Why You Need An Epic Size Toki Mat
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Why You Need An Epic Size Toki Mat

July 15, 2024

As adults, we don’t think twice about the motor skills required to complete simple tasks in our daily life. Every movement we make—reaching for our coffee cup, walking from room to room, or squatting down to pick up a fallen toy— is done without much thought. Babies, however, have to work hard to build the strength and coordination to lift their head on their head on their own, roll over, crawl, and eventually walk. To help your baby reach these milestones, you need to give them plenty of floor time on their belly. Tummy time is the best way to improve head control and build those head, neck, and trunk muscles that are the foundation for gross motor movement. It sounds simple enough, but tummy time comes with one major caveat: most babies hate it.

It’s common for babies to cry and fuss when placed on their bellies because not only do they lack the strength to make it comfortable, they’re working against gravity. Your baby’s head is disproportionately larger than their body, and lifting that much weight is hard work! For the first month or two of life, your little one will only be able to briefly pop up their head during tummy time. Most of the time, they’ll just practice turning their head from side to side and resting it on the floor in the meantime. Although there are a million different toys and products that are marketed toward making tummy time more bearable, the one thing that actually makes a huge difference is a comfortable baby play mat.

Nobody likes to lay on a hard floor, and most play mats offer little in the way of padding. While quilted fabric mats may be a safer and cleaner choice than many foam mats (which can be full of harmful chemicals), they’re not soft enough for hardwood floors. It’s hard for parents to find something that meets their standards for comfort, safety, and aesthetic—which is the exact problem that Toki Mats founder Eli Yonas encountered when looking for a play mat for her baby. So, she made her own. The Toki mat is a one-of-a-kind play mat made from natural latex foam, a super soft yet supportive material that feels ultra comfortable for babies, kids, and adults. With Oeko-Tex, GOTS, and GOLS certifications to back up its high-quality, non-toxic, and environmentally-responsible claims, the Toki mat feels like the ultimate love letter from a mother to her baby.

Toki mats come in three sizes: standard, mega, and epic. While the standard and mega sizes are perfect for small spaces or for carrying with you from room to room, the epic size is a must-have fixture in your living room or playroom. Laying at 60 by 84 inches, the epic mat gives your baby a huge safe space to practice rolling, sitting, or crawling, and leaves room for family members to join in on the fun. While the floor isn’t usually a place where adults would sit and lay (hello, aching joints and back pain), the 1” of ultra cushy latex foam in a Toki mat makes all the difference. Whether you're playing on your hands and knees, demonstrating how to roll back and forth, or just laying next to your baby as they play,, the epic mat provides ample space and cushioning for you to stay on the floor as long as you want. 

With a whopping 5 by 7 feet of soft, responsive cushioning that maintains the same level support over the years, there’s not much to dislike about the epic mat. But, we’ll be the first to admit that getting the cover back on after wash day can be a full body workout. After all, it is a big mat! The good news is that we now offer the epic size in our vegan leather mats, which are waterproof, i.e. you literally never have to take the cover off. If the mat gets messy, simply wipe it down, and it’s as good as new! 

Although our epic size mats in other cover options, like organic cotton and bamboo jersey, aren’t waterproof, they come with a waterproof cover that’s free of charge to you! When it’s wash day, simply remove the outer cover (leaving the inner waterproof cover on the mat), and toss it in the washing machine. It’s not a necessity, but a second cover is certainly nice to have to swap out on wash day. With an easy-to-clean design and a large area of cushioned support, the epic Toki mat is exactly as it’s named—-epic.

Mudcloth Vegan Leather Mat

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Mudcloth Vegan Leather Mat

$225 - $545

Meet the perfect play mat for your baby’s tummy time or toddler’s playtime! Our vegan leather mats are super comfy, easily portable, and waterproof for both indoor and outdoor use.

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Why You Need An Epic Size Toki Mat

About the Author: Alice

Alice Mendoza is a copywriter and blog writer based in Los Angeles. She began writing for a baby brand while on maternity leave, and realized she had found her niche. Today, she writes exclusively within the baby space, using her BFA in Creative Writing and her own experience as a mother to guide her. When she’s not working, you can find her chasing down her toddler, going on walks around the neighborhood, or watching reality TV.

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