How to Use Baby Play Mats for Each Developmental Stage

baby play mat

Babies go through various milestones as they grow. While these development stages come naturally, some babies achieve them faster than others when they have the right support system. Many occupational and physical therapists recommend using baby play mats because they offer a range of developmental benefits to babies. 

Improved visual perception

Most baby playmats are colourful and often, different from the rest of the house. Introducing the baby to something unique to his or her surrounding helps with visual identity. Newborns notice everything around them, including new things that are added to the room they frequently occupy. 

Since newborns reflexively grab things, you can place them on the mat to see if your child can easily identify the stuff you put on the mat for him to grasp. This is a great technique to use when training your baby to hold objects within easy reach. 

When they are comfortable playing on the play mat, babies can easily learn about cause and effect. For example, if they grasp a bunch of keys and wiggle it, babies immediately notice the movement. Over time, this will become something the baby enjoys doing, especially when he plays on the baby mat. 

Babies quickly develop self-awareness.

When they are in their own space, babies explore their environment even more, and in the process, they discover themselves. They realize that they need to stretch a little more to grasp something that is slightly further away. Some even start crawling because they have the chance to attempt to reach out and grasp toys that have been left on the baby playmat. 

Development of gross motor skills

Development of gross motor skills is critical for babies because they will need them as they grow up. Gross motor skills focus on the movement of the body’s large muscles, primarily those of the legs, arms, and torso. 

These muscles are critical for everyday movements and activities, and parents are encouraged to help their babies develop gross motor skills. Without well-developed gross motor movements, kids cannot perform well in school because writing and playing activities are a challenge. 

For example, kids with poor gross motor skills have trouble climbing and jumping. The baby play mats in Singapore encourage babies to explore movements, which ultimately help develop gross motor skills. 

Supervised tummy time for stronger muscles

When babies are allowed to spend time on baby play mats Singapore, especially when they get to the age where they can comfortably lie on the stomach. As they lie on their tummies, babies strengthen their neck, arms and back muscles. 

This prepares them adequately for future milestones, such as rolling, crawling, and walking. A strong neck is important for supporting the jaw, which ultimately helps babies chew and talk adequately. 

Baby play mats are quite versatile. They are light and portable, so it easy to move around the house and outdoors, depending on where the baby will be spending much of the time. It is also easy to clean, so you need not worry about it getting dirty. 

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