How to Pick Age-Appropriate Toys for Your Baby: A Detailed Guide

selecting toys for infants and toddlers

From infants to toddlers to preschoolers and beyond, all kids love toys. It sparks their imagination while helping them sharpen their problem-solving and motor skills.

However, a toy that engages a newborn’s senses may not be enough to keep a 1-year-old occupied. That’s why it’s so important to make sure the toy you buy matches your baby’s age and developmental stage.

Scroll down for a detailed guide to buying appropriate toys for your baby as they go through different age groups.

Table of Contents

Safe Toys: Things to Keep in Mind

No matter how good the toy looks or how easy it is on the pockets, if it doesn’t meet the safety criteria listed below, don’t buy it. Toys are linked to thousands of kids getting hurt each year.

Following the AAP-recommended tips below can go a long way in keeping your baby safe during playtime.

  1. Don’t skip the warning labels: These labels give away critical information on age group suitability and potential dangers the toy can pose to the baby during use.

  2. Avoid toys with small parts: Opt for toys whose parts are too big to fit inside your baby’s mouth.

  3. Buy well-made toys: Avoid toys made from cheap, thin plastic, as they tend to be quite fragile. Instead, choose toys that are robustly made with secure edges and parts and carry a ‘nontoxic’ label.

  4. Buy safety-certified electric toys: Toys that carry the ‘UL’ label undergo rigorous tests that include mechanical use, flammability, and chemical testing for toxic metals.

  5. Avoid toys powered by small batteries: Be careful when buying toys with loose magnets or lithium coin batteries, as they’re small enough to fit in your child’s mouth, nose, or ears.

Tips for Selecting the Right Toys by Age and Stage

Infants (0-6 Months)

From birth till about three months of age, your baby observes and follows objects with their eyes, even though their vision is still blurry. Help their visual development by buying them brightly colored mobiles with high-contrast patterns like dots and stripes.

Stick to primary colors and simple designs in this phase. As their sight improves, you’ll see them enjoying reds, yellows, and more complex patterns. This is also the perfect time to get them an interactive play gym with hanging toys that can double up as a tummy time mat.

Rattles, textured balls, or squeeze toys that they can reach for and grasp are also good options to stimulate their senses.

Around 3-4 months, your baby would also need nubby chew toys that can get them through the pesky teething phase. The basic function of these toys is to soothe their sore, sensitive gums.

Some teethers can also be cooled in the refrigerator before being offered to the baby.

Remember to never place a teether (or any toy) around the baby’s neck with a string for the risk of strangulation or choking. Don’t pin it to their clothes, either.

Along with the appropriate toys, your baby's nursery should also be a safe, calming, and sensory haven, as at the end of the day, he will do everything like sleeping, nursing, and playing in this nursery only. We’ve already curated 25 adorable and unique baby nursery ideas for your baby rooms.

Toy Ideas

Contrast Cubes: Soft cubes with bright colors and bold patterns will provide a hearty boost of visual stimulation to your tiny baby. Opt for cubes that can be attached to strollers or floor gyms, like this soft sensory block with a wooden ring.

Multi-Textured Activity Toy: A tactile toy that allows them to explore different textures is a wonderful idea for an infant. Buy them this plush sensory marvel with crinkly raindrops and a smooth, squeaky star hanging from a soft, fuzzy cloud with a smiling face. Use the built-in loop to attach it to a stroller or car seat to take it wherever the baby goes.

Interactive playmat: Its extraordinary sensory value is the reason this Kick and Play Piano Gym is so popular. It’s got an arch with hanging multi-texture toys, a piano loaded with songs, sounds, and light-up keys, and a comfy tummy time mat - pretty much everything to keep a baby engaged through different development stages.

Crib Mobiles: A baby crib is not complete till it has an eye-catching mobile hanging above it. According to experts, mobiles provide a baby with the necessary stimulation to develop their motor skills and cognitive development.

The gentle movement improves the baby’s vision and tempts them into reaching for it. Soft music may even help them fall asleep once they learn how to soothe themselves.

According to AAP, a crib mobile should be securely attached and installed at a distance that puts it out of their reach so they don’t get tangled in it once they start rolling.

Remove the mobile from the crib once they’re old enough to sit upright (at 4-5 months). The goal is to keep a baby’s sleeping space free of anything that can pose a strangulation or suffocation risk.

Related Article: 15 Must-Follow Tips to Safe Sleep for Your Baby

Older Infants (7-12 Months)

Congrats! Your baby has entered the phase where they’ll be more mobile. Between 6-9 months, they’ll be able to grasp objects with thumb and finger, sitting upright for short spans and rolling over both ways.

Bath time may also become more fun with your little one splashing and kicking. In their exploratory mode, expect them to poke, twist, squeeze, bite, and taste objects.

From the 9-month mark, your baby’s playtime could get longer. They’ll also be more responsive, interactive, and always on the lookout for hidden treasures.

They may even start remembering their favorite toys. This means you’ll need toys that can help their physical development, hand-eye coordination, dexterity, and problem-solving skills.

Toys that can be stacked, pushed, and make sounds when touched are perfect to keep them engrossed.

Stacking toy: We love this soft stacking toy from Melissa & Doug. It features a happy-faced pineapple with colorful rings. The rings include one that crinkles, a textured plastic ring, and an eye-catching textured topper with smooth ribbons.

Bring it home and watch your baby squeeze, shake, grab, and stack this adorable toy. You could also opt for Fisher-Price’s brightly colored stacking toy. This no-frills, easy-on-the-pocket toy is made from eco-friendly materials and comes in a sustainable packaging.

Non-squirting Bath Toys: Make your baby’s bath time joyful with these fun animal-shaped bath toys. Unlike most bath toys, these have no holes and are sealed with non-toxic glue to keep water from getting inside and prevent mold growth.

They’re made from non-toxic resin PVC and non-pigmented, making them safe enough to be used as teething toys.

Sensory Balls: Here’s a set of 3 colorful grippy treats made by Edushape - the brand that pioneered sensory balls.

These tactile balls can be grabbed, rolled, and squished, making them perfect for developing your baby’s gross motor skills. Each ball boasts a different bumpy texture and is perfectly sized for small hands to hold and explore.

Press and Glow Spinner: A great pick to help your baby learn about cause and effect. Bright Start’s Press and Glow Spinner has a big button on top in the shape of an adorable star that’s easy enough for your baby to push independently. The button brings the toy to life, rewarding them with a musical light show.

1-Year-Olds

Once they enter the toddler phase, your baby will love playing with cause-and-effect or high-tech toys that respond to their actions.

They’re also fascinated with toys that encourage open-ended play, like blocks, nesting cups, push-and-pull toys, simple board books, and sturdy musical instruments.

You could also opt for textured objects that encourage sensory exploration or beginner ride-on toys for motor development.

Learn cube: VTech's learning cube has been a smashing success with parents and toddlers for good reason. It’s got light-up buttons, catchy tunes, sliding and flipping pieces - everything to set them up for hours of play.

Push toy: There’s more to VTech’s Pop-a-Balls Push & Pop Bulldozer than its ‘mouthful’ name. The easy-to-grip handle allows your toddler to roam while improving their hand-eye coordination and motor development.

Your tiny tot will learn cause and effect when they load the balls into the bulldozer and watch them pop out of the chimney and land in the bucket. It’s not only an interactive toy but also educational, with buttons that teach your kids about colors, phrases, numbers, and sounds.

Shape Sorting Toys: Learning about shapes and colors was never this fun! We love this Fisher-Price shape sorter puzzle because it helps your baby’s problem-solving and fine motor skills without costing you an arm and a leg.

There’s so much your little one can do with the blocks, from stacking to sorting by dropping them through the lid.

Last but not least, stow away your baby’s ever-expanding collection of toys in these canvas baskets. They’re made from lightweight organic cotton canvas and are super easy to wash and store when not in use.

Final Thoughts

The right toy can do wonders for your baby’s development by sparking their imagination, encouraging exploration, and honing their newly acquired skills.

While toys are important, they are no match for a parent or caregiver’s love and attention. We also recommend keeping an eye out for toy recalls and seeking healthcare provider’s help when choosing safe and appropriate toys.

Author: Karen Lamar

Karen is the Chief Content Officer at Organic Cotton Mart. She has a Master's Degree in Environmental Science from NC State with a special focus in Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy. Since her High School days, she has been an Environmentalist and was the President of her High School's Environmental Club for 3 years before starting her freshman year at NC State. She has a deep knowledge and understanding of various environment-friendly movements like zero waste, minimalistic living, recycling, and upcycling.

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