So What's In Your Playmat....

So I have spent the last few weeks researching these lovely interlocking foam mats on the market...looking for the safest one at my disposal for my little man. The problem being that many play mats are made of EVA - which has been the go to safer substitute for PVC. However, in order to make these soft foam puzzle mats for children to play on, test results have been showing that FORMAMIDE (a reproductive & developmental toxicant)is a byproduct in producing these mats. I don't know about you but I don't really want my child coming in contact with high levels of this stuff, after being made aware. But I still long for the safety in my child being able to topple over and not being hurt. So what's a mama to do???? There is ONE company only that seems to stand behind their products, publicly stating the following: "All Skip Hop products, including the Playspot, meet or exceed regulatory safety standards in the USA and Europe, without exception. We do not add Formamide to Playspot, although it can be a byproduct of the EVA foam manufacturing process (which includes such items as flip flops and many bath toys). That said, due to these concerns, we have tested Playspot using ISO 16000 methods. We are pleased that our Playspots received the lowest possible score, <2ug/m3 (less than 2 millionths of a gram per cubic meter) for Formamide emissions, the lowest measurable result with this testing method. These tests show that – within the limits of the test – its presence is essentially not detectable. Therefore, the Playspot is a safe EVA floor mat option for children and you should feel confident that we have specifically tested for this issue." So here is what I purchased.... Now, we did splurge a little, but in the end it was completely worth it for the following reasons: This mat does not seem to attract hair & dust like other mats do - ugh!!! Nasty!! We got the green/brown theme with cream coloured interlocking connectors. Now isn't this much easier on the eyes that those nasty bright coloured ones, or overly branded Disney mats??? We think so! The Oversized 14x14 inch tiles create an extra large play space, however it also allows you to customize the size - use 4 tiles or all 20! On their website there is a pdf to download to help you create many different designs, as well you can also switch the inner circles. The finished size is 70x56 inches and is a fantastic addition to any playroom in MY opinion!!!