The Best Toys to Support Baby’s Development from 0-6 Months
Playtime is essential to your baby’s development, here are our favorite toys for learning and fun.
By Briana Engelbrecht and Amylia Ryan | Medically Reviewed by Holly Peretz OT
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It may seem like all your baby is doing during their first six months of life is sleeping, eating and pooping—but there’s actually some pretty cool stuff going on behind the scenes. Babies' brains are busy developing at a rapid pace. They’re learning all about the world around them, just by being in it.
In addition to their valuable day-to-day interactions with you, play is a great way to encourage and support your little one’s development. It allows children (of any age) to learn about themselves and the world around them, with benefits to everything from their cognitive and physical development to emotional and social growth. And developmental milestones build on each other, so what your 0-6 month-old is doing now sets the stage for the milestones to come later.
Setting up their environment in small but meaningful ways can make a big difference. Providing babies with a safe space on the floor to explore their body and surroundings and offering age- and developmentally-appropriate toys encourages them to practice their skills and have fun while doing it. And setting aside a little bit of time each day to read books with your baby (yes, even babies this young!) can make a huge impact on their social-emotional and language development.
Between birth and six months of age, here are some of the things you’ll notice your baby doing:
0-2 months old: Your baby will begin holding their head up and reacting to things in their environment. They’ll turn their head toward sounds and make eye contact with you while cooing or smiling. Try this: Holding a soft toy in front of your 2-month-old baby during tummy time is a great way to help with head, neck, core and visual development.
2-4 months old: Your baby will continue engaging with you and also learn that they have hands—that can reach out and grab things! They’ll likely also begin rolling from tummy to back. Try this: Rolling a soft ball to your 4-month-old baby and placing toys about 12 inches in front of them will help encourage skills like reaching and hand-eye coordination as they “wake up” from those early newborn days.
4-6 months old: Babies are really alert and engaged with their surroundings at this age. They recognize their people, enjoy looking at faces and practicing grabbing things. They’ll continue to work on rolling and may also start sitting unassisted. Try this: A quick, simple game of peekaboo with your 5-month-old baby can start to teach complex concepts such as object permanence (recognizing something still exists when it’s out of sight) and social development.
What Are the Best Developmental Toys for Babies?
Before I was an editor at Babylist, I studied early childhood development and taught preschool. When choosing toys for babies, I look for things that are safe (number one), simple and encourage exploration. And offering open-ended toys means they'll have a bunch of possibilities for play. Rattles, grasping toys and balls provide a rich sensory experience and offer great fine motor practice. Activity gyms provide a safe space for babies to move and figure out their bodies. And board books help encourage language development by exposure to all kinds of words (reading is also a sweet time for bonding). When you combine all of these things together, you'll have a well-rounded environment that encourages development during your baby's first six months. If piecing it all together on your own feels overwhelming, consider milestone subscription boxes which are curated by age and come with a few toys plus a guide to help you facilitate play. I personally loved the Lovevery play kits for my two toddlers. Monti Kids is another great option that helps take some of the guesswork out of what to buy and when.
Babylist’s Picks for the Best Toys for Babies 0-6 Months
Best Toys for Tummy Time
Help baby build neck, arm and core strength by having them play on their tummy for a few minutes every day.
Best Toys for Hand-Eye Coordination
Black and white high-contrast images help develop baby’s vision—but don’t forget fun colors too! Engaging, easily graspable toys will inspire them to use those little arms and hands to move (working on depth perception and fine motor skills).
Best Stroller Toys
These bright toys easily attach to strollers and car seats for lots of fun on the go. (Note: it’s not safe to have anything attached to your baby’s car seat while driving, so be sure to remove before getting back into the car).
Best Soft Books for Young Babies
Reading with your baby not only inspires a future bookworm, but it’s also great for language development. These soft, chewable (and indestructible) books are perfect for young babies to explore.
Kaloo
Soft Activity Book
Briana Engelbrecht
Assistant Editor
Briana Engelbrecht is Babylist’s Assistant Editor, where she brings her passion for early childhood development and the perinatal period, plus experience as a mom of two to Babylist articles and guides. She’s also a certified lactation counselor. A former preschool teacher, she loves children’s picture books, cats, plants and making things.
Amylia Ryan
Associate Editor
Amylia Ryan is the Associate Editor at Babylist, specializing in the topics of health, wellness and lifestyle products. Combining a decade of experience in writing and editing with a deep passion for helping people, her number one goal in her work is to ensure new parents feel supported and understood. She herself is a parent to two young children, who are more than willing to help product test endless toys, books, clothes, toiletries and more.
