Foam Play Mats Off-Gas Chemicals Onto Your Baby

Children's foam play mats are loaded with volatile chemicals. A 2024 study tested 34 play mats and found chemicals off-gassing from virtually all of them, including the soft foam your baby crawls on.

What the Study Found

Researchers used non-targeted screening to identify volatile compounds released from children's play mats. Published in a peer-reviewed journal, the study tested 34 mats made from different materials. The results identified potential chemical hazards associated with the products.

Foam mats made from EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate), PVC, and other synthetic materials contain chemical additives: plasticizers, stabilizers, flame retardants, and blowing agents. These chemicals aren't chemically bonded to the foam. They off-gas into the air your baby breathes while playing on the mat.

Why This Is a Bigger Problem for Babies

Babies spend hours on play mats. They crawl, roll, and put the mat in their mouth. They breathe air inches from the mat surface. Their bodies are smaller, so the same chemical exposure represents a higher dose per kilogram of body weight than it would for an adult.

Formamide, a suspected carcinogen, was previously found in EVA foam mats and banned in some European countries. Other chemicals found in foam mats include phthalates and brominated flame retardants.

Natural rubber play mats and organic cotton floor coverings skip the synthetic foam entirely. Browse non-toxic baby products for mat options that don't off-gas.

Also see glass food storage for safer alternatives.

Source: Evaluation of volatile safety in children's play mats based on non-targeted screening (2024).