When it comes to toys, most babies aren’t picky. Let’s face it, they’re more likely to be transfixed by the packaging than by what’s inside. All little ones, however, will be busy developing their own individual likes, dislikes, characters and abilities. The right toy for a particular developmental stage or activity can set your child up for years of fun.
Play at this age is largely focused on sensory exploration and motor development, so seek out open-ended toys that can be played with in several different ways, like stacking cups and rings. Need inspiration? Here’s the PishPosh Baby toy guide to the best baby toys 2022. (And be sure to save those boxes.)
All Smiles: Best Teething Toys For Babies
Oli & Carol Wally The Watermelon
Barcelona-based Oli & Carol specialize in designing cool, sustainable toys for modern parents and their kids. They’re handmade and playfully tongue in cheek – it’s rather amusing watching your little baby happily chowing down on Wally The Watermelon. Suitable from birth, he’s soft and easy to grasp as well as being satisfying on those gums.
Sophie the Giraffe teethers
Sophie the Giraffe is legendary in the world of teething. PishPosh Baby stocks a range of Sophie teethers, featuring the original Sophie, whose long, slender legs are easy for little paws to hold, while her hooves, ears and nose are a delight to chew.
There’s also the So Pure teether, which offers two teething rings with different textured surfaces, for even faster teething relief. The So’Pure Colo’ring Teether has four geometrical and colorful shapes that slide around the main ring, for maximum baby entertainment.
Fat Brain Toys PipSquigz
The best thing about the PipSquigz is that it’s the ultimate keep-their-attention toy, as well as being an excellent teether. These fun little suckers are made from BPA-free silicone, and are safe and satisfying to soothe sore gums. Bright colors, intriguing sounds, fresh tactile experiences and super-suction will also keep your baby entertained in the stroller, highchair, bathtub – anywhere you go, in fact! Peace of mind for parents and teething babies everywhere.
Good All Rounders: Best Baby Toys
Mushie Stacking Rings Toy
These Danish designed and manufactured high-end rings are a great way to teach your baby about stacking and grasping, enabling them to develop their motor skills. This will become the foundation for more complex tasks like using a writing instrument and learning language skills. Made from BPA- and phthalate-free plastic, they’re fun and engaging to look at, while the whimsical design and sophisticated colors make these stacking rings a stylish addition to your home.
Crane Baby Frankie Fox Plush Toy
Perfect for cuddling, Frankie Fox is bound to bring a smile to your little one’s face. Crane designs toys to last, which means this sustainable forest creature will see your little one through childhood before becoming a beautiful family heirloom. Talented craftsmen, who work in only the most ethical conditions, lovingly hand make Crane toys using all-natural, non-toxic materials and old-world techniques to preserve the human element of each product.
Ponycycle Brown Horse
The PonyCycle Brown Horse doesn’t have a battery that will die, or a motor that can ever break. It’s kid-powered and designed to last for years! Ideal for older babies who’re getting mobile and about to start toddling, all your little one needs to get this pony trotting is some energy. PonyCycle enables your child to ride wherever they want, just like on a real horse. Saddle up!
Fun And Engaging: Best Baby Toys 6-12 Months
Tiny Love Wonder Buddies
Get your baby a Wonder Buddy and your work is done. The draw is that they’re highly interactive. Designed with smart sensors, they can play peek-a-boo: hide them in a drawer or under a blanket and hear the whistle as the Wonder Buddy calls your little one to come and find them. They go ‘boing!’ when bounced and even snore when put to bed! Here’s the science stuff: your Wonder Buddy encourages the development of cognition, creativity, language and emotional intelligence.
Skip Hop Zoo 3-in-1 Ride Ons
Designed to grow with your little one for three stages of fun, Skip Hop’s cute and colorful ride-on toy offers an entertaining way to encourage motor skills development, balance and coordination. Stage one, designed for early walkers, will motivate your little one to push and pull in wagon mode. At stage two, the wagon’s storage tub converts to a seat for ride-on mode. Ready for stage three? Just remove the seat, pull up the adjustable handle, hop on the scooter and take it for a spin!
Skip Hop Stroll & Go Portable Baby Soother
We love this convenient, portable, compact baby soother by Skip Hop. Playing soothing songs and nature sounds, you can attach it to a crib, stroller or car seat. Stress-free naps and rest-time out and about, or at home - whichever you wish. It also has a volume control and an auto-off timer, with an easy-to-use rubber keypad and silicone strap.
Soak Up The Fun: Best Baby Bath Toys
Boon Pipes Building Bath Toy, Set of 5
This bath toy is sure to make a splash with your little one! Brighten up tub time with this engaging set of colourful pipes. The Boon Pipes Building Bath Toy set suction to the wall individually or in a chain to turn bathtime into a 'scooping and pouring extravaganza'!
Mushie Stacking Cups Toy
Splish, splash, pour and stack – nothing is more fun for babies in the tub than playing with the water. Encourage their curiosity with this colorful round tower of cups. Stacking the pieces helps your baby to develop their organization and motor skills, and learn about different sizes and shapes along the way. These cute little cups can also be used at home, in the garden or at the beach.
Skip Hop Bath Spout Cover
Make bathtime bump-free and fun for your baby with Moby the whale. The sleek design includes an adjustable strap that fits snugly on most tub spouts, and a tail that's also a handy hook, so Moby can hang around when bathtime’s done.
Feed Their Curiosity: Best Developmental Baby Toys
Skip Hop Activity Gym – Treetop Friends
Introduce little ones to the alphabet at playtime with the Treetop Friends Skip Hop Activity Gym! Get them familiar with A to Z via an ultra-plush mat with colorful artwork that encourages object recognition, while a supportive rainbow pillow is ready for tummy-time fun. Five whimsical animal friends engage your baby’s senses with music, textures and sounds to explore while having fun.
Doona Liki Trike
Your baby-turned-toddler will be thrilled to progress from their stroller and saddle up in the Doona Liki Trike. Giving your baby a feeling of being in control, this sturdy, versatile tricycle doubles as a stroller alternative. The harness will keep a one-year-old secure, while pedals work well for a kid who’s big enough to reach them. As your child grows, you can shed the stroller-like components, and the Doona Liki will work just like a traditional trike.
Dadada Toddler Tower
This toddler tower is built to help growing little ones safely and securely reach tabletops for craft time, countertops to explore new tastes, and sinks to practice handwashing and teeth-brushing with self-sufficient ease. The tower has easy-to-adjust steps to reach a variety of heights, baby-safe finishes and a collection of playful, adorable colors – a must-have for your baby’s next exploratory phase.
Feed Their Mind: Best Sensory Toys For Babies
Fat Brain Toys MiniSpinny
We think Fat Brain does sensory toys so, so well, which is why we’ve picked three as our best sensory toys for babies! Try the MiniSpinny to get your little one's senses spinning with excitement wherever they go. Designed with vivid spectral colors, exciting textures and soothingly smooth surfaces, the three vibrant propellers thrill young minds as they twirl playfully down the free-standing corkscrew pole.
Fat Brain Toys Oombee Cube Sorter
Shape-sorting toys can give babies and toddlers an early introduction to puzzles by helping them work on their problem-solving skills. This tactile cube is just perfect – and the shapes won’t get lost! They’re attached with thick strings, so you won’t be constantly hunting under the couch for the missing triangle. Your baby can even take it with them in the stroller.
Fat Brain Toys InnyBin
The InnyBin comprises six chunky shape blocks, each designed with fascinating textures to thrill the fingers. There’s a cube, a diamond, a sphere, a triangle, a flower and the happy Fat Brain logo. Your baby’s natural curiosity will be sparked as they push the shapes through the elastic bands of the cube. Simple but mind-expanding.
Looking for some unique gifts for the one-year-old in your life? Check out the PishPosh guide.