On most days, we mums can’t get anything done by ourselves, so an activity centre is a great way to entertain your little one and give you a bit of time to do whatever you need to – whether that’s making lunch, doing the ninth load of washing of the day, or sitting down and breathing.

Activity centres are aimed at babies who are developing physically and mentally, usually between four to six months and upwards. Placing your baby in an activity centre not only gives them exciting toys that can aid in development but also keep them safely in one place while you get on with other things.

A lot of activity centres also double up as walkers or jumpers, giving babies that first sense of freedom of movement.

What age do babies use activity centres?

Four months is usually the minimum age stated on most activity centres, but we recommend waiting until your baby can sit up unassisted in order to prevent poor posture.

Are activity centres bad for babies?

Activity centres are a great opportunity for your baby to learn through play, understand cause and effect and develop key skills. Having said that, too much time spent in an activity centre can delay motor milestones by restraining them to one seat, and also negatively impact posture.

For this reason, we suggest a maximum of 15 minutes of play within an activity centre per day, to give your little one the opportunity to explore the world around them independently.

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