Play mat assembly and method of preparing a play surface for a child

Abstract

A play mat assembly and method of preparing a play surface for a child includes a mat body and a fastener. The mat body is configured to selectively fold about a fold line between an unfolded and a folded position. The unfolded mat body forms a play surface having a graphical play indicia configured to encourage the child to selectively interact with a toy thereon for entertaining the child. The folded mat body forms interior cavity for retaining the toy.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A play mat assembly for entertaining a child, comprising;
 a mat body configured to selectively fold about a fold line between an unfolded position and a folded position, the unfolded mat body forming a play surface, the play surface having a graphical play indicia configured to encourage the child to selectively interact with a toy thereon; and   a fastener attached to a peripheral outer edge of the mat body, the fastener configured to go between an open position and a closed position when the mat body is in the folded position;   wherein when the fastener is positioned nearer the closed position, the folded mat body forms an interior cavity capable of retaining the toy therein.   
     
     
         2 . The play mat assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a toy suitable for being used on the play surface and being retained in the interior cavity.   
     
     
         3 . The play mat assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the graphical play indicia is a farm image and the toy is a farm animal figure. 
     
     
         4 . The play mat assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the unfolded mat body is generally circular and has a diameter, the folded mat body is generally semicircular, and the fold line extends along the diameter of the mat body. 
     
     
         5 . The play mat assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a clip device configured to be selectively removably attached to the mat body, wherein when the clip device is attached to the mat body, the mat body may be hung from the clip device.   
     
     
         6 . The play mat assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the clip device is a squeeze clip, the squeeze clip further comprises:
 an engagement end portion and a support end portion, the engagement end portion configured to selectively removably attached to the mat body, and the support end portion configured to be fixedly suspended so as to hang the mat body when the engagement end portion is attached to the mat body.   
     
     
         7 . The play mat assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the mat body has a back surface opposite the play surface, and the back surface includes a clip indicia configured to indicate a predetermined position for attaching the engagement end portion to the mat body, the back surface further includes a graphical play indicia that is thematically similar to the graphical play indicia on the play surface. 
     
     
         8 . The play mat assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the clip indicia is centrally located on the back surface of the mat body proximate the fold line. 
     
     
         9 . The play mat assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the clip device is a flexible band and the mat body further comprises:
 at least one slot extending through the mat body, the at least one slot configured to receive the flexible band therethrough for hanging the mat body by the flexible band.   
     
     
         10 . The play mat assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the fastener is a zipper. 
     
     
         11 . The play mat assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the mat body has a peripheral outer edge, and the zipper is attached to the peripheral outer edge. 
     
     
         12 . The play mat assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the zipper extends around the peripheral outer edge from an initial end to a terminal end thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The play mat assembly of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a cover attached to the mat body and positioned adjacent to the peripheral outer edge and configured to cover the initial and terminal ends of the zipper to keep the child from directly resting on the initial and terminal ends while the mat body is in the unfolded position.   
     
     
         14 . A method of preparing a play surface of a play mat assembly for a child, the play mat assembly having a mat body configured to selectively fold about a fold line between an unfolded position and a folded position, the unfolded mat body forming the play surface, a fastener attached to a peripheral outer edge of the mat body, the fastener configured to go between an open position and a closed position when the mat body is in the folded position, when the fastener is positioned nearer the closed position, the folded mat body forms an interior cavity capable of retaining a toy therein, the method comprising;
 moving the fastener from the closed position to the open position;   removing the toy from the interior cavity; and   unfolding the mat body onto a support surface such that the play surface is facing upward in order prepare the play surface for use with the toy.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the fastener is a zipper and moving the fastener further comprises:
 unzipping the zipper from an initial end of the zipper to a terminal end of the zipper.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the play mat assembly further comprising:
 a cover attached to the mat body and positioned adjacent to the peripheral outer edge and configured to cover the initial and terminal ends of the zipper to keep the child from directly resting on the initial and terminal ends while the mat body is in the unfolded position.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the play mat assembly further includes a clip device having an engagement end portion and a support end portion, the engagement end portion configured to be selectively removably attached to the mat body, and the support end portion configured to be fixedly suspended so as to hang the mat body when the engagement end portion is attached to the mat body, the method comprising:
 disengaging the clip device from the folded mat body.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising:
 folding the mat body; 
 zipping the zipper between the open position and the closed position such that the mat body creates an interior cavity; 
 positioning the toy within the interior cavity; and 
 zipping the fastener to the closed position thereby retaining the toy within the interior cavity. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the play mat assembly includes a clip device having an engagement end portion and a support end portion, the engagement end portion configured to be selectively removably attached to the mat body, and the support end portion configured to be fixedly suspended so as to hang the mat body when the engagement end portion is attached to the mat body, the method comprising:
 engaging the clip device to the folded mat body. 
 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the mat body has a back surface opposite the play surface, and the back surface includes a clip indicia configured to indicate a predetermined position for attaching the engagement end portion to the mat body, the method comprising:
 positioning the engagement end portion on the predetermined position identified by the clip indicia.