When did your LO start using an activity mat?

GreekyPie

Just curious - at what age do they really start to enjoy activity mats? We got one as a gift but it will be at MIL's house until they can bring it to us, sometime around when LO is 7 weeks old. I thought that was okay since he won't be too interactive before that age, but now I'm second guessing myself.

scaneiki

I put my DS on his and he kind of stares at the dangling toys.  I think you're fine.

llc730

This is the only piece of gear that has held DD's attention for more than 2 minutes so far. I got mine before she got here because I had been told by a family friend that her grandson used his very early on.

Boizmom

I lay my son on his and he's only 2 weeks old.  I've got the Baby Einstein one where I can move the star.  I put the star down low so when he's laying on it he can see it...he likes to lay on his side.  He loves to just lay there and watch the lights.

jonnygurl76

been using ours for tummy time....we have the fairy play mat, she likes the lights and music

aes62679

Today was really the first time Zach paid any attention to it (I've put him in there a few other times and he just stared at me).  He was most interested in the mirror that came with the mat... he also managed to swing his arms and hit a few things!

lifesadance

We use his for tummy time and he likes to stare at the toys, but he doesn't really interact with it yet.  I think you'll be fine for a while without one.  Just dangle something in front of him with your hand, or hang a toy on the car seat handle.  You can do tummy time without it too.  It's nice to have but people raised kids before play mats. )

mommy1/2010

i just opened DS's today. he didn't seem to respond to it though. i'll try again tomorrow.

jenny1980

We use it once a day right now. She loves looking at herself in the mirror and can already swing her arms around and bat at the toys.

Here's a pic of her on her mat:

 

*wicket*

DS has been batting at the toys on his mat (this one) since week 2 or 3!  He also rolled over at just 1 month, so he's pretty active.

Ciarrai

I think the girls were using theirs around 2 weeks old.  I would need to double check the pics, but really young.  We have this one and the girls loved the mirror and music.  My mom just got us a new one of the same one since we lost our first.  It came in today so I haven't laid DS on it yet but I probably will soon as he's starting to be awake more and more.  It's also nice with older siblings b/c I can use it as the baby's space and tell the older ones to stay off the mat...or at least try.  It's a start to keeping them from stepping on/laying on/jumping on the baby.

manx

While mine enjoyed looking at the items he really started interacting at 8 wks.  Before that dangling anything over him was just as good. 

goldenleaves

Ryan actually loves his now! He just started to love it, and he looks at the toys and smiles. I think maybe he likes the bright colors.

CJ2008

DD enjoyed hers for the first time today! She actually layed on it and talked to her toys for about 15 min before she got cranky. But no longer than that, and she's almost 7w so I think you'll be fine.

sheremy

We started putting DD on her playmat around 4-5 weeks. She would look around at the dangly toys and now she absolutely loves it. She coos and smiles at the little toys and listens to the music it plays. I also put her down for tummy time on her playmat although she is never happy about that.

Mereou12

Boizmom:

I lay my son on his and he's only 2 weeks old.  I've got the Baby Einstein one where I can move the star.  I put the star down low so when he's laying on it he can see it...he likes to lay on his side.  He loves to just lay there and watch the lights.

We have the Baby Einstein one with the star, too. DS *loved* that star--it was the first thing he smiled at. Sadly, it died a pitiful death the other day. No more star...

To the OP: DS really started enjoying the mat around 4 weeks, when he noticed the flashing, music-playing star. He's just now starting to bat at the toys, though I think it may still be accidental.