My twin boys are 3 this november and the past few months, especially since starting playgroup they have really grown to love role playing games and have a lot more imagination when it comes to playing with their toys. A lot of toys I bought them last Christmas I bought knowing they would appreicate them when they got a bit older.

One of the many things I bought them last Christmas were cars, and LOTS of them, but I didn't just get them a garage to go with them they also had the Early Learning Centre Carpet Road Playmat.

This mat is basically a strong and sturdy carpet/rug with roads all over it and a few realistic buildings scattered here and there to make it look how the real world does really. Now when I say roads all over it, I don't mean roads and buildings placed on top, or ones which stick on and can be removed or lost, instead I mean this lovely road picture mapped out all over the carpet is actually the design of it, brill! The buildings and scenery include a pond, a park, fire station, school, hospital, police station, a shop, bus stops, roundabouts and it even includes car parks.

The surface of the rug where the roads are is not the softest and comfiest piece of carpet, but then it's not meant to be either. What I mean by this is it's not your luxury, fluffy carpet, it is instead just a very basic one, but that is what the rug needs to be, basic. Despite it being just a basic carpet it is very strong and doesn't wear easy which is good, especially knowing there are going to be children playing with it daily. There are no hazards that come with it though, except carpet burn really lol! The edges of the rug are rolled up and smooth, which again is no hazard. The bottom of the rug is rubbery meaning it remains in one place on any surface, it doesn't slip and slide making it a danger, yet it doesn't stick to your floor so you can't remove it or change the area you place it in either.

Now a 'road' design may seem boring to some, but the colours are bright and cheerful, it looks fun and different and is, in my opinion, appealing for both adults and children.

The fact it is a flat rug, means it doesn't take up a lot of space although it is a generously sized rug. It can be walked over, laid on, etc the way any carpet can, yet it can also be rolled up for easy storage if need be and laid back out flat again when the kids want to play with it which makes it a very convenient toy/rug to play with.

Of course having two toddlers who are messy little pups there is often mess left on the rug, drinks spilt etc but using a carpet shampoo it cleans easily and it hoovers up well to, without scagging it or marking it etc.
The fact it is a rather large rug means more than one child can play with it at any one time, which is another reason I bought it for my twins as I knew they'd play with it either on their own or together, this also means NO arguments .. Bliss lol!

The one early learning centre sells now is a slightly different design to the one above but still includes roads and buildings. However you can buy a very similar one to the picture above from Argos at just under £15, which is again excellent quality and has a lot to offer, considering it is, afterall, just a rug!

The roads on the rug provide a lot of fun with the twins vehicles as they usually use them as racing roads for their cars, but the scenery and the buildings allow them to enjoy some more imaginative play. The rug also allows them to be very independant in their play, which is brilliant as my boys are very independant and really hate it when I offer any help with their toys etc. This rug lets them play their own games, think up their own new ideas and games without mummy here having to interfere and show them what, and how to do it. I can hear them talking and babbling to themselves whilst they whizz their vehicles around the roads, stopping their fire engines at the fire station, and their buses taking children to the park or school.

I can't reccomend this road rug enough, it may just be a rug it provides hours on end of fun and laughter, imaginative play and very independant play too which is brilliant for growing children who are learning loads every day.