The Best Baby Jumpers for Your Energetic Little One

Newborns eventually get sick of lying around in loungers and want to move their little legs! At this squirmy stage, baby jumpers allow them to release their energy and have fun without you having to hold them. Here are some of the best jumpers out there!

All About Baby Jumpers

Jumpers are a great way for babies to exercise their legs. They allow baby to sit safely in a seat with a strap, while their toes lightly touch the ground or a bouncing ball so they can jump up and down. There are a few different types, but they all essentially do the same thing.

Here are a few more details about baby jumpers:

• Two types: When choosing a jumper, you’ll have to decide if you want a freestanding, stationary or doorway jumper. A freestanding jumper is basically a play station with built-in rods or a bouncy mat under the baby’s feet. These usually include developmental toys and a tray around the baby to keep her occupied. As you might have guessed, you hang a doorway jumper from a doorway; It’s just a seat that allows baby to jump.
• Your child shouldn’t be in one all day: Jumpers are a great way to keep your little one busy and happy, but you don’t want to leave him in there all day. There’s no official stance on a time limit, but most experts recommend 10- to 20-minute intervals at most, a few times a day. And always monitor your baby when he’s in one, no matter how safe it seems.
• Baby has to be able to hold up her head: For your child to safely use a jumper, she has to have the muscle control to hold her head upright on her own. The age this occurs varies from child to child, but it’s usually anywhere from 4 to 9 months. As long as she can do this, though, she should be okay.
• Jumpers don’t help leg development: Some people assume a jumper will boost their child’s leg development, and that they’re good for a baby’s muscles. However, this is untrue. In fact, some say jumpers can actually hinder development. Like most things, though, some parents say their children were perfectly fine after using jumpers, so effects appear to vary.

Best Freestanding: Fisher-Price Rainforest Jumperoo

The best freestanding jumpers offer plenty of toys to keep a baby busy, fun colors, and a great design. With almost 10,000 positive reviews on Amazon, the Fisher-Price Rainforest Jumperoo is the best one out there. It has a little bit of everything: lights for your baby to look at, music that plays as he bounces, and little sounds that go off as he jumps.

The seat swivels 360 degrees, so your child can move and grab whatever he wants to play with. The three adjustable-height positions essentially grow with your child, so he won’t outgrow it quickly. It’s easy to assemble, doesn’t take up too much space, and the rainforest design is really adorable.

Best Activity Bouncer: Bright Starts Springin’ Safari Bounce-a-Bout

Most freestanding jumpers have high rods to help a baby jump. Bouncers are another option, although they’re not as common as jumpers. Like this one from Bright Starts, these have a bounce pad under the baby’s feet that allows her to jump. This style also doesn’t take up as much space as other freestanding jumpers, but it works just as well.

It features 12 activities for baby to engage in, as well as hooks, so you can add hanging toys or teethers if you want. The seat rotates 360 degrees, so your child won’t get bored in one spot, and the adjustable height grows with her. It’s easy to clean, and the convenient tray at the bottom collects everything a baby will inevitably drop (like her pacifier). It’s colorful, fun, and also comes in at a pretty good price point (most jumpers are close to, or over, $100).

Best Door Jumper: Jolly Jumper Exerciser

Door jumpers are great because they take up a lot less space than the freestanding kind. They also give your baby plenty of space to move around, and they’re generally less expensive.

So, what’s the downside? They don’t come with interactive toys, so you just have to rely on the jumping to keep your little one busy.

If that’s what you’re looking for, though, the Jolly Jumper Exerciser is a parent favorite. The simple design is minimalist, safe, sturdy, and easy to set up in a doorway. It gives your child lots of freedom to move around as he wants. And if you don’t want to set it up in a doorway, you can buy the Jolly Jumper Stand, which does take up a lot of space but is much more portable.

Best Budget: Evenflo Doorway Jumper

As you can see, jumpers can get a little pricey. This Evenflo Doorway Jumper, however, comes in at under $30 and is a great buy. It’s easy to use and set up and has a comfortable seat and adjustable straps. and

It’s also easy to take on and off if you want to travel with it. Parents love the tool-free installation and the cute patterned seats.

Best Multiuse: Skip Hop Explore and More Activity Center

At some point, no matter how much they love it, kids outgrow (or become bored with) a jumper. That’s why the Skip-Hop Explore and More is a great option because you can turn it into a little play table for your child as he gets bigger and can’t be in the jumper anymore.

It starts out as a jumper with a bounce pad, plenty of fun, interactive toys, as well as a swivel seat, so baby can move around. When he starts walking, you can remove the bounce pad, and he can use it to hold himself up. When your child reaches toddler age, you can remove the toys, and it becomes a cute little table.

Best Non-Toxic Option: Three Pears Bobbin Triple Play Center

Can’t stand the thought of bright, colorful baby toys taking up all the space in your carefully decorated home? Want to spend half a paycheck on a jumper? Hate the idea of your baby playing in something made of plastic? Then opt for the Three Pears Bobbin Triple Play Center. Made of Forest Stewardship Council timber and boasting a fancy leather seat, this nontoxic option is aesthetically pleasing and a minimalist parent’s dream.

It has a small table and bounce pad, and five adjustable heights—but that’s about it. There are no toys or hooks for toys, no music, and no lights. It’s just a bounce pad. It does grow with your baby, though! When you remove the bounce pad, it becomes a little play table.

Still, no one can deny this is a lot of money for something with so few features. However, if nontoxic materials and a more stylish design are important to you, this is the one you want.