What's better a flat playmat/gym with dangly toys on a cross bar or a soft ring with toys? Im thinking birth - 5months ish as the baby will have an entertainment table of Caitlins to move on to.

Eg http://www.amazon.co.uk/Coast-Gymini-Lights-Music-Activity/dp/B000067K0L/ref=sr_1_2?s=baby&ie=UTF8&qid=1312842520&sr=1-2

or

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Galt-6850004-Farm-Playnest/dp/B000296KW6/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby&ie=UTF8&qid=1312842520&sr=1-1

We have a playmat with cross bars from Caitlin but the one we got I always thought it was a bit crap and she didnt use it much.

Is it better to have them propped up at 2 months or stick to flat to encourage kicks etc?

we had a flat one for Tyler and a round one once he could sit up... so both? lol

umm im not sure, tbh elijah never bothered with the dangly things so we bought him a different one and he still wasn't bothered, preferred to watch me hang washing on the drying screen i probably wouldn't get one again and just get one of those mats that have different textures etc for rolling about on

We've got this one for Noah

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SIT-ME-UP-COSY-BABY-ACTIVITY-SEAT-NEST-RING-MAT-/260827066741?_trksid=p4340.m263&_trkparms=algo%3DDLSL%252BSIC%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BFICS%252BUFI%252BDDSIC%26otn%3D8%26pmod%3D320729111382%252B320729111382%26po%3D%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D1934012509125161105&_qi=RTM637057#ht_1127wt_1139

he looks so comfy in it, and you can stretch out the flower part to make it a bit flatter for a newborn. He seems to like being slightly propped up and it seems to support him well. We've also got the fisher price jungle play mat with cross bars and he likes that too, only just started to notice the toys above him though! At least with too I feel like he's got somewhere comfy and then somewhere flat to kick around and practice rolling etc

We bought a playmat with arches for Dexter but tbh his favourite place is laying on a changing mat in the lounge watching Libby

We had a long quetto find something other than the car seat that she would sit in/lie in so Amelia has D) All of the above lol

Her favourite is the one kat posted. She detests the mat think its probably to do with her reflux

the Galt nest she's got has got bars and toys hanging from them but they just frustrate her cos she cant reach them

We had a flat one although Jamie was never that interested and sits up to play with it on the odd occasions we get it out now. I would guess a flat one is probably better to encourage tummy time

we actually have that play mat you posted and lucas loves it,

at first he wouldnt reach for anything and just watch them lol

now hes grabbing at the monkeys tale and the elephant vibrates which he loved on his belly.

we also have tummy time on it as theres little things on it,

it folds up and all the toys can come off and move to dif places and we even put them on his car seat for a change when we out.
it cleans well and drys overnight hanging over the door

every kid is different, at the moment he is lying on the settee (he woke from his 30min nap) looking at his hands lol

i prefer babies lying down as they sit up a lot in their car seats and he will be able to use this as he gets older, the arches come off so soemthing to sit on to play.