Aaaaaand we’re back for part 3 of this series! We have already covered our favorite outdoor toys and toddler favorites, so let’s move on to baby/infant toys.
I have found that with both my girls, they didn’t start to care about toys until around the 6-month mark. Yes, between 3-6 months they can grasp and chew on things, but it wasn’t until 5-6 months that they actually would reach and try to grab certain things. I have also found that the blinking/singing toys are just no good. They are more annoying than anything else and really don’t offer anything to children. If you want music/song, put on a kids’ YouTube or Spotify channel and dance with your baby.
I noticed this mostly because as a new mom with Willow, I had no clue and I was gifted a lot of these types of toys and I found very quickly that they were dead-end toys and I started to rid of them. With Fiona, we stuck with simple toys and she is much more engaged and focused when she is playing. It’s interesting to see the difference!
But anyways, here are some well-loved toys that both of our girls enjoyed (and honestly, my toddler still loves some of these, too!)
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Teethers
We have a wide variety of teethers and I have to say, nearly every single one of them gets use. They are in almost every room in the house. Some of our favorites: fawn, keys, rings, and carrot.
Nesting Blocks
These will grow with her, but for now, she just like to toss them around. There are endless ways to play with nesting blocks. Babies can learn to stack, put one inside the other, line up by size, counting, colors, etc. They are so versatile and even my toddler enjoys them still. You definitely get your money’s worth.
Cups / Stackers
Same idea as the nesting blocks but more simple. We love having random cups to grasp, stack, etc. Again, my toddler can still be found playing with these in the tub or outside (used to transfer water, with dirt, sand, etc.) We like these and these.
Books
Books are on my list for all ages but I am including here specifically because there are so many infant books that are worth mentioning, especially Indestructibles and Jellycat. Indestructibles are pretty much exactly what they claim to be and Fiona loves to just beat on this thing, lol! I love Jellycat soft books with tails because they are also great for chewing on, grabbing, waving around, etc.
Sensory Balls
These are among the most-used for all my kids. Who doesn’t love playing with a ball? Their favorite is this o-ball but we also have a few others.
Play Silks
A really simple toy for all-ages, but these silks are great for infants in particular to play peek-a-boo and wave around.
Bead Maze
This bead maze is probably one of Fiona’s favorites and most-used because I set this up on her high-chair tray to keep her busy while I am preparing foods. She loves it!
Chunky Puzzles
While she can’t figure out puzzles just yet, she loves to chew on the pieces and I know that before we know it, she will be putting them together. I love these chunky ones from Melissa and Doug. They are also great for learning animal recognition and sounds (if you choose the animal ones, like we do).
Rings/Links
So many colorful rings lying around our house because they come in a big pack. These are great for grasping, teething, and linking.
Cloth Blocks
A starter block set that is more for jingling around and chewing on than anything else, but both of my girls really liked these at this age.
Activity Mat
There are plenty of options when it comes to activity mats. Pick one that suits you and watch your babe’s eyes light up and feet kick when they look overhead. This one is SO CUTE.
So that’s a wrap on babies! Let me know in the comments or on Instagram if your babes were into the same type of toys or maybe vastly different. Keep an eye out for part 4 of this series coming soon – art & sensory supplies!
