Reddit mentions: The best rugs for kids

I feel like you are me. The past version of me and I am the future version of you. Or maybe we just are each other. Anyway... maybe we are just siblings from another mother. Okay here goes. From your not future self to my not past self.

Dear past self,

Remember when our kid was 4 months old (she's 6mos now) and you were wracking your brain trying to find good toys and "things" she could interact with to help her grow, be curious, imaginative - to be less bored? Well, remember all those things you bought from Amazon?

Most of them had a TON of 5 star reviews and she didn't end up giving a shit about. That AMAZING Rain forest Jumper with all the "things" to interact with, that made noise and had lights!!! Yeah, that didn't really last for more than 5 minutes over 4 days... Turns out, the seat seams cut into her legs and she wasn't a fan of that. This, wasn't the only thing you bought with the best intentions that didn't really work out as planned. That's okay, you live and learn, and donate to someone else because maybe their kid will like it.

What did work? A measuring spoon. Specifically the one cup size measuring spoon. She likes to chew on that. I don't ask...

An empty Pampers box. She sits in there and plays with her toes, touches the sides of the box and just has fun moving around. Even though the box doesn't move, she just doesn't seem to care. She laughs and smiles.

A playmat. It's actually just a set of foam pieces that you put together like a jig saw puzzle on the ground. There are no toy bars or mobiles. Just a mat, on the ground, made of foam. She loves that thing. She rolls around on it, scratches the surface with her fingers (she likes the noise it makes), tries crawling, and often just takes a nap. That thing was one of the best investments we made.

Small plastic strainer. She puts it on her head, wears it like a helmet. Apparently, that's very exciting. Again, I don't ask.

And finally, a basic jumper that you attach above the door frame. It looks like a baby seat on a spring. She will sit and bounce in that thing for 30 minutes. Seems to be comfortable. Was pretty inexpensive, no lights or music. Just jumping. She loves it.

Whatever you decide is best for YOUR son. Experiment and have fun with it. Just consider maybe trying some basic things around the house, first. To see how that goes. A good playmat that is expandable that you can both roll around on. is always a good idea. This is the one we purchased: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01NBXX1DX/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This is the doorway jumper she loves: https://www.amazon.com/Graco-Doorway-Bumper-Jumper-Little/dp/B000WJLKQM/ref=sr_1_5_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1497459338&sr=8-5&keywords=baby+bouncy+chair

I'd send you links for the pampers box, strainer, and measure spoon but pretty sure you've got the idea. :)

CONGRATS ON THE 4 MONTHS! It only gets more amazing.

We started off the pregnancy wanting to be surprised, but the minute we had the sex in an envelope, we had to look. Whoops! We didn't tell anyone else the gender, so we decided on shades of green, grey and white.

So now we're officially done! The fabric ribbon garland was from our baby shower and the crocheted blanket was one that we received as a gift. Pretty much everything else is an Ikea, Target or yardsale find.

Here's the rest of the nursery: https://imgur.com/a/qxBuoNw

Top 5:

1. Alphabet rug: This rug is fairly soft and feels good underfoot. I liked that it gave the room a little extra character.
   
2. Repainted white crib: We repainted our nephews' crib with white Harmony Interior Acrylic Latex paint. It has a chaulk paint finish feel but we were assured that this was the best choice for keeping baby safe. We sanded and did three coats of this stuff.
   
3. Ruthie sign: We bought the actual sign at Hobby Lobby and painted over the "Welcome" part with the same paint we used for the crib. Then I traced the lettering from my computer, cut it out, traced it onto the sign and painted it. I won't lie... I'm pretty proud of that DIY.
   
4. Alphabet wet bag: We plan on cloth diapering and wanted a good wet bag for the nursery. After A LOT of research I went with the XL Two Strap Hanging pail. Afterall... NASA uses this company because apparently they're so good at keeping smells in. The woman who owns this company was super friendly and had it shipped out very quickly.
   
5. RBG candle: We took our babymoon to Austin and stopped in a store called Triple Z Threadz. We had just decided the day before that we were going to name the baby Ruth (Ruthie) so it felt like a sign. Plus... we love RBG! (We won't be lighting it!!!)

Several days late, but I always forget to look here..we have this setup in our living room. In the middle I put her laugh and learn puppy and friends table, and she pulls up on that constantly. Off to the sides of the mat I have all kinds of toys in sections. So I have her bongo, guitar and tambourine in one section. Then blocks and donut cone in another. A little picnic basket filled with fake foods that she loves in another, a large vtech activity cube in another and some stuffed animals, a play remote and a reg remote without batteries sprinkled around. Then off by my cookbook shelf (she likes to go pull at the books and hit them) I have a blanket laid out and several touch and feel books laying on it. She goes over there and plays with the books often through the day. She loves those board books. We also have this big frog head thing with a bunch of balls in its mouth and lights/sounds/buttons over on another section of the room. When you press one button it makes all the balls bounce and spits them out, she loves to get that going and chase the balls around. Pretty much if she isn't on my lap or in her high chair she is crawling around exploring and playing with everything. She's basically busy the second I set her down after breakfast in the morning. Every couple hours I'll reorganize everything, because she drags toys and moves things all over. So I'll set it all back up and let her go to town moving it all around again! We read several books a day in her nursery and she'll bring me board books in the living room that we'll go through too. She likes to do a lot of independent play, but also loves when one or both of us get down on the mat with her and play! She plays a lot with the dog too, they play tug of war and sit and snuggle with each other.

Painting is a big deal, start with some white primer to get the wall ready for some other paints. If white is not something you want to keep then it will be ready for a new coat of paint. As for colors, I guess it depends on what you feel like having. Since you have roommates, Blues, grays and white might fit your preferences without being too obtrusive. Get some paint chips from a hardware store that sells paint, most of them have them and it will help you visualize what you want. Paint finishes are also personal, but functional too.

Other than paint, get one of those car mats. The ones with the roads and tracks like this. Hope this helps/inspires you. :)

Ya’ll I could not be happier. Yesterday, this room was full of gift bags and diapers, boxes, cards, and JUNK. I took things straight from the baby shower and into the nursery and shut the door for the last month. I am not a Pinterest mom. Organizing is not my strong suit. I was so overwhelmed I couldn’t even start. Where do pacifiers go? What wall does the crib go on? how many drawers do I need for onesies? Today, this amazing man unpacked all the bags, did all the laundry, put the crib and dresser together (under the boppy, not pictured), hung the signs and cleaned. I came home and cried I am so beyond grateful for this man!! Now I can enjoy the finishing touches before baby comes (37+5). Stroller will come out, a couple shelves hung, and clothes put away. Things I actually want to do!

(Yes I know, stuffies and bedding to come out of the crib.)

Edit for top 5:

Bedding: Bedding set

Crib: Crib

Stroller: stroller

Play mat: play mat

Chair is a gift from my brother in law. This is the third pregnancy that this chair will see and I am so excited to use it! It has crossed multiple state lines. Also swivels and rocks, I can try and find out more about it if anyone is interested.

It's like when you're a little kid, and you're playing the same games and the same toys you always did, but this time, the dinosaur isn't some three-story monster, but some cheaply-painted plastic; Barbie isn't some fabulous badass saving the day, but some wild-haired piece of rubber; and your little lego people aren't an entire city of millions, but just legos.

The magic that enchanted your little city was gone, and you pray in vain to silent gods that for just one more time PLEASE!, Barbie would stop the evil dinosaur the way she used to. But she doesn't, and now, when your relatives give you Digimon and princess sets for increasingly more tedious birthdays and Christmases, you just don't care about them the same way you used to.

You start seeing the world for what it is when girls giggle at your sasquatch legs in the locker room only to smile with saccharine sweetness when asking for your sweet potato casserole at lunch (take it, marshmellows are gross); and when boys tease you for being the smartest kid in class one minute and then beg to look at your worksheets and homework the next (fine, whatever).

The floor was once lava and dinosaurs used to roam on the livingroom floor, trees used to tell stories as they swayed in the wind and the backyard was once a vast expanse that even settlers of the Old American West would think twice before crossing.

But then I grew up. And so did you.

CUTE!! We're going with a generic space theme, but some of the stuff we bought might cross over and be appropriate for you:

http://www.etsy.com/transaction/71599521

http://www.etsy.com/transaction/71599460

http://www.amazon.com/LA-Rug-Solar-System-x76/dp/B0016532EO/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1332189394&sr=8-4

We also got our craft on and made something like this out of felt & polyfil:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/75207258/baby-mobile-baby-crib-mobile-rocket-ship?ref=sr_gallery_9&sref=&ga_search_submit=&ga_search_query=space+mobile&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade

It's from those rugs when your were a little kid. Lots of day cares, schools, parents, etc had this exact mat and they still sell them.

Edit: here it is in Amazon - City Map Children Area Rug 39"x58" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005Q1312M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_vCtEAbH611994

Anyone who cares about audio quality will have one of these babies

This https://www.amazon.com/Kids-Carpet-Playmat-Great-Playing/dp/B072883CSF is better than all u.s cities

Search kids play mat for others. https://www.amazon.com/Click-Play-Non-Slip-Playmat-Large/dp/B07DLCTLRZ/?th=1

This one on Amazon is very close:

• https://www.amazon.com/Click-Play-Non-Slip-Playmat-Large/dp/B07DLCTLRZ/

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B072883CSF/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1503752383&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=city+rug&dpPl=1&dpID=51GpLmoKLOL&ref=plSrch

The closest one i could find quickly LINK

There's tons of options on Amazon

I would say a bunch of cars (mainlines are great) and a city rug!

https://www.amazon.com/Kids-Carpet-Playmat-Great-Playing/dp/B072883CSF/

https://www.amazon.com/JACKSON-Playmat-Toddlers-Children-Learning/dp/B01MR9NLNA/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?keywords=kids+railroad+rug&qid=1570151763&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExUTlaSFhHUVNJM0FXJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNzc4MDAwM0NZTzczV0MzTUJFNiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNjg3NzczMjhMMFpNUk5GOTBPTyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX3Bob25lX3NlYXJjaF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl
This is the only one I found that had a rail road. It doesn't say anything about a song, though.

It's from Ikea called 'Lillabo' most likely not made anymore.

https://www.amazon.it/Lillabo-tappeto-bambini-giardino-manutenzione/dp/B00864MYC4

This is cheaper.

Learning Carpets. We have this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00001P4YD/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_iaQNwbVPNARXR

Why does that boy not have a road rug.

Look at him. He's practically begging for it.

http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Carpets-Giant-LC-124/dp/B00001P4YD/ref=sr_1_5?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1408500801&sr=1-5&keywords=car+rug

https://www.amazon.com/ABC-Rugs-Preschool-Crawling-Decorations/dp/B07MB99VRV

I was too lazy to do the linking - but here ya go!