Is a Play Gym worth it?
Play gyms are a great way for babies to explore the world and develop new skills. (1)
They usually come with a frame and multiple toys to engage various senses as well as encourage focus and movement. This also means you can get more value from one play gym than from buying multiple toys.
For my part, I was looking for a play gym that would give my little girl meaningful playtime while also encouraging her development. This was when I stumbled upon the Lovevery Play Gym.
It’s based on the Montessori learning philosophy to encourage focus, independence, and a love for exploration.
Before settling on the Lovevery Play Gym, I had looked at a number of other play gym options. Many of them had loud, jarring music and colors, which I felt might be over-stimulating for my little girl. Others seemed to be made with excessive plastic.
In contrast, the Lovevery Play Gym has all-natural materials and a neutral color scheme. Each of the ‘play areas’ can be covered so that one activity is shown to baby at any one time. The neutral color scheme also helps it to look good in the living room!
Here I’ll share our experience with the Lovevery Play Gym as my 5-month-old baby girl tested it out for a few months.
But first, some facts about Lovevery and their Play Gym.
Free US shipping: Lovevery Play Gym
Who are Lovevery?
Lovevery make Montessori-inspired toys for different age groups, from babies to toddlers. Their toys focus in on each learning stage, and the company use all-natural and organic materials where possible.
What is the Lovevery Play Gym?
The Lovevery Play Gym is a Montessori-inspired play center that comes with a sturdy wooden frame and soft fabric play mat.
It’s specifically designed to give your baby lots of fun and nurturing developmental play from 0-12 months.
What’s included with the Lovevery Play Gym?
The Lovevery Play Gym comes with:
- Wooden frame: a wide, sustainably-sourced wooden frame.
- Playmat with with 5 developmental zones: each zone can be covered so that only one zone is played with at any one time. This is to promote focus, along with sensory and creative play.
- Card inserts: cards that can be displayed on the playmat. They show black and white shapes, baby-safe card mirrors, and photographs of faces and everyday objects.
- Hanging toys: an organic cotton high contrast ball, a wooden batting ring, an organic cotton teether, and a BPA-free silicone teether.
- Fabric cover to transform the play gym: extra fabric is put over the wooden frame, transforming the play gym into a mini fort or play tent.
- Playguide for parents: an informative playguide with inspiration and ideas for how parents can use the play gym with their baby.
Special Offers on Lovevery
Free US shipping for orders over $75: Lovevery Play Gym US
Now also delivering in the UK and EU!
Best price on EU orders: Lovevery Play Gym EU
Best price on UK orders: Lovevery Play Gym UK
Lovevery Review
I tried the Lovevery Play Gymwith my 5-month-old daughter for a few months.
Here’s what we both thought about it:
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| Material Quality | 5 out of 5 Excellent quality and durable feel to it. Wood is used where possible — making it more long-lasting. |
| Versatility of Activities | 4.5 out of 5 stars So many ways to play with different combinations of activities. Especially helpful for tummy time. |
| Developmental Value | 5 out of 5 stars My baby loved the activities! She’s still discovering new things a few months later. |
| Baby Entertainment | 4 out of 5 stars Toys keep her busy for a good 15 minutes each time. |
| Mom’s Test | 4 out of 5 stars Easy to set up. Looks good in my living room. I get a nice break when she’s busy! |
| Overall | 4.8 out of 5 stars High-quality, pleasant-looking, and many different ways to play. |
Where to Buy the Lovevery Play Gym
Lovevery delivers to the US but also to the EU and UK via their online store.
Free US shipping for orders over $75: Lovevery Play Gym US
Best price on EU orders: Lovevery Play Gym EU
Best price on UK orders: Lovevery Play Gym UK
Material quality
I was expecting high-quality wood and fabrics from this play gym, and I wasn’t disappointed. The fabrics are soft and gentle against my baby’s skin, and the wooden frame is sturdy. It’s definitely heirloom-quality.
Versatile activities
There are so many ways to play in this gym! But what I love most is that the activities can be closed off and isolated, so my baby doesn’t get too overwhelmed by the choices.
Sometimes I’d cover sections up and revisit them a few weeks later, and it’s like a new toy to her again! She’s still discovering new ways to play with it too, after several months of using it.
Support with development
My little girl is five months old, so the play gym has helped her extend her tummy time stamina at this stage.
When she gets a little tired, she can then learn to roll over on her back and play with the toys hanging above.
It’s also been great for stimulating motor skills like reaching out for toys, grasping, and moving them from one hand to another.
Baby entertainment rating
This Play Gym is well-loved by my baby. She seems to enjoy exploring it in new ways each time she plays on it.
She can play in it independently most of the time but needs some help moving from one activity to another.
Mom’s test
I always get a good 15 minutes of me-time when my girl is with her play gym! And it’s been this way since we started using it.
Set up was also a breeze. I was initially worried that the wooden frames would be hard to put together, but this was not a concern. Set up only took me a few minutes.
My only criticism is that it can be a little bulky in smaller living rooms. But, the color scheme is nicely neutral, which helps it blend in — so that’s a big plus!
Lovevery – The Play Gym |
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| Pros | Cons |
| It helps with development through engaging in sensory play, practicing motor skills, focus, and more. | Some parents found it pricier than other play gyms. |
| Activities are grounded in the Montessori learning philosophy of nurturing child-directed exploration, independence, and creativity. | It can be on the large side for small spaces. |
| Play areas support development for different stages from 0-12 months. | Not easily collapsible. |
| Developed by child experts with research-backed insights. | |
| Uses natural and organic materials where possible. | |
| It is durable and sturdy with a wooden frame. | |
| Can be converted into a little play tent by covering the frame with fabric. | |
| Neutral colors that suit modern interiors and avoid over-stimulating baby. | |
Special Offers Lovevery
Free US shipping for orders over $75: Lovevery Play Gym US
Now also delivering in the UK and EU!
Best price on EU orders: Lovevery Play Gym EU
Best price on UK orders: Lovevery Play Gym UK
How do you use the Lovevery Play Gym?
There are many ways to use the play gym. But if you’d like to follow the Montessori philosophy (which encourages children to explore themselves), simply place your baby on the mat and let their own interests guide them!
What’s unique about this play gym is that the activity centers can be covered up to encourage focused play and deeper exploration of each activity.
To make full use of the design, try to introduce each element of the play gym slowly by only revealing individual zones of the mat at a time. This helps to promote focus and reduce sensory overload.
If you’d like to be more involved, you can hide toys for your child to find, play peek-a-boo, or change the card sets to help stimulate your child’s changing interests.
Setting up the play gym is also very easy. All you need to do is hook up the wooden frames to a central point at the top and secure each leg to the fabric mat below! It took me less than 5 minutes in total.
Free US shipping: Lovevery Play Gym
Lovevery Play Gym customer reviews
What did other parents have to say about it?
Based on customer ratings online, the Lovevery Play Gym received 4.9/5 stars from 4,287 people across two platforms (Amazon and Target).
Here’s what people loved most about it:
- Parents liked that this one play gym had many different play setups.
- It supported baby’s development — many liked that the activities were developed by child development experts.
- The added booklet was helpful in giving parents more information on how to support their child’s development through play.
- It engaged babies well.
- Parents found the product high-quality, well-made, and sturdy.
- The Play Gym looks well-designed with pleasant colors that blend in with modern homes.
- Durable — many liked that it’s made of solid wood. Some people managed to use it with all 3 of their kids!
Although most were very happy with their purchase, a few mentioned some trade-offs:
Being on the pricey side, some questioned whether it was really worth the cost — even though it is a well-made toy.
Some mentioned that there was a slight trade-off with the wooden frame as it was less collapsible than the usual plastic frames. So it may not be best for smaller homes or if you need a more compact play gym.
Overall, most parents (and babies!) seem to love the Lovevery Play Gym, as shown in some of the online comments below:
Special Offers on the Lovevery Play Gym
Free US shipping for orders over $75: Lovevery Play Gym US
Now also delivering in the UK and EU!
Best price on EU orders: Lovevery Play Gym EU
Best price on UK orders: Lovevery Play Gym UK
Is the Lovevery Play Gym Worth It?
The Lovevery Play Gym is worth it for parents that want a quality play area that nurtures baby’s development at each stage— and looks good in the home too!
Although the arched design is quite similar to other baby play gyms, there are a few things that stand out about Lovevery’s version.
Minimalist design
Because it is based on Montessori principles, it’s quite minimalist in its design and has various learning zones that can be covered. This leaves fewer activities on display for baby at each playtime, helping to promote focus and meaningful exploration for babies.
Other play gyms come with so many sounds, textures, and colors, all accessible at once, which can be overstimulating for babies.
It can be adapted into a play tent
The Lovevery Play Gym also comes with some extra material that can be draped over the wooden arches to make it into a little play tent for baby (or play fort for toddlers).
Natural materials
Wood and other natural materials are used over plastic.
If like me, you want a product that will last, made of high-quality materials (like organic cotton and sustainably-sourced wood), then the Play Gym is a good choice.
Special Offers Lovevery
Free US shipping for orders over $75: Lovevery Play Gym US
Now also delivering in the UK and EU!
Best price on EU orders: Lovevery Play Gym EU
Best price on UK orders: Lovevery Play Gym UK
10% off when you prepay for subscriptions: Lovevery
Lovevery Play Gym vs. Lovevery Play Kits
Another very popular Lovevery product is their Play Kit subscription. The Play Kits are boxes of specially-curated toys which are delivered to you every 2-3 months. You can see our full Lovevery Play Kit review here.
You can also see how Lovevery’s Helper play kits (for 2 year olds) compare to the equivalent KiwiCo Panda Crate in our article: KiwiCo vs Lovevery, Which is the Best Montessori Toy Subscription Box?
If you are deciding between the Play Gym and the Play Kit, here’s how they compare.
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The Play Gym |
Play Kits |
| Age Group | 0-12 months | 0-36 months |
| Features | Wooden frame with plat mat 5 activity areas Play guide for parents |
5-8 play items in each box Play guide for parents |
| Developmental targets | Motor skills Encouraging focus Cognitive development Sensory play — tactile, weight, visual, sound |
Depending on stage: Sensory play Language development Coordination Fine and gross motor skills Visual/spatial skills Exploration skills |
| Price | Play Gym:
US: $140 |
US: $80 per kit ($120 per kit for later stages) UK: ￡80 per kit (￡120 per kit for later stages) EU: €84 per kit (€126 per kit for later stages) |
| Subscription | One-off product | Subscription. Deliveries every 2-3 months |
| Shipping | Free shipping in the US, UK, and most of EU | Free shipping in the US, UK, and most of EU |
| Ease of Care | Washable mat | – |
| Material safety | Non-toxic and baby-safe Natural materials used where possible No heavy metals or phthalates |
Non-toxic and baby-safe Natural materials used where possible No heavy metals or phthalates |
| Reviews | 4.9 out of 5 stars from 4287 people (Amazon and Target) |
4.7 out of 5 stars from 21 customers (Babylist and Trustpilot) |
| Offers | Free delivery: Lovevery Play Gym | 10% off when prepaid: Lovevery Play Kits |
10% off when you prepay for subscriptions: Lovevery
Should I purchase both the Play Gym and the Play Kits?
If your budget allows, then it is a good idea to purchase both the one-off Play Gym and the Play Kits.
During baby’s first year, the toys that arrive in their Play Kits can be used in the Play Gym to enhance their play. You can then alternate and rotate them with the Play Gym’s own hanging toys.
Alternatively, you could start with the Play Gym and wait until baby is 12 months old before moving on to the Play Kits.
After 12 months of age, your baby will play less on the Play Gym and instead will start moving and exploring around them. So the Play Kits will provide toys that are more age-appropriate as they are chosen for each age and stage.
The Play Gym can be used from birth to 12 months, while the Play Kits continue up to 36 months.
Special Offers on Lovevery Play Gym and Play Kits
10% off when you prepay for subscriptions: Lovevery Play Kits
Free US shipping for orders over $75: Lovevery Play Gym US
Now also delivering in the UK and EU!
Best price on EU orders: Lovevery EU
Best price on UK orders: Lovevery UK
10% off when you prepay for subscriptions: Lovevery
Lovevery Play Gym FAQs
When can you start using the Lovevery Play Gym?
You can start using the Lovevery Play Gym from 0 months, and it has toys for babies up to 12 months old.
How long do babies use the Lovevery Play Gym?
The Play Gym can be used from 0-12 months. After that baby may start crawling, shuffling, or even walking rather than staying in one place. But there isn’t really an age limit — it just depends on how long your child remains interested in the play gym and its toys.
Is the Lovevery Play Gym collapsible?
The Lovevery Play Gym is somewhat collapsible. It takes 1-2 minutes to take the frame apart.
How much is the Lovevery Play Gym?
The Lovevery Play Gym costs $140 in the US, and you get free shipping for orders over $70.
Lovevery Play Gym UK
Lovevery Play Gym is now available in the UK and certain EU countries, along with the play kits and block set at these prices:
UK: £140 (Free ground shipping)
EU: €155 (Free ground shipping available for some countries like Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, and more)
How to order the Lovevery Play Gym
The Lovevery Play Gym can be ordered through Lovevery’s online store here. Free shipping is included in the US, UK, and most of the EU.
Does the Lovevery Play Gym have mirrors?
The Lovevery Play Gym has mirror cards included in the set.
Does Lovevery Play Gym fold up?
The Lovevery Play Gym doesn’t fold up, but it can be dismantled by taking apart the wooden frame and folding the fabric mat.
10% off when you prepay for subscriptions: Lovevery
Alternatives to the Lovevery Play Gym
If space is a concern for you, Amazon has a few more streamlined options for play gyms made from natural materials like the one from Han-MM store.
Special Offers on Lovevery Play Gym and Play Kits
10% off when you prepay for subscriptions: Lovevery Play Kits
Free US shipping for orders over $75: Lovevery Play Gym US
Now also delivering in the UK and EU!
Best price on EU orders: Lovevery EU
Best price on UK orders: Lovevery UK
