Go-La Rolla makes a great, stylish, high-quality yet still lightweight portable play mat. It also has handy carrying straps, making portability a cinch. There are loops on the side where you can attach some of baby’s favorite toys. Best of all, it’s made of organic cotton, so you can be sure of baby’s safety while playing on it. This is the perfect solution to take with you when visiting friends or relatives who might not have a clean, safe surface for baby to play on or to enjoy tummy time. The cover is also removable and washable. Available in a variety of colors, you can purchase this mat for $99.99 at GoLaRolla.com.

I like the idea of the Edushape Play and Sound Mat. I think it could entertain a baby who is either not on the go, just starting to push herself around, or really on the go and popping in for some fun now and then. It could really last in a playroom or play area for a couple years. The flowers have buttons on them that baby can push; the reward for pushing them is a melody. With textures, mirrors, and a price tag of $50 at diapers.com, it’s an idea for a young baby’s Christmas gift this year that isn’t cheap but isn’t overly expensive either.

I have been coveting the Skip Hop Play Spot in Green/Brown (but the Blue/Gold is lovely as well) for some time now. However, I cannot afford to spend upwards of $100 for a 14” by 14” play mat. It’s so attractive and really would finish off our playroom (or nursery) and is listed for $79 at Amazon.com. The Play Spot is made of EVA foam, is easy to customize to fit your room (use some of the tiles or all), comes in a few attractive colors, and will be fun to create patterns with—you just switch out circles to create your own pattern.

We’ve written several posts about this upscale play mat from the Kushies Zolo line. It truly is luxurious. Unfortunately, ours proved a little too attractive to older children. Everyone who came over wanted to play with it. The end result was that one of the plastic hinges on the bar that holds the legs together broke, rendering the play arch useless. We salvaged the toys from the arch, and they are still well-loved by our baby, as is the mat itself, but I’m a little disappointed that it broke so easily. While the hinged arch makes set up a breeze, for this reason, I think I’d rather have the more time consuming, but unbreakable tent-pole-style arches that most play mats use. You can purchase one of these for $119.95 at glammatoys.com. Just be careful with it!

How wonderful it must be to sit on a rug made of genuine lambskin if you’re a baby (or even an adult!) The Auckland Baby Lambskin is the perfect alternative to a play mat or travel blanket. With trimmed wool and treated chemically-free, the Baby Lambskin is designed to make baby feel comfortable, secure, yet still remain mobile on the floor. Measuring 45 cm wide x 95 cm long, the Baby Lambskin also makes a great gift. You can purchase it at Sheepskinfurs.com, where it sells for $89.99.

I was flipping through the catalogue that came with our Plan Toys doll house furniture and came upon this adorable picnic play mat. My middle daughter (who is three) is very into pretend play right now. She carries her toy food and dishes all over the house. This is right up her alley, plus it is easily portable and, more importantly, easily contained. I think she would actually enjoy keeping her toy food neat and orderly in this mat. It buttons to keep picnic goods inside and is made from 100% cotton using fair trade practices. You can purchase one for $35 at peekagreen.com.

Here is an attractive way to keep your little one safe on the go.  The Wagamama Play Mat is designed for use either on its own or in a play pen.  Made from some gorgeous fabrics, it allows you to put your little one down away from home without worrying about the cleanliness of the surface.  It is perfect for hotel play pens, which often aren’t quite as sterile as we would like them to be. It is also perfect for smaller outings to the homes of friends and family, the park, etc.  It rolls up compactly so you can carry it with you without too much trouble, and it is completely machine washable, so you can clean it up nicely when you arrive back home.

You can purchase one of these fun and innovative mats for $90 at MyBellySprout.com.  A number of fabric choices are available, although I am quite partial to this “Alex” version.

My toddler is really into cars all of a sudden.  She likes to load all of her Little People toys into their bus and minivan and roll them around our living room.  This Driving Around Town Play Mat from My Lullabug has added a whole new dimension to her game.

Although she doesn’t quite understand the concept of staying on the road (and, unfortunately, running over stray Little People seems to be part of the fun), she definitely likes having an “official” surface for her vehicles to drive on.  The mat is perfect for all kinds of other cars as well.

As a parent, I love that it inspires imaginative play.  I also am very pleased with the fact that it folds up easily and can be tucked away when not in use.  This gives it a big advantage over roadway carpets, which I wouldn’t want in my living room.  It also wipes clean, which is a huge plus when young children are playing with it. Best of all, the product is made in the USA, so it is safe and free from sweat-shop labor.

You can purchase one of these mats for $28.95 at mylullabug.com. It comes with a tote bag made from recycled materials that is perfect for storing the mat, and which allows your little one to pack up a few cars and take them with him/her.  It would make a great holiday or birthday gift.

This Little Monkey Cuddling Mat by RedEnvelope looks like a lot of fun, and would make a great gift.  The monkey design is positively charming, and it seems like it would be very inviting to both a baby who is just starting to sit up and become mobile, as well as to older toddlers.  My two year old loves to sprawl out on out hardwood floors and it just doesn’t look comfortable.  I am thinking that something like this would be a fun and practical solution.  It also doesn’t take up a lot of space, and it has a look that I can live with, even in common areas of the house.

Designed for children from birth through the toddler years, the mat is so cozy that it can double as a security blanket.  It measures 22 1/2″W x 25 1/2″L , and can be personalized with up to fifteen letters for an additional $10.  You can purchase one for $34.95 at redenvelope.com.  Other animal faces are also available, but I personally think the monkey is by far the cutest.

I never liked putting my baby down on the floor without some kind of covering. Even if the floor was carpeted, I just didn’t like the idea that my baby was crawling in the same area on which others are walking. I usually put down a clean sheet and pillows or a blanket from their crib. I like this quilted micro-suede Kensington Play Mat for its generous padding and because it’s made specifically for your child to play on.

Each mat is machine washable and comes with a cinch-tie bag for carrying. You can also have your baby’s play mat personalized in a variety of embroidery fonts and colors. Visit  PoshTots.com to view this product, priced at $180.

I’m a Haba addict, but somehow the Haba Splish Splash play mat has escaped my attention until now. I always have liked water-filled play mats, so of course I am going to have to seriously consider buying this one. The problem that I have had with my previous play mats is that they have all eventually leaked.

Because I have such confidence in the safety and quality of Haba’s products, however, I would be willing to bet that this Haba play mat would hold up. This play mat has a large water-filled area in the middle, complete with fish that “swim” when your baby presses on the water.

The rest of the Splish Splash play mat is equally inviting with bright colors and fabrics. You can purchase one for $94.95 at hunkydoryonline.com.

Here is an upscale alternative to the more commonly-available baby play gyms. I love the understated look of this toy. It is made of soft plush to cushion your baby as she explores. The raised and padded edges keep your baby from rolling off of the mat.

The toy arch holds five removable toys that hang down to entice the baby, while the mat itself will stimulate your baby’s sense of sound and touch. A blue version is also available. Either would make a wonderful baby shower gift. You can purchase one for $115 at thekiddiecloset.com.

I’ve been a fan of anything frog or dragonfly for some time now and the Boppy Tummy Play Pad-Frog is no exception to my wish list. Vividly colored but not overwhelming for baby, it promotes tummy time, an important early stage for baby, and given that some babies aren’t fond of tummy time, the toys attached to the Boppy are a wonderful addition. My son wasn’t opposed to resting on the Boppy pillow but hated lying face flat down on a blanket or flat play pad. It looks fairly easy to take along for visits at grandma’s and is available in Flower for a more girlish look. For $24.99, I’m considering this as a purchase for my own little one to be. Found at www.babyuniverse.com, I’m deeming the Boppy Tummy Play Pad-Frog a good buy for a good price.

One look at this photo is enough to convince me that I need to own this blanket for my next baby. In fact, I wouldn’t mind having it for myself right now! This faux-fur blanket is lined with cotton and is machine washable. Minimink products are made to be gentle against an infant’s sensitive skin. The throw rug can be used as a blanket, wrap, or play mat. It is approximately 39.5 inches. Other sizes are available as well. It comes in three colors: Honey, Milk, and Chocolate. Angelina Jolie and Katie Holmes have both snapped up these incredible blankets for their daughters. You can buy the throw rug for $100 at cute-ture.com

As a mom, it’s important for me to know that my little one’s play area is safe. Our tile flooring is too cold for my taste and our carpet can get a little funky with our dog. So I went online to look for a play surface that was soft, durable and easy to clean. At Baby Oliver Boutique, I found exactly what I was looking for! The PLAYSPOT by Skip Hop is a fun, soft floor surface that is perfect for the kids to play on without worry. What’s great is that you decide how big you want it because it comes with individual tiles that you assemble to fit the desired area. The entire mat measures 70” x 56” but you can add tiles to make it larger or take away tiles to fit a smaller space. The smooth EVA foam is safe for all ages and there are 2 different designs to match your décor. You can get one at babyoliverboutique.com for $69.