Best of Baby Winner for Top Activity Center
Real talk: Sometimes you just need a safe spot to plop baby so you can take a shower, make dinner or drink a cup of coffee while it’s actually hot. We’ve been there. And as fun as a game of peekaboo can be, it’s also kind of nice to offload the entertaining efforts for a bit. The SkipHop Activity Center is a veritable theme park for your little one, with multisensory toys and a light-up piano that plays music notes and short songs. A removable, dishwasher-safe snack bowl rounds out the entertainment. The activity center was designed in partnership with childhood development experts with an emphasis on promoting whole-body play. Once baby can pull to stand (or walk!), remove the seat and let them cruise around the perimeter. And when they’re ready to fingerpaint their first masterpiece, the center can transform into a play table (matching chairs can be purchased separately), extending the longevity of this “baby” product. Three cheers for smart design!
• The seat rotates a full 360 degrees, letting baby spin, stretch and jump; the foot platform is adjustable too, giving babies of all sizes great bounce potential
• A series of colorful, multisensory toys can be clipped on (and moved around to keep things fresh) to engage baby in exploratory play; a light-up piano attaches to the top of the center or on the footbed for some tippy-toe play (baby can even watch through a cutout window)
• A dishwasher-safe snack bowl suctions to the center for mess-free munching while baby plays
• This activity center grows with your little one, transforming into a perfectly sized play table (pro tip: wish list a couple of chairs, sold separately, for baby’s first birthday)
Buy it: $136, SkipHop.com
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