Best toys for newborns

"There are so many engaging elements, so your child will never be bored," Leah Rocketto, Associate Commerce Director for BabyCenter, says of Fisher-Price’s ever popular piano gym. At first, babies lie on their backs, staring at themselves in the mirror and watching the toys on the arch. When tummy time approaches, you can unclip the toys from the arch and clip them to the loops on the mat, creating a more engaging set up. 

As your baby grows, you can remove the toy arch and rotate the piano so your baby can play sitting up. You can even take the piano off the gym to use it anywhere. 

"Going between modes is as simple as clipping and reclining crinkly animals, or twisting a knob on the keyboard," Leah says. "In the sleep-deprived newborn phase, that’s a big deal." 

Another selling point for parents: the ease of cleaning and storing. The mat's fabric is machine-washable and dryer-safe, but Leah says she found things easy to clean with a baby-friendly disinfecting wipe, though. When it comes to storing, parents appreciate that it can be done in a few steps and with minimal space. "My friend, whose son is a month younger than my daughter, also had this toy and she lived in a two-bedroom apartment, so she appreciated how little space it took up,” Leah says. “You can literally remove the arch, fold down the keyboard and slide all the parts under a couch, bed, or crib when it’s not in use."

As for babies, the piano is one of the more exciting elements, as they love kicking and banging at the keys, say parents. They are also entranced by the many sounds, which correspond to the three Fisher-Price's Smart Stages: Stage 1 plays simple songs (you can also set the piano to make individual notes), while Stage 3 teaches animals, colors, shapes, and numbers. 

Heads up
If all the noise is too much, the piano toy comes with volume control and an off switch to silent it entirely. 

Parents say
"I’ve had that play mat for over 2 months and my LO surprisingly doesn’t get tired of it…she loves kicking the piano and looking at it during tummy time."

"We just got LO a Fisher Price kick and play piano because he loves to kick his little legs. We used it first time today and he loved it! We also used the kick and play piano for tummy time, and he loved looking at the lights, colors, and music."

"The Fisher-Price Kick and Play piano is the best. You can use it for longer because you can rotate it into a sitting toy and move the arch to be for tummy time. DD loves it, at 3m she would play happily for over 20 minutes. And she was an EXTREMELY fussy baby."

Specs

• Age range: Newborn and up
• Batteries: 3 AAA 
• Color options: 2
   

Made from a nontoxic material that babies can't rip or chew, Indestructibles are so tough you can throw them in the dishwasher for cleaning. Parents like that they don't have to watch out when baby mouths or grabs the pages, and say that they can grab a few quiet, sweet moments sitting down with their babies this way. 

There are many different Indestructibles books to choose from, but Baby Faces is a favorite due to infants' natural affinity for faces, which Starnes says starts very early. She also adds that infants show a strong preference for books that show people's faces. So your baby is sure to stare in awe at the illustrated faces in this small book that introduces the concept of emotions and the faces that accompany them.

Heads up
This and other Indestructibles books are also available in Spanish. 

Parents say
"Indestructible books are wonderful, too. My toddler still 'reads' them. Bonus, they're waterproof so baby can chomp on them."

"Really loving these Indestructibles books. They’re paper books that can’t be ripped or chewed up and are waterproof. LO loves to bite it and wave it around."

Specs

• Age range: Birth and up
• Batteries: No
• Color options: 1
   

Tiny Love mobile nimbly fastens to just about any stroller, play yard, or bassinet, so it can be placed where your baby can see it but can't reach it, for safety's sake. Babies are particularly enchanted by this mobile because the revolving felt animals are hung on a slant, with their smiling big-eyed faces looking downwards at your baby instead of straight out horizonally into the room. You can play a continuous half hour of baby-friendly tunes as the mobile spins, or shut the music off and allow the mobile to revolve silently, a feature appreciated by parents looking for peace and quiet. 

Leah says she used it as a tool to help build her daughter's neck and core strength: "I hung it on her play gym during tummy time, and the noise and movement would entice her to look up for an extended period of time," she says. 

Many babies find mobiles soothing, says Starnes: "Because infants spend a lot of their time on their back, ceiling fans and mobiles are captivating to infants, partially because they are easily able to see the items and the motion of the items," she says. "You may even find that the infant falls asleep soothed by the repetitive motion they are observing."

Heads up
Leah says the music is a bit loud for baby sleep. 

Parents say
"My little guy loves this mobile. We can attach it to almost anything he sits in and it was extremely helpful when he was in the hospital for a few days."

"We've only used it once but she was actually entertained during the car ride. Otherwise she screams the entire ride if it's after 4pm and she's not sleeping."

"My son LOVES this thing and it goes where he goes."

"My son sleeps in a pack and play and it’s the only type [of mobile] that can go on it."

Specs

• Age range: Birth and up
• Batteries: 3 AA
• Color options: 6
   

Oball’s rattle has many important features that make it easier for small hands to practice grabbing and lifting. To start, there are two plastic balls that sit on either end of the narrow handle, and each one has baby hand-sized holes. Children start by simply moving their hand and fingers in and out of the holes, but eventually learn to grip through the holes. The rattle’s handle is also very narrow, so tiny hands can wrap around it easily. And, as many parents note, the rattle is lightweight, so babies can practice lifting. 

The narrow handle is filled with colorful beads, which not only make noise to distract and delight babies, but can teach cause and effect: As your baby learns to lift and move the rattle, they’ll see that doing so causes the beads to move and make noise. 

For parents who love to save money and space, this rattle is actually a great double duty toy: The balls are made of a soft plastic that parents say is perfect for teething. Some parents add that the rattle can help with tongue and mouth muscle development, sharing that their child will stick their tongue out to try to loop it around the little rings. 

Heads up
Parents say that Oballs make a great teething toy when the time comes. 

Parents say
"My 4 month old has interest in one toy only - the Oball Shaker. It’s perfect for him to grasp, and he loves gumming it."

"This is our LO's hands down favorite toy. He loves to try to get his mouth on it and to shake it around."

"I give it to her anytime she's in a half decent mood and it has kept her busy for over an hour most times. I usually place it in her grasp and just adjust her thumb for her and she'll shake and chew it. Or she'll pick it up from next to her herself. She's bonked herself with it but it's never bothered her even a bit. I'll give it to her on our bed, in her bouncer, and in the car seat."

"The Oball rattle is her absolute favorite. We have one in the diaper bag, one at home and one at Nana’s house."

Specs

• Age range: Birth and up
• Batteries: No
• Color options: 1
   

Your baby won't form an attachment to a particular "lovey" until 8 to 12 months, but this toy is magically appealing to newborns with its friendly face and interesting textures. Babies love this toy's crinkly feet and the tags on its head, which are endlessly fascinating to small, curious fingers. When they shake their buddy, it makes a sweet jingling sound, and the bandana around each Bandana Buddies' neck is a teething toy that you can take off and wear on your wrist for your baby to chomp on while you're holding them. Just remember, your child should not sleep with a lovey or any soft toy until at least 12 months of age.

BabyCenter's Senior Director of Strategy and Growth Robin Hilmantel says that one of her son's favorite toys was his Bandana Buddy: "He liked grabbing for it when we dangled it above him, and the mirror, crinkling sound, and built-in teether toy gave him plenty of different sensory experiences to keep him entertained. We've saved it for our next little one."

Heads up
You can buy this toy in six different animal versions, but the fox is the most popular with babies. 

Parents say
"My baby girl loves hers. She smiles and gets so excited to see it."

"It’s a bit of a bigger toy, but has lots of sensory things to keep him occupied!"

Specs

• Age range: Birth and up
• Batteries: No
• Color options: 6

Getting babies to lift their heads during tummy time is easier with the help of a mirror, as babies love to look at faces. But there are a few things that set Baby Einstein’s mirrors apart from others. First, it is attached to a triangle-like structure that has a wide base, making it difficult for your baby to knock over. Second, the mirror itself is larger than most others, offering your baby a clear, view that’s more fascinating to look at. Some parents note that the mirror has a fun house effect, however, so don’t be shocked if your face looks a little distorted.  

The mirror keeps babies engaged in other ways too: a 3D panda sits on one side and makes a fun crinkling sound when grabbed. It also comes with a set of colorful flip-through flashcards that link to fabric loops at the top of the mirror. Unclip them for an educational toy you can take anywhere. 

Heads up
The flashcards are made of thick plastic, so your baby can chew and bend them without breaking them. 

Parents say
"It’s so nice because the cards attach to the mirror so it props them up nicely."

"We bought this plus a tummy time pillow and it’s helped a lot. She loves the mirror and has just started reaching out to the panda because it makes a crinkle sound."

Specs

• Age range: Birth and up
• Batteries: No
• Color options: 1
   

Not only is this fish a great stuffed animal, but it’s an amazing tool for baby’s sensory development. That’s because each of its scales offers a different sensory experience. First, there’s the texture: some are made of slick reflective fabric, others a  velvety plush, and a few are made of fabric with bumpy ribs. Each scale is also a different color or pattern, with a different friendly animal hiding underneath. Some scales crinkle when you move them, and there's a squeaker in the tail that surprises and delights babies and encourages them to practice squeezing. 

"My daughter loved touching the scales, which have different textures and sounds. I also used it to help 'teach' her colors, numbers, and even shapes since some of the scales have patterns," says Leah Rocketto, who calls this a "simple toy that still manages to have a lot going on." If it gets dirty, just throw it in the washing machine.

Heads up
This toy is just a bit bigger than a piece of notebook paper in length and height, so your child might not be able to play with it well until they’re 6 months old, which was the case for Leah. 

Parents say
"It's made from soft fleece. It has lots of 'scales' that crinkle when you touch them, 2 teethers, a mirror, a squeaker, and pictures of colorful animals under the scales to play memory with and learn colors! I think the best part about this toy is how it grows with him. As he gets older he finds new things to play with on it. I just love this toy so much and so does he!"

Specs

• Age range: Birth and up
• Batteries: No
• Color options: 1

Babies love sound and Baby Einstein’s Take Along Tunes toy is a small device that allows them  to play lengthy selections of 10 classical songs all by themselves. Each time babies press the colorful button on the device's front, a different tune plays while lights beneath the transparent window at the top of the toy pulse in rhythm with the music. There's a handle on one side with beads strung on it that make this toy easier for babies to hold, while also providing another visual and audio element.

"I have yet to meet a child who doesn’t have this toy," says Leah Rocketto. "It’s so simple in design and concept, yet it manages to hold my daughter’s attention longer than some toys that have all these bells and whistles."

Leah says the classical melodies are nice to listen to and helped lull her daughter to sleep on longer car rides.  Although Leah had to help her daughter use the toy at first, she eventually “developed her motor skills and got a thrill out of pressing the button and moving the beads herself,” which allowed for more independent — albeit, supervised —play.  

Heads up
Leah says this is an ideal travel toy: about the same as an iPod, it easily fits into a diaper bag, carry-on, or purse. 

Parents say
"Baby Einstein take along tunes toy. Has worked like a charm since 3mos. Mesmerized by the lights and music!"

"My 16 week old has been loving this since he was 8 weeks. It’s #1 best seller on Amazon. I also ended up giving to a friend who came over with her baby and he instantly loved it."

Specs

• Age range: 0-36 months
• Batteries: 2 AA
• Color options: 1