5 Stars for the Butterfly Craze Lounger!

In our family, we affectionately call this "the star mat." Even though it comes in several fun colors and patterns, we chose the star pattern, and now it is "the star mat." And it's one of the best, most fun, and most functional products I've bought for my son! It can be easily moved to any room for reading, playtime, and napping.

I'm not sure what the lounger has to do with butterflies, but we sure are CRAZE-Y about it! It even has its own spot in our family room. My son gets very concerned if the star mat isn't there, LOL.

Why I needed this lounger

My son has some sensory integration issues that his occupational therapist was working on during his Early Intervention program. One aspect of treating sensory processing functionality is to apply pressure to the body through different ways. Having the child wear a weighted vest or weighted blanket, for example, helps the child feel more "grounded" and provides the necessary stimulation to help the child relax. Pressure can also come from lightly squeezing the child's touchpoints, such as the shoulders, arms, and legs, or using the Wilbarger brushing protocol. (You can purchase a Wilbarger brush here. Use as directed by an occupational therapist.)

Sensory kids need a safe place to roll around and roll in something to

"feed" their proprioception input needs.

My son's OT found that he responded to the pressure from being tossed onto a bed, and being rolled up in a blanket (with supervision!) so she instructed me to do these activities with Kieran every day. He was 18 months old, and I felt it would be safer to have a mattress on the floor to toss him onto. Since I do not have the extra space in my home to store a bed mattress, I searched for some other type of padding that soft enough to toss my son onto, but firm to hold its shape, and could fold up storage. A pretty tall order!

Then I found it! The Butterfly Craze floor lounger was the perfect solution! It can lay flat on the floor with enough padding to gently toss my son onto it, and also roll him up in it where he can wiggle out.

When I roll him up (with his head out of the mat) I apply gentle pressure to give him stimulation for his proprioceptive input needs.

** This was done under the supervision of a licensed occupational therapist. Please consult with an OT to determine the sensory therapy your child needs.

The lounger/mat is ideal for other OT exercises, and also has helped my son with his physical therapy! It's perfect for safely crawling and walking on an uneven surface to develop core strength, balancing, and other gross motor movements.

I bought the larger 36 inches wide x 88 inches long, which holds five king-size pillows in five separate zipper compartments. These separate compartments allow the lounger to be stacked in different formations for added cushion and storage, to form a head rest, a tunnel, or lay flat for rolling and playing. (Well, I use it for snuggling my son!)

Why YOU need this lounger!

Because you do. Really. You need this lounger, especially if you have kids, but it's also great for adults to lounge on, too! It's long enough for a 7-foot tall human, so just put down a sheet or blanket, and you have a portable place to nap or host an overnight guest. It's also a quick and inexpensive way to add a pop of color and pattern in a kid's room. It makes a soft and decorative reading spot in a bedroom, but can be easily moved to other areas in the house.

The smaller "Queen size" is 26 inches wide x 88 inches long and holds a standard/queen-size pillow. is great for toddlers and little kids, and can easily serve as an extra bed for sleepovers. You can also prop up some sections of the lounger to make a chair for reading. I do this when my son is sick: I cover the lounger in beach towels and let him sit there watching videos or playing with toys, and he can relax his head on the top. This lounger/mat is really so versatile!

The material is a soft, plush velour ― super cozy ― and is machine washable (air dry only.) Just remove the pillows before washing. We've had this lounger on our family room floor for three years, with all sorts of walking and playing on it, and it has held up beautifully. To be honest, we've never spilled anything on it, so I don't know how easy or hard it is to remove a stain, but the zippers and stitching have withstood the test of time and washing.

Pillow Talk

The Butterfly Craze lounger is a cover only. Both the 26" x 88" and the 36" x 88" require FIVE pillows to fill out the lounger.

• 26" x 88" = 5 Standard/Queen-size pillows

• 36" x 88" = 5 King-size pillows

I have found that a firm pillow that retains its shape and bounces back when pressed on works the best. Remember, this isn't the pillow you will sleep on in your bed. You want the lounger pillows to retain their form after sitting or laying on it. Also, after a lot of use, the pillow fill will compress over time, so you want to start with something firm yet fluffy. ** Most pillows come vacuumed packed for shipping, so give the pillow 24-48 hours to fluff up after opening.

Here are some pillows to try:

The Downluxe King-Size Down Alternative Pillow comes in a set of two (2), so you will need to purchase 3 sets. The pillows have a 100% Breathable Cotton Cover and a bounce-back filling made of bamboo and polyester.

The pillows are Oeko-Tex certified, eco-friendly, and durable. They are machine washable, and come in both King (20 x 36) and Standard/Queen (20 x 26) sizes.

Available on Amazon here.

The Serta Down Illusion Soft Hypoallergenic Firm Bed Pillow also comes in a set of two (2). The case is made with a 300 Thread Count Twill, 100% Polyester Microfiber Fabric that is treated with Microban® to protect against bacteria, mold, mildew, and some viruses.

The pillows have a polyester filling and are machine washable. They come in both King- and Queen-size. Available on Amazon.

The Sertapedic No-Go-Flat Bed Pillow can be purchased individually or in a set of two (2), so this is a good option if you need five (5) pillows. The case is a cotton-poly blend. It maintains its shape using a "supportive form core surrounded by plush, SupraLoft polyester fiber fill" and is hypoallergenic.

The pillow comes in both King and Queen sizes. Available at Walmart here.

The Butterfly Craze lounger is really one of our favorite things, and we use it in so many different ways! With many cover designs to choose from, it's the perfect reading spot in a kids's room, watching TV in the family room, and anywhere else kids want to tumble around. But most importantly for us, the lounger has helped my son with his OT and PT needs, and is a fun way to get squished for sensory input!

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