Floored: Deuz Play Mats

I spend a massive amount of time on the floor.  This is what happens when you have a small child. They prefer playing on the floor more than anywhere else.

Years ago, a news report broke out in France, warning parents about play mats made of foam, many of which are toxic and made in factories with dubious quality control standards. Buyers claimed upon opening the sealed package of their brand new play mat … chemical fumes would rise and linger for days. Most are very difficult to clean due to oversized separate interlocking parts. This is especially true for mass produced foam play mats.

I went on the hunt for an alternative and found Deuz, which offers play mats made of 100% certified organic cotton and non-toxic inks, manufactured by an ethical company in India.

Deuz is a collaboration of two French sisters who create bright and lively products for kids ages 2-10 years. They are all about energetic colors and designs, unexpected keen typography and surprising associations. Theirs is a stimulating aesthetic universe, applied to one-of-a-kind objects, both useful and cunning, that you can combine at your own imagination. It is a selection of the best materials for children and the planet.

The Baby Play Mat is cheerful, cosy, eco-friendly and very practical with a removable cover that easy to throw in the wash. It is a stimulating playground made of 100% certified organic cotton for the cover, an organic terry towel bottom, a mattress of polyester and organic cotton, natural wood rings and printed with non-toxic inks. It is packaged folded in a 100% organic cotton bag and retails for 85€.

The Tapikid is a collection of four graphic playmats, printed with energetic colors that make kids’ imagination soar. Each one can be paired off with another, doubling the adventures! They are sold with a 100% organic cotton tote bag, folded and wrapped with a paper printed ribbon, and retails for 54€.

Deuz also makes Napkid, a collection of three long napkins for young chefs and food lovers. Their size is adjustable with two press studs. Just like the playmats, they are made of 100% organic cotton, printed with non-toxic inks. They come packaged rolled up in a printed paper ribbon and retails for 17€.

Safe materials and a great design … elements that will make spending hours on the floor a pleasure, even for parents.

If you are an older parent and need to relearn the art of playing, grab the book Playful Parenting, which encourages the act of getting down on the floor to stay on eye-level with children, to relate and communicate in the way they know best … through play.

October 29, 2012 by guest