Felt Play Mats

A few animals beside a pond already suggest somewhere to begin. A dinosaur approaching a cave has a destination; a farmer crossing a field has a job to do. A felt play mat brings these pieces into one landscape, with places for the characters to arrive, travel and return.

The landscape gives the story a setting without deciding what happens next. That is why we value playscapes within an open-ended play space: a recognisable scene can be offered with a few figures, and the child can change the cast, route or event. Our range includes felt landscapes from Tara Treasures and Papoose, with compact scenes and larger mats for different play spaces.

Which playscape suits the stories already being told?

A familiar interest is a useful starting point. A farm play mat gives animals, people and tractors a shared setting. A dinosaur play mat offers terrain for prehistoric characters, while ocean and Australian landscapes bring a different group of creatures into the scene.

The theme does not need to match every figure literally. The same patch of water can be a duck pond in one story and a place to cross in another. A landscape with several recognisable areas gives children places to connect, while a simpler scene leaves more room to decide what each space will become.

Farm settings are available in both Tara Treasures and Papoose designs in our catalogue. That lets you think about the landscape and the room it needs rather than choosing only by brand. More detailed scenes can provide an immediate starting point for a story; a less crowded setup leaves room for loose trees, animals and other pieces already owned.

Is a small mat or a larger landscape more useful?

A small playscape mat suits a focused scene with a few figures. A larger landscape gives characters more room to spread out and makes more space for play from different sides. The better fit depends on where the mat will go and how much of the surrounding area you want to leave free.

On a tabletop, a compact mat can sit beside a basket of characters. It defines one activity without filling the whole surface. On the floor, a wider mat can separate several destinations: a resting place, a patch of water or a route between them. A small world play mat does not have to cover the entire play area to make the scene feel connected.

Our current assortment includes small Tara Treasures scenes and larger farm and dinosaur landscapes, alongside a larger Papoose farm mat. Product dimensions help translate that choice into the actual table or floor space. Space around the edges matters too, so figures can be reached without crowding every character into the centre.

How do figures and loose pieces change the scene?

Figures give a felt playscape its cast. A few animals can turn a landscape into a home or habitat; people and vehicles can add journeys and everyday tasks. Existing wooden, felt or animal figures can be useful companions when their size suits the landscape.

Scale matters most where a figure needs to pass through an opening or sit within a feature. A large dinosaur may work beside a small tree but may not fit into a particular cave. Wider paths and open areas leave more room for larger characters. Small figures can make a compact scene feel spacious without needing a larger mat.

In My Playroom's selection, a farm mat can begin with a few animals, while selected themed playscapes include landscape pieces of their own. The Tara Treasures Dinosaur Land, for example, includes a removable volcano. It is one way a scene can change without replacing the mat; adding or moving your own loose figures gives other landscapes a changing cast too.

Keep a small-world scene ready to return to

A mat and its regular characters can be kept near each other between play sessions. A small basket for the figures gives them a home beside the landscape, with a few pieces ready to bring out together. The same arrangement can work for one recurring farm story or a changing group of creatures.

When a table is needed for another activity, the mat can be put away separately from the loose figures. Some selected designs roll for storage, including the Tara Treasures large farm playscape and the Papoose farm mat. The storage method depends on the individual design; raised landscape features need their own space rather than being flattened.

For figures and other felt additions beyond the mat itself, browse our felt toys. Shop felt play mats online with Australia-wide shipping, or visit our Melbourne stores to explore the wider play range.