GOING PLACES

We would like to make our case as clear as black and white – babies are born explorers. In their discovery of new things, they do not stop easily. However, in doing so, they need our support. Once the time of constant swaddling, rocking and feeding fades away, parents need to encourage their baby’s independence.

One way of doing that is by putting them on a play mat where they are free to move and where they can exert their energy in a safe and fun manner.

Floor play is quite important for our little ones. It is during this play that babies develop the muscles required for crawling. They learn to move and use their body in different ways; they explore their toes and hands; they kick, roll around, crawl and gradually start walking.

Spending time on their tummy is also useful for them. Therefore, there must be something on the play mat that attracts their attention and makes this experience enjoyable. Bold designs, especially in black and white patterns, appeal to babies and can extend tummy time, which is extremely important for strengthening of their back and chest muscles. Black and white images are those that babies notice first. They attract their attention and help them focus.

The contrasting images also stimulate the development of optic nerves. When babies focus on certain images, they train their vision and eye muscles. With some extra elements added to the play mat, they also develop their hand-eye coordination, facilitating the development of cognitive and attention-focusing skills.

So if you would like your little one to be going places, literally and metaphorically, a play mat is a go-to toy for your baby.