The 8 Best Tummy Time Toys of 2022

From mats to mirrors and music-makers, your baby will love these tummy time toys

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Tummy time is an important developmental activity for young babies under six months old. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends starting tummy time soon after birth for short 3-5 minute sessions.Tummy timehelps babies gain muscle strength in their necks as they learn to lift their heads. The time spent on their bellies also helpsdevelop gross motor strengthfor milestones like rolling over and crawling, and tummy time toys can help guide them in this development.

Reviewed & Approved

Infantino's 2-in-1 Tummy Time & Seated Supportis a versatile, comfortable tummy time mat and seat combination that can be used by young babies and toddlers. For a mirror toy that will keep babies happy and engaged while on their bellies, we recommend theSassy Tummy Time Floor Mirror.

While many babies enjoy tummy time, others dread laying on their belly. When purchasing tummy time toys, look for items with mirrors, musical sounds, and those with rattles and squeaky objects attached to make tummy time entertaining and exciting. If you’re looking for a toy that will last, some tummy toys can attach to a stroller, while others can convert to a seat for your growing baby.

To find the best tummy time toys, we looked for fun toys that encourage babies to spend time on their bellies. Because tummy toys are used by infants, we also considered each toy for safety. Finally, we evaluated the tummy time toy’s ability to grow with your baby as they reach new developmental milestones.

Based on our reviews, these are the best tummy time toys on the market today.

Best Overall: Infantino 2-in-1 Tummy Time & Seated Support

Infantino 2-in-1 Tummy Time & Seated Support

Courtesy of Infantino

What do buyers say?100+ Walmart reviewers rated this product 4 stars or above.

This tummy time toy tops our list thanks to its versatility and because it is suitable for newborns through 18 months. The Infantino 2-in-1 toy can be molded into different shapes as your baby grows. For infants, the soft fabric toy unfolds like a snake to provide tummy time support as the baby develops head and neck muscles. It also includes a detachable mirrored crinkle toy and a BPA-free teether to motivate babies to reach and grasp.

As your baby develops more strength and is learning to sit up, the convertible toy stacks to make a supportive and comfortably padded chair. Parent reviewers appreciate the gender-neutral design, and that no assembly is required.

Best Mirror: Sassy Tummy Time Floor Mirror

Sassy Tummy Time Floor Mirror

Courtesy of Amazon

Mirror toys for babiesare a smart way to help tots to stay engaged while on their tummy. Once they can sit up, this toy is still loads of fun. The smart and sturdy easel-style toy features a large, true reflection mirror which helps your baby focus on a human face and promotes vision development.

Besides the mirror, there are high contrast toys like a ball and ladybug that are fun for tactile exploration and peek-a-boo. Reviewers are amazed by how much the mirror interests their babies and makes tummy time last so much longer.

Best with Music: Fat Brain Toys Rock 'n Roller Piano

脂肪大脑玩具“摇滚辊钢琴

Courtesy of Fat Brain Toys

丰富多彩的木琴和滚动轮子,这图片k makes sounds like ringing bells, so young kids will enjoy playing some tunes. Great for tummy time, the musical toy is well made, has pleasant chimes (no parent earplugs needed), the rollers are easily activated, and the colors are vibrant. Parents should note, this toy does come with a mallet, which is appropriate for older babies but shouldn’t be used by young babies.

Best Visual: teytoy Tummy Time Floor Mirror

teytoy Tummy Time Floor Mirror

Courtesy of teytoy

As their vision develops, babies respond to the strong contrast between black and white colors. This high contrast mat will capture your child’s attention during tummy time, extending how long they’ll be engaged. Super lightweight, this activity mat is versatile as you can put it in a triangle position or flat on the floor for tummy time to stimulate your baby.

For life on the go, the mat can be attached to the back of a car seat’s headrest, crib, car seat, or stroller so your baby can continue to play. In addition to the black and white images, there’s a big mirror and touchable textured attached toys to play with.

Best Electronic: Baby Einstein Glow & Discover Light Bar Activity Station

Baby Einstein Glow & Discover Light Bar Activity Station

Courtesy of Amazon

If bells and whistles will engage your baby during tummy time, then this pick is for them! Easy to activate, this u-shaped musical and light-up bar is fun and interactive for little ones. Simply position your baby in reach of the activity bar and let them explore.

With three modes including animals, colors, and xylophone, you can also switch the language to English, French, or Spanish. Easy to wipe down and clean, the activity bar requires three AA batteries that are included.

Best Portable: MAGIFIRE Tummy Time Baby Water Mat

MAGIFIRE肚子Time Baby Water Mat

Courtesy of Amazon

While it may not seem like a 27 x 21-inch mat is portable, this one is exactly that. This tummy time water mat easily inflates to full size and when not in use, the mat deflates and folds away, so it’s perfect for travel or visiting friends or family.

Your baby can engage with water play without getting wet with a leak-proof and highly durable mat. When in use, place the baby right on the mat or on the edge of the mat so they can reach onto it. Reviewers are impressed by how much their babies like this mat and find it’s engaging for older kiddos too.

Best Play Mat: Fisher-Price Deluxe Kick & Play Piano Gym

Fisher-Price Deluxe Kick & Play Piano Gym

Courtesy of Target

Entertain your baby with music, lights, and sound. Made for versatility, this mat has an adjustable arch and a removable piano toy. During tummy time, your baby can rest on the mat and reach for the toys or the piano.

During the “lay and play” mode, your baby’s kicks will activate the piano and, as your baby gets older and can sit up, you can position the piano flat on their lap for some more musical fun. Along with five detachable toys, the piano has five light-up keys and four musical settings, including one with 15 minutes of continuous music.

Best for Beginners: Manhattan Toy Soft Songbird Pat Mat

Manhattan Toy Soft Songbird Pat Mat

Courtesy of Manhattan Toy

If you’re a beginner at tummy time, dip your toe into the experience with a pat mat that is just as fun for tummy time as it is attached to a stroller. This soft mat unfolds and featuresstimulating graphics, tactile fabrics, crinkle sounds, and a squeaker toy. When fully unfolded, it measures 20 inches x 6.5 inches but folds into a 6.5 inch square with a fabric hook and loop closure to attach anywhere.

Final Verdict

The nice thing about most tummy time toys is they can be used for other developmental phases beyond tummy time. For a tummy time toy that also provides seated support, the Infantino 2-in-1 Tummy Time & Seated Support (view at BuyBuyBaby)is cute and doesn’t take up much room. Another toy that is bigger but does provide lots of fun during many phases of babyhood is the Fisher Price Kick and Play Piano Gym (view at Amazon) that’ll provide months of fun.

What to Look for When Buying Tummy Time Toys

Entertaining

The point of tummy time toys is to serve as a fun distraction. If your baby is distracted and excited by toys, they’ll be likely to spend more time on the tummy, which will help to build baby muscles and gain strength. For babies who are working on mastering holding their heads up through tummy time, entertainment can be engaging lights and sounds, contrasting colors for visual stimulation, and tactile surfaces for physical exploration.

Safety

Babies in tummy time mode should always be supervised. Never leave them alone and don’t allow a baby to fall asleep on their tummy. According to the AAP, babies should always be placed on their backs to sleep for naps and at nighttime.So, if your little one is starting to look sleepy, remove them from their tummy time mat or toy and move them to their crib, sleeping on their back.

Other Milestones

Using tummy time toys can help babies reach otherdevelopmental milestonesand grow strong neck, shoulder, and core muscles. Milestones like crawling, rolling over, and sitting up will all be influenced by tummy time. Since they’ll be spending time in new positions, tummy time can help reduce the risk of flat spots on the baby’s head.

常见,stions

  • When should a baby start tummy time?

    According to the AAP, babies can start tummy time as soon as they get home from the hospital.Aim for two to three sessions per day, with each time lasting 3 to 5 minutes for each session. As your baby gets used to tummy time, you can increase both the number of sessions and each session’s length. Check with your pediatrician for specific instructions for you and your baby.

  • Why is tummy time important?

    Tummy time is important to help your baby gain muscle strength. The simple form of play helps babies grow strong and pass developmental milestones. Benefiting motor and sensory development is key, and tummy time is useful in preventingflat head syndrome.

Why Trust Verywell Family

Maya Poltonis a former marketing manager and current freelance writer who covers food, home, and parenting. She’s also the mom of an 11-year-old son, 8-year-old son, and 4-year old daughter. Tummy time already seems like ages ago, but Maya does remember it well. In her opinion, the best toys are ones that don’t take up too much room or can be used in a few modes for a long(ish) period of time.

2 Sources
华体会体育吧Verywell家庭只使用高质量的来源cluding peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Back to sleep, tummy to play. HealthyChildren.org.

  2. Where we stand: back to sleep.HealthyChildren.org.

ByMaya Polton
Maya has more than 15 years of experience in digital media and communications and specializes in writing about family, food, and lifestyles. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Tufts University and a Master of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications from Northwestern University.