There will come a time when your baby will learn to crawl and then walk on his own. These walking and crawling happen around three or four months after, and you need your baby in one safe spot while you do equally important things in a short time. This is where baby activity gyms come in handy. In this article, you will learn what baby activity gyms are and its many benefits. Not only that, but you will also learn how long do babies use activity gyms. Read on.
Baby Activity Gyms
A baby activity gym, or a play gym or a playmat, is a baby mat that comes with bright colors and interactive features—it comes in different sizes and shapes, and even has themes. It is a safe and comfortable spot for your baby to play, work, and have fun while developing their brain development and motor skills! They are one of the most highly recommended baby products by parents and experts. How long do babies use activity gyms, you ask? You will find out in this article!
Benefits of Activity Gyms
Before we answer the question: “How long do babies use activity gyms?” you need to learn first the many benefits of allowing your baby to use an activity gym. Here are some of them:
- Boost Cognitive Development. An activity gym develops not only your child’s motor skills but also their intelligence. The cause and effect of patterns, shapes, colors, and sounds, help boost your kid’s imagination and self-awareness, which are essential to the cognitive development of your baby. Playmats have features that feed the curiosity of children to solve problems.
- Diversion. In the first months of your baby at home, they will love that you hold them and clothe them most of the time. However, later, they will want to fun entertainment. An activity gym is a perfect diversion for them from being bored. Not only that, but it also allows you to bond together and interacts with your little one. It can also be a great spot to keep your child occupied while you handle a phone call or other necessary tasks, like preparing their formula.
- Freedom and Movement. Babies need the freedom to move, even at an early age. They are active and usually sleepless. In an activity gym, your babies can move whatever they want in this safe place—they can kick, scoot, and roll around.
- Improves Hand and Eye Coordination. As mentioned, different playmats come with different themes—it can be dinosaurs, space, or even animals. Playmats feature small hanging objects that will surely make your baby reach out for—making them practice searching for what they can hold or grasp.
- Muscle Strengthening. Your baby can also develop their muscles in the activity gym. They can do their tummy time, strengthening their necks and backs, and soon helping them crawl and sit up.
- Portability. An activity gym is convenient and lightweight, allowing you to carry it around wherever you and your baby go for a quick outing or visit to their grandparents.
- Stimulates Senses. It is a requirement in activity gyms that there are contrasting colors. The colors will grab your baby’s attention. Patterns can help stimulate your baby’s senses, particularly visual, auditory, and sensory, using the different features that come with the mat, such as the colors, toys like rattles, and the mat’s texture and other fabric.
When Can Babies Start Playing?
How long do babies use activity gyms? Well, you need to know the perfect time when your baby can play along with his playmat before answering that question. You can start your kid from day one, but the best age is three to six months old. It is at these periods that your baby develops their hand-eye coordination and motor skills. Reaching and grasping dangling toys will become a good practice for the little ones.
Period for Playing
Now that we all got those facts out of the way, it is time to answer the question: “How long do babies use activity gyms?” Well, doctors do recommend that your baby should do their tummy time for at least one to two minutes a day on the playmat, and as they grow older, you can allow your baby to play for up to thirty minutes in a day. It is a perfect time to help in cognitive development and muscle strengthening. Take note, though—some babies tend to get bored after four months or six months after playing on the activity gyms. Some babies last for nine months playing with their dangling toys on their favorite playmats.
Conclusion
Now you know the answer to: “How long do babies use activity gyms?” All you need to do right now is to apply all that you have learned to ensure your baby receives the many benefits activity gyms can give. Just remember, activity gyms come in different sizes, shapes, and colors. Always familiarize yourself with the periods of when your baby can start and until when they should stop. After all, it is the safety and the development of your child that is important. Know more about play pens.