It was absolutely worth it for us. I got it second hand from a friend, and it has been a total lifesaver. Especially since my baby has wanted to be held upright essentially her entire life... It's been a big hit!
Praise
Baby & Kids
Skip Hop Baby Activity Gym and Play Mat, Explore & More
Best Baby Play Gym
The Skip Hop Baby Activity Gym and Play Mat (ASIN B07NRRS6PW) includes eight removable developmental toys, a tummy time support pillow, and a padded cotton mat that converts to a stand-up activity table at 12 months. Available on Amazon.ca under $90, it provides multi-sensory stimulation from newborn through toddlerhood in a modern neutral design.
10 mentions · 5 threadslast mention Mar 20267.8/ 10
ClearPick Score
Decent
Score informed by 10 owner mentions across 5 Reddit threads · see every quote ↓
7 positive2 mixed1 negative
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Best Baby Play Gym
Skip Hop Baby Activity Gym and Play Mat, Explore & More
~$89 CAD est. on Amazon.ca
View on Amazon.ca →Opens Amazon.ca · Affiliate link✅ Ships to Canada
✅ Prime eligible (most orders)
✅ 30-day Amazon returns
✅ No extra cost to you
Every mention, sourced
Real comments from Reddit, linked to the original thread. Nothing paraphrased.
Yes! Both of my kids loved it and it gave me enough time to shower or get bottles ready, or do dishes, etc.
Praise
Oh, the circle activity centre things. It's like a baby jail. And sometimes babies need to go to baby jail so parents can make food, or go to the washroom or change cat litter or a million little things.
Mention
I had no idea there was a weight limit on that thing. My baby has always been in the 99th percentile in everything so her weight was just piling on so quickly but now it's really slowed down. At her 6 month appointment she was 22lbs and she's 7 months now and barely 23lbs. I got it for her when she was 6mon and she loved it, it became so easy to get things done with her in it and not having to worry about her crawling anywhere she shouldn't. Now at 7mon, she's not as crazy as she was about it at first but she will still stay in it for a good amount of time before she gets bored. I like that it can turn into a table and just end up getting chairs and boom, don't got to worry about ever getting a table for her. But based off what you said, maybe by 9 months she won't be able to stand in it anymore. The price is kind of crazy to me but it has taken a load off me by being able to put her in there and not worry about her whereabouts or what she's playing with. For the 3 months of peace... it's worth it to me lol
Comparison
It's great as a table but we got the wooden IKEA chairs for it instead of the matching ones. They seemed really unstable and uncomfortable for adults and kids. We also have the basic Ikea plastic table in a different room, both are very heavily used and loved.
Comparison
100%. We loved it and now have it converted to a table and it still get used on the daily. When my second comes and we convert it back to the play center my first is gonna be pissed I'm sure
Praise
I have the skip hop you linked and love it because it turns into a chalkboard table. You can buy little chairs to go with it. My LO is 3.5 years old and we still use it like that. If it didn't have that function we would have stopped using it a long time ago, especially because my LO was big and outgrew quickly. There won't be a point to have both those items you have in your post (unless maaaybe you have a multi level house and feel like leaving one upstairs and 1 downstairs or you would leave at grandparents house). So if you like the skip hop one better I would resell or give away the other one.
Praise
My baby is pretty big—we used it from 5 months to 10.5 months, but now we have it as a little table for her
Praise
Looking back at my photos, it seems like as early as 4 months! She's 9 months now and we still use it daily. We limit container time to about 15 minutes per day, but it's still super useful and she genuinely seems to enjoy it!
Praise
We had the skip hop table with our first and used it for our son to eat at instead of the high chair and it was so annoying to keep clean. I also second that it takes up too much room for the size you have to work with. Not sure what we'll do this time around, but I think a simple square table makes more sense.
Complaint
✅ What Works
- Eight diverse developmental toys covering multiple sensory modalities—visual (high-contrast mirror), auditory (rattle, crinkle), tactile (teether, soft textures)—provide age-appropriate stimulation without needing separate toy purchases for the first 6 months
- The tummy time support wedge is included rather than sold separately—a meaningful cost savings since tummy time is developmentally essential and a separate foam wedge costs $20–$35 on its own
- The convert-to-activity-table design at age 1+ extends the useful life through the toddler fine motor development stage, meaning parents get 18+ months of use rather than the 4–5 months typical of play gym-only products
- Skip Hop's aesthetic design (modern, neutral colors, avoided primary color overload) is a genuine market differentiator for parents who care about home aesthetics and want baby gear that doesn't visually dominate a living room
⚠️ Worth Knowing
- The mat foam padding is not removable for washing—only the cotton cover comes off; food spills on the foam base require spot cleaning and air drying, which can be slow
- The arch frame is plastic and feels less substantial than the metal-frame arches on premium alternatives like the Lovevery Play Gym ($200+); adequate for home use but noticeably lighter in feel
- By 4–5 months, most babies outgrow the lying-under-the-gym phase and the activity table conversion becomes relevant; planning for the transition makes the product feel complete
ClearPick Verdict
The Skip Hop Explore & More gym is the right choice for parents who want a fully-equipped developmental play space with included tummy time support, multi-sensory toys, and a design that extends into toddlerhood. At $90, it undercuts the Lovevery Play Gym ($200+) significantly while providing comparable developmental toy variety. The foam base washability limitation is a real consideration for messy babies, but for the majority of parents the mat cover washing is sufficient.
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