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This post about the best baby toys is so overdue. 🤣 I am really, really picky about toys. I don’t like lots of battery operated toys, and I don’t like having too much stuff. We like toys that encourage Emme to explore and that are aesthetically pleasing to both Emme and I. We also live in a small apartment in Japan right now, so it is important to me not to just collect a bunch of toys. I just prefer a small, thoughtfully curated collection. To each their own though! No judgement if you have a playroom full of toys ready for your baby! I will never judge you mama.
I remember desperately wanting to see Emme play with a toy when she was a newborn. I just could not wait to watch her interact with the world. The lame truth is, newborns can’t do much! They are still learning to control their bodies and their eyes are gaining strength. The best things for newborns IMO are being snuggled and talked to! But, that doesn’t mean we don’t want to spoil them and can’t help them explore their world! Lots of people like baby swings and bouncers and things. We didn’t have room for all of that, so I prioritized and decided to only use an activity mat for this stage and add an activity table for the next stage.
Large Activity Toys
Uninhibited time to explore the way their bodies move is important for babies! A soft mat allows a space for this (but, frankly so does a blanket, so if you don’t buy one, cool!). We purchased the Lovevery mat (Amazon affiliate link) because I really appreciate the thoughtfulness put into the design, the play book and interchangeable cards that come with it, and that it can grow with Emme. It is also really easy to wash, and you can change out the hanging toys attached if you want. You can see it in Emme’s room here. If you prefer to go the blanket route, I recommend adding this toy by Taf toys which can prop up in front of a baby practicing tummy time. We actually own a similar toy by Taf which we bought for traveling which is great!
The other activity toy Emme has which she started using at 4 months old is an activity table. Her Nana sent her this one and we are obsessed with it! I didn’t want anything too obnoxiously colored or too large. This table by Skip Hop has my favorite seafoam color and converts as baby gets bigger. The toys are detachable and it is all really easy to clean. She just loves it! We call it her apartment. The other thing I love about it besides the fact that it’s not super distracting is that it doesn’t take up too much room!
Small Toys
Other toys we used for the newborn stage included a black and white mobile like this that you can clamp onto anything. I believe babies can only see black and white until about 5 months, and practicing focusing on high-contrast patterns is good for them! Our mobile has the colors of this one, but the shape of this one. We got it at the Japanese Toys R’ Us so there isn’t an exact match for any on Amazon. It also has a really nice bell, and Emme still loves grabbing for it at almost 8 months old. I like that the more expensive version has music but ours worked great for us.
Once Emme started grabbing and engaging more small toys became more fun. Emme has this wooden rattle from Jack and Link Toys which she loves. It makes a really nice wooden clacking sound, is fun to chew, and is the perfect size for tiny hands to grasp! I think she was even less than 3 months old in the photo above. Her other favorite small toy has been Sophie the Giraffe. Sophie was gifted by my friend Kate and dang, she is still one of Emme’s favorite toys!
Other than those two toys and this lightweight squish toy, the other thing that Emme just LOVES is any. kind. of. mirror. This girl loves to look at herself, whether it’s through a mirror or camera. You can get acrylic mirrors that are safer for babies to touch. The lovevery mat actually includes two that you can slip into the mat–they are great! We recently purchased a cheap over-the-door mirror for Emme’s room.
Books
These were some of our favorite books in the early stages! Again, black and white and high-contrast colors for the win! The jelly cat tails book was her absolute favorite for months because it also crinkles. There are several versions but she was gifted the farm tails.
What are some of your baby’s favorite toys?