Exersaucer vs Jumperoo: Which is best for Growing babies?

Last Updated on May 26, 2021

When you first bring your baby home, you may not realize there are so many different ways to help your baby to develop and grow, some are more effective than others! Baby gyms and jumpers are great for babies that are not yet walking or moving around a lot. 

The Exersaucer and Jumperoo are two of the most popular baby jumpers on the market and have been trusted by parents for years. They consist of a stationary base and a harness or seat that moves up and down to support the baby as they jump.

The products are often decorated with toys, teethers, or other fun objects that help to keep the baby entertained and engaged. In addition, they serve several important purposes for your little one: physical exercise, entertainment, and development.

Let’s compare the Exersaucer vs Jumperoo to explore what makes them different so you can choose the right one for your baby.

Main Differences Between Jumperoo vs Exersaucer

The Exersaucer and Jumperoo are designed with a specific purpose in mind: to engage your baby with different sensory experiences that will help with their overall development. We’ve found the differences between the two are subtle, but they could make a difference for you and your child. 

For example, the Exersaucer has two different toys that move: the overhead toy bar and the dangling toy bar. It can also be used from birth with the included playmat and even used when your child can stand on their own using the table configuration.

On the other hand, the Exersaucer is more bulky and weighs considerably more than the Jumperoo.

The Jumperoo has a variety of bright colors to engage your baby’s sense of sight. The Jumperoo has a similar number of toys compared to the Exersaucer, but it is not able to be used with newborns. 

What we really like about the Jumperoo is that it is more of a compact design that allows for easy storage when not in use.

How baby activity centers and gyms help baby development

Motor Skills Development

As your little one practices jumping, reaching for toys, and trying to balance on their tippy toes, they are using important skills that will help develop your baby’s gross motor skills. These activities are meant to help them grow and are preparing them to stand and walk on their own.

Sensory Development

Babies are exposed to a lot of stimulation from the world around them. Most baby gyms include bright colors, lights, noise, and different textures to help stimulate your baby’s developing senses.

This sensory engagement will also keep your baby entertained while they bounce and move around.

Muscle Development

Having to support themselves in a jumper, the baby will begin to further develop muscles in their core to help them sit and stand independently. In addition, when the baby is jumping or just standing, they are able to work on leg muscles to help them find their balance.

However, it’s recommended to limit the time your baby spends in the Exersaucer or Jumperoo to about 20 minutes per day. This will help reduce any risk of injury or improper development resulting from extended or incorrect use.

Curiosity & Exploration

A playful world awaits your little explorer with these engaging play centers. They’ll really like the variety of toys they can play with and there’s nothing more exciting for an infant than when they take a look at their own reflection.

Exersaucer vs Jumperoo Comparison

Here are some of the main points of comparison between the Exersaucer vs Jumperoo.

Fisher-Price Jumperoo and Evenflo Exersaucer Reviews

Below we take a look at the Evenflo Exersaucer and Fisher-Price Jumperoo in greater detail and review everything you need to know. We’ll also cover specific areas where there are differences that may make the Exersaucer or Jumperoo the jumper your baby would love.

Evenflo Exersaucer Review

The Evenflo Exersaucer Triple Fun is a versatile activity center that provides fun for your little one from 3 months old through 36 months, and is available in a number of vibrant colors.

The Exersaucer is a fun, engaging activity center that can be used for many different activities from laying the baby on the included playmat to hands-on play as a standing table. This is a great tool for helping your baby grow and learn.

WHAT WE LOVE

• Excellent way of helping your baby to develop physically, mentally, and socially
• More configuration options and can be used with newborns or toddlers that can stand
• Very easy to use, and very easy to put together
• Safe way of creating fun and stimulating activities for your baby
• Great way of building and maintaining your baby’s confidence

WHAT COULD BE BETTER

• More bulky and heavier than the Jumperoo at about 21 pounds
• Higher price range with a similar number of toys

Fisher-Price Jumperoo Review

The Fisher-Price Rainforest Jumperoo is one of the most popular activity centers on the market, and it is highly recommended by many pediatricians and parents. 

This is partially due to the Rainforest Jumperoo being one of the few activity centers that helps with gross motor skills. It also helps because the Jumperoo is adjustable, so it can be used for a longer period of time as your child grows.

The Jumperoo is a low cost way to make sure your baby is having fun, happy, entertained, and continuing to develop.

WHAT WE LOVE

• Strengthens your baby’s core and leg muscles
• Improves your baby’s physical and mental development
• Suspends the baby to get them used to the feeling of standing
• Comes with several toys to entertain your baby while they jump
• Can be adjusted to fit the baby’s height as they grow
• Lightweight and compact design for travel at under 10 pounds

WHAT COULD BE BETTER

• Does not come with an option to use with children unable to sit unassisted
• Leg holes may be too small and tight for babies with thicker thighs

Jumperoo vs Exersaucer Similarities

While there are a few differences when comparing the Jumperoo vs Exersaucer, there are actually more similarities between these two baby products.

Activity Center Design

The Exersaucer and Jumperoo are built around keeping your baby engaged as they practice standing and jumping. They both come with plenty of toys and attachments that light up or play sounds for your baby as they move around.

The toys, lights, colors, sounds, and music all help to entertain and stimulate your baby to help them grow and develop.

Included Toys & Attachments

The Exersaucer and Jumperoo both come with several toys that attach directly to each of the products. Parents and babies will love the variety in the types of toys they can interact with.

Exersaucers come with two hanging toys that your child can reach for and multiple removable toys they can push or spin. This will help your children work on their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.

Similarly, Jumperoos have a couple hanging toys with several different interactive toys that surround your child.

Both products have toys that play sounds, music, and have lights to keep children engaged as they jump around.

Multiple Design Options & Colors

There are around 10 Exersaucer design options and a similar amount of Jumperoo varieties. They each have similar types of toys and provide the same basic functions.

You’re bound to find a design with either that fits your nursery color scheme or pattern.

Stationary Design

Unlike a baby walker, neither the Exersaucer or Jumperoo is able to move with your child. They do not come with wheels and are meant to allow your baby to safely bounce in place.

These are the best products to keep your baby in one place and can be a temporary relief for parents with a baby that is crawling or scooting all over the place.

These products are different from a walker in that they are focused on helping your baby stand and jump. This jumping motion helps your baby get a bit more physically active than they would be otherwise.

Adjustable Seat Heights

As your baby gets bigger, you’ll need to adjust the seat of the jumper to make sure they can stand and bounce comfortably. Both the Jumperoo and Exersaucer come with an adjustable seat which has 3 different settings to keep up with growing babies.

Storage & Folding

When you’re not using the Exersaucer or Jumperoo, you’ll want to fold it up and tuck it away until the next time you need it.

Exersaucers are a bit bigger and heavier, so it’s not quite as convenient if you plan to take it in and out of storage every couple days. Our family has actually had ours sitting out for several months just taking up space in the living room.

Parents with little space will appreciate the more compact and lightweight design of the Jumperoo. It is easier to store and folds down quickly.

Weight Capacity

Exersaucers and Jumperoos have just about the same weight capacity. The Exersaucer has a 26 pound capacity while the Jumperoo is at 25 pounds.

This should be good to last you until your child is able to stand and starts to climb. This is when you will need to stop using Exersaucers or Jumperoos.

Recommended Time Limit

Regardless of which you select, it’s recommended by pediatricians that you limit the amount of time the baby is held in the jumper. The suggested limit is about 20 minutes to prevent any potential physical issues with your child.

Jumperoo vs Exersaucer Differences

Configuration Options

The Exersaucer is able to be used in 3 different stages from newborn, infant, and toddler that can stand on their own. 

The first stage is the playmat which lays right on the floor and lets your baby play with dangling toys. The second stage is the Exersaucer which includes a seat for your child to support them as they play. The final stage is in table mode that is made for toddlers that can stand and walk, which can start as early as 8 months.

On the other hand, the Jumperoo can only be used as a jumper and isn’t able to be used until the babies can sit up and support themselves. 

As a result, the flexibility and length of use with the Exersaucer is far greater than the Jumperoo.

Size & Weight

Exersaucers are fairly heavy and bulky baby entertainment products. While they are great to help your child play and develop, the weight of one Exersaucer pushes 20 pounds.

For most parents, this is way too bulky to have to move around a lot. Having it sit out isn’t bad if your child is using it daily, but it’s best if the jumper is light and compact enough to move where you need it. In comparison, the Jumperoo is only around 12 pounds.

In terms of size, the Exersaucer is about 31 inches wide. This makes it a bit larger than the Jumperoo which is about 25 inches at the widest point.

When it comes to compact and lightweight design, the Jumperoo is clearly the best choice.

Pricing

If you’re buying these baby products new (which we highly recommend), there is a price difference between them. The Exersaucer is generally between $40-$60 more expensive than the Jumperoo depending on sale price.

However, the price difference may be worth it for some parents that want a more sturdy play center for their child that can also be used from birth. 

Is an Exersaucer or Jumperoo bad for babies?

Exersaucers and Jumperoos are popular baby equipment that often fill the homes of first-time parents. But they are not without controversy. 

Some parents believe that these activity centers can be dangerous for infants. Other people believe that they can be helpful when used correctly. So, are these baby products safe or unsafe?

While there is no verified research that they negatively impact your baby’s physical development. There have been reports of parents leaving their children in the jumper unattended which resulted in injuries to the baby.

In reality, these are perfectly safe to use as long as you follow the manufacturer’s recommendation for minimum age or weight, install directions, and keep an eye on your little one.

How long can you leave a baby in a jumper?

It’s recommended to only leave your child in the jumper for no more than 20 minutes each day. A jumper is not intended to be a long-term babysitter, so this is a good target to make sure your baby’s muscles don’t get over tired. 

Not to mention, keeping them in there for more than 10 minutes at a time will be hard enough before they get bored.

What is the difference between a baby walker and jumper?

A baby walker is a product best used to help your baby learn how to walk on their own. They often have a seat, wheels, and circular plastic design that wraps around the child to provide support as they try taking their first steps.

Baby jumpers are made to be stationary play areas for babies. Similar to a walker, they have a seat and circular design to contain and support your child. However, they do not have wheels that allow the baby to move freely around the room.

Final Thoughts

When comparing the Rainforest Jumperoo vs Exersaucer Triple Fun, there is a lot to like about each of these products. They both provide toys, music, and lights that your baby will really love as they continue developing physically and mentally. 

However, the Exersaucer is our recommended choice for parents looking for the best all around jumper and play center for their child. It can be used with newborns with the included playmat and all the way until your toddler can stand on their own where it can convert into a table.

If you’re looking more at the price than anything else, the Jumperoo is a great low-cost alternative to the Exersaucer. It has similar toys and product features in a smaller and lighter package.