When it comes to entertaining your baby, you don’t want to just plop them down in front of the TV so that you can get a few minutes to yourself. You want an option that entertains them in a healthy and fun way, an option that helps them to grow and develop.
And the best way to achieve these things is with a play gym, complete with a clean space for them to lay on while they play with age-appropriate toys.
There are so many options out on the market available for single babies, but what about twins? Would a normal play gym work for two babies?
We are here to look at some of those best play gyms for twins that aren’t necessarily advertised for twins but offer certain features that will work for your two-baby family.
5 Best Play Gyms for Twins to Get
Why Do You Need a Special Play Gym for Twins?
Most standard play mats do not offer enough space for two babies to play together nor do they have enough of a toy variety and/or quantity that will work for two babies.
You will need to find a play gym that is suitable for two babies to play at once, even if they don’t always play together. It is important to find a product that at least offers that option.
Shortly, we will take an in-depth look at some of the features you will want to look for in a play gym for your twins.
Best Ways to Utilize a Play Gym for Twins
When placing both of your babies on the mat for the play gym together, you will want to slightly stagger them, head next to head with their feet going in opposite directions.
This will prevent them from kicking each other as well as minimize the chance of smacking each other in the head.
You will also want to pay attention to how you set up their toys, keeping a few within reach of each baby so there is no fussing and fighting.
How to Choose the Right Play Gym for Twins
Mat Size
First things first, you need to make sure there is enough room for both of your babies to lie down on the twin playmat together to play.
You don’t want them hitting each other (on purpose or by accident), rolling on each other, or fussing over the same toy or space on the mat.
Make sure your play gym comes with a mat big enough to give them both ample space to play, preferably an extra large mat.
Variety of Toys
Babies learn quite a bit through play time, whether you realize it or not. They develop fine and gross motor skills, learn the concept of object permanence as well as cause and effect, and can even pick up on facial expressions by watching themselves in a mirror.
As such, you will want to makes sure your twins’ play gym comes with a good variety of toys that will allow them to explore and develop all of these skills.
Easy Set Up
You already have your hands full with two babies; why make things more difficult for yourself with a play gym that takes too much time or concentration to set up?
Look for a play gym that is easy to set up, either with a minimal number of parts or a design that simply pops up into place.
Options for Additional Toys
Of course, with two babies, you will want to make sure there are plenty of toys to go around.
Most play gyms only come with a maximum of 5, which may seem like enough, but when it’s only one of each type (crinkle, mirror, squeaky, spinning, etc.), you will wish you had more.
Some best play gyms for twins come with extra rings or spots where you can attach additional toys that you purchase separately so that children can have more options or just play with the ones that are their favorite.
Materials Used
All of the above features are important to for your babies’ development and comfort as well as your own sanity, but they don’t really speak about anything that has to do with the safety of your baby.
No matter what type of product you are purchasing for your baby, you want to make sure it uses safe materials.
This means materials that are non-toxic as well as sturdy so that there is no risk of the gym falling on your baby, them choking on small pieces, or having some sort of adverse reaction to an irritating or slightly toxic material.
Best Play Gyms for Twins
#1 Fisher-Price Rainforest Music & Lights Deluxe Gym
This play gym from Fisher-Price may not have the biggest mat space for two babies, but it’s a great option for newborn twins.
There is an abundance of activities to enjoy, with over 10 toys and activities. These include several detachable toys as well as extra rings for attaching your own.
One of the best features is the fact that the sounds, music, and lights are responsive to your babies’ movements so you don’t have to keep getting up to start it over again.
Pros:
- Easy to set up
- Lots of removable toys
- Extra rings for more toy attachments
- Music settings respond to babies’ movement
Cons:
- Smaller space for two babies
- A few toys are very hard
- Doesn’t break down very small
- Deluxe newborn gym with 10+ toys and activities and a removable, take-along toucan with music and dancing lights
- Three ways to play: Lay & play, tummy time and take-along
- Responds to baby’s movement with music and lights in short-play setting
#2 Taf Toys Seaside Pals Baby Gym
This play gym is one of the few that actually includes a mat with extra padding, making it much more comfortable for your little ones to lie down and play.
There aren’t many toy options that come with this gym and there is limited space on the arches to add more.
However, this play gym features one of the largest mats we have seen, giving you plenty of space for two babies and an abundance of toys. It is actually advertised as a mat big enough for two.
Pros:
- Thickly cushioned mat
- Big enough for two
- Includes 3 toys, mirror, and tummy time pillow
- Easy to stow away
Cons:
- Limited options for toy placement
- Too slippery for crawling
- Surface clean only
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#3 Skip Hop Baby Treetop Friends Activity Gym
This play gym from Skip Hop doesn’t offer much space in terms of play mat area, but it is still a great option among other best play gyms for twins due to the option for extra toy attachment.
There are 13 loops included on both the arches and mat, so there is plenty of space to add more toys for your little ones to play with.
It only takes 2 minutes to put this together or even take it apart to store away when not in use. The mat is also machine washable (with a removeable mirror in the middle) which is a great plus.
Pros:
- Mat is machine washable
- Lots of loops for toy attachment
- Two color schemes
- Easy to assemble and disassemble
Cons:
- Small mat area
- A bit overpriced
- Material isn’t very soft
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#4 Baby Einstein 5-in-1 Journey of Discovery Activity Gym
Not only will this play mat entertain your little one but it also provides a means of education for years to come. What else can be expected from Baby Einstein?
The global theme of this play mat and gym gives you the opportunity to discover the world, teaching your child with the use of the mat’s map design.
Everything included is spot clean only, but the mat is very easy to wipe down when there are messes.
The mat also folds up into a ball pit or enclosed play area that includes 10 balls and a carrying case that looks like a suitcase.
Pros:
- Doubles as ball pit
- Large play mat space
- Global theme promotes education
- Includes storage for balls
Cons:
- Spot clean only
- Only enough space for two when completely unfolded
- Mat doesn’t provide much cushion
- Grows with baby: 5 settings for development stages
- Listen to 20 minutes of global-themed music
- Includes puppet, prop pillow, take along toys
#5 Bright Starts 5-in-1 Your Way Ball Play Activity Gym
This play gym is highly versatile, with the ability to entertain your children right into toddlerhood since it doubles as a ball pit.
The walls of the play mat unfold to create a large 48-inch square play area that can be used with or without the overhead gym. This gives plenty of space for your twins to play together.
There aren’t any extra loops for toy additions, but you can either allow free play on the open mat or switch out the removable toys for others they may be interested in.
It also comes in two color schemes: pink for girls and green for boys or gender neutral, making it a great choice in our best play gyms for twins list!
Pros:
- Doubles as a ball pit
- Mat can be used without the gym
- Machine washable mat
- Comes in two color themes
Cons:
- A bit flimsy
- Need to follow washing instructions very closely
- More expensive than comparable best play gyms for twins
- Playtime is a ball with the ball-pit play gym
- Mat can be folded up to create walls
- Imaginative infant play gym with lights
Conclusion
If you could only choose one among the best play gyms for twins in the list, we would recommend the Bright Starts 5-in-1 Your Way Ball Play Activity Gym.
Overall, it is the best option for twins. There is an abundance of activities to enjoy, including the ability to transform the mat into a ball pit.
Unfolded, the play mat area is very big, giving enough space for both of your little ones to play together at the same time.
There are also a total of 10 detachable toys, more than we have seen on any other play gym so far!
But if you prefer a more affordable option, then consider the Taf Toys Seaside Pals Baby Gym. Well loved by many parents for its large mat, adorable sensory toys and overall design, this is our next best favorite!
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Last update on 2025-01-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
