By Andréana Lefton | Updated Jan 11, 2021 11:50 PM
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The floor is just about the ideal spot for babies and toddlers to explore the world. As they’re lying on their backs and later, crawling on their bellies, it’s important to provide them with a safe, comfy surface that also protects your hardwood or carpeting from any accidents. Kid-friendly mats are the simplest solution and come in a range of sizes, colors, and materials, from cushy foam to health-conscious cotton. The most important considerations, of course, are health and safety, so the best floor mats for kids should be nontoxic, have a nonslip backing, and have high-quality finishes that are easy to clean by machine, by hand, or with a vacuum. Additional features like fun colors, playful patterns, and educational designs will only make your tykes’ playtime more memorable—and your days more joyful.
You want the best for your little ones, which is why these mats were chosen; they’re nontoxic and safe for young children. Still, you should always check a product’s label to confirm whether it’s made of nontoxic materials. If the mat’s label or packaging doesn’t specify that it is toxin-free, contact the manufacturer for more details. The following recommendations are kid-safe, easy to clean, and come in a range of sizes and color schemes.
Little Bot’s Ofie mats are anything but little. Measuring 6.5 feet by 4.5 feet, these premium foam play mats are spacious enough for curious youngsters to roam around—and are certified nontoxic. That means they are free of BPA, lead, formaldehyde, phthalates, and fire retardants. Ofie mats are also double-sided, soft to touch, and pretty to look at. They won’t clash with your decor, but they will offer a safe, comfy, and stylish spot for your little ones to rest and play. One caveat: While Little Bot mats are designed to be pet-friendly, too, you’ll probably want to keep cats and dogs off your Ofie to preserve the surface over the long term. Vacuum-safe and easy to roll up when playtime is done, Ofie mats come in three subtly patterned, neutral color schemes.
At a very reasonable price, this 6.6-foot by 3.3-foot city rug playmat is a great value. Your kids will not only get miles (from their perspective) of soft, comfy carpeting to cushion their hands and knees, they will also get an entire landscape on which their imaginations can roam free. Roads and neighborhoods are patterned into this polyester fabric rug, offering hours of playtime fun for little ones, toddlers, and older kids, too. Teach your kids words like “hospital,” “school,” “airport,” and more, while they zoom their toy cars along the surface. Each extra-large rug has a skidproof latex backing for added safety. To clean, shake it outside, brush it with a broom, or vacuum it on a low setting. It’s not suitable for heavy-duty vacuuming if you want to preserve it over time.
Buy quality and it will repay you. Cushmat’s Tummy Time Mat is on the pricier side, but it has all the features that will make it a family favorite: First and foremost, it’s nontoxic. Cushmat is made of TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane), a flexible memory foam that is free from heavy metals, latex, BPA, PVC, formaldehyde, and phthalates, among other questionable chemicals. Each baby mat is lightweight but ultrathick: 0.6 inches in height, which is a lot cushier than many other mats.
Cushmat’s surface is waterproof and easy to wipe clean. At 6.5 feet by 4.5 feet, it’s an extra-large surface for crawling, exploring, and protecting underlying flooring. Select from six sophisticated color and pattern combinations to make your living room a kid- and adult-friendly haven.
Does your child have sensitive skin? Though most mats made of nontoxic materials like memory foam won’t cause or aggravate skin conditions, cotton is the ultimate nontoxic, all-natural fabric. It is breathable, healthy to have in your home, and better for the planet, too. BeebeeRun’s crawling cushion is a joy to look at and use. It measures 78 inches by 59 inches, and it’s 0.6 inches thick, making it one of the cushiest mats around. Most important, it is made of healthful, high-quality cotton and has a nonslip backing. With two cheerful designs to choose from, BeebeeRun’s play mats are the perfect addition to a nursery or playroom. Machine washable (cold water only).
Set it up and break it down in the blink of an eye. ProSource’s foam puzzle mat is kid-friendly and easy to use: Simply lock the big tiles together, using as many as you need to cover your floor space. Each set comes with 36 interlocking, 12-inch by 12-inch puzzle pieces, covering a 6-foot by 6-foot area when fully spread out. As your kids get older, teach them how to put it together—and put it away—by themselves. The company describes its high-density EVA foam puzzle tiles as “safe and free of toxic phthalates.” Be aware, however, that EVA foam should also be formamide-free. If you have any concerns, contact the company before purchasing.7
Lush, plush, and available in 10 beautiful colors, V-Mix’s baby play mats are a joy to sink into. The surface is velvet fabric, covering a soft sponge filling. The whole mat is nontoxic, nonslip, and highly versatile. Beyond using for baby, use V-Mix mats for yoga, exercise, indoor picnics, and more. Because each mat is shipped vacuum-packed, it may take three to five days to fully unfold and lie flat. Have no worries about cleaning this mat, either: you can machine-wash, hand-wash, or vacuum it, whichever is best. This baby mat comes in seven sizes (the smallest is 79 inches by 32 inches and the largest is 79 inches by 95 inches) and can stand up to daily use from kids, adults, and even pets.
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