The Best Exersaucer

Exersaucers are stationary activity centers that allow babies to practice standing, jumping and sometimes even turning in circles with no risk of injury. Most parents use these items to allow babies under the age of 12 months to build strength in their legs and develop coordination in preparation for walking. They're also convenient for parents who need to keep their babies entertained in a safe place for short periods of time.

Each exersaucer is designed with attached toys and educational items for entertainment. The toys also help babies develop fine motor skills as they learn to manipulate items with their fingers. Exersaucers are made from durable plastic that easily withstands the wear and tear from multiple babies, and the toys are safe for teething babies who want to put everything in their mouths.

These activity centers earned the name "saucers" due to the plastic floorboard that protects tender little feet from the floor. This floorboard was traditionally curved, so the exersaucer would easily rock slightly as an excited baby jumped. There are some updated and innovative designs on the market today, but you can still find traditional exersaucers.

Selecting the Best Exersaucer

It's best to choose an exersaucer that your baby can use for at least six months to a year. These are durable items that you can easily sell at a yard sale or pass on to another child once your little one is no longer interested, but you still want to get as much use out of it as possible. If you pay attention to the following factors, you'll pick the right activity center for your household:

• Jumping vs. Stationary: Some exersaucers are stationary, so they allow your baby to stand up and sit down with great stability. Others are designed to accommodate active babies who want to jump and feel some response in the seat around them. You might also consider whether your chosen seat can spin 360 degrees because babies love to turn in circles while exploring different toys.
• Variety of Toys: Look at the number of toys attached to the table and the motions that your baby will need to manipulate those toys. Try to find something that can entertain your baby now while giving them a bit of a challenge in the days to come.
• Musical Components: Some parents love baby toys with musical components while others find the noise aggravating. We'll introduce you to a couple high-quality musical exersaucers if you want your baby to benefit from sound.

Some parents make a distinction between a "jumperoo" and an "exersaucer," but the only difference is the level of motion supported. Younger babies may not jump much, but that doesn't mean that they can't use a jumperoo while growing into the full capacity of the product. Make your decision based on personal knowledge of your baby's needs.

Multi-Phase Exersaucers

These baby exercise centers are designed to accommodate your little one through multiple stages of development. They may start out as a stationary exersaucer or a jumperoo, but they easily transform into tools that you can use for months or even years to come. To help you pick the right one, we rounded up a couple of our favorites:

Portable Exersaucers for Busy Families

Most activity saucers are bulky and heavy. You can easily pull them from one room to another within your home, but taking them to a park or to a caregiver's home isn't so easy. If you plan to take your saucer on the go, you may want to pick up one of these portable units.

Musical Exersaucers

Musical toys add another element of sensory development for growing babies. The sound can also keep some babies interested in a toy for a longer period of time. If you want to add musical enrichment to your baby's playtime, one of these musical exersaucers may help.

The Best Exersaucers from Fisher-Price & Evenflo

Evenflo and Fisher-Price are two of the most well-known and trusted brand names on the baby market, so it only makes sense that they have made some of the most popular exersaucers for babies. They also offer some of the most innovative options, and the prices are reasonable.

There are hundreds of exersaucers on the market today, but don't get confused while shopping. Think about what you would like your baby to learn from this product and how it can meet a functional need within your household. You can then select one or two units that can meet your needs.