Lamaze Spin & Explore Gym is Unique, But Has Limited Use
Written: Jan 16 '08
Product Rating:
Durability:
Pros: Easy set up, washable cover, great concept
Cons: Baby didn't fit, mat crumples up, expensive.
The Bottom Line: Good concept, but didn't work out well - my baby reached a point where she wiggled right out before she was long enough to fit it well.
Javelina's Full Review: Learning Curve Toys Lamaze Spin and Explore Garden...
When my daughter was first born, I had a decent collection of toys for her to play with as she reached various stages of development. However I was shopping for baby items and I saw the Lamaze Spin & Explore Gym, which is designed for newborns and up, to help with physical development.
"Lamaze puts a unique spin on tummy time play, an important developmental phase for all newborns. Babies gently and comfortably spin round on their tummies, stretching and building upper bodies while exploring lots of squeaky, crinkly, tactile fun. Remove the spinner once babies sit up (about 5 months) and the fun and learning grow on and on."
The Lamaze Spin & Explore Gym
I ordered this item from Amazon.com for $39.99. Anything over $25 on Amazon ships for free, which is a good way to save on shipping. When I looked for this item in the summer of 2007, Babies R Us and Toys R Us did not carry this product in-store, so I had to get it online.
This product comes with a floor mat shaped like a flower, and a platform that you place on the mat and place your baby on to encourage tummy time. The mat incorporates some interaction in it, and can be used alone without the platform. For example, there are crinkly leaves, a squeaky ball (with a bird printed on it) that stuffs into a nest (pocket).
"Employing a colorful play mat with varying texture and layers, baby will be visually and physically stimulated by the fun developmental features. It's time to spin and explore--on the Spin and Explore Garden Gym!"
My Thoughts
My daughter always hated tummy time. She would scream instantly when I put her on her belly. Putting babies on their "back to sleep" means that so many babies hate being on their tummies. I was convinced I would hinder her development by never really having her spend time on her belly.
When I saw this product I really wanted it - anything that could possibly help me with tummy time! Setup is easy - lay the mat on the floor, put the platform on top of it. I think the fabric cover for the platform wasn't on it when it came in the mail, but you just slip it on.
From the start, I had a big problem with the Spin & Explore Gym. I don't know if my daughter was particularly short (29" at 9 months), but her torso always seemed too short for the platform. I thought it would go from under her armpits to the tops of her legs. However, it went from more like her neck to the tops of her legs.
Because of the length issues, this product got nowhere near as much use as I thought it would. My daughter was frustrated on the platform because I would either try to put her on it with her elbows under her, or under her armpits but way down her legs (so she couldn't really move her legs).
My daughter still hated tummy time - but did seem to tolerate it slightly more when she fit on the gym decently. This was unfortunately a really short-lived product. If you click on "product demo" on Lamaze's website, it shows a perfect case scenario of a baby using the platform. I just didn't think my baby fit the platform like that, at least between 3-5 months. At 5-6 months, my baby was sitting and standing (holding on to things). She had great head control so this product was retired before she really fit on it. By 5 months, my daughter could roll around and wiggle her way right off the platform, so I didn't have much choice but to put the platform away.
As for the mat, it doesn't get much use. I lay it out flat on the rug, but my daughter grabs it up or crumples it up by crawling over it. Aside from the "crunchy leaves", it doesn't offer much more than a few moments of entertainment. I think the problem with the mat is that it is so lightweight that it just gets crumpled. There are loops on the outer edges on the "petals" of the flower, but even if I put some toys on the outer edges, it is not going to stay in place.
Overall
This product seems like a great idea for a product, but it just didn't really work out for us. There was really little time that my daughter was actually able to use it, so I can't say it was any aid in tummy time or my daughter being able to develop neck or back muscles. She more or less tolerated the Spin & Explore Gym at times, and never liked it enough or fit on it enough that I got my money's worth.
I know someone who has a 9 month baby who is still working on sitting up on his own. A product like this might be good for him, but my daughter has far outgrown the ability to use this product as of about 7 months because she would roll and wiggle her way right off it immediately.
I don't know how to rate this product. We didn't get much use out of it, but I have friends who have raved about it and friends I am sure it would work wonderfully for their little ones. I think the price is a little high since there aren't a ton of materials involved, and I think it would be much more appealing at half the price. I'll give this a generous 3 stars for average.
Lamaze: http://www.learningcurve.com/lamaze/
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 39.99 Type of Toy: Baby Toy
Age Range of Child: 0 to 12 Months
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