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From monochrome patterns to chic Scandi styles, there’s a play mat to suit every home

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As any parent knows, one of the first things you do when you find out you’re expecting is prepare to babyproof the house – be that gates on the stairs or adorning your floor with one of the best play mats, every surface needs to be soft and safe for your little one.

Years ago, that might have meant garish and mismatched products that didn’t necessarily match up with the decor of your house. Now, we’re seeing a wave of far cooler baby brands come on the market – brands that are as practical and safe as they are pleasing to the eye.

We’ve become particularly intrigued by the range of play mats that are now on offer. Some are designed purely with newborns in mind, ideally to keep them safe before they start exploring too much. Others are made to last – ideal for parents with both babies and toddlers.

With all this in mind, we’ve rounded up the best play mats on the market, so, you’re bound to find one to suit your child as well as your home interiors.

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When it comes to the mats we tested, all had devilishly good looks – we think you’d be proud to show them off. We also wanted them to be comfortable underfoot, of a good size and ideally with the option to add on to as our baby grows and begins to explore. Bonus points were given to mats that were purse-friendly, could be easily wiped clean and could cover wooden and tiled floors as easily as it could carpets.

This one arrived much like a rug or a roll of carpet, and we were excited to unroll it with the help of our four-year-old tester, whose first instinct was to lie down on it – a sure sign of how inviting it is. Soon enough, we joined her, equally relishing in the comfort of this play mat. Made from 1.3cm thick memory foam, it’s well cushioned and gently moulds to you, which makes it great for yoga or exercise, too.

Beyond its practicality, we were swooning over the attractiveness of this one. The captain play mat features diamond-like patterns on a soft terracotta-coloured background, which has been inspired by traditional North African kilim rugs and we love the softened rounded corners. Flip the mat over and there’s a trendy leopard print on a storm grey background – both are effortlessly stylish and we still can’t decide which pattern we prefer.

The play mat feels incredibly tactile, making a soft, stylish space for babies, children and adults. The “compact” version will cover 185cm x 125cm or you can upgrade to the “standard” which is a whopping 210cm x 140cm. Of course, unlike the tile options, this isn’t easily portable but, trust us, it looks so good you won’t want to hide it away.

This circular quilted playmat from Little Green Sheep is the perfect size for those early months. Made from super soft 100 per cent cotton, at 120cm diameter it makes a soft surface on which babies can chill and kick their legs out. There’s a non-slip backing to ensure it stays put, and you also get a cotton travel bag, which is handy for taking it outside in the garden or to the park.

While it will only be used for the first few months when baby is happy lying on their back or during tummy time, it is the perfect size to place in a teepee once the baby days are over. It’s also machine washable for when those inevitable messy baby moments take place.

Of all the tile-style play mats we tested, Gus & Beau’s was the thickest, meaning it felt like a dream underfoot. The EVA foam tiles are 1.4cm thick, and they feel durable enough for typical toddler-induced wear and tear but also soft enough for all-day play. Easy to attach, edge pieces finish the look, and we were impressed with how seamless these were – you’d think it’s just one piece.

There are seven patterns to choose from – we opted for the triangle play mat set in grey, but each one presents clean lines and minimalist colours that are the perfect fit for modern homes.

For £75, you’ll get six tiles (and edge pieces), which covers 120cm x 180cm. While we’re sure you won’t want to put these away, you do also get a handy storage bag for travel. You can also purchase single or packs of additional tiles at a later date if you need a larger mat. We found six tiles the perfect size for a baby but you may want to upsize for bigger kids.

There’s a play mat to suit every home with Toddlekind’s large range; first choose your series “Earth”, “Nordic” or “Persian” all offering a different pattern, then opt for your colour choice.

We were impressed with the expansive selection, and decided to test out an “Earth” play mat in “dove” (there are punchier colours available). The stylish stone-like effect looks great against wooden floor, but you can also create different shapes by rotating the clever spotted design. A standard size covers 120cm x 180cm using six square tiles and edge pieces to complete the look, but the options are endless, as you can easily scale up your play mat with large, extra large and playroom sizes available.

We enrolled our four-year-old tester to help with the construction of the floor tiles, and there are certainly more pieces than she can count. There’s a whopping 40 triangles and 32 edge pieces packed away in the handy storage bag. Once placed together, the pieces cover 178cm x 142cm, for an extra large playing space.

Although it’s easy to connect the pieces together, this took the longest of all the products to assemble, because the pieces are in triangles rather than squares. Having said that, the triangle design really opens up the options in terms of patterns, as there are six different ways to lay these out. You can’t go wrong with the combination of grey and white triangles but we have to say our favourite pattern is the zig-zag. Once you’ve decided on your pattern, place the edge pieces around the sides to give a polished look.

Well-cushioned, the playspot does exactly what it says on the tin (well, bag), creating a safe place for babies to lounge, chill and play, while being large enough for older children to benefit, too.

The soft organic cotton outer, with a comfy polyester padded fill, makes this an undeniable cosy spot for baby. But this playmat is actually far more scientific than that – designed alongside a consultant orthoptist, it specifically supports babies’ visual and cognitive development throughout their first year.

The dalmatian pattern encourages babies to use their back, neck and shoulder muscles, which is good preparation for the world of rolling and crawling, as they try to make more sense of the print before them. When your little one has reached the grand age of five months, and their colour-detecting cells are stronger, flip the playmat over to see the funky leopard print, but beware your baby might not sit still for long. Not only do the playmats look great in your homes and on the Insta grid, they’re wonderfully padded and can be popped in the washing machine.

Part play mat, part puzzle, but wholly fun, this Quut option certainly got our four-year-old tester’s attention. There are four possible setups for the play mat – two of which involve folding sections of the mat to rest up against the wall, making that a soft finish, too. Our tester enjoyed placing the shapes together and the result is a very sweet play mat in a lovely cloud shape.

Available in both dusty blue and pearl grey, there are 10 pieces in total. Made from a soft but durable EVA foam, our cloud was turned into a wonderful reading corner, and it got two thumbs up from our mini tester.

OK, parents might not thank us for this one but babies will. Measuring in 150cm x 100cm, this mat offers plenty of space for babies. It’s more than a floor covering, too, with plenty of extracurricular activities for little ones to engage with, such as the built-in, peek-a-boo game, an easy-grip star teether and tummy time mirror.

It’s much like a comfortable duvet, offering plenty of padding, and it’s portable, as it is easy to fold and carry, using the incorporated handle. This means it’s a doddle to pack away when baby’s tucked up in bed, too.

Needless to say, babies, children and adults alike will fall in love with Totter & Tumble’s the captain playmat – it’s so stylish, any home would be lucky to have it. If you’d rather a tile option, Gus & Beau’s clever triangle playmat set in grey comes highly praised, too. However, if you’re after a simple budget friendly mat for newborns, Little Green Sheep’s baby playmat will do the job nicely.

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