The Complete Baby Gym Guide: Buying Tips & Top 6 Reviews
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There are so many different baby gyms on the internet that it is difficult to choose the best one.
And a good one baby gym Finding it is not an easy task, as there are several aspects to consider when choosing a baby gym for your own baby or choose someone else's.
I did the work and this article will help you navigate through all the possibilities in no time!
There are a ton of choices and I have a really cute sustainable one on the list too, but the overall best one is this TafToys 4-in-1 with play mat you can also raise the edges a bit. This is the safest and most complete baby gym I've come across.
Here I've summarized all the top picks for you, then I'll dig deeper into each of these options:
Overall best baby gym
The reason I chose this baby gym is that it's extremely soft, but also the fact that this is a baby gym that can be attached to the play mat.
Best twin baby gym
The jumbo play mat is almost 122 cm long, which provides more than enough space for babies to lie down and play.
Best baby gym with foot pedals
In addition to an arch with hangers, this Vtech baby gym also has foot pedals for the active baby. Lots and lots of babies are pretty frantic with their feet out of enthusiasm and effort.
Best collapsible baby gym
It is a collapsible baby gym that is easy to set up and take down without tools. The sustainable design with ethically sourced materials gave me peace of mind.
Best wooden baby gym
Many parents do not like the busy colours, music and lights of the plastic baby gyms, which is why they opt for a simpler model made of wood.
Best baby gym with animals
When you think of themed baby gyms, such as animals, you might think it's getting garish. Well, this is absolutely not the case with the Skip Hop play mat.
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Buy at Bol.comWhat we discuss in this comprehensive post:
The complete baby gym buying guide
Baby gym safety
First of all, it is important to mention that all baby gyms described below are safe to use, as long as you use the gym in the way it is intended for.
This means that if a baby gym is designed to lie underneath, it is important that the baby gym is removed once your child can sit or walk.
Baby gym equipment
In addition, keep in mind that the material used can affect safety.
Wood is a fantastic material, but if you consider that a... baby Perhaps a baby gym can pull over when it is underneath, then it may not be the ideal choice.
Still, I decided to add wooden baby gyms to my list because I know there is a preference for wooden gyms.
I paid extra attention to the stability of the baby gym.
Top 6 Best Baby Gyms Reviewed
TafToys 4-in-1 Play Mat
- Sturdy arches are attached to the mat
- Soft high brim
- Colors are a bit dull
My preference is for this baby gym from TafToys if you are looking for a baby gym with play mat.
The reason I chose this baby gym is that it's extremely soft, but also the fact that this is a baby gym that can be attached to the play mat.
Because the arches are attached, it becomes a lot more difficult for your child to slide the arch away.
The sliding of a baby gym can be accompanied by a lot of frustration for the child (and the parents!).
So a gym that is well secured and where your child keeps everything in place by its own weight is ideal.
This baby gym has various pendants, including a music ball, which you can easily change through the open rings.
You can also hang the rings around the bow of a pram, for example.
There is a mirror on the play mat and once your child can turn on his stomach, she can play on the mat, get to know herself and play with the toys.
You can of course a nice play mat buy one and combine it with a baby gym. Is the baby Soon it will be too big for the baby gym, then you can just use the play mat separately.
- There is enough space for 2 babies to lie down
- Durable and washable
- Quality of some toys leaves much to be desired
If you don't have one but two babies, it is difficult to put them under the baby gym at the same time. They are not made for that and that does not promote safety.
So you will have to look for an extra wide baby gym, such as this one from Fisher-Price
This play mat is perfect for twins and offers plenty of space to play and explore.
The jumbo play mat is almost 122 feet long, which provides more than enough room for babies to lie down and play, as well as for toddlers to zoom around with vehicles. It's great for lying down play, tummy time and to stimulate your child's imagination.
One of the highlights of this playmat is the motion-activated ice cream truck. When baby taps or pushes it, it plays music and lights up for 25 minutes, providing lots of fun. In addition, the play mat comes with 7 toys, including 3 vehicles, 2 animals and 2 pieces to role play with. These will keep the little ones busy and stimulate their imagination.
In addition, the Fisher-Price City Activity Center play mat is of high quality. It is durable and can be machine washed, which is very convenient to keep it clean. The colors are vibrant and the textures and sounds stimulate your child's senses.
As for the reviews I've read from others, I note that some people have commented on missing parts or the quality of some of the toys. Fortunately, I have not experienced any of these problems. My experience with this product has been positive so far and I am happy with my purchase.
Vtech Lil Critters
- Pedals are fun to kick
- Grows nicely with different activities
- A lot of light and sound
In addition to an arch with hangers, this Vtech baby gym also has foot pedals for the active ones baby.
Lots of babies get their feet on their feet out of enthusiasm and effort.
It is of course great to encourage them to use their whole body and to give them a reward (in the form of sounds and lights) when they have done well.
This gym has an arch with four hangers with fun shapes, which are also easy to remove and can be attached to something else, such as a MaxiCosi.
The gym has a colorful dress and therefore also foot pedals.
The part with the foot pedals can be tilted so that the baby when he grows up he can play on his stomach with the pedals.
And when your child has grown even bigger, you tilt the pedals one more turn and he can play with it as if it were a piano.
lovevery The Play Gym
- Easy to set up
- Can be converted into different modes to grow with
- Very pricey
- Mirrors are somewhat deformed
It is a collapsible baby gym that is easy to set up and take down without tools. The sustainable design with ethically sourced materials gave me peace of mind.
What really sets The Play Gym apart is the variety of development zones. Five Montessori-inspired zones on the play mat allow my baby to explore and develop different skills. The included learning guide offers age-appropriate activities and the interchangeable accessories add play options.
The adjustable clips for attaching learning cards provide visual stimuli from different angles and encourage involvement during play. The Play Gym grows with your baby, so you can use it for a long time.
Although the mirror cards provide a distorted reflection, there is little else to criticize on the set. The price might be a stumbling block, but given the value and the ability to transform it into a half dome tent, it's worth the investment.
Ingenuity Cozy spot
- Simpler, wooden model
- Nice color scheme
- Little extra play value
Many parents do not like the busy colors, music and lights of the plastic baby gyms.
And not only parents, by the way, some children are also too much stimulated by the bright colors and sounds.
You can therefore opt for a simpler model made of wood. The models already described above are good examples of this.
This wooden baby gym from Ingenuity has not been mentioned before and has primary colors.
But I did like to mention this one, because I find this wooden baby gym very practical.
The toys hang on soft straps and the color scheme is just great.
Skip Hop Tree Top Friends
- Really very nice design
- Different textures
- Pretty pricey
Just as colors can influence your choice, some themes are also very popular with parents.
In recent years we have seen an increase in animal and jungle themes for children's rooms, children's clothing and the baby gyms have also evolved.
When you think of themed baby gyms, such as animals, you might think it's getting garish. Well, this is absolutely not the case with the Skip Hop play mat.
This play mat with soft colors, a soft play mat and soft, crackling toys, such as birds and a squirrel, child and parent can enjoy the baby gym.
The rug is also very suitable for the time when your child is lying on his stomach and with the help of a cushion lying on the stomach can be practiced.
Not a helping hand, but a helping hand!
Also read: the best play mats from foam to city map
What is a baby gym actually?
A baby gym can take all different shapes and sizes. Generally it is an arc where the baby can be underneath.
The arch can be made of wood, plastic or can be covered with cloth and sometimes a cloth is attached to it.
Visual stimulation of the baby
The baby then receives visual stimulation because, for example, certain shapes hang from the arch, colors are used or certain things move.
Some baby gyms are battery powered and can provide a visual stimulus in addition to visual stimulation baby also provide audio stimulation.
As a parent you can, for example, determine whether music is played or whether a certain action is taken by the child baby causes a sound.
There are also baby gyms where a baby can still look at or touch certain things on his stomach.
Or baby gyms where the baby can kick it with his feet.
Stability of the baby gym
In general, baby gym arches are flexible.
A common complaint is that parents would like the bows to be stiffer and not that easy to pull.
Or that they come up again after the outline. I have also taken this into account as much as possible.
As you can imagine, so many wishes, so many baby gyms. Which baby gym is fun to give? I give that overview below in the article.
From what age do you use a baby gym?
You can generally use a baby gym from three months.
Make sure you have a baby Do not place under a baby gym for too long. It creates quite a few impulses in that little head.
In some babies, impulses arrive more intensely than in other babies.
And if the baby clearly doesn't like it, then he is simply not ready for it yet or he needs to take a break from all the stimuli.
And the first three months is one baby really too small to even handle a baby gym.
A child's eyesight is also not yet well developed baby placing it under a baby gym will not make much sense.
You will see that the description of many baby gyms states that it can be used from birth, but it really does not help the child.
But that of course does not mean that you cannot give this gift yet!
As mentioned, from about three months onwards the vision of the baby already so well developed that the baby wants to follow certain moving parts with his eyes.
The baby will not yet be able to touch it himself, but he will find moving, swinging objects very interesting.
Until what age do you use a baby gym?
Until what age you use a baby gym depends on the type of gym.
Some can be converted and expanded so far that they even want to play with them when they are three years old.
So it is really comparing and looking and one child is not the other.
In general you can say that once the children can sit upright, it is impossible for them to be placed flat on their back under a gym.
It is normal for a child to try to sit around seven months. This is, of course, an average taken.
Some children are already at the point at five months to try to sit up and some are at that point at eleven months.
Do you want to be able to use a baby gym longer?
Then find a gym that you can set up in different ways baby even when he is sitting upright, he still enjoys playing with it.
So, as I mentioned before, keep an eye on user safety!
If the baby gym isn't made to be used when a child can sit, then don't.
Separate accessories for baby gyms
Before you order individual accessories, make sure you keep a close eye on which baby gym you buy the accessories for.
Some hard rings may not fit every baby gym.
Of course it becomes a lot easier if the toys have to be tied with ribbons or strings.
Make a baby gym yourself
Making your own baby gym and hanging accessories is of course also super fun.
You can use your own creativity and put together a unique baby gym for your child in this way.
This video provides inspirations on how to make your own baby gym:
Also read: strollers, what do you pay attention to and which ones are good to buy?
Always something to do for the holidays or rainy day?
Play Choice now has the ultimate activity book collection, with over 60 pages of fun coloring pages and educational puzzles.
Joost Nusselder, the founder of Speelkeuze.nl is a content marketer, father and loves trying out new toys. As a child he came into contact with everything related to games when his mother started the Tinnen Soldaat in Ede. Now he and his team create helpful blog articles to help loyal readers with fun play ideas.
