Best Toys for Babies 9 to 12 Months
Best Toys for 3-Month-Olds
Medically Reviewed by Jesil Pazhayampallil, M.D., F.A.A.P.
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Your iii-month-one-time loves to explore — and is often doing so with his mouth. Not merely is this okay, just parents should actively encourage this type of exploration, says Sarah Lytle, Ph.D., director of Outreach and Teaching at the Plant for Learning and Brain Sciences (I-LABS) at the University of Washington. Of class, that means rubber is more important than e'er when picking out the all-time toys for a 3-calendar month quondam babe.
And while it's great to take a collection of toys your niggling one loves, remember that i of the near of import parts of playtime is you lot! "Information technology is very of import for all parents to interact with their baby while they play with the toy, as it helps their development as well as to further build the parent/baby bond," says Steven Abelowitz, M.D., F.A.A.P., regional medical director of Littoral Kids Pediatrics. "The 'perfect toy' is no replacement for quality time engaging with their parents."
What to consider when buying toys for a 3-month-erstwhile
Before you buy toys for a 3-month-old child, have these factors into consideration:
- Size. You don't demand a 3-foot-tall bear at this age, Dr. Lytle says. At 3 months, "babies aren't quite ready to concur toys on their ain all the same, only they could." Smaller toys will help encourage that instinct to grasp and hold items on his own.
- Tummy time. While you should be doing tummy time as presently as you bring babe home from the hospital, by 3 months you'll want to add together in a fun toy so he has something to agree his interest while he's on his tummy. "This is a time that we need to start fortifying stomach time," says Ilan Shapiro, M.D., F.A.A.P., medical director of health education and health at AltaMed Health Services.
- Multiple purposes. While toys should of course make your piffling 1 smile, they should also help him learn and develop, similar rattles, music, varied textures, bright and high contrast images in books or mobiles and more than. "They shouldn't just keep your baby active and entertained, but likewise to support and encourage the baby's development," Dr. Abelowitz says. "Remember that our little ones become through many unique stages, so dissimilar types of objects will catch their attention at different times. Then you'll want to look for toys that outlive temporary interest. I ever recommend that parents buy toys that encourage bear on, sight and sound."
- Safe. Babies at this historic period explore with their mouths. That means that non but will you desire to be extra conscientious non to introduce toys with loose parts or small pieces, but you'll too want to select playthings that use kids-condom paints, BPA-free plastics and other infant-friendly materials. Plus, y'all desire toys that can be easily cleaned.
How we made our picks for the best toys for iii-month-olds
There's a lot of toys on the market place, which is why we asked Dr. Abelowitz, Dr. Lytle and Dr. Shapiro for their help. They told united states of america what features to look for in products for 3-calendar month-olds based on the factors above (like safety, longevity and size), plus which types of toys are especially not bad for footling ones at this stage based on what's happening with their development, growth and health. We also turned to the What to Await community of millions of parents to see which picks were their babies' favorites at the three-month mark.
Below, find the best toys for iii-month-olds.
Best Activity Mat for 3-Month-Olds
Fisher-Price Rainforest Music & Lights Deluxe Gym
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Pros: Lots of bells and whistles to entertain baby
Cons: Can be difficult to choice up and put away
Why We Honey It
"Three months is a great time to introduce a stationary play mat with toys that hang over baby's head," says Dr. Lytle. "Babe can lie on their back and bat at the toys, pull them or suck on them." Play mats besides provide a prophylactic infinite for baby to have tummy fourth dimension and some, like this i, have toys that are set at eye level to encourage him to stay on his breadbasket for longer.
This baby gym includes 10 toys and activities to appoint your petty ane. The mat is motorcar washable, some other big plus.
Dimensions: 30.5 10 32.5 x 27.5 inches
Weight: 4.two pounds
Best Tummy Time Toy for iii-Month-Olds
Baby Einstein Glow & Detect Light Bar Activeness Station
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Pros: Features 3 modes and three languages
Cons: Some say the purple light incorrectly looks red
Why Nosotros Love It
Placing a toy 12 inches in forepart of baby's face encourages tummy time, says Dr. Lytle. "An engaging and interesting toy in baby's visual space gives them something they can see and look at while they're doing this sometimes stressful, just necessary activity," she says.
This Baby Einstein toy bar has rainbow-colored lights that turn on when your little one pushes them and plays sounds, and it does the aforementioned when infant spins the rattle drum. It has iii modes: animals, colors or xylophone, and speaks in English, French or Spanish. When he's a little older, he can likewise use this as a seated toy.Just remember to ever prioritize engagement with your little i yourself and employ the toy to support time with your kid, rather than letting the toy do all the entertaining.
Dimensions:5.nine x 12.eight ten nine inches
Weight: i pound
Best Soft Blocks for iii-Month-Olds
Manhattan Toy Wimmer-Ferguson Mind Cubes
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Pros: Multi-functional, every bit each cake is different
Cons: Just four blocks included
Why Nosotros Love It
No, baby tin can't start building with these soft blocks yet, but he volition like touching them. Each of the iv blocks, which have colorful and black-and-white designs, features different visuals and textures. They're covered in letters, animals, shapes and patterns, and have lilliputian tags on the sides. "Babies can hold them, knock them over and await at the fun shapes and patterns," Dr. Abelowitz says.
Get creative when yous play with them: Agree a cake in front of baby and move it from left to correct so your petty ane tin can track information technology from side to side, bang two together or help baby stack them up.
Dimensions:three x 3 x three inches (per block)
Best Educational Toy for iii-Calendar month-Olds
'On the Night You lot Were Born' by Nancy Tillman
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Pros: Beautiful illustrations and prose that you'll love reading over and over
Cons: Some say the timing feels odd on some pages
Why We Love It
Fifty-fifty at 3 months, reading to your infant helps linguistic communication develop and sets the pattern of your nightly routine. At this age, though, the act of reading is most of import, says Dr. Lytle, so pick a volume that yous'll enjoy reading night afterward night. (Reading the same book again and again is helpful, equally repetition is how infant learns.)
This charming book by Nancy Tillman became an instant archetype when it was released a decade agone. The sweetness and whimsical illustrations perfectly complement the lyrical prose. We dare new parents to go through information technology dry-eyed.
Best Teething Toy for 3-Month-Olds
Nuby Ice Gel Teether Keys
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Pros: Inexpensive and helps ease baby's teething pain
Cons: Some say their babies weren't interested in playing with them
Why We Beloved It
Satisfy baby'southward urge to chew and strengthen his hands with this BPA-free plastic teether cardinal ring. Each of the iii brightly colored keys has a different textured surface to help baby's front, middle and back teeth erupt (at 3 months, he'll be focused on cutting those starting time tiny teeth in the front).
These "keys" are sized for piddling hands and take no sharp edges. If baby seems like he's in extra pain or is drooling noticeably, place them in the fridge to actuate Nuby'southward PurICE technology that gently cools babe's irritated gums.
Dimensions: vi.5 x 4.1 ten ane.v inches
Weight: v ounces
Best Brawl for 3-Month-Olds
Manhattan Toy Winkel Rattle & Sensory Teether Toy
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Pros: Teether and rattle all in one
Cons: All of the loops may take a piddling scrap longer to clean
Why We Love It
This colorful atom-shaped toy is a teether — and so much more. It's made of BPA-free, soft, pliable plastic loops that baby can happily — and safely — chew on. You can even refrigerate it for extra relief.
Those loops serve an additional purpose, though, as they're made for grasping, clutching, holding and prepping babe for 2-handed play. The inside cube doubles as a rattle that your little 1 will honey to shake, milkshake, shake. It's super lightweight, so you lot tin can toss it into the diaper handbag when yous're headed out. When it's fourth dimension to clean the toy, paw wash it in sudsy water, and then rinse well.
Dimensions:v x 4 x 3.v inches
Weight: iv ounces
Best Travel Toy for 3-Month-Olds
Lamaze Freddie the Firefly
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Pros: Easy for on-the-get play, clip allows information technology to hang on stroller or car seat
Cons: Some say the colour tin fade in spots after washes
Why We Honey Information technology
At three months, you don't need a lot of bells and whistles to keep baby happy when you're on the become. But if he gets cranky, this ambrosial firefly should do the pull a fast one on.
Infant will notice the knotted antennae perfect for chewing. There's also a squeaker and clacking rings that begin to teach him virtually crusade and effect (I do this, that happens). The firefly's soft velour torso crinkles, and at that place'southward an attached ladybug tethered to the toy — and it even has its own peek-a-boo pocket.
The plastic parts are BPA- and phthalate-free. And while in that location's an attached prune to hang information technology on baby's stroller or machine seat carrier handle, avoid attaching it to the car seat straps and then that information technology doesn't interfere with the fit. (And as always, bank check the manufacturer instructions of your specific machine seat on what's okay and not okay to apply, and ask your pediatrician if y'all have any questions.)
Dimensions: 10.24 10 ii.64 x 10 inches
Weight: iv.4 ounces
All-time Soft Volume for iii-Calendar month-Olds
Disney Baby How-do-you-do Lilliputian Friends Winnie The Pooh Soft Book
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Pros: Machine washable, easy to travel with
Cons: Some parents avoid using this before naptime due to all the sounds
Why We Love It
Another way 3-month-olds love to explore is through different textures and tactile experiences, says Dr. Lytle. This soft-sided volume features everyone'due south favorite dearest-loving bear and his friends in a fold-out format.
Other features include crinkly paper, satin ribbons, a squeaker, a peek-a-boo mirror and pages with attached teethers that are meant to be gummed. The book is fabricated of non-toxic fabric, so go ahead and let your footling i mouth it. It'due south car-washable, besides, so y'all can thoroughly clean it after each reading. The C-band lets y'all attach it to babe's car seat or stroller, likewise.
Best Developmental Toy for three-Month-Olds
Vivid Stars Lots of Links
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Pros: Easily wipes make clean, cheap, versatile
Cons: Lots of parts to proceed rail of
Why We Love It
Plastic links are a timeless choice for your lilliputian one, since they're "very inexpensive and easy to clean," says Dr. Abelowitz, adding that they're "as baby gets older, they back up motor skill development."
Plastic links are also a favorite of moms in the What to Expect community.In particular, parents honey the Brilliant Stars Lots of Links for lots of reasons: They're inexpensive, they're light plenty to be thrown in a bag or diaper purse for on-the-become amusement and they wipe clean. Moms and dads are too fans of the links' versatility — yous tin utilise them to attach a toy to a high chair so it doesn't go flying, for case. And while parents say they're strong enough to stay linked together, they're not too strong that they would compression fingers.
Dimensions: 2 10 0.38 x ii.25 inches
Best Musical Toy for 3-Month-Olds
Gund Flappy the Elephant
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Pros: Has multiple functions, musical
Cons: Requires batteries, some babies aren't amused by it at every age
Why We Dearest It
Who doesn't love an adorable elephant that sings and plays games? Flappy the Elephant is non just extremely cuddly, only also musical and entertaining for your picayune one. When you touch Flappy's correct foot, his ears flap along to music, and when y'all button the left human foot, he plays peekaboo with his ears.
Dimensions: seven.7 10 10.5 10 12 inches
Weight: fifteen ounces
Best Toy with Vivid Patterns for 3-Month-Olds
Manhattan Toy Wimmer-Ferguson Learning Cube
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Pros: Lots of visually stimulating elements all in one toy
Cons: Surface wash only, teething toy doesn't detach which may make it harder to clean
Why Nosotros Love It
At 3 months of age, toys with "sounds, patterns, lines, or circles" are a great selection for your lilliputian 1, Dr. Shapiro says. That's what makes this Manhattan Toy Wimmer-Ferguson Learning Cube a solid choice for your baby. Its vi sides are covered in both colorful and high contrast, black and white patterns, like stripes, dots and big circles. The cube'south features are almost endless: information technology includes ribbons, cockle paper, a rattle, a squeaker, a teething ring, peekaboo flaps, an infant-safe mirror and a bungee elephant trunk. What'south more, you can fifty-fifty apply it to help your baby stay interested and entertained while she does tum time. Talk about a multi-sensory win.
Dimensions: six ten vi x 6 inches
Weight:iv.8 ounces
Best Infant Gym for iii-Month-Olds
Fisher Price Deluxe Kick 'northward Play Piano Gym
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Pros: Provides dissimilar ways to play as baby grows
Cons: Not the most fashionable toy to take on display in your living room
Why Nosotros Love Information technology
The Fisher Price Deluxe Kick 'n Play Piano Gym is a top favorite among What to Expect community parents, and for good reason. Baby gyms also get the green low-cal from pediatricians. "Babies can come across it, hear it and affect it while lying down," says Dr. Abelowitz, also noting that gyms are more often than not piece of cake to clean and parts can be disconnected.
This pianoforte gym offers four ways to play equally your infant grows, making it a long-term investment. Your baby can lay on his dorsum and play with the five repositionable toys to a higher place, use the soft (and machine-washable!) mat for tummy time, sit down and play with the keyboard or use the removable keyboard past itself for take-forth play. All the while, the gym helps provide sensory play, gross motor development and experience with colors, shapes and sounds.
Dimensions: 27 x 36 10 eighteen inches
Weight: 4.5 pounds
All-time Crinkle Toy for 3-Month-Olds
Taggies Crinkle Me Toy
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Pros: Simple and like shooting fish in a barrel to pack in a diaper purse or bag
Cons: Some say information technology didn't survive the washing motorcar, babies may non know how to play with the squeaker on the within until they're older
Why We Love It
Is your little 1 obsessed with tags? Turn to the Taggies Cockle Me Toy, which is a infant-prophylactic cockle toy that your piddling one will love. Information technology includes a soft fabric exterior (adorned with a sweetness animal of your choice), eight interactive toys for your little one within, and crinkle paper and a squeaker on the inside for more sensory stimulation. It also includes a flexible loop that you tin can attach to a stroller so that it stays off the ground when you're on-the-go with your baby.
Dimensions: 6.5 10 six.5 inches
Weight:.075 pounds
Best Grasping Toy for three-Month-Olds
Melissa & Doug Flip Fish Toy
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Pros: Multi-textured, machine washable
Cons: Your babe may go bored with it in one case he gets older
Why We Honey It
Another great selection if your little one loves crinkles, the Melissa & Doug Flip Fish Toy is a colorful, multi-textured toy that helps your infant work on his developmental skills while having fun. All of the scales have hidden photos tucked under them, and the tail features a squeaker — both of which encourage your little i to grasp and explore the toy. Non to mention, the crinkle scales and soft exterior aid with tactile play. Best of all, you lot can toss it in the washing automobile for easier cleans.
Dimensions: ix.75 x 13 x 4 inches
Weight:0.75 pounds
Best Mirror for 3-Month-Olds
Sassy Tummy Time Flooring Mirror
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Pros: Lightweight, makes tummy time fun
Cons: Hands falls over, reflection may be a bit warped in some places
Why We Dear Information technology
A safe, unbreakable mirror for babies to await at their own reflection is a great choice for your little one, says Dr. Abelowitz. "[It] c an be used every bit a distraction or entertainment while encouraging tummy fourth dimension," he adds. Plus, "their eyesight is a little flake more evolved than the get-go ii months of age," adds Dr. Shapiro.
Lots of parents love the Sassy Tummy Fourth dimension Flooring Mirror, which allows your babe to stare at himself while doing tummy fourth dimension. It'south propped upward by a soft easel back and includes two attached toys for even more fun. Parents say that considering information technology's so lightweight, the mirror falls down easily when babies hitting it, simply it doesn't break and is easily picked dorsum upwardly.
Dimensions: ten ten 10 inches
Weight:ten ounces
Best Mobile for 3-Month-Olds
Manhattan Toy Wimmer-Ferguson Infant Stim-Mobile
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Pros: Comes with 10 interchangeable cards and adaptable cord
Cons: Can only be enjoyed when your infant is in his crib
Why We Beloved It
While this isn't technically a toy, mobiles help your newborn's eyesight develop while providing unproblematic even so captivating amusement. The Manhattan Toy Wimmer-Ferguson Infant Stim-Mobile comes with 10 interchangeable cards that feature loftier-contrast designs and patterns, in both bold colors and black and white. (The cards come are labeled by age to help yous hands make up one's mind which ones to display at different points in time.) What'due south more, the mobile includes an adjustable string that lets you change the distance of the cards as your little one's vision develops.
Dimensions: 13 x iii.5 x 13 inches
Weight: 1.25 pounds
All-time Puppet for iii-Calendar month-Olds
Melissa & Doug Safari Buddies Hand Puppets
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Pros: Your picayune ane can wear them himself once he turns 2
Cons: Some reviewers say the puppets are too tight on adult hands
Why Nosotros Honey Information technology
Another bully mode to encourage your baby's vision development? Puppet play! Put on a boob and move your hand upwards and downwards and then in circles while saying your little one's proper noun. As your baby gets better and meliorate at tracking the puppet's moments, y'all tin can ramp up the complexity of the puppet's movement.
These adorable animal puppets are great for the long haul, as they're designed to fit kid and most adult hands. That means you can use them to entertain your babe for now, then pass them downwardly to your little one once he's quondam enough to play with them on his own hands.
Dimensions:12 (width) x 16 (height) x 2.5 (depth) inches
Best Bath Toy for 3-Calendar month-Olds
Lilliputian Additions Soft and Educational Babe Bathroom Toy Ready
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Pros: Car washable, can exist used as dry stuffed creature toys
Cons: Some parents say they needed to exist washed often to eliminate smell
Why Nosotros Love Information technology
A set of soft bath clasp toys is good to accept on hand your babe's first year, Dr. Abelowitz says. "[They're] great for babies to requite access to different characters and voices and help engage the infant during bath fourth dimension," he says. What's more, they're bully for imaginary play and language and counting exercise, too.
This bath toy set ticks off all of those boxes. These adorable sea creatures are soft, bright and plenty big — pregnant they won't easily slip out of your little 1's tiny easily. Plus, they're made with 100 percent polyester and accept no removable parts. The toys as well come with a mesh bag that suction-cups to the side of the bathroom, which makes it easy for them to shop and dry subsequently bathtime is over.
Dimensions: 8 ten 5 10 iv inches
Weight:5 ounces
- WhatToExpect.com, All-time Activities for a Newborn, September 2021.
- WhatToExpect.com, The Best Baby Mobiles to Stimulate Your Newborn, September 2021.
- WhatToExpect.com, Best Mats, Gyms and Toys for Tummy Time, Baronial 2021.
- WhatToExpect.com, Making Bathtime Fun for Babies and Toddler, Baronial 2021.
- Steven Abelowitz, Thousand.D., F.A.A.P., Regional Medical Manager, Coastal Kids Pediatrics, Newport Beach, California.
- Sarah Lytle, Ph.D., Manager of Outreach and Education, Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences (I-LABS), University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
- Ilan Shapiro, M.D., F.A.A.P., Medical Managing director, Health Teaching and Wellness, AltaMed Health Services, Los Angeles, California.
Source: https://www.whattoexpect.com/baby-products/toys/best-toys-for-3-month-olds/
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