Best-of buying guide
Best Play Mats UK
By Hannah Wright · Reviews Editor
Prices & availability last checked 12 August 2026
How do these picks compare at a glance?
| Pick | Score | Best for | Type | Wash | Fold | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skip Hop Activity Gym | 9.4/10 | Best overall | Activity gym | Cover | Yes | From £50 |
| Lovevery Play Gym | 9.2/10 | Best premium | Wooden gym + kits | Covers | — | From £140 |
| Infantino Fold-and-Go Gym | 8.7/10 | Best for travel | Folding gym | — | — | From £25 |
| Bright Starts 5-in-1 Gym | 8.6/10 | Best lights-and-music | Electronic gym | — | — | From £40 |
| Skip Hop Playspot Foam Tiles | 8.5/10 | Best foam tiles | Foam tiles | Wipe | — | From £30 |
| Galt Playnest | 8.3/10 | Best sit-up nest | Sit-up nest | — | — | From £35 |
A play mat is a defined floor space for tummy time and batting at toys. It does not make a baby develop faster. The NHS and health visitors care that baby spends time on their front while awake and watched; they do not care whether the mat cost £20 or £140. Buy one if it makes you put the baby down more often.
What is the best play mat in the UK?
The Skip Hop activity gym is the best for most newborns — padded, washable, toys that dangle at the right height, and it folds into a cupboard. The Lovevery Play Gym is the better long-term buy if you want organic-looking fabric, stage kits and you will actually put the plastic gyms back. Foam tiles are a toddler product for hard floors, not a newborn gym.
Do you need an activity gym for tummy time?
No. Tummy time works on a firm blanket on the floor, on your chest, or across your lap. An activity gym helps because the toys give the baby a reason to lift their head, and it marks a "this is the floor spot" so you are not always holding. Skip a gym if you live in one room and a blanket already lives on the rug.
Are foam play mats safe?
Foam tiles are useful on laminate once a toddler is crashing about. For newborns, extra-thick foam plus a soft nest is the opposite of a firm, flat surface — keep sleep out of the play mat, and do not let a baby nap unsupervised on a padded gym. Check for BS EN 71 on toys that dangle, and wash covers; cheap foam that powders is a chew risk.
What should you look for in a play gym?
A mat you can wash, toys you can detach (so you are not storing a spider of plastic), a fold that fits a cupboard, and a height of hanging toys that changes as baby grows. Wooden gyms look nicer and often have fewer things to lose. Lights-and-music gyms get turned off by month two. If it cannot be wiped, you will hate it after a nappy leak.
How we chose
Washability, whether toys stay interesting past six weeks, storage, and UK stock. Commission never affects the order. Prices checked 12 August 2026.
Which products made the shortlist?
Best overall
1.Skip Hop Activity Gym
From £50
9.4 /10
The activity gym most UK living rooms actually contain: a padded mat, arch of toys you can mix, and a fold that goes in the cupboard when you want the floor back. Washable covers matter more than the animal print.
Pros
- +Detachable toys so the arch is not permanent clutter
- +Machine-washable mat covers on most versions
- +Easy to find on Amazon and the high street
Cons
- –Looks like plastic — some parents upgrade to wood later
- –Outgrown as a gym once baby crawls, though the mat remains
Best premium
2.Lovevery Play Gym
From £140
9.2 /10
Organic-looking fabrics, wooden frame, stage kits that arrive as baby grows. The play gym for parents who will use the cards and put the plastic away. Expensive; the second-hand market is strong if you sell the kits on.
Pros
- +Stage-based kits that last past the newborn batting phase
- +Wooden frame that looks like furniture
- +Strong resale
Cons
- –Premium price before extra kits
- –You have to actually rotate the toys for it to earn the cost
Best for travel
3.Infantino Fold-and-Go Gym
From £25
8.7 /10
A gym that folds into its own bag for grandparents and holidays. Fewer toys than Skip Hop, much easier to throw in the boot. The second gym that lives in the car, not the living-room centrepiece.
Pros
- +Folds into a carry bag
- +Cheap enough to leave at grandparents
- +Light to move between rooms
Cons
- –Less padding than a full Skip Hop
- –Toys are more basic
Best lights-and-music
4.Bright Starts 5-in-1 Gym
From £40
8.6 /10
The gym with a piano and lights for parents who want cause-and-effect from month one. It will be loud. It will be used. Turn the volume down and you still have a padded mat. Not the one if you hate electronic toys.
Pros
- +Piano and lights that some babies lock onto
- +Converts through stages on many versions
- +Often discounted on Amazon
Cons
- –Noise — you will hide the batteries at 6am
- –More plastic to store
Best foam tiles
5.Skip Hop Playspot Foam Tiles
From £30
8.5 /10
Interlocking foam tiles for crawlers and new walkers on laminate. Not a newborn gym. Look for a non-toxic claim, a wipe-clean surface, and a pack large enough that the edges are not a trip in the middle of the room.
Pros
- +Cushions falls on hard floors
- +Reconfigurable as the room changes
- +Wipe-clean
Cons
- –Not for newborn sleep or unsupervised naps
- –Edges curl if the pack is too small for the room
Best sit-up nest
6.Galt Playnest
From £35
8.3 /10
A padded ring some families use once baby sits, for toys in reach without a full gym. Use it as play seating, never as a sleep space, and stop when baby can climb out. A short-life product; borrow if you can.
Pros
- +Contains toys for a sitter
- +Soft on hard floors
- +Classic UK high-street option
Cons
- –Not a tummy-time mat
- –Outgrown fast once crawling starts
How did we choose these products?
We build every shortlist the same way: we map the whole UK market for the category, weight the specifications that change daily life (not the ones that look good in adverts), cross-reference sustained buyer feedback across multiple retailers, and sanity-check prices across the retailers we link. Retailers cannot pay to appear, and commission never affects rankings. Prices were verified on the "last reviewed" date and will drift — always confirm on the retailer page.
What UK safety standard should you check?
UK standard: BS EN 71 (Parts 1-3) + UKCA/CE marking. The toy safety standard covers mechanical and physical hazards (small parts, sharp edges, cords), flammability, and migration of certain chemicals — UKCA or CE marking confirms a toy has been assessed against it.
- ✓ UKCA or CE mark on the toy and its packaging, not just the online listing
- ✓ Age grading (e.g. "not suitable for under 3 years") is usually a genuine small-parts choking warning, not just a suggestion
- ✓ A UK or EU manufacturer/responsible-person address on the packaging — unbranded marketplace toys often skip full BS EN 71 testing
Check live UK recalls before buying: gov.uk product recalls & alerts · Read our guide to dangerous baby products sold online .
What questions come up most?
What is the best play mat for a baby?
The Skip Hop activity gym is the best for most UK newborns — padded, washable, detachable toys. Lovevery is the premium longer-lasting alternative. A blanket on the floor is enough for tummy time if you do not want another object.
When should I start tummy time?
From the first weeks, in very short stretches while the baby is awake and watched — on your chest counts. A play mat is optional. Stop if baby is miserable; a few minutes a few times a day is the aim, not a marathon.
Are cheap foam mats from marketplaces safe?
Only if they are a named brand with BS EN 71 marking and a UK responsible person. Unbranded foam that smells strongly or crumbles is a chew and chemical risk. Sleep still needs a firm flat cot, not a foam tile.
Which other buying guides should you read?
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Best Pushchairs & Prams UK
The best prams and pushchairs in the UK compared — all-terrain, city, budget and travel options from birth to toddler.
Best Car Seats UK — i-Size & R129
The best i-Size (R129) car seats in the UK — rotating toddler seats, infant carriers and budget picks compared, with fitting guidance.