Tummy

Jul 13, 2023

Published on 3/22/2023 at 1:35 PM

Tummy time may sound like fun and games. But it can also be crucial in helping your little one develop. After all, baby isn't just chilling out, lying on their stomach. Tummy time allows your baby to practice picking up their head and build neck, shoulder, and back strength, ultimately providing the foundation for physical milestones like rolling over, sitting, and walking.

Tummy time also offers a way to keep babies entertained. Brands on the market offer fun tummy-time mats that your infant will love. Some of them feature unique accessories like tummy-time mirrors, tummy-time water pads, and tummy-time toys. Others play songs you'll . . . learn to love. Get your baby's development off to a fast start with these great tummy-time mats.

Learning the bangers in the Fisher-Price Deluxe Kick & Play Piano Gym ($40) is essentially a rite of passage in modern parenting. If you've never heard "Purple Monkey in a Bubble-Gum Tree" or "Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!," you're missing out. As for your baby, they'll love the colorful animals, mirror, and piano they can kick and later play with their hands.

Lovevery's Montessori-inspired play kits are super popular. Not included, but worth adding to your registry, is The Play Gym by Lovevery ($140), a beautifully simple toy that can go from tummy-time mat to play fort as your infant grows. Montessori-inspired features include opportunities for sensory play and hide-and-find activities, plus a guide with tons of ideas on how to use this gym to help your baby develop.

A newborn's vision is still developing, so high-contrast black-and-white images can be easier for them to process. The Tiny Love Magical Tales Gymini Baby Activity Gym and Mat ($70) caters to that. But rest assured, the versatile tummy-time mat also includes so many toys that will grow with your baby in their first year of life. This one is a keeper.

Baby's first swim lessons are probably a bit far off, but they can get a (safe) taste of the water on the Splashin'kids Inflatable Tummy Time Premium Water Mat ($14). The water-filled mat's eye-catching fish will keep your baby entertained as they work on keeping their head held high.

The cheery Skip Hop Multi Farmstand Grow & Play Activity Gym ($64) has plenty of textures to engage a baby during tummy time. It doubles as a gym (treadmill not needed), so your little one can also get time on their back reaching for fruit and vegetable toys.

Bright Starts Tummy Time Prop & Play Mat ($25) is crisp white (don't worry, it's washable) with plenty of poppy colors made for attracting a baby's attention. Unlike mats with arches, this basic mat is simple to put together and travels well.

The Infantino 4-in-1 Jumbo Activity Gym & Ball Pit ($58) is as bang-for-your-buck as it gets. It starts as a tummy-time mat but can transform into a ball pit as your baby grows, negating the need to splurge on one of those for your child's first birthday.

The Itzy Ritzy Rainbow Tummy Time Play Mat ($40) comes in an of-the-moment boho design guaranteed to match your aesthetic. The minimalist quilted mat is also sold with a couple of accessories (including a mirror), ensuring babies won't be overwhelmed as they build strength.

The Peanutshell's Montessori Water Playmat ($15) leans into a simple black and white design. But colorful accessories and customizable, easy-to-inflate construction ensure little ones remain engaged as they develop vision and strength.

Another option for minimalists, the Pehr Baby Play Mat ($61) doesn't have any bells, whistles, or mirrors. But you can add selections from your little one's toy box or practice having them lift their heads up to see your smiling face cheering them on.

The Manhattan Toy Wimmer-Ferguson 3-in-1 Triangle ($18) has a simple black and white design on one side and a colorful montage on the other — depending on what your little one responds to. The mat also features a hidden mirror for peekaboo, a teether, and crinkle paper to engage baby in a variety of ways.

Colorful, smiling accessories make the Baby Einstein Neptune Under the Sea Lights & Sounds Activity Gym ($70) a charming and engaging adventure for little ones. They'll love lifting their head up to see the vibrant plush fish above.