The best baby activity gym

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Fisher Price Kick and Play Piano ($40): An older version of this toy was one of my oldest child's favorite things as a baby, but the updated design uses a smaller play mat and the arches are right at the baby's sides, which discourages rolling.

Bright Start Tummy Time Prop and Play Mat ($25): This is a good, affordable mat for tummy time with a no-slip pillow, but the Skip Hop's rolling side was just a bit better — the larger size encouraged more turning, while older babies can flatten the propped up section easily on the Bright Start.

Bright Starts Zippy Zoo Activity Gym ($25): I was pleasantly surprised at the large size and quality of this mat considering the affordable price point, but the toys are easy to slip off the arches and it was a bit annoying to have to frequently re-attach the toys.

Skip Hop Camping Cub Activity Gym ($85): The Skip Hop Camping Cubs is an adorable, well-made mat and the hanging toys are very high quality, but the tee-pee shape is a bit awkward — the toys could hang right next to baby's head or out of reach overhead.

Kicking is a developmental skill too — and the Baby Einstein Kickin' Tunes Music Activity Gym encourages lots of it with a piano built into the end. The piano converts from kicking play to a tabletop piano for seated play, or it can be removed from the stand entirely.

As a budget option, the toys aren't as high quality as some of the others that I've tested. They are smaller and made of plastic, but the fabric book and crinkle toy feel a bit less flimsy. My son didn't mind at all, however. In fact, the flash cards are one of my son's favorite things and he sits and talks to them and chews on them. The toys have all held up to more than a month of use.

The mat is smaller than most, measuring 18 inches by 27 inches, but the arches are far enough apart that they don't discourage rolling. The baby will simply be off the mat if they roll. Other mats keep the baby's feet better positioned by the piano, but at the expense of discouraging a developmental milestone. The mat is made of resin-treated polyester and is machine washable but needs to air-dry.

The arches have two loops of different heights to hold the toys. The lower position and the tummy time pillow allow the play gym to adapt to tummy time. Occasionally, my son was able to pull the toys off the arch — which he loved, since he could chew on them. But the toys stay on the arches more than other budget options that we tried. There's a lot for baby to play with without spending a lot of cash.

Pros: Kicking piano, fun toys, room to roll, affordable

Cons: Smaller mat, toys don't always stay on the arches

Large play mats may be better for a baby to practice skills like rolling, but they are less than ideal for small spaces or packing up for travel. The Infantino 4-in-1 Twist and Fold offers a unique solution with a folding design that makes it easy to tuck away that large play mat for travel. The design is also ideal for use in small spaces — my son plays on the Infantino in the bathroom as I get ready in the morning. When I'm finished, I can quickly fold it and hang the entire thing on a towel hook.

The top of the Twist and Fold looks like a four-legged tripod, a shape that isn't ideal for positioning the toys. But push down on the plastic centerpiece and the legs lock into an arch shape. A simple twist lever folds the gym back down in seconds. In the past, I've used portable play gyms that have toppled over — but once the legs are locked in place, the Infantino is very sturdy.

The Twist and Fold includes four hanging toys, a mirror, and a musical monkey that spins from the center of the play gym. The toys are well built and stay attached to the arch when the baby pulls on them. Although they can't be adjusted to a new position, there are enough hooks to place the toys above the baby or low and to the side to encourage rolling and tummy play. A tummy time pillow is also included and seems to hold up well. The polyester play mat is also easy to toss in the washing machine but is air-dry only.

The unique design allows the Twist and Fold to provide a play area large enough for baby to roll on but can easily be tucked away to free up floor space or to take on the go. Sturdy and well-built, the play mat is also surprisingly affordable.

Pros: Sturdy, folding design; large, washable play mat; fun toys and pillow; affordable

Cons: Cannot adjust the toy positions

Correctly positioning toys on an infant play gym can be tricky — you want baby to be able to reach and grasp at toys above without getting hit in the face, and to turn and roll toward toys hanging low to the side. The Tiny Love Gymini is the most adjustable play gym, thanks to both arches and toys that slide.

The arches themselves on the Gymini have a connection that allows you to skew the arches toward one side so the baby can reach them for tummy time or even seated play. The toys themselves hook onto sturdy plastic slides that can also slide up and down the arch to change their position. That allows for a versatile play experience where the gym can be tailored to baby's size and stage.

The mat itself is large, nearly 3 feet on every side, allowing plenty of room for rolling. The polyester mat is machine washable, and unlike most other play mats, it is also dryer-safe on low heat.

The Gymini is offered in several different versions, but we tested the black and white one, which has a high-contrast design that's geared toward the vision of a young baby. The toys have a good variety, with a chime toy, a mobile, and two animal toys.

While the Gymini is not a budget model, it's not exorbitantly priced either. It also includes a developmental guide to give you ideas for play as baby grows, but it doesn't include a tummy time pillow.

Pros: Adjustable design, large play mat, affordable, developmental guide

Cons: No tummy time pillow

Four simple buttons make a big difference on the Skip Hop Farmstand Grow and Play Activity Gym. With those buttons, the ends fold up, creating a space for tummy time play. The fold-up sides are much wider (32 inches) than the dedicated tummy time mats that we tried, encouraging more movement — the baby has to turn to see the entire side. The first time I placed my son on the mat, he turned in a complete circle trying to see everything on the mat.

One side houses two crinkle leaves and a mirror, while the arches have a slot for two low-hanging toys also within reach. The opposite side has a pocket for the crinkle carrot toy to hide in. Two hooks on each of the non-rolling sides can also be used to clip one of the hanging toys. The watermelon wedge pillow is both cute and functional for propping up younger babies. Thanks to the fold-up sides, loose toys are also less likely to slide out of reach.

While the tummy time features set the mat apart, the Skip Hop Farmstand is excellent all around. The toys are engaging and can be hung in several spots on the arches. The mat is also plenty large enough to allow for rolling. One of the arches, when removed, also doubles as a growth chart. With the arches removed, the polyester-blend mat is easy to toss in the washing machine (just not the dryer).

My only complaint is that the ribbon loops on the toys may not hold up quite as well as other materials. My dog got ahold of one of the toys, and once snagged, the ribbon unraveled. That shouldn't happen with regular use, however.

Pros: Fold-up sides for tummy time, lots of ways to play, large washable mat

Cons: Ribbon hooks less durable

Most play gyms have flashy plastic toys and simple small mats. But the Lovevery is not most play gyms. The differences begin with the play mat and continue with the sleek wood arches. First, the mat is huge. The large size — about 3 feet wide with the tummy time sections closed and nearly 4 feet with them open — means baby doesn't immediately roll off. The generous size also helps prolong the gym's use since it can accommodate crawlers if you scatter more toys around the mat. However, this also means it's not an ideal choice for small spaces.

The mat houses five different tummy time stations around the edge. My son was obsessed with the crinkly paper section. Another section houses different textured tags, a hide-and-seek ring toy, a colorful mix of tags, and a pop-up for inserting a mirror and pictures. Each tummy time section can each be closed when not in use.

While the tummy stations are colorful, the play mat is a neutral off-white. I was initially worried about stains, but so far, everything has washed out easily, including sweet-potato-laced spit-up. The mat is a polyester blend that's machine washable but needs to air-dry.

The mat is topped by a wooden play arch with three legs and three hanging toys — a wooden noisemaker, a ring with crinkly fabric, and a fabric ball. Three clips can also hold picture cards for younger babies to look at.

A guide included with the play gym opens up more ways to play based on baby's developmental stages. For example, I never would have thought to position my son so that he could kick the ball instead of grab it or kick the crinkle paper section on the mat.

At first, the Lovevery Play Gym felt a bit too simple — but as my son played, it quickly became a favorite. The gym is designed to target development without overstimulating. Young babies won't be able to reach more than one toy at a time, but my son didn't seem to mind focusing on batting one toy around at that age.

If there's a downside to the Lovevery Play Gym, it's the price. It's one of the more expensive options for an infant activity gym. But for parents with a big enough budget, its focus on developmental stages, large play mat, and design that easily works with most decor warrants the expense.

Pros: Large mat, versatile play, developmental guide, wood construction, easy to wash

Cons: Expensive, too large for small spaces