Infantino Monkey’s Jungle Retreat Activity Gym {Bump to Baby Giveaway} CLOSED

When I think of baby items I couldn’t live without, an activity mat would definitely be on my list. While I no longer have the one I used with my boys, it was a lifesaver and one of the few things that kept them entertained in their first few months of life for a longer period of time. It also made getting in some tummy time that much easier. Of course there was no doubt in my mind I’d need to find one for our new addition and when I spotted this adorable option from Infantino I couldn’t resist!

It is the Monkey’s Jungle Retreat Activity Gym by Infantino for ages 0 to 5 months. Don’t you just love bright colors and gender neutral fabric? And really, how could I possibly refuse that monkey’s smile?
This activity mat includes lots of exploration options for your baby with a wide variety of textures including soft, silky, crinkle, corduroy, bumpy and more!
A tummy time prop up pillow is also included and easily attaches with velcro but can be removed for when you want to allow more room to move.
Five toys come with the set, each of which can be moved around on the gym arches or simply placed upon the mat. The hooks also make it easy to attach the toys in other places such as the stroller or car seat. The possibilities are endless. And because there are extra spaces on the arches you can choose to attach similar style toys to the activity mat.
The musical tiki hut plays two 10 minute tunes while lights flash with the beat and includes a mirror to keep your baby awed by his own image. It takes 4 AA batteries which are included, however it isn’t recommended to use rechargeable batteries. While I can’t say how long it takes for the batteries to wear out, I will say I love the cost savings and convenience of rechargeable  and wish they could be used.

One feature I can’t forget to mention is the clips to hold the arches along the top of the gym securely. Each arch has their own clip color (yellow and orange) so it is painless to find the correct clip and attach to the bottom of the mat. My previous mat only used hooks and it wasn’t nearly as secure.
The only other concern I had with this mat was the way in which it is packaged. The mat is held together for display purposes using typical tag closures (much like clothing price tags) but the fabric doesn’t really hold up to the plastic. Even using scissors, I found some small holes in the fabric of the mat that couldn’t be avoided. Other toys were secured by thread and while a bit of a pain to remove, they didn’t leave any marks in the fabric. I do hope they will consider this with future products. While it is only noticeable if you look closely, it seems avoidable.

Overall, however I’m thrilled with this mat and can’t wait until my baby arrives to try it out.  I would definitely recommend it as a fabulous baby gift and a great way to entertain your new baby and sneak in some essential tummy time!

BUY IT:

The Infantino Monkey’s Jungle Retreat Activity Gym retails for $54.99 and is available at Step2. com and at Amazon for a reduced price and free super saver shipping!