Your baby’s first year is packed with rapid development—tummy time, sitting, crawling, standing, and even first steps. The right toys not only entertain but help support these critical milestones.
Here are 5 parent-approved toys that help boost development during your baby’s first 12 months—and they make great gift ideas too!
1. High Contrast Tummy Time Mirror
Supports: Visual tracking, neck strength, self-recognition
Why it’s great: Babies love faces—and a mirror gives them a fun reason to lift their heads during tummy time.
2. Manhattan Toy Winkel Rattle & Sensory Teether
Supports: Grasp reflex, fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination
Why it’s great: Lightweight, easy to grab, and doubles as a teether. Babies love the twisty loops and rattling sound.
3. Soft Stacking Cups
Supports: Problem solving, motor planning, spatial awareness
Why it’s great: These timeless toys teach cause-and-effect while building stacking skills. Great for bath time too!
4. Busy Board
Supports: Fine motor development, tactile exploration, early learning
Why it’s great: A good cube or board will include spinners, beads, sliders, and buttons—all things that help with dexterity.
5. VTech Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker
Supports: Standing, balance, first steps, coordination
Why it’s great: It’s a parent-favorite for helping babies transition from crawling to walking. Plus, it has interactive buttons and a removable activity panel.