Textured Play Mats
– Our Definitive Guide-
Contents:
Why Foot Health is Important for Children?
The Problem:
Foot related issues such as flat feet is primarily caused by walking only on flat surfaces in rigid shoes which confines the children’s feet. Because of this modern confinement, children`s feet cannot develop naturally and also lacks of sensory stimulation which is known to be essential to develop all other sensory systems in the body including proprioception– the awareness of the position and movement of the body.
Flat feet of children and all related problems such as imbalances in the movement, valgus ankles and knees, W seat, sunken arches, gait problems and as a result; the weakened centre of the body, diastasis -spacing of the abdominal cavity- general poor movement patterns and bad posture are primarily caused by walking only on flat surfaces. Children shoes also contributing to such issues as they restrict toe spread, the movement of the forefoot and also limit sensory feedback.
The Solution:
The solution is simple but ingenious; to correct certain and unfortunately common problems caused by modern lifestyle, these created various floor mats for children with textured surfaces. Such floor mats were suitable to effectively tackle the mentioned problems and improve balance, core strength, leg and foot strength of children.
These textured mats represent years of dedicated work of chiropractors, orthopaedic specialists, podiatrists, physical therapist, occupational therapists combined with their passion for helping children. Textured floor mats provide children with exactly what they need and even more than that: it is fun, engaging, a product the whole family will love and can benefit from.
What are the Health Benefits of Textured Play Mats?
Our sensory floor mats provide an excellent alternative to outdoor barefoot play as they offer the same range of health benefits for children in the safety of indoors. Next to preventing flat feet, sunken arches, valgus ankles and knees, it is also alleviating and eliminating related issues that might have already arisen. Walking on the uneven surfaces helps children to distribute their weight evenly and efficiently throughout their bodies and allows children to develop a more natural gait which is gentler, has a shorter stride and puts less pressure through the heels. The knees bend more to cushion each step and the toes help grip and forward movement.
Sensory playmats help children’s legs and feet become stronger while allowing them to have better control over how their foot hits the ground. Walking on Muffik is great for training for standing, walking and good balance, they are contributing to the proper development of a child’s foot muscles and joint mobility resulting a healthy and happy feet. A good sense of balance enables children to confidently walk, jump and pivot on different surfaces, trying to adjust to changing environments below their feet. Each movement becomes more stable, so skipping, running and jumping are safer.
The tactile sensory input of the various uneven textures of our sensory mats also massage the kids’ feet and stimulate their senses. Textured playmats are great for sensory play and also encourages the development of cognitive growth, fine and gross motor skills and helps to build nerve connections in the brain. The interlocking floor puzzles are fun, inspire imagination and creativity of the children as well!
What is Special Our Sensory Playmats?
Our sensory floor tiles are crafted from nature and have been engineered to specifically replicate the surfaces and sensations in the children’s feet felt in nature. The soft and hard types of interlocking mats feature the textures and surfaces of grass, pebbles, seashells, forests which mimic the benefits and pleasures of walking barefoot over real surfaces. The purpose of our textured floors is to give children a taste of walking in different natural surfaces in safe environments.
These textured tiles are shaped to interlocking puzzle pieces to engage children of fun and available in a wide range of bright colours. In contrast to other ortho floor mats for children in the market, these playmats do not require the complexity of connecting the mats together, they are designed for the children’s easy use.
Our sensory mat sets are also being used as a medical instrument in numerous nurseries, gyms, and other institutions for physical therapy, occupational therapy, and rehabilitation.
Are These Tiles Safe for Children?
Our floor mats are completely safe for children. They are toxic-free and have no scent. Made of durable PVC, they are anti-slip and easy to clean. Our playmats are manufactured to the highest of standards with quality materials so that children have a comfortable and playful experience without any possible harm.
Our textured floor mats are tested according to EU standards of: EN 71-1:2014 + A1:2018 and EN 71-2:2011 + A1:2014 and EN 71-3:2019-08 and approved by Dekra and ITC Zlí certification institutes.
What the Experts Say About These Playmats?
“As a Pediatric Occupational Therapist, I highly recommend textured floor tiles for a variety of motor and sensory based play. Can be used from belly time to running time! Helps to develop tactile exploration and sensory input to assist in self-regulation as well as balance and tolerance to the variety of imput that they provide”.
Pediatric Occupational Therapist
“We use textured floors with children to teach them correct walking as a sensory motor aid. It also forms part of the obstacle course; which children undergo several times a week as part of physical therapy. These mats also excellent for strengthening unstable ankles and stability training. We also recommend it to parents and children for home exercises. Children usually like to work with textured floor mats because it reminds them of a toy rather than a rehabilitation aid”.
Physiotherapist at Oliva Children’s Medical Institution
“We bought these orthopedic mats on the basis of a recommendation from my friend who is physiotherapist as an to physio exercise. At first I was skeptical, but experience showed me that my worries were unnecessary. Our set consists of colorful pieces of various hardness and shapes. The children are so excited about them and move them as they like and walk around them not only during the exercise, but also use them to play various games. Adults can easily walk on them as well. I also like that they are easy to maintain. I simply clean them with a whisk or shower them and let them dry. There is no need to pay as much attention to them as at the ones made at home, so that something does not break off or peel off. So for me, these puzzles were definitely a great choice.”
From What Age These Sensory Floor Mats Are Recommended?
Our orthopedic floors can be used by even the youngest 0 to 1 years old throughout all age groups. The Baby Set has been specially designed for the youngest; containing 6 of the softest orthopedic and sensory floor mats available, all other sets include a variety of both soft and hard playmats, hard sensory playmats are recommended from the age of 2-3.
Are Textured Floor Mats Good for Adults Too?
Puzzle floors are incredibly versatile and offer healthy foot development for all generations. We use them even in our bathroom and in our offices underneath the tables for a relaxing foot massage. Orthopaedic mats help to reduce fatigue and pain, relieve tension in the feet and improve blood circulation. These floor mats are also beneficial for adults through the relaxation as well as the better activation of foot and ankle musculature and through the improved mechanics of the hips, knees, and core.
Are Textured Floor Mats Are Safe for Children on the Autism Spectrum?
Yes, our sensory play mats are even recommended for children with autism to improve physical, sensory and cognitive development. Sensory play with our palymats may provide value for children with autism with regards to processing sensory information and communication as well.
Sensory input and stimulation for our feet is very important for our life from early childhood to adulthood. Our colorful textured floor mats encourage imagination, communication and the possibilities of games are endless!
Textured Play Mats
Textured Play Mats are great for training standing, walking and good balance. Each piece is an original with a different type of surface, and all the pieces fit together like a puzzle, so that kids can have fun putting their paths together while training fine motor skills.
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