2024: Best Baby Toys 0-6 Months that Encourage Development

You do not need to have a ton of toys in order to teach your baby new things, but it is fun to have a few good-quality items on hand!

Educational toys for babies 0-6 months work well to encourage all of the different areas of development (read more about developmental milestones here).

If you need some ideas on how to pick out the best toys for infants 0-6 months you should keep a few things in mind.

Simple is best
Flashing lights are not required
What will my baby learn from the toy?

If you need more ideas on how to pick out toys that encourage development you can click here.

I have also included a printable developmental checklist so make sure you grab that at the bottom of the post! Enjoy!

Toys for 0 6 months: Find ideas for baby toys that will encourage development in the areas of motor, cognitive, and language. Fun toys that your baby will learn from. These toy ideas make great baby shower gifts or Christmas gifts for babies!

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Best Baby Toys for 0-6 Months Old

Are toys good for babies?

Toys are a great way to encourage skills in all areas of development through play. Providing your baby with a few different toys to explore can provide them with learning opportunities. You can also use objects and items around your home that your infant is interested in as well to encourage learning.

What are the best educational toys for infants?

Any toy that provides curiosity is a perfect way to to encourage new skills. Toys that provide your baby with a sensory experience through touch are perfect because babies love to explore using their hands and mouth. Rattles, balls, and soft books are a great place to start when looking for educational toys for infants.

At what age do babies need toys?

When your baby starts looking around their environment you can start showing them interesting items or toys. You can also start reading simple books from birth on up.

How can I encourage my baby to grab things?

Gently placing items in your baby’s hand such as your own finger can cause your baby to grasp. Rattles can be great for learning this skill because they are interesting and provide motivation.

Make sure to add some of these to your baby registry if you are expecting. You can start a registry HERE.

OBalls are Perfect Toys for Infants Birth to 3 Months

This has to be one of my favorite safe toys for babies 0-3 months. It is perfect for little ones because it is easy to hold on to so it makes it easy to explore.

They can use one hand to grab it or hold it in mid-line for a closer look.

It is lightweight so babies can shake it all by themselves.

Another great option for balls is ones like these as they provide lots of different textures that your baby will enjoy.

If you are looking for baby bath toys 0-3 months you can check them out here.

Newborn Development Toys: Rattles Encourage Many Skills

Soft rattles (like these) are great baby toys from newborn to 3 months because they work on so many different skills.

Babies learn through exploring with their mouths and rattles provide a safe option for doing just that.

The rattling sound that they make is interesting to babies but does not overstimulate a newborn baby.

Baby rattles fit perfectly into your little one’s hand which allows them to take a closer look.

They can practice grabbing and dropping them which is great to refine small motor skills.

As your baby grows and gets a stronger grasp they can use these rattles to bang on different surfaces and explore cause and effect.

Passing a rattle back and forth from one hand to another encourages hand-eye coordination as well.

Activity Tables Can Provide Older Infants with a New View

I recently purchased this Skip Hop Activity Center for my daughter and it has been a huge hit!

She loves to play with the different learning toys on the table and enjoys being in a standing position.

Most activity tables like the one pictured above are only recommended for babies that can hold their head and neck up unassisted which is usually around 6 months.

Always read manufacturer instructions and recommendations closely to see if it is a toy that your baby can play with.

What I love about this table is it grows with your baby.

It can be used for seated or standing play.

You can also use it as a table to let your baby cruise around when they are learning to walk.

Lastly, it changes into an art table for an older child (you can check it out here.)

This table is lightweight and can be moved easily. You can also fold it up for quick storage.

Add this one to your list of best baby toys 0-6 months!

Shape Sorter: Will grow with your child from 0-3 years!

A lot of people are surprised that I would recommend this on my list of best toys for newborns to 6 months.

Classic toys like this one are some of my favorites because they are simple and can be used in many different ways.

It is common to think that a shape sorter is better for older infants…but I think it has some uses that make it one of the best newborn toys (0-6 months) because as long as you are creative there are lots of uses for it!

Here are some examples of how you can use it starting from early on.

You can use the shapes from this toy with your newborn to practice visual tracking.

Take one of the bright-colored shapes and show it across your baby’s vision field both vertically and horizontally.

This is a great way to encourage fine motor development from the beginning.

A shape sorter (like this one) is a very open-ended toy that encourages learning in many different ways.

The shapes are small enough for your baby to hold in their hands and perfect for banging on tables or high chairs.

If you take off the lid your baby can play the very entertaining game of putting things in and dumping them out.

It may seem like a simple concept but it requires your baby a lot of coordination to do just that.

Put the lid back on and show them how to put the shapes in through the holes and you have just made a very challenging but fun game!

Best Toys for Infants 0-3 Months: Try Mirrors for Encouraging Baby Social Skills

Mirror play allows your baby to meet their best friend…themselves!

Make sure you get an unbreakable one like this one.

This is a wonderful way to entertain your baby during tummy time and encourage social skills.

While your baby is laying on a blanket or play mat (this one would work well) Just place the mirror in front of them and tell them about the baby they are seeing.

Get the Best Developmental Toys Without Having to Shop

If buying toys for your baby gives you a headache there is another option.

This baby toy subscription sends great toys that are selected off of your baby’s age so that they are developmentally appropriate.

They send exactly what you need so you don’t have to think about it.

The toys that are selected are well made and grow with your child so you don’t have to worry about them breaking easily as some toys do.

Push Cars are Great for Motor Development in Babies

Simple cars like the one pictured above are another one of my tummy-time favorites making it one of the best baby toys 0-6 months.

Slowly rolling a car like this one in front of your baby will encourage them to track it with their eyes which is great for vision skills.

Place this fun toy just out of reach and let your baby try to reach for it or squiggle to get it.

Soft Squishy Baby Books Encourage Early Literacy Skills

Soft squishy books are one of my all-time favorite baby toys!

I consider them to be essential baby toys from birth on up.

These make EXCELLENT baby gifts for 0-6 months.

Reading to your baby is one of the BEST ways to encourage development in ALL areas (read more about early literacy skills .)

From day one I started reading to my son and incorporating a story into our bedtime routine.

He loves books now in his toddler years!

They are versatile because you can take them anywhere to entertain your little one (they even make ones that clip onto your stroller like this one so you don’t lose them!)

Soft Toys to Help With Teething

If you are looking for birth to 3-month toys these are great to start with.

Soft baby toys allow your baby to hold and explore while feeling safe and cuddly.

The ones pictured above are great because they have teethers for feet so your baby can mouth and gnaw them for oral stimulation and it will help soothe sore gums.

If you are looking for clip-on options these ones would work well!

A great teething toy not only is fun to play with but can help with discomfort from new teeth coming in.

Hanging Toys Can Encourage Fine Motor Skills

Babies 0-6 months old are learning to reach and grab what is interesting to them so we want to provide them with opportunities to practice.

A play gym not only is great for encouraging baby’s fine motor skills but also for gross motor skills as well because you can use it for a tummy time mat as well.

I love this play gym because it provides so many different ways to keep the baby entertained without being overstimulated.

This play gym uses contrasting colors like black, white, and red for visual stimulation instead of flashing lights and noisy toys which can be overstimulating to babies…and parents!

This classic toy has peek-a-boo flaps that fold out with different textures that will delight baby with something fun to touch with their little fingers as they take part in interactive play.

There are infant toys that attach to the top so your little one will give your baby something to reach and grab at which promotes hand-eye coordination.

One of my favorite features of this play mat is that it can turn into a little fort for a baby as well.

Babies love to play peek a boo and this also can be a fun way for your baby to explore imaginary play as they get a bit older.

This tummy time mat is machine washable which makes clean-up time easy!

CLICK HERE to take a closer look at this versatile baby toy!

Best Baby Toys 0-6 Months: Do You Agree?

Babies 0-6 months old are developing in the following areas: social skills, cognitive development, motor skills, and language.

Toys that encourage these types of baby developmental milestones will help your little one grow up to be a happy and healthy child.

Is there a baby toy that you love that I missed?

I would love to hear about it over in our community for mindful parents of babies and toddlers!

Need Help Keeping Track of Your Baby’s Milestones?

An easy way to be PREPARED for your next well-baby visit as a new parent is to download the checklist below! It is FREE and PRINTABLE.

I know you have a lot going on with a new baby (I have been there too!) so print this off so you can EASILY keep track of all the exciting milestones your baby is doing!

This includes milestones to look for from birth to 36 months.