Emma Goodall and her five-month-old baby Will tried out this Infantino baby gym to see whether it stood up to the challenge of occupying a baby.
Setting up this baby gym is quick and easy, so it's one of the best baby gyms to buy if you're a fan of ease and convenience when it comes to baby gear.
The twist-and-click connections of the arch make the gym feel sturdy and robust. “This makes it perfect for a wriggly five-month-old who likes pulling on the arches,” says Emma.
Infantino has designed this gym with black and white patterns for newborns and pops of colour for older babies. The result is a chic toy that even the most style-conscious parents won't mind having in their living room.
Babies love it too and Emma was surprised by how engaged Will was. The mat has been designed so that you can take milestone photos on it and there’s a musical sloth in the centre that babies can reach up and grab.
Emma feels it justifies its price tag as it's robust and stylish, although she did think it was a little lacking in toys compared to other gyms in this price bracket.
Design
Age suitability: From birth
This Infantino baby gym combines black and white patterns with pops of bright colour so it’s engaging for babies without being too garish for adults.
“The bright colour loops contrast with the black and white arches, and I often caught my son's attention encouraging him to reach and turn even if a toy wasn't attached,” said Emma. “One reason to buy this product is the stylish thoughtful design which engages with a baby without taking over the space.”
The characters (particularly the central sloth) are really cute with very expressive faces and Will was captivated by them. The Velcro attachment on the toys has been deliberately designed so it’s not very strong meaning babies can easily pull toys off to play with.
“The teether leaf connected to the toucan toy was a popular item with Will, and he lay chomping away happily,” adds Emma.
She feels this gym is very robust and will survive a lot of use, however, she did think it could do with a few more toys and accessories.
Comfort and features
One of the standout features of this baby gym is that it’s designed so that the playmat can double up as a background for milestone photos.
While Emma thought this was “a lovely added bonus”, she flagged that “the mat felt a bit too small for taking milestone pictures once a baby is over six months.”
She did, however, rave about the easy click-and-twist fold system: “It's fast and simple to pack up the gym to move it around. And it feels safe and secure each time I fold it back out.”
The centre sloth was also a hit and hangs low enough so a baby can reach it. It plays “a lovely set of musical tunes but you have to pull it quite hard,” explains Emma. “Too hard for a baby to pull and set off.”
Value for money
At around £50, this baby gym is a mid-range product and Emma feels it's worth the price.
“The Infantino 4-in-1 play gym is 100% value for money,” she says. “It's ideal for my busy five-month-old and I could easily see a smaller baby getting lots out of the contrasting black and white colour as well as the tummy time pillow.”
She also rated its overall style and robust feel. “It’s perfect for someone looking for a stylishly designed but engaging baby gym… I would recommend this to a friend as my little one really enjoys it.".
