6 Best Toys for Babies 6–12 Months

Around the second half of the first year, play starts to get a lot more interesting.

Your baby is not only grabbing toys anymore. Now they want to bang them, drop them, push them, empty them, chase them, and figure out what happens when they do.

You may also notice a lot of repetition. They press the same button again, dump out the same container, or knock down the same tower for the tenth time.

That is part of how babies learn.

The good news is that you do not need dozens of complicated toys to support this stage. A few simple toys that can be used in different ways may stay useful for months as your baby's skills change.

And BONUS, I have included a lot of links throughout so you can find some great examples of the types of toys I'm talking about and ones that have specifically worked well with my own girls.

What Does Play Look Like From 6 to 12 Months?

Between 6 and 12 months, babies become more active in how they play.

They begin experimenting with cause and effect, simple problem-solving, imitation, and movement. New physical skills like sitting, crawling, reaching, and better hand control also give them more ways to interact with toys.

That is why the best toys for this age do not need lots of bells and whistles. They just need to give your baby something they can explore, manipulate, and figure out.

1. A Stacking Toy

Stacking cups, rings, and blocks are great because your baby can use them differently as they grow.

At first, they may simply grab them, bang them together, mouth them, or knock down the tower you built. But, later, they can start nesting, stacking, and experimenting with size.

These toys can support:

• hand-eye coordination

• fine motor skills

• problem-solving

• grasping and releasing

And honestly, building a tower just so your baby can knock it down is usually enough entertainment for quite a while.

2. A Put-In, Take-Out Toy

This can be as basic as a container with large, baby-safe pieces, or you can look for dedicated toys like shape sorters and fine motor toys where babies place oversized coins, sticks, or even cloths into openings. (Just make sure the pieces are not too small for your baby's age)

At first, your baby's favorite part may be pulling everything out. As their skills grow, they can begin experimenting with putting pieces back in, aiming for openings, and eventually figuring out where different shapes or objects belong.

This type of toy can help with:

• grasping and releasing

• spatial awareness

• hand-eye coordination

• early problem-solving

You can also add simple language like "in," "out," and "you got it" without turning play into a lesson.

3. A Simple Pretend-Play Toy

Pretend play becomes much more developed later, but simple imitation can begin during the first year.

Good options include:

• toy phones

• baby-safe cups

• simple dolls

• spoons

• pretend keys

At first, your baby may just explore the toy like anything else. But when they see you hold the phone to your ear or pretend to feed a doll, they may eventually begin copying you.

These toys can support imitation, language, and early social play.

4. A Musical Button Toy

A small baby piano or a pop up toy with large buttons can be a great introduction to cause and effect.

1. Baby presses a button

2. A sound or movement happens

3. So naturally, they press it again

4. And again

   
   

This helps them learn that their actions can make something happen.

Look for toys your baby can activate themselves rather than ones that mostly perform while they watch.

You can make it more interactive by singing, dancing, or simply reacting when they press the button.

5. An Interactive Baby Book

Books can become much more interesting during the second half of the first year, especially when babies can participate instead of only listening.

Look for sturdy board books with features like:

• flaps to lift

• different textures to touch

• mirrors

• large pictures

• simple repetitive words or phrases

• even books that are the lyrics to a song like twinkle twinkle

Your baby may turn several pages at once, pat the pictures, lift the same flap repeatedly, or try to chew the corner. That is all part of exploring books at this age.

Reading together also gives you an easy way to add language. Point to pictures, name what your baby notices, make animal sounds, or pause when they seem especially interested in something on the page.

You do not need to finish the story. Following what catches your baby's attention is plenty.

Here's some of our favorites:

• Imitation Book

• Peekaboo Love

• See, Touch, Feel

• Where's Spot?

• Peek-a-who

6. A Toy That Moves

A simple ball, push-and-go car, or rolling toy can combine play with movement. Your baby pushes it, watches it move away, and then has to reach, scoot, or crawl after it.

These toys can encourage:

• gross motor development

• coordination

• visual tracking

• cause and effect

A ball is especially useful because it can also become an early back-and-forth game between you and your baby.

At first, "rolling it back" may mostly mean grabbing it and refusing to give it up, but as your baby's skills grow, the game will start to change.

Choose Toys That Grow With Your Baby

A 6-month-old and an 11-month-old may use the exact same toy in completely different ways, and that is part of what makes a toy worth keeping around.

Instead of looking for something new for every milestone, choose toys that:

• can be used in several ways

• grow with your baby's skills

• allow experimentation

• encourage your baby to participate instead of only watch

You can also rotate toys instead of keeping everything available at once, and there is no need to worry about whether your baby is using something the "right" way. If stacking cups become drums today, they are still playing and learning.

The toy gives your baby something to explore, but you bring the interaction. When you copy their sounds, take turns, laugh when the tower falls, or follow what catches their attention, you naturally add language and connection to the play.

Even though you bring the engagement, it doesn't mean that you need to direct every minute. Sometimes sitting nearby and joining in here and there is more than enough.

Let's Wrap This Up!

Knowing which toys to choose is helpful, but understanding why your baby suddenly wants to dump, push, chase, copy, bang, and repeat everything can make this stage even more interesting.

 ✨Inside my first-year parenting course, we cover development across the entire first year, including physical growth as well as the emotional and social changes happening alongside it. The goal is to help you make more sense of what your baby is doing, what they may be working on, and how those changes show up in everyday life.

👇 Click below to see all about it.