A child does not need a child-sized mat. A standard 183 cm mat gives room to grow into and roll about on, and the things that matter more are whether it washes, whether the surface sheds pieces, and whether anyone in the house is allergic to natural latex. The mat is a marked-out space, not padding against falls; an adult in the room matters more than anything you can buy.
Size: a full-size mat is fine
Our yoga mats are 183 to 188 cm long and 68 to 69 cm wide. A small child uses a fraction of that, which is no problem; the extra length is room for rolling, lying down and the kind of yoga that turns into tumbling. Short children's mats exist, but a child outgrows them, and a full-size mat simply becomes one more mat in the family when they do. If two children share, lay two mats side by side.
Washability
Children bring sand, biscuit crumbs and juice to the mat. A woven mat copes with this in a way that foam does not.
- The Indico is GOTS-certified organic cotton. Hand wash it cold with a mild natural detergent, on its own for the first few washes, and dry it flat in shade. Machine washing can fade the plant dyes, and a little indigo in the first rinse is normal.
- The Sambu Diamond is sambhu grass woven with organic cotton. It is not washed: shake it out, wipe it with a damp cloth and air it in shade. Never soak it or put it in a machine.
- If you want a mat for the machine, the 7 mm Diamond Clay takes a delicate 30 °C cycle in a laundry bag.
Our mat-by-mat guide to machine washing has the detail. Most foam and rubber mats are wiped rather than washed; what goes into them tends to stay.
No foam to flake
A foam mat wears from the surface. It crumbles at the corners, small pieces come away, and a child will pick at them. Our mats are woven from cotton and plant fibres with a thin coat of natural latex underneath; there is no PVC and no synthetic foam, so there is nothing to flake. They have their own kind of wear: cotton frays gently at the ends over years, and a grass mat sheds a little fibre when new. Neither is something a child can peel off in handfuls.
The latex note
Every mat we make except the Darbha has a thin layer of natural tree latex brushed onto the underside by hand. It is what holds the mat on tile, marble and wood. If you are allergic to natural latex, choose with care and write to us first. If a child in the house has a known latex allergy, or you are not sure, speak to your doctor before buying, and consider the Darbha, which is backed in cotton cloth and has no latex layer; it is a firm grass mat, better for sitting than for tumbling. Our article on the natural latex grip layer explains how the coat is applied and how it ages.
Supervision and the floor
A 3 to 5 mm mat is a surface, not a crash pad. Clear the space around it, keep it away from table corners and glass, and leave inversions and headstands for a teacher. A grass mat is firm, and a child used to foam will notice; a cotton mat is softer and warmer to lie on. On tile, check the mat is lying flat before anyone runs onto it. None of this is a guarantee, only the ordinary care any floor activity needs.
Cotton or grass for a child
| Indico (cotton) | Sambu Diamond (grass and cotton) | |
|---|---|---|
| Thickness | 5 mm | 3 mm |
| Weight | ≈1.4 kg | ≈1 kg |
| Feel | Dense, soft, warm | Firm, cool, textured |
| Cleaning | Hand wash cold | Shake, wipe, air |
| Spills | Washes out | Wipe at once; cannot soak |
| Price (at the time of writing) | ₹4,499 | ₹1,999 |
For a child who mostly sits, stretches and lies down, the Indico is the kinder surface. For a hot climate, a terrace or a child who will carry the mat to class, the lighter grass mat is easier.
Frequently asked questions
What size yoga mat does a child need?
A standard mat, 183 cm by about 68 cm, is fine for a child of any age. The extra length is room to move, and they grow into it rather than out of it. Children's mats are shorter, which saves little and is outgrown quickly.
Can a children's yoga mat be washed?
Our cotton mats can: hand wash cold with a mild natural detergent and dry flat in shade, or for the Diamond mats a delicate 30 °C machine cycle in a laundry bag. Grass mats are wiped and aired, never soaked. Most foam mats can only be wiped.
Is the latex layer a concern for children?
It is a thin coat of natural tree latex on the underside, not the surface a child lies on. If anyone in the house is allergic to natural latex, choose with care and write to us first, and ask your doctor. The Darbha mat is cloth-backed and has no latex layer.
Do children need a thick mat?
No. A 3 to 5 mm woven mat is enough for a child; what helps more is a clear space and someone watching. Thicker mats are for adults kneeling through long holds, not for children rolling about.
If the mat will mostly be sat and lain on, start with the Indico; if it will be carried, spilt on and used on the terrace, the Sambu Diamond.
