Having a baby is one of the loveliest phases of a child’s life, but it is also filled with all kinds of spills and mess. Every parent wants that their child to finish every meal without spreading it all over themselves.But it can be impossible to keep an eye on the baby at every mealtime. As a result, mess, spills, food remains can spread onto the floor.
No doubt, a mother can prepare with bibs and other clean-ups to teach good eating habits to her toddler, but does it work? Maybe not! The simplest and convenient way to deal with these issues is a feeding mat, formerly known as silicone placemats.
Silicone placemats make your mealtime stress-free and keep your baby engaged. The mats offer ease of cleaning, are convenient, and come with advanced features designed to catch spills adequately that is being spread by your baby.
Feeding mat is also used for decorating and shielding the table-top which is being damaged by your baby throughout mealtime. If your baby is ready to attend meal sessions, choosing silicone placements from our top-five picks is a perfect choice.
Advantages of Using Baby Placemat
Can you expect sophisticated organization or mess-free eating from your kid? Not at all, as they are not able to handle themselves. Being a parent, it is your responsibility to guide them through their learning period.So, it will be good to have placemats or feeding mats. These mats offer several usages to you along with your baby. Also, there are various other benefits to having a placemat. Let’s talk about them:
- The biggest advantage of having a baby placemat is that it protects your baby’s clothes from getting blemished and dull. The usage of a placemat also reduces the need for a number of bibs and napkins which allows you to save a lot of money.
- Another benefit of using a placemat is to protect the expensive furniture items like tables & chairs from leakage of food. As you all know, spending on furniture is a long-term investment which can get damaged due to stains and harsh cleaning chemicals. Hence, a mat helps you to protect the wooden finish and saves you from a repetitive cleaning process.
- Some placemats offer to eat along with educational activities. That mean, they offer learning ideas and content to your kid. These placemats sever numbers, shapes, alphabets and colours. While few cover the pictures of different animals, stars, moons, geography, human anatomy, and even the solar system.
- Most placemats brand tries to gain the attention of the baby. That is why they can construct placemats with cute pictures and colours. This not only encourages the baby to enjoy every meal but also help in the development of a kid. You will even notice that your baby have a happy mealtime if your baby gets a placemat that has an animal or cartoon character which is liked the most.
Best Buy Baby Silicone Placemats Reviews
Here you go:
1. Munchkin Silicone Placemats
The first silicone placemats are presented by Munchkin which is an innovative solution for every parent to keep those unavoidable spills and food falls. These silicone placemats are perfect for providing a clean surface and catch-all food crumbs. Those parents who are willing to buy a set of two placemats for their baby can consider this product.
The combination of blue and purple is best suited for both baby boy and baby girl. Each placemat is measuring 11.13 inches x 15 inches x 0.07 inches which makes it ideal for a baby’s meal. Another best thing about placemat is that is purely made of silicone which is BPA free, non-toxic, and dishwasher safe.
With the raised edges of placemats, your baby can contain the spills and messes into it without falling them. Plus point of the mat is a thin design that enables you to fold up for easy movability. You can carry it along with it in restaurants or in travel to keep safe tabletop and car seat from getting stained.
It provides better grip bottom clings which help prevent sliding; hence it can be put on every table with ease. The brand offers certain eating essentials like bowls, plates and glasses that you can buy separately for your kid. Preventing food spills can now be easy with this set of two silicone placemats. Overall, the product is ideal in terms of durability, functionality and sturdiness.
What we like:
- This is a two-pack of silicone placemats: blue and purple.
- It is a baby-friendly and dishwasher safe product.
- The rectangle shape is enough to contain all spills.
What we don’t like:
- These silicone placemats are much thinner than others.
2. The First Years Finger Foods Placemat
In this list, the next placemat from the first years is ideally designed for easier self-feeding. You can help your toddler get a perfect grip with this baby food placemat. The best thing about finger foods placemat is wavy trenches that allow baby fingers to hold food for convenient self-feeding. Foods placemat by the first years can be used right at the tabletop.
Practically, this placemat is designed to place on the best standard high chair tray. No matter whether you use a table or a high chair to sit your baby for a meal, the first placemat comes in handy to provide non-slip placement. The base is known for less mess.
After every mealtime, it can be cleaned easily. The mat is safe for dishwasher use and can easily fit in the top rack of your dishwasher. You kids will be able to collect their food from this wavy designed placemat.
The notable factor that you will like the most is the fruits and vegetable shape that is designed at the corner of the mat. Your baby will love eating and playing with this first-year finger food placemat. However, it is made of non-toxic silicone.
What we like:
- It features a suction base to avoid slides and slips.
- The combination of mint green colors and vegetables & fruits design makes it attractive.
- The rack is dishwasher safe.
What we don’t like:
- At $ 9.84, you can opt. for a set of two placemats but at discounts.
3. Goldleaf Silicone Kids Placemats
The placemats by Goldleaf are tailored for your little one, and large enough to contain baby’s meals. However, the brand promotes never to stop the kid from creating a mess, as it allows them to have fun, learn to grow and learn new activities. That is why they offer super convenient & lightweight placemats to make your cleaning task easy.
It is built up 100% BPA free, odorless, non-toxic, and reusable & eco-friendly silicone which is safe for kid’s usage. The best thing about placemats is it is versatile meat that can be used as a pastry mat, countertop protector, oven mat, and so on.
Rack is ideally designed for playing clay, moulds and slime. Another usage of placemats: it can also be used as a sheet for casting moulds, making art crafts, rolling dough, painting and DIY tasks. The anti-stain features of placemats enable you to keep it clean without any cleaning hassle. Just use a wet rag or clean cloth, you can wipe down all stains.
The set of two silicone placemats are offered in two different colors. These colors are blue & green; the more color options include baby pink & blue, Green & Rose-red. You can choose any of one set according to your baby’s choice. The heat-resistant and rust-resistant material also enables you to put it in a dishwasher for cleaning.
What we like:
- The varieties of colour options are offered by Goldleaf.
- These are budget-friendly placemats.
- The mats are enough large to catch all spills and food crumbs.
- It is a versatile mat.
What we don’t like:
- The built quality is too cheap.
4. UpwardBaby Food Catching Baby Placemat
UpwardBaby Food Catching Baby Placement brings a convenient space that would offer a mess-free mealtime to you and your baby. As a parent, it is your responsibility to keep your baby safe from any placemats made of harmful material. But this mat is constructed of 100% good quality safe silicone which is lead-free, Phthalate-free and BPA free.
The best aspect of a baby placemat is that it is three times thicker than other silicone placemats. Hence, the placemat is functional yet very flexible. Also, it is heat-resistant so that you can put it into a dishwasher for cleaning or simply wipe it down.
Another feature that you’ll like the most in placemat is upward baby suction technology which offers a mess-free and clean experience anywhere. Even, you’ll get a high-quality guarantee on the product which means the mat is completely safe and durable for baby usage.
The mat is different from others that are mentioned in this list. The brand offers a complete refund and risk-free purchase to their customers if find any issue in the mat. Isn’t it good to have a placemat like this? It is a perfect gift for your cute little one. Plus point about the mat, it is microwave safe, dishwasher safe, even freezer safe. The mat is large enough to hold meals fall by your kids. Make your table tidy and safe by laying this mat over it.
What we like:
- The suction technology used to make the mat is commendable.
- It is BPA-free and dishwasher safe placemat.
- The company offer a 100% guarantee on the mat.
What we don’t like:
- This mat is over costly.
5. UpwardBaby Baby Placemats with Suction
![The Best Baby Silicone Placemats 2021 [Feeding Mats for Babies & Toddlers]](https://www.babystuffslist.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/The-Best-Baby-Silicone-Placemats-2021-Feeding-Mats-for-Babies-Toddlers.jpg)
It is difficult to clean tabletops and floor after every mealtime which can get dirty by your kid. But with these placemats, you can make mealtime enjoyable, fun and time-saving. The mat provides enough space to cover any eating area. They are ideally designed to fit most highchair areas. Most important, you’ll wet get three mats in one package.
Non-toxic silicone, lead-free, heat resistant and BPA free are used to build up a placemat. The thickness is also offered by Upwardbaby in their products. The brand features a unique and cute design that makes baby’s mealtime joyful. Even the semi-circle shape of mats is best suited in any tabletop or highchair.
Apart from all mentioned aspects, the factor that you’ll the like the most is capacity & size. It can be easy to carry and fold up when going for travel. Every placemat is equipped with a lifted edge to keep small crumbs and higher spills onto it.
These three mats bring peace of mind and extra convenience into any parent & baby life. With a set of three mats, you can allow the baby to enjoy their mealtime. Also, you can keep your expensive furniture safe and clean from being getting damaged or untidy. An additional utensil set has also offer by the brand that you can buy separately.
What we like:
- The three cute sets are best suited for your little one or toddler.
- The mat is made of gentle, safe and non-toxic material.
- The brand ensures durability and guarantees on all three mats.
What we don’t like:
- The shape of mats isn’t ideal for every meal area.
How to Choose the Best Baby Placemats?
As we mentioned earlier, a baby placemat not only does the baby prepare to finish the food without spilling it, but it saves the time of cleaning your table over and over again.Instead of scolding your baby, train him with the baby placemats. This is only possible when you choose the right placemats that best suits your and your baby’s need.
At present, you’ll have noticed a wide range of placemats in the market. Generally, they come in different colors, shapes, designs and even with incredible elements. Choosing a placemat isn’t that difficult among mentioned options.
Without knowing the factors, you won’t be able to be sure the placemat you choose is ideal or not. As you will get confused after checking a variety of placemats models. Some brands offer expensive placemats with minimal features, while others provide cheaper quality material with a number of elements.
Before choosing placemats, you need to keep several factors in mind. A few of them are: material, brand value, eases of cleaning, size, color & design, and so on. Let’s discuss each of them in brief:
1. Material of Placemat
The first and important aspect that should be taken into consideration is the material of placemats that you want to choose for your baby. There are majorly two types of material used to construct placemats.
These material options are thin plastic and silicone. More than plastic, silicone material can be reused and cleaned without hassle. It has too many anti-skid properties and it can get rid of toxic chemicals like BPA, lead or phthalates which makes it a baby-friendly and safer option.
2. Size of Placemat
Size is another leading aspect that needs to keep in mind while choosing a placemat for your baby. Every baby is different from the other in terms of habits and table manners. Some baby loves to create a lot of mess while he/she taking meal.
For such babies, you will need to choose a placemat that is large enough. Along with this, you’ll have to measure the size of the baby’s highchair & your table, so that you can keep your placemat safely.To take the right measurements, you can take the help of an expert or measurement scale.
3. Looks and Design
The looks and design of the placemat include different vibrant colours, animal & fruit drawings, cartoon characters, and others. Some placemats showcase happy faces & animals, while other looks like clouds and jelly. If you teach good eating habits to your baby, you need to also consider the looks and design of the placemat.
This is because a baby always refuses to get in touch with new items. But a placemat with different and beautiful colors will attract the attention of the baby. As a result, you can protect your family and restaurant table tops against rust, burns and stains.
4. Hassle-free Cleaning
It is useless to have a placemat that can’t be cleaned effortlessly. That doesn’t mean they are not convenient or best for usage.Cleaning educational placemats might be difficult as they often contain images inside and are constructed of plastic. Also, they can’t be soaked in water or soapy water.
On the other hand, you may seek that silicone mats come with pictures and without images & pictures; also they can be dishwasher safe. In harsh cleaning, they can be demolished. Those who want to avoid cleaning after every meal can choose silicone or disposable placemats.
5. Amount
One more aspect that you need to look for and is the amount. Some manufacturers offer placemats in a complete set, while other brand offers two to three placemats in a package. Choosing a set of baby placemats is suitable enough if they can be reused. Moreover, it is all about your preference & choice.
6. Price
Depending on the built quality, material and themes, a placemat can be expensive or cheaper too. In our opinion, choose a product that offers a lot of value for their low prices. In simple words, the mat should be budget & baby-friendly. You will notice that baby placemats are differentiated into three price categories. These categories include $ 5, $ 15 and $ 25. Firstly decide how much you spend on baby placemats then consider these categories.
7. Additional Elements
Some baby placemats have incorporated spill catchers to prevent spills and crumbs from falling.It would be a perfect option for beginner’s babies who begin to learn how to eat themselves.Some mats have a built-in knob that enables you to hang the placemat while cleaning or for drying. Few brands offer a bag for carrying a placemat when traveling or going to a restaurant.
8. Reputed Brand
If you have opted for placemats that are offered by reputed brands ensure durability and better functionality. Certain brands provide warranty and good after-sale services. Before going to choose placemats, ensure that offer top-notch quality and longevity.
9. Versatility
It is good to have baby placemats that serve as a pastry mat, fondant mat, countertop protector or children placemats. Some baby placemats can be used as a mate for DIY, rolling dough, casting moulds, craft jewellery, etc. Look for a mat that serves multiple purposes.
10. Portability & lightweight
Choosing a silicone placemat over a plastic mat is ideal in terms of portability. Silicone mats are enough thin to fold up and carry along with them in any bag. They are lightweight and very convenient. Practically, silicone is a lightweight yet very expensive material.
How to Clean Baby Placemat?
It is important to keep your baby entertained while eating. There is no better option than a baby placemat. But do you know cleaning of mat might be a bit tricky? You can clean placemats in the dishwasher with no more than 2 washes.
If you thought, you can clean them in a washing machine so avoid doing that. It is highly recommended to use a damp cloth or wet clean cloth to wipe it down to prevent tearing and wearing of the baby mat.
It is necessary to clean a baby placemat when it gets dirty or after every use (if required). Baby placemats manufactured of silicone will need to clean differently than mats made of plastic. No matter which material you choose, maintaining their shine and cleanliness does matters the most.Let’s start with how to clean different types of the baby placemat.
How to Clean Plastic and Silicone Baby Placemats
Plastic and Silicone baby placemats can be either clean by a wet cloth or a sponge. Harsh and forceful scrubbing can fade the colours and tear the material of mats. These are proper steps to use a wet cloth and sponge on a baby placemats.
Wet cloth
Placemats made of silicone and plastic are comparatively easy to clean. To wipe down the placemats, use a damp clean cloth. Wipe off the back and friend of the mats to make sure you eliminate all debris and dirt from the placemats. Regular wiping can keep mats clean and safe for baby use.
Sponge
You can scrub the baby placemats with a sponge. A sponge enables you to do a deep cleaning. First of all, you need to prepare a solution of warm water and chemical-free soap. Then dip a sponge into the solution, and then scrub the placemats. Gently scrub on the placemats in round motions to remove food stains, or any debris or dirt. Avoid rubbing for a long duration, as hard scrubbing can tear the placemats.
Sponge or wet clothes are two cleaning tools that help you to gently clean the baby placemats. For stubborn stains, you should follow the mentioned cleaning tips:
How do remove pieces of food or stubborn stains on the baby placemats?
You need to prepare a solution taking warm water and dish soap to eliminate the stubborn stains. Soak the mat in the solution at least for 10 to 15 minutes. Then, move the mats from soapy water to tap water to clean them. In between the whole process, you can use a cloth or sponge to wipe off all stains and pieces of food. It may be easier to clean wet mats than dry mats.
Do a mild cleaner is safe for baby placemats?
Placemats made of plastic or silicone can usually tolerate a mild cleaner. But make sure that doesn’t have built-in with any harsh or dangerous chemicals. Spray the cleaner and wipe it down with a sponge or clean cloth. Always choose a cleaner that is safe to clean baby placemats.
Last Step to follow to dry the mat before every use?
Before every use, make sure that the placemat is dry well. For thoroughly drying, let the mat dry overnight. You can put meat in a dish rack or place them on a clean dry wipe or towel. If you’re cleaning several mats together then do not let them dry to one another, as the water often gets stuck between all.
These are some basic steps and methods to clean the baby placemats whether made of silicone or plastic. You’ll need to be more aware when cleaning a silicone as the material can get damaged easily. If you used a fabric or bamboo placemat for the baby then clean it with a damp cloth.
Final Words
After a lot of discussions, you must have understood that a baby placemat is a must-have essential for keeping babies trained after age to eat a meal on their own. They are not portable enough, but also very easy to clean. A mat has not to offer benefit to your baby but as well to you. If you’re going to choose a placemat for your toddler then consider above given top mats.
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