Leading Toys for Encouraging Development 6-12 Months
3 Comments
Sharing is caring!
Your baby is starting to become more aware of the world around them and are wanting to interact with it. Simple toys are great for encouraging skills in all areas of development including: cognitive, social, motor, adaptive, and language.
The best developmental toys for 6-12 months are ones that are simple and require your baby to investigate and use their problem solving skills to learn.
You can model how to play with toys to your little one in order for them to know what to do.
This is a great way to spend time with your baby and teach them skills in a natural way.
(This post may contain affiliate links. To read our full disclosure policy click here.)
This is one of the best toys 6-12 months because it encourages problem solving skills as your baby will have to figure out how to get the rings off and put them back on.
Eventually they will even figure out how to put them in order from big to small.
Fine motor skills are refined as your little one has to use their hands to maneuver the rings. You can read more about the best toys for fine motor development here.
A cup stacker (like this one)uses many of the same concepts as the more traditional model but adds a little twist as well!
Large wooden puzzles are great for your baby to practice grasping.
Show your baby how to take the pieces out and put them back in.
Problem solving skills are sharpened as your little one has to try and turn the pieces to fit in their spots.
A great opportunity for you to build vocabulary is presented as your baby will enjoy learning the names of the puzzle pieces. Sound puzzles (like these) can also be fun for children this age and will help them learn animal and environmental sounds.
Did you have this toy when you were a baby? I did too! This classic toy has stayed around so long because of how well it entertains while encouraging development.
Your baby uses their problem solving skills to open and shut the doors to see their animal friends.
They are motivated to do it because cause and effect toys are intriguing to babies.
Lots of great ways to encourage language while playing with this toy by modeling animal sounds and names for them.
Kayla O’Neill has a master’s degree in education as well as a bachelor’s degree in special education with an emphasis in early childhood education. She has been working as a developmental therapist with babies and toddlers in early intervention since 2012. She is also a mom with two young children.
Great article.Your blog has been a lot of useful for me.My baby is three months old.And I was thinking that what toys buying for him.Which will help in his intellectual development but now i am tension free.Thanks for sharing this.
Noa Dvoskin
Friday 13th of October 2017
Good points, some where new to me. Yes, I also had that pop up toy as a kid lol :) You gave me an idea for the 1 year birthday gift!!
parentalcentral
Friday 13th of October 2017
This is a wonderful article for parents. We have so many of these, and I couldn't agree more with your reasoning. Thank you for sharing this so I use them more effectively!
Lucinda at mamawonder
Wednesday 6th of June 2018
Great article.Your blog has been a lot of useful for me.My baby is three months old.And I was thinking that what toys buying for him.Which will help in his intellectual development but now i am tension free.Thanks for sharing this.
Noa Dvoskin
Friday 13th of October 2017
Good points, some where new to me. Yes, I also had that pop up toy as a kid lol :) You gave me an idea for the 1 year birthday gift!!
parentalcentral
Friday 13th of October 2017
This is a wonderful article for parents. We have so many of these, and I couldn't agree more with your reasoning. Thank you for sharing this so I use them more effectively!