Looking for a way to keep your baby’s head round and avoid a baby helmet?

The good news is that starting TODAY, there are simple steps you can take to affect the shape of the head of your baby and promote healthy development at the same time. Current research and the clinical experience of many (including me) health care professionals point to the fact that without using a helmet, there are effective strategies to fight plagiocephaly and other forms of head flattening.

Best for Small Spaces: Fisher-Price Jumperoo: Woodland Friends SpaceSaver

If space is tight, you want an activity center on the smaller side, like this Fisher-Price Jumperoo that’s specifically designed for small spaces. Courtesy of Amazon Buy on Amazon It measures 6.89 x 22.99 x 23.5 inches and is meant to hold up to 25 pounds and/or 32 inches for children. Parents love that it folds almost flat, so when it’s not in use or taken on the go, it can be easily stored away.

Can you purchase the cushion seat replacement for the activity center?

1 Answer Answer this Question For further assistance with replacement parts, please contact our Consumer Affairs Department at 1-888-782-9548 (Monday-Friday 8am-4:30pm CST) or email us at contactus@carters.com.

Best Budget: ExerSaucer Lightweight Activity Jumper, Woodland Wonder
Best Portable: Summer Infant Pop N’ Jump Portable Activity Center

Purchase on Amazon Parents rave about this Summer Infant portable activity center for fun in the sun (but with shade, of course). It’s lightweight and folds up easily, so you can take it to your own backyard, to the beach, park or just out, and it has a UV canopy over the top to keep the baby protected from the harmful rays of the sun. A jumper seat surrounded by toys is in the middle, including a spinner ball, a rattle and a mirror book. It comes with a travel bag as well.

Best Educational: Baby Einstein Neptune’s Ocean Discovery Jumper

Buy on Amazon With a host of ocean-themed activities, this jumper from Baby Einstein helps little ones jump into learning. It not only helps teach important skills such as numbers and colors, but in Spanish, French and English it can do so. For flexible play options, the electronic turtle play station can be removed, and the jumper can be moved between four high positions so that the jumper can grow with them.

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

Courtesy of Target Buy on Amazon Buy on Target Although many activity centers are designed to be used for a baby’s life for only a few short months, more longevity is provided by this activity center. It can be used with a baby lying on it from birth and kicking the piano keys or for fun during tummy time. They can sit and play as they grow older, learning colors, shapes, numbers and other important skills along the way. Because there’s no seat, there’s no limit to how long with this toy they can have fun.

Best Stylish: Skip Hop Silver Lining Cloud Activity Center

Courtesy of Target Buy on Amazon Buy on Bed Bath & Beyond As much as you love your baby, all that baby equipment can sometimes put a severe cramp on your style, which is why Skip Hop loves this baby activity center. Although it’s still baby-friendly, it has an understated style a bit more than other brighter, bolder models.

Considerations When Purchasing a Baby Activity Center

The best way to feel great about your purchase is to get to know what is out there and do your research on various options. Keep a list of features that are important to your baby and the lifestyle of your family in mind.

{All About Me} Baby Play Station – Happily Ever Mom

I always change my son’s toy shelf to make a new baby play station for him. I was inspired to use mirrors at my son’s baby play station through our light and reflection series. Our goal was to create a small space that reflected all the favorite things about my son: family, trains, music, etc. Continue reading… Our baby play stations

Features to Consider in Good Baby Activity Centers

It can be hard for parents to be confident that they are ordering the right one for their baby, with so many different baby activity centers to choose from. Before settling on which activity center to purchase, here are some factors to consider.

Best Upholstered: Deep Space Baby Activity Chair

Crate & Barrel Buy on Crate & Barrel Although most baby activity centers are plastic, this one is soft and covered in cotton fabric from Crate & Kids. A harness keeps the baby in position, while a removable tray has embroidered images of space and stimulating activities, including a squeaker, crinkle maker, mirror, and more.

What Are the Benefits of a Baby Activity Center?

Already tired parents can be pushed to the limits of their patience with the need for nearly constant stimulation for some babies. It can be a parent’s dream to be able to provide your child with a safe and fun activity center that stays happily in place for more than a few minutes.

Best Overall: Fisher-Price Rainforest Jumperoo

Courtesy of Amazon Purchase on Amazon Purchase on Walmart Purchase on Bed Bath & Beyond When it comes to this toy, everybody will jump for joy. Fisher-The Price’s Rainforest Jumeproo is packed with entertainment potential. As jungle-themed activities, such as a peek-a-boo tiger and a bobble elephant, keep them entertained, babies can jump, jump, jump the day away. In order to take it all in, the seat spins around 360 degrees, and it can be adjusted to three different heights so that they can keep moving as they grow.

Guide to Buying the Best Baby Activity Center

One of the most joyful experiences anybody can have in life is having a baby. New parents will agree that many sleepless nights come along with that joy, causing general exhaustion that can test anyone.

Exersaucers: The good, the bad, the better –

If you’ve been around Baby Land for a long time you probably know that exercisers can be a source of controversy. Many individuals vehemently oppose their existence (particularly pediatric therapists), while others (exhausted caregivers) praise their invention. I think it’s essential to take a balanced approach to these kinds of problems, because let’s face it, we humans are just…

How to buy a replacement liner baby sits in

1 Answer Answer this Question For further assistance with replacement parts, please contact our Consumer Affairs Department at 1-888-782-9548 (Monday-Friday 8am-4:30pm CST) or email us at contactus@carters.com.
An Activity Center Can Help Your Baby Grow

A baby learns through playing and experimentation, even before they learn to talk. Not only do you give them a safe place to play by providing them with an activity center to play with, but you also give them a head-start to develop the physical and mental capabilities that will set them up for success as they grow up.

Photo: Courtesy Bright Starts/Disney Baby

Love all Disney things? A must-have for parents who want to sprinkle some magic into the life of their child is this baby activity center. Minnie Mouse motifs decorate the electronic baby saucer. And the rotating seat doubles as a jumper, as with many of the best baby activity centers.

Baby Stations: Positioning For Play

As parents, nobody informs us how important the body posture of our infants is for growth. We’re questioned about pooping and peeing and eating and sleeping during successful infant check-ups, but very few pediatricians question whether our kids are experiencing a number of roles every day.

{All About Me} Baby Play Station

Join our AWESOME Moms group on Facebook Get inspired by our favorite moms on Pinterest I always change the toy shelf of my son to make him a new baby play station. I was inspired by our light and reflection series to use mirrors at the baby play station of my son. Our aim was to build a small space that mirrored all the favorite things about my son: family, trains, music, etc. Through simplifying the method for my son (and all of us!), our baby play stations have also assisted with cleaning time. The great thing is that it’s really simple to set up… You can read our disclosure policies here. This article has affiliate ties ~ Thanks for your support!

Photo: Courtesy Crate and Barrel

Consider this a super-cool couch for babies. A tray decorated with a captivating mirror, instruments that rattle, squeak and crinkle gently (for parents who really can’t sing electronically) and sensory textures to touch are included in the soft-but-sturdy seat. It’s trendy and practical overall.

Why Buy a Baby Activity Center?

Scientists and professionals in infant development believe that learning by play is an integral aspect of the development of safe children. That’s why parents should ensure that they select a baby activity center with a broad selection of toys and games to enjoy with their baby while they rest. Activity centers that enable children to get up and walk around will also assist them to improve their core strength and balance and start bearing their own weight.

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Types of Baby Activity Centers

First things first: What is an activity center for babies? In brief, it’s a play station packed with connected items that expose new textures, sounds and other sensory stimuli to infants. What sets it different from a play mat or an exercise gym? Instead of letting them play lying down, you put your child within it or make them move around it. There is another significant characteristic of the best infant play centers: they’re stationary. Miss the wheeled, walker-style models, which are deemed unsafe by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Photo: Courtesy Summer Infant

Want any fun on-the-go? In a snap, this compact infant activity center unfolds. It’s also fitted with a shade-providing canopy and rust-proof fabrics for the outdoors. Finally, Backyard BBQs have only been enjoyable for the entire family.
Mafia III: Definitive Edition

Photo: Courtesy Bright Starts

With this infant activity table and baby saucer combination, we’ll set things off. The seat is wired from the side of the play station so that it can spin around the toys, but if your kid outgrows it, it can also be withdrawn. So clever!

Photo: Courtesy Summer Infant

Instead of a rotational chair, this imaginative infant activity seat has a revolving plate. Our favorite component? That’s because it’s a multipurpose commodity. It transforms to a booster seat and with the optional snack tray (complete with cup holders!), you can swap the toys and make it into an eating spot.

Photo: Courtesy Manufacturer

To learn about and adjust to their world, babies require stimuli. They want it too and your adventurous kiddo is keen to discover the environment around them. On that front, of course, parental engagement plays a major part, but we all realize that you can’t be their sole form of entertainment. (Dirty laundry is piling up, and you’re working with very, very little sleep!) Play mats provide children with enough diversion, so it’s time to up the ante as your kid grows older. Invest in an outstanding infant play center until they’re more active and able to sit or stand upright (starting at 6 months).

Photo: Courtesy Fisher-Price

Keep the cute themes of animals going! There are toy critters that bobble, rattle and “fly overhead in this infant play jumper. Depending on the ever-growing) scale of your boy, it’s adjustable to three different heights. Bonus: The soft seat is machine-washable in a practical way.

Photo: Courtesy Fisher-Price

This soft and supportive stowable seat comes with beloved-by-babies attaching toys and the attached animal paws create noise for even more fun. In the baby activity centre room, it’s a small, easy-to-transport choice.

Photo: Courtesy Skip Hop
Photo: Courtesy Evenflo

A few nice themes, such as the “Polar Playground” edition pictured, come with this baby saucer. We like the pleasant paint range it offers, adorable animal accents and abundant sensory experiences. Smooth, squeaky and singing toys are there to play with. Plus it helps your baby to bounce.

Activities and Features

Any activity center below provides your kid with numerous themes, functionality, and activities to enjoy. Some encourage your baby to jump up and down when playing, for example. For fast transport and storage, some fold away.

Photo: Courtesy Oribel

This baby activity center is somewhat more minimalist than other models; the elegant yet still-adorable style is appreciated. We also appreciate that the baby saucer is foldable (score) for travel; it has a bouncy, rotating seat and is best sold with optional children’s chairs so that it can be fully transformed into a play table.

Photo: Courtesy Janod

Looking for an even cuter thing? Try this wooden toy produced by a French company that’s chic. It is vivid and vibrant, has puzzles and beads that are entertaining, and even has completely cute animal figurines. Proof that you don’t have to abandon elegance only because the kids’ stuff fills your house.

CanDo Kiddo Blog

As a new mom, it may be tempting to believe that the only way you can get something accomplished is to place the infant in a baby swing, bouncy or rocking seat or other kid positioners. But you may be shocked at how happy and satisfied your little one will play on the nearby floor while you tackle some tasks on your to-do list, especially if floortime play is part of the daily routine of your kid. AND science indicates that less regular time is optimal for growth in baby equipment and decreases the chances of Flat Head Syndrome / Positional Plagiocephaly and Torticollis Syndrome for infants (neck tightness).

About the author

A satisfied work-at-home mum, Katie Joiner. She can be seen taking pictures, playing with her friends, and finding out whether or not she can get into another Starbucks while she’s not busy protecting her cats from the kids and attempting to find out what’s for dinner. Children 7, 4, & infant <1. Come over and say hello to @Happilyevermom on her FB channel, or Pinterest, her favorite place. CLICK HERE FOR MORE RECENT POSTS

Love this table

Heart the table. An choice to transform the seat into a storage basket/bag until the baby no longer sits on the table is one thing I can add. Nice spot to stand for an older baby/toddler to take toys out of the centre.

Floor Time Play

You will notice that “Tummy Time” will never be the same until your baby is able to move and begins focusing on crawling. Although there are options to continue Tummy Time for an early roller or a baby who also requires belly-down play to improve the neck and upper body, both need the direct support. So for baby stations that you hope to give you a moment of baby’s hands-free time (but also directly supervised), try to encourage rolling, reaching and running for more general floor time activity. Toys that have the power to roll away inspire your child to move after them, such as balls. Toys that rattle or create a simple noise as they turn are perfect for children at this age who are continuing to understand that their actions will change the environment around them (the beginning of cause and effect learning).