Play mats have been around for decades. They are an area for your child to occupy while the youngster plays with his toys. Home use is not very common, but most day care centers use them in some form. The rug will come in just about every texture, color, and shape imaginable, but its main advantages and disadvantages are pretty much the same between them.

Advantage

There are three main advantages to using an activity mat. The first is that they create limits for their children. They learn that there are places to play and places for other things. The world is not one big playground. Used correctly, the child will pick up the toys she wants to use, bring them to her play area, and not invade another child’s play area. The second advantage is that the mat itself is often a source of entertainment with colors, letters, numbers, and mazes. The last great advantage of the mat is that it minimizes fights between children because they are left alone, which is especially useful before nap or bedtime.

Disadvantages

The main disadvantage of a play mat is cleanliness. By concentrating a child’s play area you increase germs, food, dust, etc. in that area. If not sterilized properly, it could increase disease. The other downside is that children who are no longer social may use them as an escape from interaction with their playmates. You don’t want the kids to isolate themselves all day. If you have this problem, remove the play mat for certain parts of the day.

Using play mats or not shouldn’t require a Ph.D. in child psychology. Just use them appropriately and discourage children who actively break the playmat rule or run towards them for safety. Clean them every day and avoid stringy rugs because they wear out quickly and are difficult to keep clean.