Choosing the best baby gym or activity gym is a great idea because this is an in credible product to have around. Baby Activity gyms provide a safe environment for your baby to play and develop. The products usually come with elements like hanging teething toys that help the baby to develop different kinds of skills. They are also beneficial because they help your baby develop strength around their neck and shoulders, motor skills, sound recognition, and color differentiation.
Make sure you look for safe and non-toxic materials when choosing because many available options contain toxic or harmful chemicals which can leach out or be ingested. Here’s a shortlist of some of the best baby activity gyms that are oodles of fun as well as safe for your little one.
Best Baby Play Gym 2021: Safe and Non-toxic Picks
This product is designed to improve your baby’s physical, cognitive, visual, and motor learning skills. The play gym comes with a comfortable mat that your baby can sit on while playing. It will help your child learn about focus, sound making. Also, it will encourage their sensory exploration, color identification, as well as hiding and finding. It is also designed to prevent over-stimulation. The play gym is suitable for kids of different ages.
It comes with a guide for appropriate activities to promote motor and brain skill development. It also features removable accessories for stage-based learning like a teether. This means that you can remove the accessory after your child has passed the stage. The product is very easy to set up and take down. It is constructed with 100% baby-safe materials.
What I love about it:
- Designed to help your baby develop all-round.
- Can be converted to a play fort.
- Safe and sustainable.
- Comes with a play guide.
Something to keep in mind:
- It is expensive.
This wooden baby play gym is made using unfinished pine wood. The wood is sanded properly, hence making it extremely smooth and safe for the baby to use. It does not contain any chemicals that could harm your baby. It features a natural color that perfectly matches most nurseries. The baby product comes with a wooden ring hanging, which also acts as a baby teether.
It is designed to encourage early motor skills in babies while providing your baby with things to hold and manipulate. The product features a removable design. This means that you can change or add more toys, hence preventing monotony. It is very easy to assemble and fold away when your baby is not using it.
What I love about it:
- Designed with the safety of your baby in mind.
- Sturdy design.
- Easy to set up and fold away.
- Versatile and doesn’t take up a lot of space.
Something to keep in mind:
- It contains small parts that could trigger issues like choking.
This baby gym is made from unfinished beech, which is sanded to make it smooth. Thus, it does not contain any chemicals. It also comes with a wooded ring hanging that helps to encourage motor skill development in babies. Overall, it is by far the most affordable yet high-quality product in the market. Additionally, the wooden baby gum is designed so that it does not take up a lot of floor space. It is also easy to set up and take down because there are no tools required.
The wooden baby gym features a removable design. This means that you can change the toys to suit your baby’s needs in different developmental stages. It comes in grey, which is a good color because it coordinated well with most nurseries.
What I love about it:
- Very durable.
- Can serve as a home decoration when it is not in use.
- Easy to store because it folds well and doesn’t take up much space.
Something to keep in mind:
- It is not ideal for kids that are over three months old.
This product features a simple screw mechanism which allows you to adjust the height of the bar in a few seconds. This play gym features colored wooden disks on the side that happily bang together, hence keeping your baby entertained and playing into their curiosity. It also features sliding wooden disks that encourage motor skill development in your baby as they encourage rolling to the sides.
The baby gym is made from beech wood and birch plywood. The wooden baby gym also features a rattling wooden frog dangling for the baby to reach. It features a lot of space on which you can add other toys depending on your baby’s needs.
What I love about it:
- Encourages motor skill development and sound learning.
- Easy to set up and adjust.
- Very versatile.
Something to keep in mind:
- It is slightly expensive.
Best Montessori Proven:
This wooden baby gym is designed to hang Montessori mobiles at the appropriate distance for the development of your baby. It comes with four classic Montessori mobile devices that will help your baby develop attention, concentration, visual focus, shape recognition, color differentiation, and other early STEP skills. It also features four reaching, grasping, and kicking toys. These toys help to encourage the growth of your baby’s motor skills, physical coordination, and increased body awareness.
The manufacturer provides a short video guide for parents to use the product and all its accessories at home. The product is made with safety and sustainability in mind. It comes with recyclable packaging, and it does not contain any harmful chemicals.
What I love about it:
- Adjustable.
- Comes with a wide range of accessories and Montessori toys.
- Fun for kids and is very sturdy.
Something to keep in mind:
- It may be difficult to use without the guide.
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Best for Sensory Development:
This baby play mat is designed to stimulate your baby’s sense of touch, sight, and hearing. It features developmental activities like musical sheep toys that play a cheerful tune, a colorful star that lights up using LED technology, a cloud speaker, bird rattle, and a sunshine mirror that is safe for your baby.
The baby play mat is over-sized to allow for comfort and movement. It is padded with cushioning with multiple textures to allow for infant sensory development. It comes with a cloud-shaped pillow for newborns and baby tummy time.
What I love about it:
- Puffy and over-sized to allow for extra comfort.
- Comes with interactive toys.
- Very comfortable for newborns.
Something to keep in mind:
- The dangling toys could be a choking hazard.
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This is one of the best handmade products in the market. It features a top bar and two sets of legs that come detached when the product is shipped. The parts are easy to attach, and you will not need any tools for the process. The wooden baby play gym is made without any harmful materials. It is purely made with natural pine wood, and its corners are sanded to allow for a smooth finish.
It comes with other accessories, including hanging rings for your baby to play and have fun with. This is a one-of-a-kind product that is made without using any machines. It comes in a wide range of colors and patterns that add character to the piece.
What I love about it:
- Features a unique design.
- Made from baby-safe materials.
- Easy to set up.
Something to keep in mind:
- It is only available for purchase online.
This play mat is made using non-toxic organic cotton that is certified by the GOTS. It is, therefore, delicate and safe for your baby. The play mat features vibrant colors that help to stimulate the brain development of your baby. Some of these colors include blue, yellow, and red. It also features an elaborate design that makes it an educational product for your baby.
The baby play gym features an extra-large design that allows your baby to move freely and comfortably. It comes with hanging accessories that are also made from baby-safe materials. The hanging toys can be replaced depending on the baby’s desires. It has a foldable design that is easy to store.
What I love about it:
- Made using certified organic cotton.
- Large and durable.
- It is washable.
Something to keep in mind:
- Not suitable for babies past three months old.
This activity center features more than 17 developmental activities. They include a turtle mirror, bear rattle, musical raccoons light-up firefly, and a wooden teether. It also features musical elements that play the song ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’. This product is very easy to maintain because it is machine washable. You can easily wipe clean in case of spills and spots of dirt. It is chemical-free and safe for the baby.
You can use a baby play gym in four ways. It can be used overhead because of the hanging accessories. What’s more, it can also be used for tummy time and seated play. Additionally, it features an ideal texture that allows for the comfort of your baby.
What I love about it:
- Easy to maintain.
- Features a unique design.
- It is attractive.
Something to keep in mind:
- Not very durable.
How to Choose the Best Baby Play Gym
There are a wide range of baby play and activity gyms including baby exersaucers. When choosing the best one, consider the following elements:
- Ease of cleaning: It would help if you got a product that is easy to clean. Note that kids are always putting their toys in their mouths. Therefore, you need a product that you can easily clean so that your baby doesn’t get infections. This is especially important for an activity gym with elements like teethers.
- Ease of setting up: Another important factor to consider is how easy you can set up the product. You want a product that you can effortlessly set up and take down without using any tools.
- Size: The size of the product depends on the age, height, and size of your baby. You also have to consider the amount of space you have in your house. A foldable play gym is always a good choice because you can fold it and store it away when it is not in use.
- Detachable toys: Consider a playpen with detachable toys that you can remove to clean and replace with other ones in case of breakage or when you need new ones installed.
- Durability and cost: You may also want to get a product that will last for a long time and suits your budgetary needs.
- Safety: When choosing any baby product, it is wise to go for one that is made using baby-safe materials. Also, consider one that is not a choking hazard for your baby.
Importance of Choosing One with Safe, Natural and Non-Toxic Material
Baby play gyms and some other baby products are often contain chemicals. These react with elements like moisture to produce harmful toxins.
When the baby gets into contact (either orally or physically), they can cause harmful effects like infections and allergic reactions. It is, therefore, important that you get natural, non-toxic products for your baby.
The Bottom Line
Each of the products mentioned above is an excellent option. Apart from activity gyms, you may also want to look at baby activity tables or activity centers, which perform similar roles to these.
You might also want to look into other play options like the best baby play mats, baby activity walkers, playards and travel cribs.
