Just a few months after having a kid, my house had transformed entirely from a place that adults once inhabited to a bona fide playhouse with zero signs of sophistication. Gone were the reading nook and coffee station, replaced by a giant playpen and a diaper-changing station. I was no longer looking for beautiful area rugs, but instead researching the best play mats for babies and kids.
When my daughter began walking at the age of one, the home takeover increased even further, as we transformed our living room into a safe play area for a toddler who had absolutely no sense of danger. It was during this stage that we invested in one of the biggest staples of our parenting life: a play mat.
While we had a play area set up during the baby stage, once she had more freedom to roam around the house, things needed to change. Luckily, I managed to find a play mat that seamlessly replaced my living room rug—and I may even love it more. I also did the work to find more of the best play mats for babies and kids that you can buy right now.
The Play Mat We Chose: Totter + Tumble
Our first play mat purchase was a cheap, colorful set of foam puzzle pieces from Target. When we had a baby, just practicing tummy time, these served their purpose and did just fine. But when that baby became a toddler who seemed intent on destroying everything in her path, those puzzle pieces became a complete pain in the butt to keep together.
Thus, we decided to set our sights on play mat options that were functional but perhaps a little more stylish and wouldn’t look as out of place in our living room. That’s how I came across the brand Totter + Tumble, a U.K.-based company that creates double-sided mats in a variety of sizes and prints.
My Honest Review of Totter + Tumble Play Mats
Totter + Tumbler’s motto is “for them, for you, for all,” exemplifying the importance they place on creating products that not only work for your child but also for you, the adult. When I first started researching play mat brands to try, this is what really stood out to me. The creator had a similar story to mine about wanting to get rid of a particular eye sore of a colorful jigsaw play mat, and instead create a product that could be functional yet palatable.
We have had the standard-size Morris & Co. Acorn play mat for nearly a year now, and you’d never know it from how it looks. Despite dealing with near-daily spills, toddler tantrums, dancing, and even cat claws (the real test), our mat has held up perfectly. The cushiony material is supportive, so if my daughter jumps off her Nugget couch or falls over on top of it, it protects her from the hard floor underneath.
The material is a non-toxic PVC memory foam and is antibacterial as well. That means you only need to wipe it down and won’t need to worry about getting any spills or crumbs in crevices (something that happened to us all the time with our previous mat).
We’ve loved the mat so much that we plan on purchasing a second one for her bedroom because it’s something that she (and any future sibling) will get plenty of use from. And when the kids are grown, I plan on using it in a workout space for yoga because it works for that as well!
While the brand is an investment, for us, it’s been worth every penny in adding a bit of sophistication and comfort to an essential product that (more often than not) can look like a real eye sore.
How to Choose the Right Play Mat for Your Space
There are multiple different sizes to choose from, including circular and runner mats, so you can find the one that fits best for your space. For me, the standard was the perfect pick for our living room, in front of the couch.
There are also a variety of color options to choose from. Plus, these foam mats are reversible! You can even take advantage of the brand’s swatch service to try out the different designs and materials.
Shop More Play Mat Options from Totter + Tumble
More of the Best Play Mats for Babies and Kids
There are several other brands with similar missions to create play mats that are functional and pretty. Here are a few other top picks:
House of Noa
The brand includes a variety of different mats in stylish, muted patterns and colors. You can purchase play mats, standing mats, tumbling mats, bath mats, and highchair mats. While the play mats are done in jigsaw pieces, the high-quality designs look like one piece when put together. Plus, it gives you the flexibility of creating the size that you need. The tumbling mat is also a particularly great pick, as the cushiony material is perfect for any toddler needs, with the perk of being able to fold it and put it away.
Toddlekind
Toddlekind mats are available as foam mats—which come in jigsaw pieces or as one reversible piece— with four different sizes available. Or, you can purchase a cotton play mat that is portable and easy to travel with for younger kids. Toddlekind is also available to shop at Nordstrom!
Toki Mats
Whether you are looking for a baby-friendly play mat for tummy time or one that will help with toddler playtime, these foam mats have you covered! Available as one piece, you can purchase a standard or mega size. You also have the option of buying a classic or organic foam insert, with additional accessories like a waterproof cover available.
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Morgan Flaherty, Contributing Writer
Morgan is full-time writer, editor, and mom. She lives in Florida with her husband, daughter, and one very sassy cat. Along with her work as a contributing writer for The Everymom, her writing has appeared in Well + Good, InStyle, Scary Mommy, Byrdie, and Baby Chick.
Alina Orozco, Commerce Editor
Alina Orozco is the Commerce Editor at The Everymom, where she combines her editorial experience with a love for finding products that make everyday life easier, and more stylish. To The Everymom, Alina brings over 10+ years of editorial publishing and digital storytelling experience as well as snippets of her real life mom style, making fashion trends accessible and fun for every mom. She now lives in a cozy beach town in Southern California with her husband and their two boys, but she’ll always be a Philly girl at heart.
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