Making your home safe for babies and kids can feel overwhelming. Most parents don’t realize how many electrical outlets they have until their baby starts crawling. Suddenly, outlets seemingly appear out of nowhere. Putting latches on cabinets, locks on toilets and bolting TVs and furniture to the wall feels like a full-time job. One of the easiest ways to protect your little ones is to give them a safe place to play and that means a soft, nonskid carpet play mat.
The age and abilities of your child will determine what kind of rug best suits their needs. Some rugs can grow with children, like durable mats that can be coupled with a soft, thin blanket for babies who are practicing tummy time. There are mats that feature educational designs with numbers, letters and shapes that give kids early exposure to learning. For parents who want a mat that is more discreet, we’ve also included an option that looks great in any living room and is soft enough for babies and toddlers to play on top of for hours.
Finding a mat that works for parents and kids may feel overwhelming, but we’ve included great options below. Now just don’t forget about all those electrical outlets.
1. Angel Kids Carpet Playmat
Give kids a large and engaging space to play with the Angel Kids Carpet Playmat. The cityscape on the rug includes several buildings kids will have fun identifying, including a hospital, school and an airport. The curving street runs throughout the mat and provide an interactive track for kids who want to use their toy cars. The large mat measures 60” x 32” and is extra thick to protect against falls and bumps. We also like that it has a no-skid latex bottom.
Pros: The mat easily rolls up for compact storage.
Cons: The mat can be vacuumed and spot cleaned but is not safe for the washing machine.
2. teytoy Baby Rug for Crawling
For a mat that will delight babies and older kids, we recommend the teytoy Baby Rug for Crawling. The brightly colored mat will engage babies during tummy time and while they’re learning to crawl and provides a fun way for older kids to improve their knowledge of numbers and symbols. The soft carpet rests on a nonskid rubber bottom. Measuring 59” x 41”, the mat can be used inside or outside. Users can spot clean the mat and lay it in the sun to dry.
Pros: The mat can be folded without leaving creases, making this a great option to take while traveling or storing when not in use.
Cons: The mat is too thin to provide enough cushioning to be used alone on tile, ceramic or hardwood floors.
3. Kev & Cooper Playtime Collection
Help your little ones learn while they play using the Kev & Cooper Playtime Collection. The brightly colored mat features a fun design that incorporates letters, numbers, shapes, counting, pictures of animals and commonly found objects. The low pile carpet is fade and wear-resistant, making it a great option for busy kids. A latex rubber backing helps keep the carpet in place.
Pros: The mat is available in three sizes to best suit your space, including 3’3” x 4’7” (shown here), 5’ x 6’6” and 8’2” x 9’10” (ideal for daycares and classrooms).
Cons: The durable mat is made to withstand heavy traffic and is not designed as a mat for babies.