Mama, I imagine you’ve landed here because you’re expecting a baby and slowly ticking off your newborn essentials list. Firstly, congratulations, we’re so happy for you and know the significance of putting together the perfect nursery for your new bundle of joy. When it comes to a functional and beautiful nursery, we recommend adding a baby play mat to complement your space. Baby Play Mats are designed to not only provide a safe and stimulating space for your little one but offer free movement and exploration during those precious wake windows. We have used the tried and tested knowledge of our community to share our favourite baby play mats that are not only functional but also beautiful, sure to complement any nursery decor. Let’s get into our favourite high-quality and luxe baby play mats of 2023.
In this article..
Reasons to Buy a Baby Mat for Play
If you’ve read any of our Montessori posts, you’ll know how much we love and recommend free movement mats for babies. Having a designated play space that is safe, comfortable, and promotes play is not only beneficial for your baby’s development but will make those initial wake windows much more engaging. Here are a few reasons to consider purchasing a baby play mat:
- It will soften and compliment your nursery and/or play space.
- It provides a designated safe space for your baby to play.
- It encourages and supports free movement time.
- Provides soft padded comfort to your baby during tummy time or playtime.
- It will grow with your baby and continue to be an essential part of play for months (or years) to come.
What to Look for When Buying Play Mats for Baby
There are many types of baby play mats on the market, each offering unique features and benefits. It can be overwhelming to decide which mat is best for you and your baby, so we’ve included a few things to consider:
Easy to Clean: A high quality linen mat will be machine washable and durable but if you have a spewy baby, you may find it easier to opt for a wipeable play mat. Consider long term use and how often your mat may require cleaning.
Padding and Cushioning: Ensure your baby mat offers soft cushioning and/or padding for your new baby and protect them from injuries as they begin to develop their gross motor skills. We recommend seeking non-toxic foam padding or soft quilting.
Durable and High Quality: Opt for high quality materials that are durable and will last beyond one child. For your convenience, we’ve only included high quality brands below.
Size and Style: Is the mat unisex and neutral in design, allowing you to use across multiple children? Do you need a large area covered or is it for a small play space? We recommend opting for a neutral mat that can be used within multiple rooms and for siblings across the years.
Our Top Picks for Best Baby Play Mats in Australia
Whether you’re after a luxe linen play mat to soften your space or a padded play mat to support your babies gross motor development, we have something for you.
In no particular order, here are our favourite playmats for baby.
1. Henlee Vegan Leather Baby Mat
Henlee is taking the baby space market by Storm, offering luxe items that complement the modern home. Their soft colours and high-quality materials have quickly made them a top-performing brand among mums. We love their non-toxic, premium vegan leather mats as they are generous in sizing, stain and water-resistant (no spew stains here), and easily wipeable. Known to their community of customers as functional and luxurious, these play mats will complete any space and offer soft cushioning for your baby.
2. Warren Hill Linen Quilted Baby Play Mat
Warren Hill mats are versatile and long-lasting. Crafted from 100% Pure French Flax Linen and OKEO-Tex 100 Certified, they are gentle on your baby’s delicate skin and provide a soft space for play. We love the stonewashed linen as it not only creates a beautiful soft colour but is environmentally friendly with linen being naturally durable and sustainable. The Warren Hill play mat arrives in a linen dust bag, making storage and transferring the mat a breeze. Available in a range of beautifully soft colours.
3. Luxe at Play Padded Baby Play Mat
Luxe at Play Mats is the perfect ‘grow with your child’ mat. Being crafted from non-toxic TPU material, they are known for being both durable and lightweight. Luxe at Play offers stylish and neutral reversible designs that are sure to suit any space. With padded 1.5cm foam and generous sizing, these mats will protect your baby as they explore and develop their gross motor abilities. We love these mats’ versatility; they are perfect for play, sensory play (as easily wipeable), and gross motor support. Available in various sizes, shapes and styles.
4. Rugabub Baby Foam Play Mat
Innovative, stylish and practical. Just a few words used to describe the play mat by Rugabub. Get all the benefits of a padded baby play mat without compromising your style. Thanks to their clever reversible design, these luxury play mats are both padded for play and carpeted for a functioning decor piece. Customers share their reviews and experiences, exclaiming “Every mum in the mum’s groups are talking about it”. Our personal favourite is the Sahara/Little Trooper mat. A beautiful warm tone rug with a fun side for endless play.
5. Rudie Nudie Waterproof Baby Playmats
For the bold and colourful. Rudie Nudie is known for its stand-out colourful and fun designs, making them a unique option within the baby mat space. Whether or not this mat complements your style, mums share their views on why this is a ‘must have’ item for every day use. A stylish mat that will be loved and used well beyond the baby years. Rudie Nudie mats are waterproof, machine washable and made with 100% soft cotton on top. Loved by parents as the perfect nappy-free mat and the travel companion for nappy changes out-and-about, on-the-go play and more.
6. Muse Edition Linen Play Mats
The Muse Edition quilted play mats are designed to create a calm and simple play space for your little one, effortlessly blending into your home decor thanks to their soft hues and minimal design. Known for being not only gentle on your baby’s skin but kind to the planet with their high-quality control standards, sustainable premium linen blend and OEKO-TEX-certified recycled polyester padding. What’s more, The Muse Edition also prioritises sustainability by using plastic-free packaging to ship your orders.
7. Linen Social Luxurious Round Quilted Playmats
Another beautiful linen quilted mat that is woven from 100% French flax. Linen Social offers luxurious round quilted play mats to support your baby’s playtime. Available online in 5 soft hues. We love that sustainability is one of the core values of Linen Social which is woven (uh-huh pun intend) into everything they do. They make mindful decisions about the material they use, the certifications of their factory, shipment materials and packaging. Use your mat for tummy time, playtime, or a picnic rug for outdoor play and beach exploration.
8. Little Wiwa Non-Toxic TPU Foam Mat
For the modern mum who loves minimalist Scandinavian-inspired colours, Little Wiwa® play mat is a high-end, eco-friendly mat made from non-toxic TPU foam. Not only beautiful, but they are also designed to support your baby as they grow, offering thick cushioning to ensure safety and comfort during tummy time, crawling, and play. Little Wiwa® award-winning mats are non-toxic and free from harmful chemicals like PVC and BPA. They also tick all the boxes for convenience and function being waterproof, multifunctional, easy to clean, lightweight, and portable.
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Lydiah
Good information for mothers
A. H.
Love these! Beautiful and functional!!
Kirsten
Great suggestions!
Tracy McHugh
These play mats are so cute! And it seems like there’s one for every decor.
Tori
Beautiful list, so well written. Thank you so much for including us 😊