The best baby play mats in Australia in 2024
A round-up of the best baby play mats for fun – and tummy time!
Not just a safe space for baby to roll around and kick their legs, baby play mats encourage little ones to engage in sensory exploration and develop motor skills.
Play mats also promote tummy time, an important activity for a baby’s physical development. The supportive surface encourages babies to spend time on their stomachs, helping strengthen neck and upper body muscles.
This, in turn, helps lay the groundwork for essential motor skills like crawling and walking.
To help in your search for the perfect play mat, we’ve compiled a list of our top picks, considering factors such as safety, durability, and developmental benefits.
2024’s best baby play mats
- Lovevery The Play Gym, $107, Lovevery (here’s why)
- Ingenuity Cozy Spot Reversible Gym Loamy, $129 (usually $179) at Baby Bunting (here’s why)
- Koala Plush Play Mat – Anko, $25, Target (here’s why)
The best baby play mats in 2024
1. Lovevery The Play Gym
from $235 at Lovevery
Best for keeping your baby very busy
Looking for the ultimate play mat for your little one? Look no further!
Designed to grow with your child from newborn to toddler, this play mat provides stage-based activities that engage them throughout their first year.
This award-winning play gym comes with four adorable detachable toys and boasts five developmental zones. Watch as your little one explores and interacts with all the various features.
Included with the play mat is a black and white card set which will come in handy as in your baby’s first 12 weeks, they will be riveted by high-contrast images.
Key features:
- Grows with your child from age 0+ months for playtime with purpose
- 5 Developmental Zones with activities that foster exploration and growth
- 4 detachable activity toys, 4 sets of cards
- Play Guide with stage-based tips and activities developed by experts
- Play Space Cover transforms the baby play mat into a cozy fort for toddlers
- Two minute set-up
- Play mat zones closed: 61cm x 96cm x 109cm
- Play mat zones opened: 61cm x 127cm x 119cm
Available at:
- $235 from Lovevery
2. Ingenuity Cozy Spot Reversible Duvet Activity Gym Loamy
from $129 (usually $179) at Baby Bunting
Best for comfort as it’s so soft and pillowy
Transform your baby’s playtime into a comfortable and secure experience with this plush play mat.
Featuring a natural wooden toy bar and chic reversible prints, it effortlessly complements your home decor. The removable activity toys and tummy time pillow ensure convenient storage.
When it’s time to tidy up, the slim-fold design and handles turn it into a self-storage bag and lets you quickly reclaim your living room.
Key features:
- Ultra-plush mat creates a comfy and safe play space for baby
- Includes 6 removable activity toys: plush bear, bead rattle, mirror, natural rubber apple toy, wooden ring toy and tummy time pillow
- Slim-fold wooden toy bars and removable activity toys collapse for self-storage
- Folds in two with handles for easy transport
- Reversible duvet play mat is machine washable
- Recommended Age Range: 0-36 Months
- Dimensions Approx: 83.82 cm x 83.82 cm x 48.26 cm
Available at:
- $129 (usually $179) at Baby Bunting
- $112.50 (usually $125) at Catch
- $141 from Myer
3. Koala Plush Play Mat – Anko
from $25 at Target
Best for animal lovers who adore snuggles
This Koala play mat is incredibly soft and perfect for your little one’s floor and tummy time. It provides a safe and comfy space for them to play and explore, with a cute koala design that adds charm to the nursery or playroom.
The plush surface is gentle on sensitive skin, and its spacious size gives plenty of room for fun and creativity. Whether your child is crawling, rolling, or enjoying playtime, this mat ensures a cosy and supportive experience.
Key features:
- Dimensions 85cm (L) x 72cm (W)
- Outer and fill: Polyester
- Soft and cushiony
- Koala-shaped
Available at:
- $25 from Target
4. Koa Ivory Plush Rollie Pollie Round Playmat
from $449 at Miss Amara
Best for softness and size
This soft and velvety mat is great for play or tummy time. Made from easy-to-clean, stain-resistant polyester and plush polyurethane foam, it’s thick, lightweight, and stays put.
Perfect for babies to play, crawl, or sit on, providing a cosy and supportive surface.
Key features:
- Made from 100% stain-resistant polyester
- Easy to clean
- Created from 100% polyurethane foam
- Has built-in underlays to keep the mat safe and in place
Available at:
- $449 from Miss Amara
5. Elements / Whimsical Woodland Baby Play Mat (Extra Large)
from $199 from The Young Folk Collective
Best for making a large area safe for baby (while looking good too)
This play mat is a safe and durable choice for your little one. Made with high-quality, non-toxic polyurethane, it’s soft and perfect for crawling, tummy time, and sensory play.
Suitable for all ages, from newborns to children, this mat meets international standards (EN71). It’s easy to clean and store, with a waterproof design.
Key features:
- Made from the highest-quality non-toxic polyurethane
- Size: 200 cm (long) x 140 cm (wide).
- Thickness: 1.5 cm. This is the thickest play mat available on the market and is what we use for all our mats.
- Super soft and durable, like a yoga mat
- Easy to clean with a damp cloth or mild detergent only
- Suitable for all ages, from newborns to grandparents
- Reversible with a design on each side
- Roll up and store with the supplied Velcro straps
- Waterproof making any spills simple to clean
Available at:
- $199 from The Young Folk Collective
4. Barbie Camper playset
$79 (usually $154.99) at Amazon
Hit the road to adventure with the Barbie Dream Camper featuring an epic slide, 7 play areas and everything imaginations need to play out the ultimate camping trip. The camper van is the perfect addition to playtime rolling beside the Barbie Dreamhouse.
Key features:
- Rolling wheels and a two-seater cab inspire fun travel play
- Contains a kitchen, dining area, sleeping area, bathroom, pool, slide, fire pit and more
- Ladder for Barbie to slide into the pool
- Over 60 accessories including a sheet of bumper stickers for fun customisation, two pet puppies, furniture, kitchen tools, cosy blankets and more
How to choose a play mat or rug for your nursery
Miss Amara founder, Alexandra Tanya-Weller shares her expert tips.
You’ll need a mat that is oh-so-soft
Children are the pickiest when it comes to texture and comfort underfoot, so having something lush and soft for their little feet was a must. The Miss Amara playmats are on the spongier bouncy side and we have a full range of thick and textural rugs which makes playtime safe and enjoyable when most of the time we’re down on the ground playing!
The size of the rug matters
The size of the rug is more important when choosing a nursery rug than a regular room. This is because the nursery rug is going to act as a soft playspace protecting little feet and providing a comfortable place for your bub to roll, bounce and crawl around on.
Try and opt for a rug that is as large as possible, covering as much of the floor as possible. You will thank me when it’s 2am and you need to grab something when the baby is sleeping!
What is the colour and theme of the room?
Considering the sheer size and space that a rug envelopes you can see why many interior designers say that they set the tone and the mood of the entire room. So before you decide on the rug you love, think about the room as a whole.
Do you have your heart set on a theme? Will your crib, accessories be paired back and would you like your rug to inject colour and fun, or are you opting for a playful wallpaper where you would like the rug to provide a neutral backdrop.
I used Canva to put in my nursery wishlist, and eventually decided on a beautiful vintage jungle wallpaper. Accordingly we chose a neutral rug with some fun abstract shapes which really ties into the room perfectly!
Choose material that is easy to clean
Fibre and material is a top consideration when selecting your rug. Consider how the room will be used, do you intend it to be a playzone where you expect it will be the centre of all activities? Or will it strictly be a sleepy time area of calm and bedtime stories.
For us, everything happens all at once – playtime, changing, bathtime, even sometimes meals! So we chose a synthetic fibre that is forgiving on stains and spills and yet also engineered to feel silky soft. In order of importance I would say – texture (feel), durability, and maintenance are all top considerations.
