Bright Starts, 5-in-1 Your Way Ball Play Activity Gym and Ball Pit with 40 Balls - Totally Tropical, Play Gym with 20+ Minutes of Lights and Music, 7 Detachable Activity Toys, Ages Newborn +

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Features: More doesn’t always mean better. Look for activity gyms with a good balance of interactive features, with space to add to or change it up. When buying any type of plaything for your baby, consider safety above all else. Purchasing new items from a reputable brand and well-known retailer offers protection, as secondhand or off-brand toys could include unsafe pieces, be damaged, have missing parts or even have been subject to safety recalls. Size: H68.58 x W2.03 x D55.88cm | Material: Not specified | Batteries required: Yes (2x AAA) | Suitable for: 0 months+ | Skills: Best for communication and language skills What we love After a three-year stint on Gransnet's editorial team, Natasha joined Mumsnet in 2021, and has since carved out a specialism in all things home, lifestyle and baby. Why you should trust us

Plus, when your baby is a little older and more active, we've also compiled a guide to the best baby walker to help them toddle along further than their play mat. Size: L114cm x W114cm | Material: Cotton | Batteries required: None | Suitable for: 0 months+ | Skills: Best for motor skills What we love

Read next: Keep your little one's nails groomed to avoid scratches when they play with the best baby nail clippers. Why are play mats and activity gyms good for babies? Play gyms that accommodate tummy time are desirable. For instance, a pillow that props up the baby can be beneficial until a little one builds the strength to hold themselves up on their own. Toys available at eye level and a mat with vividly colored graphics are advantageous, as well.

Size: L66.86cm x W91.5cm x H45.7cm | Material: Not specified | Batteries required: Yes (3x AA) | Suitable for: 0 months+| Skills: Best for communication, language and numeracy skills What we love

10. Best cushioned mat: IKEA KLAPPA Play Mat

Playing with your baby is a wonderful way to teach them about the world while bonding. Point out interesting parts of the play gym. Say the names of objects and describe them, such as, “Look at the yellow sun. The sun keeps us warm and helps things grow.” Although your little one might not understand everything you say, doing so helps their brain develop. It also teaches about important subjects such as social skills, vocabulary and body language. Size: H113cm x W52cm x D76cm | Material: Plastic | Batteries required: Yes (3x AAA) | Suitable for: 0 months+ | Skills: Best for gross motor skills What we love IKEA's KLAPPA Play Mat for children is soft, interactive and under-the-sea themed. The Swedish homeware brand has truly outdone itself with this padded play mat that looks good enough to sleep on – no wonder parents love it and it holds a five-star rating from reviewers.

Size: H41cm x W50cm x D81cm | Material: Plastic | Batteries required: Yes (2x AA) | Suitable for: 0 - 12 months| Skills: Best for motor and communication skills What we love We got this Tiny Love one for my daughter when she was about a week old. To start with, it was just somewhere to put her, but from about two weeks she'd quite happily stare at herself in the mirror for five or 10 minutes - just long enough for me to grab lunch . She's now seven months and is still getting use out of it."(Vetted by Mumsnet user Tangle) Our verdict Browse our various ride on toys and let your kid speed into adventure. Our offering includes everything from go-karts and trikes to scooters. Whether it's a Disney-themed ride or realistic electric cars like Mercedes and McLaren, we've got something for all tastes. Bring joy to any playdate or party with a fun bubble machine. With designs like a whale that blows bubbles and a mega bubble blaster, these machines light up kids' faces by producing thousands of bubbles in seconds, suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that playtime should begin on the first day a newborn comes home from the hospital. The AAP states that babies should have two to three periods of tummy time spent playing with parents per day. While this playtime only needs to last for three to five minutes for newborns, this amount should increase gradually until a little one spends about an hour per day enjoying time playing on their tummy. Size: L86.4cm x W86.4cm x H112cm | Material: Polyester | Batteries required: N/A | Suitable for: 0 months+ | Skills: Best for motor and language skills What we love