Playmat or rug?

Question

I'm wondering what do other mamas use for their baby's play area? Do you guys have hardwood floors or carpet? On carpet what do you guys use? 
Thanks a bunch!

Answer

I’m a FTM but I’ve worked with infants in various daycares for the last 6 years and I would recommend a play mat because when your baby starts to sit up and explore with their gross motor skills, it will be a nice extra cushion if they are to stumble or fall over etc.

Answer

I use a playmat or a blanket. I don’t usually put her straight on the floor because we have 2 cats that shed

Answer

We have a carpet over hardwood but put out down a cloth play mat or blanket, which was easier to clean. Now she’s crawling so we will probably put it away soon, since she doesn’t stay on her mat anymore!

Answer

For tiny babies who still spit up, definitely the playmats. (We used the puzzle-type that connect together) reason being that they are much easier to clean whenever little one inevitably spews milk everywhere. However once she started walking without falling, we stopped using anything. (Hardwood downstairs, carpet in her room & playroom).

Answer

When our baby was tiny, we had an IKEA gym mat down in the living room, and in his bedroom we had a quilt laid out on the floor with a double layer of interlocking foam mats underneath it.

Answer

We had carpet but our son loves his play mat. Lots for him to see which was important for brain development. Now we have it for baby number two, best $30 I ever spent

Answer

We have carpet but we put a blanket down. Usually one of our old twin comforters from college. Easy to toss in the laundry. We still use it although our son doesn’t stay on it anymore.

Answer

I have carpet but I still put a blanket down. Very occasionally, my 4 m/o daughter will use her tummy time mat- she's never really been interested in it. I've noticed that she struggles to roll over if the blanket is folded too many times- the surface isn't hard enough for her to push off of, its more forgiving. Hope this helps!

Answer

Playmat worked better for us because it’s easier to clean, and you’ll have to clean it a lot the first few months with the spit up.

Answer

I honestly never bought anything special. I've worked with infants and toddlers for close to 10 years and once they're mobile, they're not just going to sit nicely on a mat. It's perfectly fine to allow them to explore their surroundings whether you have carpet or hardwood floors. We had a mix of hardwood, tile, and carpet when our daughter was first learning to sit up, crawl, walk, etc. and it was never a big issue. They're going to topple over and get bumps and bruises regardless.