Best Educational Toys for Babies
Give your baby a head start in life by purchasing the best educational toys with skill building features for babies to boost their brain development. You will want to focus on their Physical, Cognitive, along with Social and Emotional Development.
Physical Development
Physical Development focuses on Sensory, Fine Motor and Gross Motor Skills.
- Sensory Skills ~ Vision, hearing, smell, taste, and touch is how we receive sensory information from our bodies and the environment through our sensory system. This is the very first windows to helping your child learn.
- Fine Motor Skills ~ This skill is the coordination of small muscle movements which occur e.g., in the fingers, usually in coordination with the eyes. This can start with grasping a toy and develop into holding a pencil and beyond.
- Gross Motor Skills ~ Gross motor skills are larger movements your baby makes with his arms, legs, feet, or his entire body. So crawling, running, and jumping are all gross motor skills.
Cognitive Development
Cognitive skill development in children involves the progressive building of learning skills, such as attention, memory and thinking. Babies need cognitive development to process the sensory information they receive and eventually learn to evaluate, analyze, remember, make comparisons and understand cause and effect. This includes engaging their curious minds with their natural curiosity and discovery.
Social & Emotional Development
This area emphasizes many skills that increase self-awareness and self-regulation. This development helps babies to express ideas, sharing with friends, and be a good listener. Emotional development will also help your baby to feel security and happiness while having self confidence.
Taking all of these developmental skills into consideration we have complied a list of toys by month to month based on age. These are only the beginning of suggestions. If you click on an item Amazon will list several similar toys.
Best Educational Toys ~ Newborns
Congratulations! You have a new sweet baby! You will know very quickly that your little baby does not play. You might be thinking, “What?! My baby does not need toys under a month old.” Well, you are correct. Actually, babies under a month old only spend 10 percent of their time awake. However, here are a few suggestions you might want and your little one can grow into enjoying soon.
Best Educational Toys ~ 1 to 2 Month Old
At one month old your baby is now focusing on items around 8 to 12 inches away, perfect for playing Peek-a-boo. Black-and-white patterns also draw his attention. They can lift her head briefly and turn it to the side when he’s on his stomach, yet still need support when they are upright. At this time you need to give your baby lots of tummy time to strengthen their muscles. Encourage them to look at and reach for toys.
Best Educational Toys ~ 3 Months Old
This is the beginning of the fun, in my opinion. Your little one is starting to imitates your facial expressions and sounds. He’s starting to babble in efforts to mimic the sounds you are making. They begin to push up in efforts to get ready to roll over. He can open and close his hands, shake toys, swat at dangling objects, bring his hands to his mouth, and push down with his legs if you hold him in a standing position. You should make sure to talk to your baby throughout the day. Tell them what you are doing and what each item you touch is called. Read books together, this is the beginning of what I like to call the sponge age. They soak up every little bit of information you give them.
Best Educational Toys ~ 4 to 7 Months Old
Get your running shoes on! She is moving! Rolling over and maybe even rolling across the room. Siting up with your help and standing with your help. She uses a raking grasp to pull objects closer and can hold toys and move them from one hand to another. They love to see themselves in the mirror at this age.
Best Educational Toys ~ 8 to 12 Months Old
His hands are increasingly nimble and usually can grab things before you can move them. It’s fun to move items, just to move them. They can use their thumb and finger to grab finger foods and maybe start to holding a baby spoon. He can hold his sippy cup and loves to pretend to talk on the phone.
Sue M. says
My nephew and his wife just had a baby girl last November, I’ll definitely share this with them. Thanks for posting!
Nancy Hilderbrand says
I always buy the young people presents that teach them things. I think that all kids need learning tools starting with coloring books and crayons and becoming more extensive as time goes bu.
Sarah L says
These look like great toys. Wish I had a little one to give them to.
Sarah L says
I like the book because I think it’s never too early to expose kids to reading.
Chelsea Lindsay says
My son loved his play at when he was younger. He really likes his little shape thing now.
Chadam says
there are some movies you can buy. even doing a pojerct with her for 30 minutes a day. like learning the alphabet and learning colors and counting. it’s never to early to teach that stuff. maybe getting index cards and righting a letter on them and teaching them to her or as shes coloring ask her what color shes using. simple things like that which are low costing and they fit into everyday life.
Renee Rousseau says
I found this review of educational toys very informative. The information is helpful to me as an Aunt, Grandmother and Great Grandmother to stay in the loop when buying baby gifts. Thanks!
debbie says
so many amazing colourful things and toys for the little ones to be entertained stimulated and learn. It really is money well spent or if you’re on a tight budget you can make safe fun toys too 🙂
Gloria Walshver says
Cute stuff for babies to play with
michelle elizondo says
the best toy was the mat!
clojo9372 says
I don’t have kids but I have nieces and nephews. I do try to buy gifts that are entertaining and educational when I can.
Edna Williams says
My kids loved learning! I really try to buy toys that are both fun and educational. Thanks for sharing!
samir hmdme says
i agree with, those are some very interesting toys for babies, both fun and educational! thank you.
Jeanna Massman says
Thanks for the info on baby toys. I will tell my niece who has a baby about your ideas.
sarah alexis says
I love the Stacking Up Cups! Those are some of the simplest toys and yet I remember how many different ways they can be used – fosters such imaginative play!
marthalynn says
Perfect timing! My cousin just had her first baby. I’m going to get a few toys from this list in varying ages. I’ll also share this with them so they know what’s worth getting!
Sarah L says
The mat is fun for little ones.
Jerry Marquardt says
I like the toys to be fun yet educational. I thank you for the great review on this important subject.
Ann says
Thanks for the ideas for baby toys. Not everyone knows whats best for their age to learn with
Katherine says
My children are all grown and toys have come a long way since they were little. I love hese educational ideas for the grandbabies.
Judy Thomas says
Awesome toys! Thank you for sharing the info, it will come in handy.
Sue Mullaney says
My nephew and his wife just had a baby around Thanksgiving of last year; I will definitely share this with them. Thanks for posting!
Dotty J Boucher says
What a great list you have here and I really like the blocks, one of my granddaughters has that same exact
set and we love playing with them.
@tisonlyme143
Lynda Cook says
I love the Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Blue Crawl Around Car, but they are all great learning toys!! love when the kids are this small to play with all the cool toys!!
Lauryn R says
These are all great suggestions for educational toys! I love how you broke them up into ages. I bought the Baby Einstein Sea Dreams Soother for my first daughter and not only did cshe LOVE it, but it was passed down to herc2 younger siblings as well! Amazing quality for the price. 🙂
Becky Richardson says
These look great. Wish these had been available when my kids were babies.
Linda Manns Linneman says
I just love these educational toys. Children learn at this young age and what a great way to learn. Thank you so much for sharing these.
Sarah Kurtz says
I love your suggestions… Mine are a little older (4,7 and 22) but I do have a grandchild due in Sept. Looking forward to buying toys for my 1st grand baby.
Sue E says
I have never seen so many toys on the market that both teach & give a child lots of fun! I think these are great toys, 2 for 1. Babies love toys that make sounds and have lights. These toys make great gifts.
Nikolina says
I really enjoyed reading the entire post, thank you for the tips!
Amber Ludwig says
These are great!! I love educational toys for my kiddo!! I know that he’s learning and having fun!! We are huge VTECH fans 🙂
Sherry Compton says
So many skills you can help babies learn and development. Great information and suggestions. I really like how you break it down into months.
Ireon Williams says
Thanks for sharing
Michelle Elizondo says
I love educational toys for babies.
Leslie Crosbie says
My first grandchild was recently born and I am buying toys again!! Thank you for suggestions, I also really like Cloud B Sleepy Lamb and almost everything by VTech!
Jeanna Massman says
I love buying toys for the little ones in my family. There are so many wonderful educational toys that encourage child development.
Judy Thomas says
Love these toys! children get so much enjoyment from them while they are learning at the same time 🙂
Jeanna Massman says
I love all the wonderful new toys that have developed to help babies learn.
Smile Rodnez says
I love educational toys. They are the best.
Renee Rousseau says
Thanks for all the info and great suggestions. I have a new baby in the family and I am going gift shopping today! Thankfully now, armed with a list!
Sherry Compton says
There have been a lot of babies and baby showers recently. These would be great to give. I really like how you break it down into month because toys definitely differ every couple of month. I love the baby activity gyms and shape sorters.
Amy Green says
These are all really sweet. You did a great job of picking out a wide variety of appealing products. I don’t know which one to choose first!
Judy Thomas says
These are awesome toys and help with many different things such as hand to eye coordination.
Linda Manns Linneman says
These sound great for our little ones. I am really into fun and educational toys for our children. Thank you so much for sharing
Nicole says
It really helped me as I have a baby brother. Educational toys help him very much in learning and coordinating
Nena Sinclair says
These are great ideas! I think the best educational baby toys are the ones that have withstood the test of time.
Sue Mullaney says
This is really helpful information! I know some people who have young children; I’ll definitely share this post with them!
Sarah L says
Wish I’d had something like these 40 years ago. Very good for kids.