The best development toys for infants play a huge role in growing your child’s sensory, motor, and problem-solving skills.
Children of any age, including infants, learn about themselves and their surrounding when playing with developing baby toys.
Equipping your child with baby toys will help them develop physical milestones such as brain, social skills, language, and emotional development.
However, finding the best development for your toy can be confusing. There are hundreds of listings on the market and the majority lack filters to suit your specific needs and that of your baby.
Therefore, we have a detailed list, research, and verdict for you to make a quick decision on the growth route of your child.
Table of Contents
Reviews for Best Development Toys for Infants
Best Developmental Toys for Babies by Age
Although your newborn may seem relaxed in a bouncer or swing, they still need space and time to stretch, wiggle, and strengthen their body.
Typically, this helps them to master the milestones of early development. Below, we review the best development toys for infants by age.
1. Best developmental toy for babies under 4 months – Splashin’kids Infant Toys
Splashin’kids toy has excellent properties like a click when shaking, making it attractive for babies under 4 months.
Inside there is a small glowing ball that instantly attracts your child’s attention and other balls that will challenge your child to try to pass through the 3 holes in the level.
The animals are stamped on the exterior of the toy, which is also a nice source of attraction.
Dimensions of 7.24 x 6.93 x 3.07 inches make storage easy when the newborn is not playing. Also, you can remove the air when storing it so that it takes up little or no space.
The rugged PVC construction, which has been extensively tested, makes it very durable, even with little care. The solid yet soft and air-filled design makes Splashin’kids safe for babies under 4 months.
Also, you do not need a pump to fill Splashin’kids. You only need to blow it with your mouth, and your child is ready to have fun.
However, it is too high for a newborn to practice crawling. In addition, although the interior lighting attracts the child’s attention, it may be too flashy.
Pros
✅ The external dimensions are ideal for storage
✅ You can infiltrate with your mouth
Cons
X High for a newborn
2. Best developmental toy for babies 4-6 months old – iPlay, iLearn Stackable Baby Toys
Unlike the plastic-made types, iPlay, iLearn silicone parts are fun to grab and throw.
Also, you do not have to worry about your baby bumping or scratching, making them suitable for babies aged 4 to 6 months. With it, the child can enjoy placing the ring on the bar and not worrying about the arrangement.
As your child grows, he can learn the right order of placement, which makes them a great developmental toy. If teeth start at 4-6 months, the baby may want to chew the rings, and luckily silicone is easy to clean and dry.
The different textures, crinkles, rattles, and squeaks of the soft material make it a real hit. For the little fingers, however, they are bigger.
Pros
✅ The silicone parts can’t injure the child
✅ Easy to clean and dry
Cons
X The size is big for the tiny figures
Learn More from BestToyLine: When Do Babies Start to Play with Toys?
3. Best developmental toy for 7 month old – Mini Tudou Baby Blocks
Mini Tudou Baby Blocks has finer colors in place of the main face colors, which makes them attractive for a 7-month-old baby. The blocks are gentle on the gum and pleasant to chew at this stage of the teeth.
However, the material is still sturdy and solid enough to be helpful during teething. Also, some animals look a little strange, which makes them appealing to a child of that age.
Besides, they can be used later as cognitive toys as they have shapes, numbers, and symbols for subtraction and addition. Mini Tudou Baby Blocks ensures the toy can be used as the baby grows.
The blocks are big enough so the baby cannot put the block in their mouth, but only the corner, ensuring the baby cannot swallow it.
They are easy to wash even in the bath. The downside is the ventilation hole in the blocks, so you must cover this during washing to prevent water ingress.
Pros
✅ The fine colors are appealing
✅ The blocks are ideal for teething
Cons
X Can be troublesome if water enters inside
4. Best Developmental Toy for 8 Month Old Baby – VTech Busy Learners Action Cube
VTech Cube is one of the baby toys you can put for an 8-month-old baby on the floor and clean the house without the baby getting bored or angry.
At the top are 4 buttons, a triangle, a square, a circle, and a star, each with the image of an animal, a circular bird, a square cat, a triangular cow, and a star dog. They have animal sounds, they play songs, and they count to three.
Normally, your child will love pressing buttons repeatedly to make sounds and lights. The cover also has a turning cylinder which makes it even more impressive.
As VTech Cube comes with batteries, you do not even need to open it, which is better than having to open it before it is ready to play.
The songs can be a bit irritating, but it is worth it because you can sit and have tea while watching your baby play.
Pros
✅ The many features can capture the child’s attention for a long time
✅ Comes with batteries, making VTech Cube ready for use
Cons
X The sounds can be annoying
5. Best development toy for 9 month old baby – Playkidz Light and Sound Ball Spinner
Playkidz Light and Sound Ball Spinner is a fit development toy for 9-month-old babies.
This spinning ball of light and sound has 3 sound effects and melodies for a perfect sensory experience, and lights double this experience.
Playkidz Light and Sound Ball Spinner are great for a small child as it does not require a lot of force, and this big button is easy to press. Parents can easily play with their children, which increases parent-child interaction.
The three balls are safely stored in the toy, so you do not have to worry about your 9 month playing with them. The edges and surfaces are all smooth, so you do not have to worry about bruises.
Furthermore, Playkidz Light and Sound Ball Spinner is very easy to use as a slight pressure turns it. It comes ready to use, making it a perfect toy for a gift.
The dimensions of 9.09 x 6.97 x 6.77 inches are small enough to be easily stored when your baby is not playing with the toy. However, a weight of 1.28 pounds is hectic for a 9-month kid to hold.
Pros
✅ The button is easy to press for a 9-month-old
✅ The edges are smooth, ensuring child safety
Cons
X The toy weight is less impressive for a 9-month-old
6. Best developmental toy for 10-month-old – Play22 Shape Sorter
Play22 Shape Sorter has five different geometric shapes that help the child’s ability to count and match. The dimensions of the individual pieces are quite large, at least a few centimeters wide.
This size prevents choking hazards unless a large dog grabs them. The disassembly and reassembly of the pieces make it an excellent learning sensory for numbers, colors and develop fine motor skills.
The physical structure is well built and robust and can withstand some abuse. The high-quality wooden pieces are ideal for handling by small children’s hands, and they do not crack with rough play.
However, paint comes off the wooden pieces easily and can dye the kid’s fingers. Also, although the idea of smooth edges is wonderful, they are inconsistent and imperfect.
Pros
✅ The big size ensures the child cannot swallow it
✅ The physical design is durable
Cons
X Sometimes the paint comes off
7. Best developmental toy for 11-month-old – Sassy Developmental Bumpy Ball
Sassy Bumpy Ball is designed such that when the beads hit the plastic, it makes a pleasant sound, making it attractive for an 11-month-old baby.
To encourage movement, you can keep it out of reach, and this can be an encouragement for the child to keep trying to catch you. The child can also prefer varying sides depending on their mood, which makes them very stimulating.
The dimensions of 5.5 x 7.5 x 8.88 inches are a decent size for an 11-month-old baby to have fun. It is easy to grip and moves evenly to the sides as it has two hard plastics on the edges.
However, Sassy Developmental Bumpy Ball can be a little frustrating when your child tries to chew on pieces of plastic that are too big for their mouth. Although they still work for teething, they are not the best for baby gum.
Pros
✅ The pumps prevent it from moving fast, encouraging the child to reach for it
✅ Easy for the child to grip
Cons
X They are not ideal for teething
8. What is the best learning toys for 1-year-olds?
Cenove Montessori wooden toys is the best developmental toy for 12-month-old infants. Cenove Montessori wooden toy is made from natural, environmentally friendly pine with water-based paint.
Its smooth on the edges and non-toxic, ensuring the child plays safely. To complete it, your child needs to identify fruits and vegetables of different sizes and place them in appropriate locations according to size.
Cenove Montessori wooden toy often helps to develop baby’s motor skills, imagination, hand-eye coordination, and their ability to explore things and spaces and recognize size and shape when playing.
A beautiful farm with bees, chickens, sheep, and snakes looks real and will help catch the attention of a 12-month-old baby. At this stage of teeth growth, the child also enjoys the sensation of chewing the vegetable.
However, do not expose Cenove Montessori wooden toy to the sun or soak it in water, as water can penetrate the wood and peel off the paint.
Plus, the leaves may feel good and turn into a chewing obsession for a teething 12-month-old baby.
Pros
✅ The natural pine is non-toxic for the child and the environment
✅ The vegetable is ideal for teething
Cons
X Sun or water exposure peels off the paint
9. Best developmental toy for 1-3-year-old – Yookidoo Spin Gear Sorter
Yookidoo Spin Gear Sorter is a great toy to introduce your kid to problem-solving techniques, their causes, and outcomes while improving visual thinking, motor skills, and hand-eye coordination.
Yookidoo Spin Gear Sorter also facilitates STEM-based learning by categorizing, fitting, designing, and incorporating physics with the movement of a rotating gear.
The flexible base allows different designs and shapes, such as a line, a triangle, a snake, a circle, or a square.
Usually, gear reaction works independently on the design. Yookidoo Spin Gear Sorter features six geometric shapes with gear motion and is specially designed for small hands to prevent falls, enhancing frustration-free learning and playing.
Besides, it helps to improve manual skills, visual and tactile development when engaging the gears.
The only downside is that there are two colors of blue, one bright and one normal, which confuses the child when learning colors.
Also, Yookidoo Spin Gear Sorter might not be interesting as only 6 pieces can detach, and the rest remains stationary.
Pros
✅ Great for introducing problem-solving skills to a child
✅ Engaging toy and the child can play with it for many years
Cons
X The few detachable pieces make it less interesting
Best Developmental Toys For Babies By Condition
Even if the baby’s condition cannot allow kicking soccer, equipping them with the best developmental toys by condition brings long-term mental and physical development benefits. Here are some of the best developmental toys for babies by condition.
10. Best baby developmental toy for babies with Down syndrome – Fat Brain Toys Squigz
Fat Brain Toys Squigz is a fun toy for children with Down Syndrome. it is a lot of fun to auction off squig and stick non-porous surfaces like marble and glass. The child can easily join the group and make chains with them.
Also, you can make it a car structure, and the child will have fun with it. Suction cups work well, but like any cup, they can lose their suction power if you do not position them perfectly.
It can be frustrating, but it also helps create a child’s ability to solve issues.
Fat Brain Toys Squigz is an excellent open toy to make the child think creatively and can use it for years. Although they are not intended to be used for teething, they are still great on children’s gums.
They are noise-free and have no small pieces, making them safe for a child in any environment. However, the pieces do not adhere to surfaces or each other for a long time.
They only last several hours when attached to other surfaces and a few minutes when attached to each other.
Pros
✅ They are noise-free
✅ Helps to develop the baby’s creativity
Cons
X They only adhere to the surfaces for a short time
11. Best developmental toy for newborns with Autism – Scientoy Fidget Toy Set
Scientoy Fidget Toy Set contains 35 toys and an upgrade of 1 liquid motion timer, 1 maze puzzle, 1 rainbow magic ball, 1 grape crush ball, 3 toys and marbles, 8 putties, 1 pop tube, 1 compression foam, calcium putty, and 1 egg.
Scientoy Fidget Toy Set is therefore a large collection of stress-relieving toys. This non-toxic and odorless toy set made of high-quality ABS material meets European and American toy safety standards, including ASTM / CPC / EN71.
Scientoy Fidget Toy Set provides safe use for babies with ADHD or autism and for kids with high levels of stress or OCD. It offers a variety of play methods, such as pinching, stretching, and twisting, making it the best stress reliever toy.
With lightweight toys in the box, it weighs 1.59 pounds, which is lightweight enough to carry around.
However, the size of the puzzle’s cube and the ball can be disappointing as they make the process difficult.
Pros
✅ The large collection allows various plays without boredom
✅ Non-toxic and meets the safety standards
Cons
X The puzzle ball and cube size makes the process hard for a child
Learn More from BestToyLine: How to Clean Toys for Infants
What are the best developmental toys for babies? – Features to consider
With the market flooded with developmental toys, choosing the best one may be confusing. Fortunately, below we discuss the features to consider for the best developmental toys for babies.
1. Safe toys for your baby
When shopping for a baby’s developmental toys, think about safety first. If the toy fits well in your child’s mouth, it is best to ignore it as it can become a choking hazard.
Make sure the toy has no sharp edges and is made of non-toxic materials to prevent poisoning.
2. Versatile, Multipurpose baby toys
Children love to take apart, assemble, take out, add on, put in, and build. Choose “open-ended” toys so your child can play a variety of games with them.
These toys stimulate a child’s imagination and assist them in developing logical thinking and problem-solving skills. Look for toys that will help your child grow.
You may have had the experience of purchasing a toy that a child can play with for two days and never touch again.
You can prevent this by going for toys that can be fun at various stages of development.
Small plastic animals, for example, are fun for a small child who can make a shoebox out of them, while an older child can use them to tell a story she made up.
3. Toys to encourage problem-solving and research.
Toys allow children to practice new skills continuously. Toys that allow children to find out something on their own or with a bit of coaching assist them in becoming problem solvers and developing logical thinking skills.
Also, they assist children in developing relative skills and understanding of how things fit together, fine motor skills, and hand-eye coordination.
4. Toys to stimulate your child’s imagination
In the third year of your child’s life, their creativity really increases when they can now have the ability to take on someone else’s role and have the imagination that something such as a block looks like another thing like a cake.
Find toys that will help develop literacy skills and language and reading skills, the ability to organize processes in a logical order, and problem-solving skills.
5. Toys that appear like the ‘real stuff’
Your child will begin to understand how objects in their world, such as TV remote controls and light switches, work. These toys help children learn how things fit together and use the small muscles of their hands and fingers.
6. Toys to motivate child activeness
Young children do all types of physical tricks because they are more confident and stronger in their bodies. Your task is to be an audience that appreciates your baby’s latest playground success.
Find toys that assist your child in practicing the current physical skills and coming up with new ones.
7. Toys to encourage intergenerational play
Although children and adults can play almost all games together, some toys are made for adult participation.
When your child is almost two years of age, board games, which include using your memory or simple games that do not need to be read, are fun for all ages.
Keep in mind starting a family game night when everyone is playing together. They promote counting, memory skills, matching, as well as self-control, and listening.
They also promote relation-building and language skills. Another crucial advantage is teaching children how to be good winners and how to deal with losses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can developmental toys really make a child smarter?
Yes, toys really make a child smarter because studies have shown a 10% increase in toddler intelligence using toys vs not using toys. Gears, objects, blocks, and shapes of toys grow your baby’s smartness and sharpness.
Engaging Toys help babies’ minds to solve problems and develop creative ideas.
Where can I buy developmental toys?
Amazon is the best place to buy developmental toys for your baby. The developmental toys on Amazon are listed by many sellers giving you a wide price range, many baby toy brands, colors, and age limits to choose from.
Also, Amazon offers used toys that are budget-friendly.
Conclusion
Equipping your infant with the best toys for newborns will help build the essential skills and get their body exercising.
Before deciding on the best developmental toys to purchase for your little one, remember to consider the overall safety and if it comes with tiny parts.
Although picking the best development toys for infants might be challenging, you cannot go wrong with any baby toys from the above list.