If you are looking for the best toys or gifts for a baby in your life you’ve come to the right place. As a mom of five, and aunt to 22 I have learned over the years what the best baby toys are, which ones will last and which baby toys to pass up.
Read on to find baby toys that you will love to gift, babies will enjoy playing with and will last for a long time.
This post contains affiliate links. This means, if I will get paid a small commission (at no cost to you!) if you purchase products through my links. I always try to recommend products I have personal experience with and LOVE. I also read reviews and ratings to make sure that I am offering up the best possible gift option for you. You can read more in my full disclosure.
The Best baby toys for Newborns
If you are looking for a gift for a newborn (a baby two months or younger), there are a few strategies you can choose. You can buy a baby toy they will use now (which primarily will be something to look at since they can’t grasp yet), or purchase a baby toy they can grow into. Here are some baby toys that they can use right away.
High Contrast Baby Flashcard High contrast images are interesting for babies to look at and help their development.
Light and Music Soft Toy for baby This is a toy they can use now AND grow into. For newborns, the lights and music will be appealing and as the baby gets older they will love to grab, crinkle and gum this adorable elephant.
Light up Rattle Rattles have been around for hundreds of years because they are an excellent toy for a newborn. This light-up rattle changes from red to blue to green and has a soft and pleasing rattle noise for baby. You can hold this rattle and interact with your newborn to help them develop tracking skills.
Baby Toys for the Crib
Your baby spends the majority of their time sleeping, and adding thoughtful crib toys will help entertain and keep them happy for a few minutes (hopefully!) before and after they sleep. Here are some of the best crib toys for baby.
Musical Animal Mobile for Crib with Remote Control This colorful mobile includes a remote control that will allow you to re-start the mobile, turn up or down the volume and set a timer.
This tiny take along musical baby mobile can be used as a crib toy, or on a carseat, playyard, stroller or bassinet. It can play 30 minutes of continuous music with 5 different song options.
Musical crib toy and sound machine This is just like the one I had with my babies. It attaches to the side of the crib and has music, bubbles and movement. This version has a remote control too.
The Best Wooden Baby Toys
The simplicity and beauty of wooden baby toys makes them an excellent keepsake gift for baby.
Wooden Baby Beads This colorful wooden toy is a string of large and colorful wooden beads connected by a durable elastic. Babies that can grasp (around 3+ months) will love manipulating, chewing and shaking this baby toy.
Foldable Wooden Baby Gym Not only is this wooden baby toy beautiful to look at, it will keep your baby happy and entertained. The attached toys are made of wood and silicone, both safe for babies! The neutral colors mean this baby gym will work for both genders and any nursery theme.
Wooden Rattle Rollers Before your baby is mobile, they will enjoy picking up these rattle rollers. Once they can crawl or scoot, the rollers will help encourage their mobility! Babies LOVE these!
Skwish Wooden Teething Toy This was one of my babies’ absolute favorite toys (and they loved it for a long time!). The colorful (but light) wooden rods are connected with elastics that make it easy to pick up and perfect to gum. Definitely a great gift idea for babies!
Wooden Montessori Busy Board Baby Toy This busy board is great for older babies who can sit unassisted. It has hinges, doors, gears, buckles, zippers and more.
Wooden Pikler Climbing Toy for babies This is a versatile toy that will help babies with strength, balance and coordination. You can see other top Climbing Toys for babies by checking out this post.
Baby baby toys for the Car
While some people have babies who sleep in the car, all five of my babies instead chose to scream. Toys for the car became an important part of our “survive this car ride” toolkit. Here are some of our favorites.
Kick and play activity center for the car I love how this attaches to the back of the car’s seat so you can use it for babies who are past the infant car seat stage. This is kick activated and has music and lights along with toys that your baby can grab. It would be excellent for car trips!
Steering wheel/baby mirror car baby toy for car This baby toy for car has everything babies love…a steering wheel and a mirror to look at themselves in!
Plush Rattle Dog Toy for Baby We had a similar toy that my babies loved to play with in the car. It has crinkly parts, parts to chew, rattle parts…and it is soft and light enough for baby to pick up and play with on their own. One word of advice…buy silicone links and attach the toy to your carseat so it doesn’t get thrown too far!
Ride-on baby toys
Riding and scooting is an important part of your baby’s gross motor skills development. There are lots of different ride-on baby toys options, and they are all so darn cute!
Ride on lady bug for baby This baby toy is so incredibly cute it is almost irresistible! It comes in two sizes (choose small until baby is 2 years) and has other options including a hedgehog, a pig, a cow and a bunny.
Baby Hopper Toy Trust me when I say that babies on a hopper are soooo adorable and it is exercise for them! There are lots of different cute options and they are soft and low to the ground. A baby hopper is best for babies who are standing on their own. You should also use this on soft surfaces.
Shaded Push Tricycle for baby These tricycles are genius! Not only is mom or dad in control with the handle, but there is a shade for sun protection AND it gets babies used to pedaling motion. This is recommended for ages 10 months and older.
Balance Bike for Baby I love that this three wheeled learning bike can be used indoor and outdoors. It comes in many colors and is perfect for babies 12 months and older. It will help them get used to pushing, walking and running and develop the balance necessary for riding 2 wheel bikes.
Radio Flyer Sit to Stand Ride on Toy This adorable baby toy is perfect for babies learning to walk (they can push it around) and makes a fun ride on toy as well! It has 17 different built in activities so even when baby is sitting near it they can play.
Fisher-Price Walk, Bounce and Ride pony Another sweet ride-on toy for babies, this is a pony themed musical walker that your little one will love! There are 50 songs, tunes and phrases as well as an extra squishy seat (moms of mobile babies will understand the appeal for a soft bouncing surface).
Teething toys for baby
One things all babies have in common is teething! If you are looking for a useful gift for babies, teething toys are a great way to go because every baby will definitely need it!
Dinosaur Teething Ball This easy-to-hold silicone ball has lots of textures and is easy for baby to grip and chew. It comes in three different colors.
Teetherpop Teething Toy These things are amazing for teething babies! You can fill it and freeze breastmilk, water, smoothies or juice and provide delicious and soothing relief for your baby.
Silicone Teething Tubes for Baby This is a two pack of teething tubes with silicon stoppers to prevent babies from choking on the tube. It also comes with two cleaning brushes. It has 690 ratings and five stars on Amazon! It looks amazing.
The Best Baby Play Mats
Play mats make a great baby toy gift because they can be used from birth until at least a year old. When babies are tiny, they can look up and enjoy the toys. When they get older they can sit up and use the toys. Here are some fun baby play mat options!
Fisher-Price Deluxe Kick’ n play Piano Gym
This play mat has it all, including a piano that you will play when baby kicks! The arch overhang has fun toys for grabbing and gumming and the mirror will entertain baby.
The Lupantte Lion baby gym is simple but adorable! No lights or music but plenty of cute and chewable toys for baby to interact with. I also appreciate that this folds away and can be easily transported!
Ball pit/Baby Gyms are newer to the baby toy scene. They combine the fun of ball pits for older babies with all of the interaction you want in a baby gym! The Infantino Jumbo Baby Activity Gym and Ball Pit is a super versatile Baby toy. You can keep the ball pit pop-up mesh folded down while your infant uses the activity gym and once they are old enough add the included 40 play balls to help this toy transition all the way to a toddler toy. A great value!
The Best Baby Toys: Activity Centers
An activity center is such a great gift for babies because they help babies develop strength and mobility all while being entertained by lots of different activities.
Bright Starts Around-we-Go Activity Center This activity center was amazing for my babies. When they start sitting in it, they aren’t mobile but can play with whatever activity they are in front of. Then as they get older, they seat rotates so they can start walking themselves around the center to play with different toys. The seat is also removable, so when your baby gets old enough, you can remove the seat and it is just an activity table to play with!
Fisher-Price Activity Jumperoo This activity center is a great option for babies who love to bounce. It has music and lights, and a chair that rotates 360 degrees so your baby can turn around and play with all of the activities. It adjusts to three different height levels and the bungee cords make it so fun for baby to get their wiggles out.
Skip, Hop, Explore and More Let’s Roll Activity Table This activity table is for babies who can pull themselves up and support themselves standing. It has 8 balls, a slide and music and lights to keep baby interested.
The Best Indoor Climbers and Play Structures for Baby
Climbing is an important gross motor skill for babies to learn. That is why any of these indoor climbers would make a great gift for babies. You can also check out this post 15 Amazing Climbing Toys for 1 year old (and Toddlers!) for 2022
This Pikler Junior Triangle is a small size version of a traditional Pikler Triangle. It is only 25” tall and is a great choice for babies and younger kids. This one includes a ramp that can also be used as a slide on one side, or a climbing ramp/ladder on the other. Another bonus of this Pikler Junior Triangle is that it can fold up so you can store it under a bed or in a spare room.
There are many soft play block options on Amazon, but not all of them are very sturdy. This set of Amazon Basics soft play blocks has great reviews. It includes 7 large play blocks that you can build into different configurations for your baby to climb all over. These will last for years as your child builds forts, stacks them and knocks them over, and climbs them.
This 3-in-1 plastic slide would make an amazing climbing toy gift for babies. Not only does it come in six different animal designs, it is also quite long and very sturdy. The climbing steps are 28” high, and the slide itself is 53” long. One side has a basketball hoop, there is a tunnel for climbing beneath and of course the stairs and slide. And believe me, once your baby gets to the climbing stage there will be plenty of climbing UP the slide. This is another outdoor climbing toy that can be used as an indoor slide if you have the room.
Fun Outdoor Toys for Babies
Babies love to be outside! But sometimes it can be a challenge to figure out what to play with your baby once you are out there. Here are some gifts for baby that will help them enjoy the fresh air and get entertained.
Step2 Rain Showers Splash Pond Water Table
A water table is one of the best investments you can make as a parent. It lets kids safely enjoy water (with supervision still! Remember babies can drown in less than an inch of water), cools them down on hot summer days and provides HOURS of entertainment. I even bring ours into the kitchen with beach towels during the winter. This water table has spinners, buckets, floating toys and a waterfall.
Splash Pad Sprinkler for Kids If you live in a warm climate, this splash pad would make a great gift for a baby. It sprays a little bit of water, and pools up some water for baby to safely splash in (with supervision).
Green Toys Wagon Your baby will LOVE pulling things around outside in their very own wagon. This is made by one of my favorite eco-friendly companies, Green Toys. Their toys are sturdy, last forever and are made from recycled milk cartons!
The Best Rocking Horse Baby Toys
Rocking horses have been around for years and years for good reason! Little kids love the pretend element and rocking will help them develop and strengthen muscles needed for standing and walking. Here are some cute rocking horse toys for baby.
Rockin Rider Legacy Grow with me pony is a wonderful gift for a baby! Parents will love that it can transition easily from a bouncer for babies around 9-months-old, to a rocker, to a traditional spring horse for babies 24 months plus.
Soft Landing Flamingo Rocker You’ll be sure to find a gorgeous soft rocker that will match your nursery decor from this brand! This soft and pretty flamingo rocker will be fun for baby and so pretty in a nursery or play room. What a precious keepsake gift for baby!
You can’t go wrong with a classic wooden rocking horse. This one has a detachable “fence” to keep younger babies safely on the horse.
Fun Baby music toys
Music is such an important part of brain development, and buying baby toys that incorporate music is a fantastic way to encourage healthy and creative brains! Here are some of my babies’ favorites.
The Munchkin Mozart Magic Cube was one of my babies’ favorite toys. It has large buttons that let the baby add or subtract musical instruments from well-loved classical songs. Your baby will love pushing the buttons and hearing the music change.
Jack-in-the-box is a classical toy that so many people forget about. It is so much fun for babies! They’ll need help at first to be able to turn the handle to make the music, but the rabbit that pops out of this Jack-in-the-box is hilarious for babies!
Musical Doodle Board This board has a squishy backlit surface that babies and toddlers can “paint” on. I love that it plays classical music while baby is creating, is clean (no paint or marker anywhere!) and has a light element. Way fun!
Wooden Baby Einstein Together in Tune Piano This adorable tiny piano is a perfect gift for a baby. It is colorful, easy to wipe clean, and your baby will love making music.
Hape Penguin Musical Wobbler This roly poly toy is fun to wobble and makes a delightful chime for your baby to enjoy! It’s easy to transport as well.
My learning remote and phone bundle with music Let’s face it…what babies want the most is what they can’t have! The TV remote and a phone! This baby toy replaces both of those untouchables and adds music! Your baby will love pushing buttons and hearing the music from both this baby remote control and phone!
Baby bath toys
Whether your baby LOVES to splash in the bath…or if you are trying to convince them that they love the bath, a fun toy for the bath makes a great gift. Here are some fun options that my babies have loved.
Munchkin Float and Play Bubbles Bath Toy for Baby These are a perfect bath toy for babies. They are easy to grasp, float and two toys that spin and rattle.
Wind up duck bath toys with net These fun wind-up toys are perfect for babies! They will love watching them zoom around the tub and when they get older, catching them in the net!
Floating Octopus with Rings Your baby will enjoy putting the rings on this floating Octopus’ legs.
The Best Educational baby toys
We all want our babies to have every advantage, and learning toys can provide both fun and education. If you are looking specifically for educational baby toys, here are some great options.
Spinning Stacker Toy This toy is SO MUCH FUN for babies and even older kids! My kids played with this well into their school years. Babies place the stacker on the top and watch it spin spin spin all the way down. It’s addictive!
Montessori Magic Tissue Box Have you ever seen a baby with a tissue box? The most fabulous fun MESS! This baby toy lets your baby pull soft, colorful and crinkly “tissues” out of a box over and over and over again.
Montessori Object Permanence Box This toy has three colorful balls that your baby will love to drop in the hole and watch appear. It helps baby learn about object permanence and develop logic skills.
The Best Baby Boys Toys
All toys can be used by both boys and girls…but if you are looking specifically for a toy that might lean more baby boy, here are some great baby gift options.
Push cars for baby This set of four animal cars has a large button babies can push down that causes the car to propel forward.
Bubble Lawn Mower Once your baby is walking, he or shee will LOVE following mom or dad around outside with this bubble lawn mower!
Musical Learning Toolbench and Shape Sorter Babies will love hammering, screwing and sorting shapes with this mini toolbench.
The Best Baby Girl Toys
Here are some adorable gifts for baby girls!
This soft baby doll for babies with a magnetic pacifier was my little girls’ favorite! I also love that it comes in six different skin/hair color combinations. It’s so sweet to see your baby holding a baby!
Fisher Price Stroll along walker This was another staple at my house! It has music and activities, a place for a baby doll AND is stable enough that babies can pull up and walk with it.
Fisher Price Laugh and Learn My Smart Purse Your baby girl will love to pretend to be like mom with her own little purse. It has a cell phone, a mirror and a pretend credit card along with a set of car keys. Your baby will love the lights and the music.
If you need gifts for a baby, whether it is newborn baby gifts, baby shower gifts, a first birthday gift or a just because gift for a baby, these baby toys are all great options! I hope you found some options you will love to gift.