What are the best baby toys? Spoiler alert: they aren’t necessarily the flashiest ones… This gift guide is a complete list of simple, but unexpected and under the radar, toys for babies to play with as they grow.
What are the best baby toys for development?
Toys matter – more than most people realize.
It’s easy to see toys as clutter, the reason living rooms never stay tidy, or as extra little “treats” we buy without thinking. But toys serve a purpose. They’re valuable. They play a real role in a child’s learning. They’re important to child development.
That’s true for toddlers, preschoolers, big kids… and yes – even for babies.
Yes, babies.
You’ve probably heard the phrase “play is the work of childhood” (psychologist Jean Piaget said it first; Mr. Rogers helped make it famous). Here’s the piece I want you to add to that idea:
Toys are the tools of play.
They spark play, support curiosity, and give children the materials they need for the kind of exploration and problem-solving their development depends on.
Even our youngest babies deserve great tools for play – toys that help them learn, discover, and build the foundations for all the big milestones still to come.
Do babies really need a lot of toys?
Surprisingly – no. (And yes, I’m saying this while writing a gift guide about the best baby toys – wink).
Babies don’t need an overflowing toy bin. What they truly benefit from is just a handful of thoughtfully chosen items that help with early growth: strengthening tiny muscles, building coordination, sharpening vision, and laying the groundwork for self-entertainment.
That last one – learning to entertain themselves – matters more than you might think. Independent play doesn’t magically appear when kids turn two or three. It starts with babies having safe, engaging objects to explore on their own, setting them up for the toddler, preschool, and big-kid playtime we all hope for later.
Can babies play independently?
Yes, even the tiniest babies can start to play independently. The groundwork for future, longer stretches of play begins right now.
When a baby quietly studies the light coming through a window…
When they watch a mobile sway above them…
When they kick and reach on a play mat…
Those small, peaceful moments are more than just downtime – they’re the very first steps toward self-directed play. It might not look like the block-building, pretend-firefighting, dragon-slaying adventures of older kids, but this early curiosity and self-entertainment is where independent play is born.
The key is to offer open-ended baby toys – safe, engaging objects that invite the baby to look, reach, bat, mouth, explore, and think. These simple tools let them experiment and discover, all while practicing the skills that lead to confident, creative play later on.
A quick note – toys don’t have a gender
All toys are gender neutral – period. Everything you’ll see on this list works beautifully for both baby boys and baby girls. Kids love what sparks their curiosity, not what a label says they should like.
A strong toy collection has variety:
- Toys that move and roll (cars, trains, push toys)
- Toys that build empathy (dolls, stuffed animals)
- Toys that encourage social and imaginative play (dress-up pieces, pretend props)
These categories hold value for every child.
The best way to choose toys? Pay attention to your child’s personality and interests – not their gender. That’s what leads to joyful, meaningful play.
Jump – the best baby toys list revealed
These are the best toys for babies (and toys will keep loving, and using, and playing with far into the future).
Two Key Takeaways:
- Toys matter – even in the baby stage. Early play is where the foundation for future independent play is built. Those first moments of curiosity and self-entertainment grow into confident, creative play later on.
- You don’t need an overflowing toy room. A small, thoughtfully chosen set of baby toys can spark exploration, help muscles and senses develop, and give your little one plenty of joy – without taking over your whole house.
Disclaimer:
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Sensory Tissue Box
I found this toy a few years ago and gifted it to my baby neighbor. He went wild for it, and now it’s been passed to his baby brother. It’s such a perfect baby toy: small fabric “tissue” box full of sensory scarves. As kids age, the scarves work in other play. Beautiful toy and great gift.
Activity Cube
We’ve had this exact cube since my oldest was 9 months old – it was his one and only Christmas gift in 2013. These are pricey but worth it (in my opinion). Twelve years, two more kids later, many trips to neighbors as a borrowed hand-me-down, and this cube is STILL loved.
Baby Bath Buckets
These are absolutely the cutest buckets for bath or outside the tub (and the price will make you do a double take). They’re such a great size for baby hands and something they can keep using for years, just ask my 10 year old who had these in the bath just last week…
Rain Shaker
Gosh, this is the sweetest little shaker toy and just easy, breezy for baby to enjoy and keep enjoying into the toddler years. It’s a really great addition to baby’s toy collection.
High Chair Rattles
These suction cup rattles are fantastic and make a great gift. They can be used in baby’s hands or suctioned to a surface, like a high chair. They’re well made (this is Hape brand, one of the best) and adorable – it’s a total yes.
Ball Pit Toy
A phenomenal toy for babies and toddlers – and it is so amazing how you can zip it up easily and store it in between use. Year after year, I am shocked that this toys isn’t more popular – we loved it! Consider this recommendation is “hot tip” on a toy flying under the radar.
Wigloo Activity Toy
This is such a star. I am continually impressed with toys by mobi (the small business brand here) and the Wigloo is a joy. Soft, easy, engaging. It’s a baby must.
Musical Book
This is a bit of a splurge baby gift, but it’s a gem. These musical books by Cali’s Books are really something special. They make a great gift for baby, and there are so many titles to choose from. I linked a favorite here but definitely check out this small business and their other book options.
Stacking Rings
There’s a reason these have been around since the dawn of baby time. They are a classic. You need a good set of stacking rings for baby and this simple whimsical set is a great pic pick – interesting rings, bright colors, and the best price point.
Other Stacking Ring Toys
Personalized Book
A GREAT gift for baby – load this up with photos before they “open” it. It’s such a wonderful, inexpensive, and personalized gift. If you are buying for someone else’s baby, make sure to get the photos in for them so they don’t have to worry about printing pictures. It’s a nice gift for baby and baby’s grown ups.
Float and Play Balls
These can be used in the bath OR on dry land. They’re the right size, they make great sounds, and they’re a 10/10. Also, the price is something to write home about – don’t sleep on these.
Zippee
What a legend – this is such a great sensory toy for babies, one year olds, and toddlers. It is soothing and gentle to pull on. Soft and squishy. The lore is right and this toy deserves the accolades.
Soft Blocks
Soft blocks are the best. You’ll get years of use out of these because they age so well with kids. They’re a toy box staple for a reason and a “not to miss” playroom item for baby to preschool-age.
Baby Musical Toy
Yes, it lights up and has batteries, but also: this toy is a living legend. The songs are lovely and won’t annoy you. The melodies are classical music that is engaging. I often give this as a baby shower gift because it’s how I was able to pee without a crying baby in the background. This is a soothing superstar.
Bead Maze
This was such a favorite of my son’s in his baby-days that it STILL lives in his room and he’s nine years old. He can’t let it go and just loves knowing it’s “there” for him.
Oball
The.Best.Ball. Little hands can do so much with this ball – and 12 years after I got one, we still have it to help little kids learn to play catch.
Hide n’ Seek Beehive
When I say “baby toys can grow with kids,” this is a prime example. We received this toy as a baby gift for our third born (when his sister was 20 months old). Between the two of them, they have never stopped playing with this. It’s been 9 years.
Wooden Vehicles
Toys that move are important for all kids, and these little vehicles are the best. My kids absolutely adored this set – we have all three listed here (the airplane, the helicopter, and the car). They’ve since been put into my “future grandparent box” for a hopeful someday.
Other Vehicles
Sensory Balls
My go-to baby gift: you can’t overlook balls with babies and you really can’t overlook these. The friendly faces and soft sounds (jingles and crinkles) are intoxicating to baby. These are still the balls my kids use to toss around our house (my oldest is 12 and used the bumble bee in a physics assignment last week).
Baby-Safe Mirror
My kids loved mirrors as babies so when I found this “baby-safe” mirror – I had to add it to my gift list. It’s so thoughtfully made, created by actual parents , who know what babies love (the mobi brand is the best).
Blocks
Babies need blocks too! Block play helps develop hand-eye coordination and spatial awareness. These blocks have the added bonus of being sensory blocks too. They made a really lovely gift that you can be fairly sure baby doesn’t already own.
Soft Cars
I know I’ve also shown you one vehicle option, but here’s another: these soft pull back cars are great for babies and grow with toddlers and preschoolers. The wheels are removable so they’re easy to clean – and again, these aren’t one and done. You’ll have these in the toy rotation for years.
My First Fishbowl
Stumbled on this toy this year and I was in love: the see through bowl, the crinkling, rattling, squeaking animals, the bright colors. This is an adorable addition to baby’s toy collection – a great way to work on motor skills and cause & effect.
Stacking Toys
There’s something to be said about simple stacking and nesting toys. Don’t overlook them – and keep a set in the car too. Trust me.
Bath Animals
Bath toys are one of my favorite things to gift baby – you can always use them. This set of animals has NO HOLES so there’s no need to worry about them getting moldy.
Pull and Tug Toys
This is about as close to a baby “one of done” toy as I’ll buy but these are priceless for little ones. My kids loved tugging and chewing and pulling and experimenting with this pull and tug toy. This was a special one.
Soft Ball/Rattle
If your baby doesn’t have something similar to this yet, this is a great, inexpensive, and long-lasting toy to gift them. This lasted through three babies and those babies into toddlers at my house. The longevity is there.
Other Rattle Toys
Teething Toys
Remember, toys for babies can also be functional. These gel teethers are great for playing and soothing. An absolute classic for a good reason – and a great “stocking stuffer” for a baby.
Other Teething Toys
- Baby Elefun teether
- Banana toothbrush teether (aka The GOAT)
Farm Tails Crinkle Book
Our favorite baby book – this holds so many memories for my family. Babies can hold this, it makes different noises from different textures, and is a massive hit. It’s part book/part toy and totally magical.
High Chair Toy
This is NOT intended for babies… but it’s an amazing high chair toy. Some parts are small so choose the largest pieces of this set and save the rest for when they are older. These suction onto flat surfaces – the big pieces are so fun for baby to try to pull off the high chair tray. Again, not a baby toy – use best judgment with this one.
Farm Animals
Farm animal toys give babies a great chance to play and learn at the same time. We don’t learn about animals with flashcards. These ones are still in my daughter’s (10 years old) room as part of her farm set up.
Push Box
Check out this different kind of sorting box: this is great for babies up through the preschool years. The box is easy for baby to hold and the shapes are fun on their own. This is an absolute home run toy for babies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here’s what babies need: Babies need safe, engaging materials to interact with. Sometimes, this might be a household items (like a spatula), and sometimes it’s nice to lean into something specifically designed for a baby’s developmental capabilities (like a rattle).
From birth on – toys are appropriate for babies of all ages. What’s important to remember is the play may look different than traditional play. Holding, staring, sucking, chewing on toys: these are all forms of independent play (self-entertainment) that begin at the newborn stage.
Look for toys that a well-made, non toxic, and with absolutely no dangerous pieces or parts they could choke on. Be mindful of ages ranges on toy box – these often indicate whether there are hazards for baby.
For specific types of toys, have a variety of toys so babies can explore many different skills. Look for toys in each of the following categories: toys that make noise when shaken, toys with cause and effect, toys the rolls, and toys that can build.
Check out other Busy Toddler gift guides
Don’t miss my other gift guides which may also work for your family. Many of the toys on this list and others have been enjoyed by my three kids from baby age to elementary school.
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tubidy says
Great list! I love the variety of toys you’ve included, especially the ones that promote sensory play. I can’t wait to try some of these out for my little one. Thanks for sharing!
Shannon Colclough says
My favorite toy for toddlers were always the walkers when working inside the child care centers.
Mash says
Such a nice article for Moms and Dads. I just love kids and providing such great info to parents will guide them excellently. Also, you have a well researched article.
We also do the same in our Lab and our recent project on ‘Best Toys To Keep Baby Busy’ is available at besttoyline.com
Chelsea says
Where did you get the personalized baby book? The link didn’t work.
busytoddler says
Hi Chelsea! So sorry about that bad link. All fixed now! The book is from Lakeshore Learning – here is the good link: https://www.lakeshorelearning.com/products/social-studies/social-emotional-character-development/all-about-me-personalized-photo-book/p/DD200