Activities with mats for children: a world of creativity and play

Benefits of Mat Exercises for Children

In this section, we will discuss the benefits of using mats in children’s activities.

Discover how mats can help in the development of motor skills, promote independence, and stimulate creativity and imagination.

-Development of motor skills: Using mats in children’s activities can help improve their gross motor skills, such as balance, coordination, and muscular strength.

-Promotes independence: By encouraging independent activities, such as playing on a mat, children learn to make decisions and solve problems on their own, which helps them develop confidence and independence.

-Fosters creativity and imagination: Mats can be used in a variety of activities, allowing babies to explore their creativity and imagination while developing their physical skills.

Activities with mats

Calm Corner

A calm corner with a mat is a space where children can relax and enjoy a peaceful environment.

To create this space, you can place the mat in a quiet and comfortable area, with soft pillows and blankets.

Various relaxation and mindfulness activities can be done, such as deep breathing, listening to soft music, looking at picture books, or simply enjoying the calm.

These activities help children learn to calm down and relax, which can be beneficial for their mental health and emotional well-being.

Additionally, a calm corner can be helpful in aiding babies to sleep better and reducing anxiety.

Space for Movement

When it comes to young children, movement is key!

A mat can become the perfect stage for your little one to have fun while developing important motor skills.

Here’s how to create an active play space:

-Transforming the mat into an active play space: Use cushions or soft toys to create a safe and enjoyable environment where your child can crawl, roll, and somersault.

As your baby grows, add elements like ramps or tunnels to introduce more challenges.

-Activities to stimulate gross and fine motor skills: Encourage your children to jump or roll on the mat. Alternatively, hide toys in the mat for your baby to find.

To improve fine motor skills, you can practice stacking blocks or tossing small balls.

A space for movement is not only fun but also essential for your child’s physical development.

Reading Nook

In this section, we will explore how to use the mat as a space to promote reading and communication with our young children.

-How to use the mat as a space to promote reading and communication:

• Create a reading nook: It can be a corner of the room with the mat and some cushions and pillows for added comfort.
• Use the mat as a reading surface: Sitting on the mat to read creates a relaxed and comfortable environment that promotes communication and emotional bonding.

-Activities to read stories and create narratives with the mat:

• Storytelling on the mat: Reading stories to children while they sit on the mat helps foster their love for reading.
• Creating stories together: The mat can be the stage for creating imaginary stories, encouraging children to use their creativity and develop narrative skills.

These activities not only promote reading and communication but also help children develop linguistic and cognitive abilities, as well as their attention and concentration skills.

Family Yoga Session

Family Yoga Session can be a relaxing and fun activity for everyone.

Here are some ideas to make the most of your Tombarella mat and enjoy a family yoga session:

• Practice basic yoga poses with your child, such as “sun salutation” or “downward dog”.
• Try balancing poses like “half moon” using the mat for support.
• Use the mat to create a relaxing environment and engage in family breathing and meditation exercises.
• Explore partner or group massages and stretches using the mat as a support.
• Play balance and coordination games as a family, using the mat as a base.

Remember that practicing yoga is an activity that can improve the physical and mental health of the whole family, and the Tombarella mat can be a great ally for enjoying a yoga session at home.

Board Games

-How to use the mat as a space for playing adapted board games for babies:

In this section, we will discuss how to utilize the mat as a comfortable and safe surface for playing adapted board games for babies, such as memory games, shape sorters, and stacking games.

-Activities to promote concentration and cognitive development:

We will present various activities and games to stimulate concentration and cognitive development in babies, such as sorting games, shape and color recognition games, among others. Additionally, we will emphasize the importance of playing with babies to foster bonding and family fun.

Symbolic Play

In this section, we will explore how to use the mat as a space to foster imagination and symbolic play in babies.

Encouraging children to use the mat to create imaginary scenarios and engage in role-playing can help develop their creativity and social skills.

Here are some activities to create imaginative stories and games with the mat:

• Create a castle: Use cushions and blankets to build a castle on the mat and encourage children to imagine adventures and characters within it.
• Space journey: Use stickers or draw planets and stars on the mat to create a space-themed setting and encourage children to imagine a space adventure.
• Tea party: Set up a small table and some tea toys on the mat to create an imaginary tea party and encourage children to play as hosts and imagine guests.
• Veterinarian game: Encourage children to imagine the mat as a veterinary clinic and play the role of veterinarians taking care of their plush toys.

Games with mats for children

Games with mats for children are an excellent way to encourage physical activity and fun in a safe and comfortable environment.

Mats provide a padded surface that cushions falls and minimizes the risk of injuries. Children can jump, roll, climb, and play in a variety of ways, promoting motor development and coordination.

Moreover, mats are ideal for group games as they can accommodate multiple children at once, fostering teamwork and socialization.