, each with puzzle sides for open-ended connections.

Dimensions and details: 13" x 13" x 4", tactile tiles (leather, chenille, carpet, tassel, fur, fleece)

Save when you shop for the best baby play mats with these Nordstrom promo codes.

By Glamour

By Emily Tannenbaum

By Emily Tannenbaum

Best Floor Mat Design: House of Noa Little Nomad Play Mat

House of Noa

House of Noa sells this top-rated tile mat that we (plus a ton of parents) are obsessed with for its details. The brand creates tiles with seamless edging, giving the effect of a high-quality rug; the soft and supportive EVA foam mats are easy on the parents’ knees and eyes. Seriously, the pieces feature hand-illustrated designs that are inspired by vintage Moroccan rugs.

Dimensions and details: 4" x 6" to 10" x 12" with each tile measuring 24.8" x 24.8", wipe clean, free from PVC, formaldehyde, and latex

Best Play Mat for Bigger Kids: Gathre Tumbling Mat

Maisonette

West Elm

Last but not least, a proper tumbling mat. While you may think this is a product reserved for kids that can actually cartwheel, it's a great option to invest in when the sprout is a wee one. The mat is foldable, so you can use it earlier on to encourage standing, and unfold it all the way as the tot grows into a human bouncy ball.

Dimensions and details: 48" x 20" x 6", vegan leather exterior can be wiped clean and removed, foam interior

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By Shanna Shipin

By Brigitt Earley

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