A great gift for nurseries and play schools

This new and unique patented developmental play mat from Soft Play Zone is designed specifically for babies to help with development, and is ideal for use 'from birth'. With its fascinating black and white printed shapes, this baby play mat is designed to stimulate babies brains and aid baby development in the early stages, particularly cone development in babies eyes. It's perfect for encouraging your baby to roll, lie on their tummy and sit up on their own. It also means no bumps on hard floors. They work as an insuating barrier to prevent the cold coming through from patios, decking, wooden or tiled floors.

Each set has 12 interlocking foam pieces that fit together to make a mat measuring 3ft x 4ft (or it can be put together in any shape you choose). The baby play mats are made from EVA – the same material as flip flops. This means they are very soft, durable and lightweight. And unlike other play mats that you have to keep putting in the washing machine (as if you didn’t have enough washing already!) these are completely wipe clean. (Do not scrub) So if your child dribbles, spills food, is sick or worse, all you need is a baby wipe to make it as good as new. You can even use it to change nappies on. All of our mats pass the british safety standards and are also toxicity tested for peace of mind. Always wipe the mat with warm soapy water (not too much soap!) and dry prior to use.

The mats are also ideal for parents or carers with children who have special needs. The designs are highly stimulating and they make a great surface for regular physio. Recent research has shown that many babies are not having enough tummy time. This in turn has been showing up when our little ones start school, they may not know which hand to write with and they become distracted very easily. This is down to them not building up the muscles in their arms and accross the back of their shoulders when they are younger. Once your baby is able to go on their tummy they will start to push themselves up to look at the fascinating shapes on the mat.

If you want to know more on this subject 'tummy time', visit these sites and get an informed view on it www.apta.org and www.pathwaysawareness.org August 6, 2008 — The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) is urging parents and caregivers to ensure that babies get enough "tummy time" throughout the day while they are awake and supervised, in light of a recent survey of therapists who say they've noticed an increase in motor delays in infants who spend too much time on their backs while awake