As a new parent, it’s hard to know what toys or “must have” baby items will work with your little one. Creating a baby registry completely overwhelmed me (I am still so grateful to you guys for your guidance with that one) but now that Chase is nearly 15 months old, I feel like I have a much better grasp on what we need and don’t need for our little man and what toys are the real winners!
One thing that surprised me with Chase was how much he responded to certain toys over others and how a toy that was a complete miss one month might morph into his favorite toy in the world the next month. I’ve had a few of you reach out to me requesting a post with baby gift ideas for baby showers or surprise treats for little ones you love and I’ve had this idea for a blog post in the back of my mind for months!
This post contains the top 12 toys we loved during the first 12 months of Chase’s life… One toy for every month! (If you read my monthly baby updates, many of these toys may look quite familiar.) It’s actually an idea I had for a baby shower gift for a close friend but since purchasing 12 toys is a bit elaborate (and can get expensive since a bunch of items add up fast), I also think it’s a wonderful group gift idea since people often want to go in together to purchase bigger items for close friends. I also hope it will give some of you ideas for great additions to other baby shower or holiday gifts for the little ones in your life. Bonus: Many items are less than $20!
12 Best Baby Toys for the First Year
- One Month: Wubbanub
While a Wubbanub probably doesn’t technically count as a toy, when a baby is only one month old, it’s close enough to count as a toy for me, even if its purpose is more functional than playful. I remember attending my friend Melissa’s baby shower when the two of us were pregnant and she received at least three Wubbanubs from her mom friends. I had no idea what a Wubbanub was but everyone raved about them! Fast forward to a trip to Target with Chase when he was a baby and my mom and I ran into a woman with another small little one who also sang their praises. Amazon Prime to the rescue!
Though we didn’t discover Wubbanubs until Chase was around three months old, they were a complete game-changer for us so I want to put them high on this list so they’re nice and handy for new parents if/when they’re ready to try a pacifier. So why are Wubbanubs so great? They allowed Chase’s pacifiers to say in place for longer (if you’ve played paci-pong at 2 a.m., I know you understand why this is so amazing) and, as Chase got older, the Wubbanubs became easier for him to find in his crib at night to help him self-soothe as he was learning to fall back asleep on his own. Now we’re the proud owners of four Wubbanubs, and that doesn’t count the four or five we’ve lost along the way! (Maybe I should buy stock in this company!?)
- Two Months: Infantino Topsy Turtle Mirror Toy
I absolutely love Infantino toys! Almost all of the Infantino products we’ve tried have been a big-time hit with Chase and this topsy turtle was probably the first “real” baby toy he noticed and seemed to enjoy. We connected it to the handle of his car seat for our walks around the neighborhood when we’d click his car seat into the stroller and he seemed to love watching the turtle dance around above him. Eventually the mirror on the turtle’s belly became an infatuation before he moved onto squeezing the turtle’s feet and smacking its body to make it swing back and forth when he got a little older. It’s a simple toy but one Chase seemed to enjoy from a very young age.
- Three Months: Baby Einstein Musical Take Along Toy
This toy was a gift we received from a friend that I actually forgot about until my friend Leah came to visit and pulled it out of Chase’s nursery closet. She said her son Frankie loved it and encouraged me to show it to Chase even though I thought he was probably too young to really appreciate it at the time. Well, I was very wrong! Chase’s eyes lit up and he was completely enamored by this toy. As a parent, I must also praise this one because the music it plays isn’t nearly as irritating as other electronic baby toys. (It goes through a series of “pepped-up” classical melodies.)
- Four Months: Oball
My Aunt Laurie sent this toy to Chase as a random surprise and it was one of those small gifts that ended up being a huge score! The Oball quickly became a favorite because the quadrants made it really easy for Chase to grasp and he loved the noise it made when he would shake it around. This is a gift I often include in baby shower gifts for friends now because it was such a hit!
(EDITED TO ADD: This toy has since been part of a national recall!)
- Five Months: Baby Einstein Activity Jumper
This is definitely more of a “big ticket item” than a small toy, but it ended up being an item I said I’d easily pay double for because it was such a life saver for us! We bought it on a whim during a Black Friday sale at Target and it quickly became part of our morning and afternoon rituals every day for months. Chase looooved this activity jumper for a long time and many days it was the only way I was able to eat or prep dinner with two hands. Chase would happily bounce around in the activity jumper and seemed to get a big kick out of all of the toys and various attachments that surrounded him in what we affectionately deemed his “command station.”
- Six Months: Baby Einstein Octoplush
The Baby Einstein Octoplush was a gift from my sister and brother-in-law and it’s still a toy that seems to make Chase smile. When he was six months, he got the biggest kick out of watching us shake the Octoplush’s tentacles over his head! Now he loves squeezing the tentacles to make it say colors and words. (We leave it by the bathtub to entertain him when we change him for bath time these days!)
- Seven Months: Taggies Monkey
Chase’s Taggies Monkey was his first stuffed animal love and I have to admit I think it is just about the cutest thing ever to see him softly rubbing the various tags all over his monkey. It seems to make him smile but also soothe him, so it’s a toy we typically give him when he seems a little sleepy before bed or naptime. It’s also great because you can count the tags, point out colors on the dots and point to the monkey’s face, eyes, arms, mouth, etc. as your baby gets older to keep things interesting.
- Eight Months: Sophie the Giraffe Teether Toy
This item seems to be a baby shower staple gift at every shower I’ve attended and when Chase started to get his teeth in, it became clear why Sophie is such a hit. He loved squeezing Sophie’s body to make her squeak and chewing on her long legs to help with teething pain. I still keep Sophie on hand in the car for entertainment and teething purposes!
- Nine Months: Brown Bear Slide and Find Book
Does a book count as a toy? Let’s just pretend it does for this list because Brown Bear is a favorite in our house! My aunt gave Chase this book and it’s his absolute favorite! Just saying the words “Brown Bear” to Chase excites him and he loves the slide-and-find windows that allow him to reveal colorful pictures of animals. The book is also one of my favorites because it makes it easy to be creative as a parent and practice animal noises with your little one in an interactive way.
- Ten Months: V-Tech Learning Walker
We discovered the V-Tech Learning Walker at Chase’s friend Carey’s first birthday party and within hours of our arrival back home, it was ordered on Amazon Prime! When I say this toy was an instant hit, I mean it and it quickly became a playtime staple for Chase! Before a little one is ready to walk with a walker, it works great as a stationary toy with tons of interactive things to do on the front of the walker. Chase loves the toy phone and clicking the shape pieces on and off the walker. Warning: You will not be able to get the song this walker sings out of your head. Ever. “Welcome to our Learning Farm / We have much to show you / Shapes and colors, music too / There’s so much to do!”
- Eleven Months: B. Parum Pum Pum Drum Set
My friend Kaitlyn gave this drum set to Chase at our baby shower and right around 11 months, I remembered I had it stored away in the back of Chase’s nursery closet! During our weekly Gymboree music classes, the drum is always Chase’s favorite instrument, so I had a feeling this toy would be a hit when we placed it in front of him for the first time. It quickly became one of his favorites and is filled with fun instrumental toys. Chase LOVES banging on the drum and playing with the toys and shaker tucked inside. As a mom, I also really like this toy because the drum is large enough to store the instrumental toys and MORE toys which I really appreciate from a clean-up standpoint.
- Twelve Months: Ride-On Plane Toy
This toy was given to Chase for his birthday, but if you have an early walker on your hands, it may be a hit for your little one earlier than 12 months! This ride-on plane toy became an obsession for Chase and it’s still something he uses and plays with every day. Before a little one is ready to walk, they can sit on the plane and move themselves with their feet. Once they’re ready to walk with the toy, it’s go time!!! We’ve been so impressed with this toy because it’s easy to steer (oddly NOT a given for many walking toys) and has other fun components that seem to amuse Chase, including a seat that doubles as storage for “treasures” he finds while walking around our house or outside. (I know you understand why this would be so amazing if you have a little one who also seems to get the biggest kick out of taking things in and out of bins.)
More Favorite Toys
I know baby toys are always changing and there are more and more options to discover. But just in case you’re on the lookout for more baby toys and books, here are a few more of our favorites:
- Skip Hop Activity Mat (Wonderful for the first few months of a baby’s life!)
- Fisher Price Kick N Play Piano
- Pat the Bunny Touch and Feel Book
- Step2 Finding Dory Water Table
- Infantino Turtle Shape Sorter
- Fisher Price Rock-A-Stack Ring Toy
- Fisher Price Rattle and Rock Maracas
- Baby Einstein Bendy Ball
- Fisher-Price Brilliant Basics Baby Blocks
- Sesame Street Silly Sounds Remote
- Jelly Strands Baby Teething Necklace
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Question of the Day
- For those with a little one in their lives, what is/was one of your little one’s favorite toys during the first year of their life?
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I’ve seen soooo many babies with the giraffe! I didn’t realize it was also a teether! My son loves his exersaucer. Sometimes he bounces so hard in it that I can’t believe it’s still in tact! Lol
we felt that way about chase’s activity jumper! how the springs didn’t bust, i’ll never know!
I have three childrens and I love them very much. I allway bought toys in here : https://stylesnice.com
Mitch is still crazy for the radio at two years old. And Brown Bear is a household favorite. Mitch also loved his jumper and mirrors. We would play silly games, peek-a-boo, and dance, which always ended in big belly laughs. (AKA the best sound in the world.)
I have an eleven week old and she loves that baby Einstein toy. She just stares at it mesmerized. The fisher price piano gym is a big hit too and one of the only places I can set her that will keep her attention long. Great list, I’m saving it for future reference.
yes! and that baby einstein toy still comes with us everywhere! 🙂
Brown Bear was a favorite of my two children, who are 18 and 23 now. But their own copy of this book is in their sentimental boxes for future use for them. We never gave either of them a pacifier so we never had to worry about that. I think we were on the lucky side as people could never believe that we didn’t give them. one. We always had to tell our sitters to please do not give them one! 🙂 And neither one ever sucked their thumbs either. I disliked pacifiers because our neighbor’s child was still using theirs and he was 3 or 4 years old! We could never understand a word he said because of the pacifier in their mouths. It definitely made a bad impression on both my husband and myself. But that’s a parent’s choice if they wanted to do that or not. 🙂 Even though I am your mother’s age, I enjoy your blog very much.
thank you cindy! brown bear is such a classic! chase really does love it. <3 i was also on the fence about the pacifier thing but MAN it made a difference for us when it came to soothing. now we just try to limit it to naps/bed time only and occasionally in the car. i must admit i am not quite sure how i'll eventually break him of the wubbanub habit, but i guess i'll jump that hurdle when the time comes! 🙂
I don’t have any kids yet, but hope to soon. That being said, I do have two dogs who LOVE stuffed toys. How do you keep your dog from stealing Chase’s toys? Like that monkey with the tags, as soon as I saw it, my first thought was, my dogs would LOVE that thing.
i wish i had words of wisdom for you, but sadie is pretty good about most of chase’s toys… there are a few of his toys (like sophie the giraffe in this post!) that she really wants, and we just firmly tell her “no” and give her one of HER toys in place of chase’s and she usually gets it. i will say she kidnaps his bath toys (rubber + squeaky!) regularly and we haven’t really been able to break her of that one!
You are not kidding about that song from the V-Tech learning walker! Our daughter is 2.5 and my husband and I still sing that song to each other as a joke! She did love that walker though, and had a ton of fun with it. Also, I second how amazing Wubbanubs are. No more searching around the blankets, toybox, bottom of your purse, etc for the paci! It’s my gift to every new mom now!
V-tech learning walker –> my daughter is OBSESSED with this toy! It’s been her absolutely favourite since she was about 5 months old and she’s now 8 months and she’s still enamoured.. I giggled at the song mention cause its forever on my mind!! I learned about Wubbanub from your blog, and it was also a huge hit when she was still using a pacifier – and I got several of my friends into them too! Your baby recommendations have been spot on, thank you!
I have no babies, but 4 nieces and 1 nephew all under 6 — plus enough friends that have started having babies to be constantly surrounded 🙂 My go-to 1 year old birthday gift is the Power Wheels Lil’ Quad (a bit pricey, but I found that toys addddd upppp no matter how small so I try to buy only those that have some lasting power for the ever-changing babies)…. It has been suchhh a hit! We’ve received so many videos from parents claiming it to be the “new favorite” in their houses. My only advice is to pre-assemble, charge the battery and label the charger in a bag so it won’t be thrown out!
For 6mos, I love the Leap Frog My Pal Scout/ My Pal Violet.
I LOVEE KID TOYS — and seriously considered starting a blog about it! For the round of 5th birthdays, I found the Dareway Scooters (sooo cool – like a Segway for kids that spins in circles too).
I find this post so interesting!!! My son is just about t Chase’s age, however my list of favorite toys would be COMPLETELY different!!
For example: wubanub and Sophie the giraffe- complete misses on our end- my son never cared for either.
One toy that has actually been a favorite of his since he was about 5 months old are the fisher price shapes blocks that you put into the bucket- he has gravitated to that toy since he first learned how to grab something and still loves to play with it every day!!
Love most of the things on this list, but as an early intervention specialist, I always cringe when I see parents enthusiastically recommending baby jumpers/exersaucers. Most pediatricians recommend against the use of these products because they promote movement patterns that are not useful in normal development, including tiptoe standing and fast uncontrolled movements. Studies have shown that they can delay achievement of developmental milestones like crawling and walking. If you’re going to promote their use – and we’re all only human with so many hands, after all, so I completely understand why parents use them – please emphasize to your readers that the time babies spend in them should be extremely limited (no more than 15 minutes per day).
Hah I know that Learning Farm song all too well! It’s always in my head 🙂
Love the drum set idea! My LO is 6 months I feel like he actually needs more toys! lol
It seems to be a weird age where he is too little for infant toys but not ready for baby toys.
Our 6 almost 7 month old loves his stacking cups (http://www.toysrus.com/buy/blocks-stacking-toys/bruin-stacking-cups-5f5fbc5-46323956) and this toy (http://www.target.com/p/fisher-price-my-little-snugamonkey-animal-friends-pop-up/-/A-15127909)
My 12 month old daughter loves the v-tech walker. :$3 spends hours every day making laps around the house with it!! I would love to hear what some of Chases favorite toys have been since his first birthday!
I LOVE these posts. I don’t have any kids yet, but being 30 I am surrounded by friends with kids. I never have any idea what the heck to get, but I’ve been gifting the turtle and spiral carrier handle toy you recommended and I actually see them in use! Love being able to give useful gifts! Really happy to add all of these to my “Baby ISH” Amazon list for the next baby shower/birthday/christening/sprinkle/housewarming/whatever that I’m invited to 🙂 (Not hating on kids, just have NO idea how they work)
Hey quick question on the wubanubb, how do you clean those?
Haha. I know! They get a little gross. Wubanubbs become like a blank to the kids who love them and rarely (if ever) get washed because they loose that special smell and the kid has a meltdown.
Thanks for the list! I don’t have children myself so it is difficult to know what gifts are big hits. Hoping for another list in a month for Christmas time 😉
Very helpful – I have a 4 month old and family may be wanting some ideas for Christmas! So far my daughter loves her Infantino turtle toy, Manhattan Winkel rattle, Nuby teething keys, Sophie, and the Melissa and Doug flip fish toy. We have the take along music toy but I haven’t gotten it out yet – sounds like it’s about time!
I have really appreciated all of the recommendations in your monthly posts and this is a great list as well.
What a great resource! My niece also loved her activity table around 6 months it played music and had a drum and guitar. She looked like a little DJ spinning tunes hahaha
We have most of those too — I can think of several littles ones I would add too! Oh man, that vtech walker, “welcome to our learning farm, we have lots to shooowww youuuuu” GAH, it’s the worst hahaha
I literally just added every item to my “Baby B” list on Amazon!
This is so great! As somebody without kids, but with several friends with children, I always depend on my blogs, blog readers, sister-in-law, and brothers for opinions. This will absolutely be referenced come Christmas time!
Thanks for the tips!
XO, Jessica
http://www.semisweettooth.com
Thanks for the great list, adding a bunch to my little one’s Christmas list =)
My son is almost two months old so he isn’t into toys too much. But, he does like his Sophie giraffe and his mamaroo. This post is so helpful for these next upcoming months and for Christmas ideas!
We love the Oball, Sophie and really LOVE the Vtech walker! She’s not quite 10 months and all of a sudden figured out how to walk with it. Eek. That Octoplush looks awesome so I may have to get one soon. I also just got a Melissa and Doug stand up piano on Craigslist since she loves the one at our babysitter’s house 🙂 I love how you had one toy for each month, very creative!
I’m very disappointed that you declined to post or respond to my constructive feedback about the activity jumper. Knowing how many people read and take your advice on items for their little ones, I would hope you would feel some responsibility to at least encourage dialogue about products you promote on your blog. Only accepting positive, reinforcing feedback all the time leaves me with the sense that you’re not all that interested in what your readers could bring to the conversation.
Hi Abby! I’m not sure if you missed it but your comment was approved above!! First time comments automatically go into spam and I approved yours the minute I went through my spam comments in the early afternoon yesterday! (I have to manually approve them.) I think you may have missed that your comment was approved because comments “nest” after 25 comments, meaning you have to click on the “Older Comments” link to see previous comments after 25. I absolutely appreciate your feedback and think it’s very important to hear from readers – especially those with a professional opinion – regarding baby safety. I’m sorry if there was a miscommunication here!
I think my son technically got this one at 1 1/2, but I’ll slip it in because it’s been such a great, long lasting toy: the Vtech sit-to-stand ultimate alphabet train. My son started out enjoying the buttons and all the sounds it makes and, now that he’s almost 2 1/2, loves putting the blocks in the cartridge on the front to hear the letters. Plus, he and his cousins still scoot around on it all the time. It was a bigger success than I ever imagined!
as a momma to be come April I cannot tell you how much this post means to me! there is so much out there and I just feel so overwhelmed when I start my registry so this is super helpful! Your other post on registering for baby’s has been an incredible resource for me!
I’m so glad to hear this!!! And BIG congrats to you, Kaitlin!!! That is SO exciting!
Just so you know, the Oball was actually just recently recalled (something with the small pieces inside). I had it on my registry, so that is why I know. They do make the same product but without the small rattling pieces. Figured I would throw that out there!
Hi,
That Oball rattle just got recalled as gagging hazard because the clear disks break easily.They are just now notifying parents maybe you can help get the word out
Pa. Love the rest of the toys suggestions! Thanks so much! Ordering some of them now
I don’t have any kids yet, but hope to soon. That said, I do have two dogs who LOVE stuffed toys. How will you keep your pet from stealing Chase’s toys? That way monkey with the tags, the moment I found it, my first thought was, my dogs would LOVE that thing.
It is TOUGH!!! There are some toys that interest Sadie a LOT more than others (squeaky bath toys, balls, etc.). We try to keep HER toys in a totally separate basket which definitely helps (she’s heard “NO” enough times to know she cannot take toys from Chase’s bins) but of course when we’re playing with balls she definitely wants in, so some toys are shared, despite what we initially planned! 🙂
These are brilliant and we have personally used a few of them! I think the one that got used the most was the jumper, followed by the walker and then the ride-on. We wasted so much money on toys that we thought looked great and bubs just never got into it! Love your list, thanks!
I found this T-Rex rattle which I really love on It’s Handmade, the colours are amazing! I bought one for my son recently and he loves it. It is also really easy to wash too which is good!
Hi,
That Oball rattle just got recalled as gagging hazard because the clear disks break easily.They are just now notifying parents maybe you can help get the word out
This is really an amazing list. My daughter is about to turn 1 and we had maximum on this list , And all where used well. My only addition would be ride on plane toy & stacking toys .
Such a helpful guide for new parents! Your insights into the best baby toys for each month are invaluable. It’s great to hear about your experience with Chase and how preferences evolve. This list will be a go-to resource for baby showers and special treats. Thanks for sharing your wisdom!