The 37 Best Infant Toys to Help Them Grow, Learn, and Play

From mastering tummy time and rolling over to sitting up and crawling, infants learn a variety of skills during their first year of life. In addition to promoting fun and playtime, infant toys can help your baby reach these milestones, develop their senses, and explore the world around them. 

To recommend the best infant toys, we surveyed 875 parents and caregivers about what their babies like and interviewed two experts in the field of child development. We also analyzed the toy safety guidelines set by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), tested a variety of toys with our own children, and considered the best-selling and beloved infant toys on the market today. 

When Should I Introduce Toys to a Newborn? 

Newborn babies can only see about 8 to 12 inches at birth, so toys aren’t necessary at this age. By around three months of age, babies begin to follow moving objects with their eyes and reach for things, which is a great time to introduce toys that have contrasting colors, textures, sights, and sounds. Tummy time is also a great opportunity to introduce toys to your baby, especially multi-functional play mats, mirrors, and books. 

Our Favorite Infant Toys

Interactive Toys for Infants

Interactive toys are designed to help infants develop a variety of skills through play, such as cognitive, motor, speech, and emotional skills. Sing along to your baby the names of letters, colors, and shapes with this playful activity cube that has 14 different interactive features. As your baby shows signs that they are ready to crawl, turn on this friendly Dribble & Bounce Tiger that encourages movement through play, sings songs, and recites numbers.

Sensory Toys for Infants

Sensory play has a multitude of benefits, such as engaging your baby’s senses, encouraging them to explore, and helping them develop language and motor skills. From a young age, your baby will love listening to the unique sounds that the Hape Stay-Put Rattles make when shaken and exploring the various textures and images throughout this delightful sensory book. While they may appear simple, this set of high-contrast cards are designed to nurture your baby’s brain and visual development and strengthen their vocabulary.

Toys for Gross Motor Skill Development

From rolling over and crawling to sitting up and walking, your infant is on their way to developing a wide variety of gross motor skills. Around 4-7 months old, your baby will love sitting up in their own baby floor chair as they develop the strength to sit independently. If your baby is propping themselves up during tummy time, chances are they’re ready to crawl, which is a great time to turn up the “beet” with this musical Beetbox Crawl Toy that plays three beatbox-style songs when the ball is turned on and rolled.

Tummy Time Toys for Infants

Ideally, your newborn should have supervised tummy time several times a day to help strengthen their muscles and avoid flattening of the back of their head. While tummy time may seem hard for your baby at first, it can be a lot of fun with the right toys. 

We love this piano gym mat that has a variety of textures, colors, and sounds for your baby to explore while they lay on their back or tummy and begin to sit up. Babies also enjoy looking at their reflection, and what better time to do so than during tummy time with this safari-themed floor mirror? If you can’t decide on one toy, we recommend this play kit from Lovevery that contains various educational and sensory toys to give you plenty of options for tummy time play.

Our Review Process 

To gain real-world insight into the types of toys infants enjoy, we surveyed 875 parents and caregivers about their infants’ favorites and which toys are most engaging and help them learn. We also interviewed two experts—Daniel Marston, PhD, ABPP, Pennsylvania-based clinical psychologist, and Neela Sethi, MD, pediatrician and lactation expert at Valencia Pediatric Associates in California—and referred to the toy safety guidelines set by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). 

Lastly, we analyzed the design, materials, ease of use, value, and features of more than 60 top-rated toys on the market and tested many of them at home with our own infants. Our list features the best infant toys that are age-appropriate, safe, and helpful in developing critical skills while still being loads of fun for little ones. 

How to Choose the Best Infant Toys

• Safety: Steer clear of toys that are too big for infants or have small pieces that can become choking hazards. A toy should be larger than your baby’s mouth to prevent choking and should not be made with or contain toxic materials, thin plastic, loose stuffing, button batteries, high-powered magnets, and toys with bean-like pellets. 
• Age Recommendations: Check the age recommendations on a toy’s packaging to ensure it’s aligned with your baby’s age. This guarantees the toy isn’t too advanced or inappropriate for your baby. 
• Colors, Noises, and Textures: While Dr. Marston cautions against toys that are too stimulating, toys that have contrasting colors and patterns to attract their eyes, ribbons and tags for grasping, or make crinkle, chime, or squeak noises when grasped are all encouraged and educational for your baby. 
• Developmental Milestones: Your baby will develop certain skills within a certain age range. Toys can help babies reach these milestones and expand their skill set while being fun and playful. 
• Physical activity: Toys can encourage infants to move their bodies, which is great for gross motor skill development. When shopping for infants, check out balls, push-and-pull toys, or ride-on toys to promote physical activity. 

Who We Are

Laura Lu, MS, is a parenting and commerce writer at Parents who has a Master of Science degree in Health Communication. Her work has appeared in publications like The New York Times, Media Psychology, VeryWell Family, and Brit+Co, to name a few. With two children of her own, she’s spent countless hours researching infant toys and was a proud owner of the Fisher-Price Deluxe Kick & Play Piano Gym, Ergobaby Bouncer, Sophie la Girafe Teething Toy, and the Fisher-Price Rock-a-Stack Toy, to name a few. 

Maya Polton is a former marketing manager and current freelance writer who covers food, home, and parenting. She’s also the mom of a 10-year-old son, 7-year-old son, and 3-year old daughter. Her go-to infant toys are non-musical, easy to wash, and don’t take up a lot of space. Can you tell she has three kids?

Katrina Cossey is a commerce editor for Parents.com with nearly eight years of experience under her belt. Katrina’s background in journalism began at an Emmy Award-winning news station in Oklahoma before she obtained her B.A. in professional media. Her love for service journalism and helping others led to her commerce writing role, which allows her to research and recommend the best products for families, pregnant people, and kids of all ages. When she’s not writing and researching, you’ll likely find her outdoors with her husband and their thrill-seeking toddler son. The Baby Gund Animated Plush was a huge hit in her household when her son was an infant. The whole family loved how the elephant played peek-a-boo with its ears and sang a fun (and catchy) song.