- June 19, 2019
- Child development
- Natalia Penchkovskaya
After the birth of the baby, the mother devotes most of her time to the child, but sometimes she wants to relax or attend to pressing matters, to devote time to herself, her husband or other children. If you leave your baby all alone in the crib, he may get bored and cry. It is convenient to use a development mat in such a situation. It is portable, so the mother can, even while going about her business, see her child out of the corner of her eye. In addition, the rug is soft and full of educational toys that will distract the child and occupy his attention for a long period.
From the article you will learn at what age to use a developmental mat and for what period of time it will serve to entertain your baby. Let's take a closer look at several popular options for such products for kids. You will learn what developmental problems for a baby can be solved with their help, what materials they are made from, and how to choose the right product for children of different ages.
When to buy a rug
At what age can educational mats be purchased? Despite the fact that many manufacturers write 0+ in the product instructions (which means from birth), of course, there is no point in placing a newborn there. Such a small child is not able to focus his gaze on objects and sleeps most of the day, so you can start looking for rugs at about 1-2 months. It is from this age that the child begins to fix his gaze on the objects around him, follows their movement, and enjoys musical sounds.
There is a huge selection of such products in children's stores and on Internet sites. Knowing at what age a child needs a developmental mat, many parents are puzzled by finding the necessary product and are a little lost from such a variety. The purchase will not be cheap, so you want to make the right choice so that the rug lasts a long time and is of high quality, so that the baby is interested in spending time on its surface, so that it has a developmental function and is easy to care for.
Basic requirements for children's rugs
An educational mat for babies up to one year old should be soft and pleasant to the touch, if possible made from natural materials of various textures, with clear, non-aggressive patterns. It is important that all the elements of the rug are large enough so that a curious baby cannot tear them off and swallow them!
A big plus will be the possibility of machine washing. It will make caring for such a rug much easier - after all, babies put everything in their mouths, and they will definitely want to try out a new toy.
The compact size of the developmental mat allows you to easily fold it and take it with you on the road. But spacious models have more elements for play and development, and over time the baby will be able to crawl on such a rug.
Product quality
Educational mats are not cheap, since only natural and high-quality materials are used for sewing. It is mainly made of cotton fabric and has an inner padding made of padding polyester. Typically, children's products undergo strict quality control, so if you buy an expensive product from a well-known manufacturer, you can be sure that after washing the mat will not fade, all attached parts will not come off, the mirror will not break and injure the child, and all plastic parts are durable and The baby can easily take them in his hands and mouth.
The arches are securely fastened at the base and can also be quickly removed if you need to roll up the rug, because you can take it with you to the dacha, on a visit, or for outdoor recreation in the warm season. When carrying the developmental mat within the apartment, the arches will not fall out and you will not have to insert them again. Moreover, they can be placed at different heights, depending on the height of the baby.
At what age should you buy a developmental mat, decide for yourself. But the sooner you do this, the better, because you will not be able to keep a one-year-old child within limited limits. The child can play comfortably on a soft mat on his back, looking at toys suspended on arches, and this lasts from 1 to 6 months. Then the child will need a larger rug so that he can play comfortably while sitting or crawl long distances, looking at drawn objects and performing various play actions.
How to choose a rug for a child
To know how to choose the best option for a developmental mat, you need to pay attention to the following factors:
- Age. As a child grows up, the environment around him should be enriched and meet his growing needs. The child's toys should also become more interesting for him, in particular, play mats. Models for newborn children can be as simple as possible. For children over one year old, it is advisable to purchase rugs that have a variety of effects, textures, and play elements.
- Activity, level of development of certain skills.
- The presence or absence of current problems in the child that need correction.
The quality of the surface also plays an important role in choosing a rug; it should be soft and non-slip. The folding mat is convenient to use - when folded, it does not take up too much space.
All small parts must be securely fastened and cannot be easily separated to prevent entry into the respiratory tract. It would also be nice if the rug was supplemented with several sets of toys that can be replaced as they become boring.
Product selection
Educational mats come in different varieties. They are chosen according to the child’s age and development. What is the best educational mat for 1-2 months of age to buy? For such little ones, a square mat with one or two fastened arcs in the form of arches, onto which several different toys cling, is suitable. They can be located parallel to each other or intersect in the center. For such small children, the color of the mat itself is not important, since the baby has not yet rolled over from his back to his tummy.
There are thick mats, up to 5 cm thick, so the child will be warm and soft, even if he is simply placed on the floor or on the grass at a picnic. Other models are thinner, so it is advisable to lay the rug only on a warm floor or carpet. There are options that are sealed on the back; they are designed for storing and carrying the product in the form of a bag.
At what age should a developmental rug be bright, with a contrasting pattern? If you're on a limited budget, you can buy one right away. In the first stages of development, the baby will lie on his back and look at the colorful pendants. A child at 4-5 months can already roll over perfectly from his back to his stomach, so he can look at pictures on the rug, pull strings or straps, and pull animals by the ears or tail. At this age, children can choose a rug with a high side to limit the baby’s possible movement around the room.
DIY educational carpet
Some mothers do not rush to the nearest children's store to buy a useful gadget, but are thinking about how to make a miracle carpet with their own hands. The product can be sewn from any natural fabrics or knitted. Rugs made by mother's caring hands are not inferior to store-bought ones. They even have some advantages:
- Mom can be confident in the quality of the materials from which the rug is made.
- The product can be given any non-standard shape and size.
- The carpet will be made for a specific child, taking into account his developmental needs.
- The original product has no analogues.
Note! You can come up with educational and decorative elements on the structure yourself or take ready-made ideas as a basis.
Option for a homemade educational mat
Basic requirements for homemade rugs
Before you make an educational carpet for a child yourself, you should evaluate your abilities. If you don’t have professional sewing skills, then you shouldn’t take on complex models. The simplest way to make a developmental rug is to take any old blanket as a base and attach large buttons, various ornaments and decorative elements to it. A simple product at first glance, your little one will definitely like it.
If you want to make an interesting and beautiful model, then careful preparation is necessary. First you need to decide on the shape and appearance of the rug. You can come up with ideas for step-by-step production of a useful gadget for a child yourself or find master classes on the Internet.
To sew a rug you will need the following materials:
- multi-colored threads;
- sewing machine;
- scissors and needle;
- Velcro (preferably tape);
- linen elastic;
- bright short “lightning”;
- various ribbons;
- multi-colored and multi-textured fabric flaps;
- large and small buttons of different colors;
- for “rustles”, candy wrappers;
- for musical elements you will need tweeters;
- flannel, cotton or other hypoallergenic fabric of bright colors for the front side;
- insulation for the base.
Note! You can insulate the rug with padding polyester or with an ordinary old blanket that fits the size.
You need to start work by cutting out the blanks - the base, the middle (insulation) and the front side. The prepared parts are carefully sewn together, avoiding rough seams and protruding threads.
Once the base of the rug is ready, you can begin decorating it. It all depends on the age of the baby and the mother’s imagination. You can make a ladybug with a zipper, a bridge with Velcro, a detachable boat, a sun with a squeak, and rustling three-dimensional flowers. All this needs to be conveniently positioned and neatly attached to the mat.
If desired, you can make arcs for the carpet. In this case, flexible pipes are used as the basis.
Important! Homemade arches must be covered with padding polyester and sheathed with soft fabric.
It is better to make the crossbars removable. To do this, you will need old carabiners, which can be found on stroller seat belts, highchairs, or Velcro tape.
You need to attach various hanging toys to the arches: with bells, rustling sounds and other interesting things.
Homemade rug with arcs
Rugs for the development of children are a useful and necessary thing. It doesn’t matter to the baby whether the product was purchased or made by the loving hands of the mother. After all, any educational carpet is aimed primarily at developing the necessary skills, development and training of the baby.
Mat equipment
This product actually includes a soft fabric mat with insulation inside, which comes with a protective mesh or sides. They can be unfastened from the sides to create a crawling tunnel. You can quickly rebuild the mat, as the fastenings are convenient, with Velcro.
Depending on the age at which a developmental mat for children is purchased, it is either equipped with arches or equipped with separate toys that cling to loops or ropes.
If you need to wash the mat, the toys can be easily unfastened and removed.
Almost all products have a special safe mirror, in which all children love to look, studying their face and emotions. These mats are also equipped with teethers, which can be easily removed and sterilized after use.
Interesting models
Thrifty and prudent parents will love the universal developmental mats that grow with the child. Raised sides will allow you to turn the rug into a cozy house for a month-old baby, and when the baby grows up, the sides can be folded out, significantly increasing the play space. A set of play elements can be placed on the carpet depending on the age of the child.
The bag-mat easily turns into a convenient portable bag or toy chest. This model is convenient to take on a visit, for a walk or to a doctor’s appointment. Using a special handle, the mat-bag can be hung on the stroller.
Great idea - a double-sided rug . If the young explorer is bored with one side, there is always the opportunity to turn the rug to the other side and give the baby new experiences. Parties can be designed for different ages. This rug will last longer.
The puzzle mat is intended for older children, from one to 7 years old. It is made of safe and non-toxic polymer. With this rug, a child can assemble a whole picture, the alphabet, or a city street with road signs. Games on such a carpet are very useful; they develop spatial thinking and geometric associations.
Musical inserts
The photo below shows an educational mat with a small piano keyboard. Each key makes its own sound or plays a melody for up to 15 minutes. The child, lying on his back, hits them with his legs and enjoys the sound of the music.
There are rugs that have separate inserts with buttons, when you press them you can hear the wind blowing or the sound of rain, birds singing or other sounds of nature. Some make a child smile and laugh, others have a calming effect. At what age do you need an educational mat with sound? This mat can be purchased from 2 months of age. The baby distinguishes sounds perfectly, and over time the child understands the relationship between pressing a key and the sound, specially pressing the buttons of the bedding.
Moving Parts
Children especially like educational rugs with toys that can move independently along special rails. The next version of the product is intended for children of different ages, as it can be transformed. At what age can this type of developmental mat be used? From 1-2 months. First, the baby lies on his back and admires the pendants. Between the arches there is a plastic track attached to Velcro, along which a battery-powered trolley runs. You can attach a pendant to it from below, which will run from left to right, attracting the child’s eye. At the same time, music can be heard.
From 5-6 months, the baby can play on his stomach for a long time, so the trolley is hooked onto the mat itself. The child has the opportunity to sit his favorite toy on it and watch it move back and forth.
During the important period of learning to walk, the baby can independently rise to his feet, relying on reliable and strong arches.
Educational purpose
It’s not for nothing that educational mats are called that; they really actively contribute to the development of motor skills in children. The child tries to reach the hanging toy with his hands and roll over on his stomach to look at the bright picture. The bright colors of the product attract the baby’s eye, teach him to concentrate on objects and distinguish between colors.
The toys included in the set of the rug encourage the child to pick them up, taste them, touch them, that is, a tactile study of the object occurs. Many will object and say: why pay such a price for several toys if you can just give them to your baby? However, if you put them together, add an arch for hanging, a soft mat for crawling or lying down, moving toys, musical inserts and small three-dimensional parts that arouse the undeniable interest of the baby, then the price tag will also be considerable. And so, when you buy one developmental mat, you get everything together.
Rectangular rug
Up to what age do you need a developmental mat? A small product is usually used for children up to 9 months, maximum up to 1 year. After this age, children begin to walk and explore larger areas of the apartment. However, purchasing a large rectangular rug will extend the period of its use much longer. Even a two-year-old child can sit on a bright rug and play with toys while sitting.
With older children, you can study drawn objects and animals. There are mats with opening parts or elements attached with Velcro. There are rugs with African or European animals, water inhabitants or birds. Using some you can study the weather, using others you can even study letters.
Educational mat for older children
There are a number of mats for older children designed for educational play. So, the rug in the photo below is intended for playing with cars. The child learns the rules of the road, recognition of buildings in the direction of travel and roadside signs.
This is a fun game where a child can play alone or with friends.
So, to the question at what age does a child need a developmental mat, the answer will be ambiguous. It all depends on its type and size, as well as components. Choose the option you like for your baby!
Video on the topic
About the rules for choosing a children's play mat at Dr. Komarovsky's School:
Thus, whether a child needs a developmental mat depends on the parents’ availability of free time and desire to work with the baby, as well as the age of the baby. This product is useful for children from birth to 6-8 months. It promotes the all-round development of the baby.
There are many models of such designs on sale. If you don’t have the money to buy a quality option, then you can try to make a play mat yourself. To do this you need to have sewing skills and show a little imagination.
