Babies are interested in things that surround them and are willing to interact with the world. Bright and catchy best toys for 6-month-olds attract their attention pretty well already. So if you are looking for the best gifts for 6-month-old babies for birthday or Christmas, one of the best decisions will be to buy a perfect toy that would not only entertain the baby but also develop some of his/her skills.
6-9 months is a very interesting age when your child is sitting, making the first attempts to crawl and stand up rapidly making his way through cognitive, emotional, and physical milestones. His/her favorite persons to play with are mom and dad… and himself/herself. Caring parents rush to look for and buy ideal toys, mirrors, personalized books. Everything to make their baby interested and involved and provide an impact on his/her development.
Playing for babies is all about exploring, observing, practicing various skills, growing, and discovering the whole new world around them. And there are many toys out there that will help your baby develop. We at Caring Parents’ Choice have packed a whole list of best toys for babies 6 to 12 months and are ready to share the information on how to choose the best baby toy and what to pay attention to.
18 Best Baby Toys 6 Months Under $20
#1. Sassy Stacks of Circles Stacking Ring STEM Learning Toy
The Sassy Stack of Circles Stacking Ring STEM
$8.99
The Sassy Stack of Circles Stacking Ring STEM is a great 6-month baby toy as it allows a real frustration-free play and promotes early STEM learning as it teaches the baby to sort, sequence, build, size, and connect the sound of the colorful beads moving in the clear ring with sight.
The center of every ring is of the same size so it can be easily stacked in any possible direction. The texture and weight of the rings are different for a baby to improve hand-eye coordination and develop and strengthen fine motor skills. Teach your baby to count to 8 as every ring is numbered.
This toy is made from materials that are BPA-free and meets and exceeds such safety standards as CPSC, ASTM, Health Canada standards, EN71, and pass the test for the California Prohibitions of Phthalates in Toys. Moreover, the Sassy Stack of Circles is the winner of the 2018 National Parenting Product Awards.
#2. Fisher-Price Rock-a-Stack & Baby’s First Blocks Bundle
Fisher-Price Rock-a-Stack & Baby’s First Blocks Bundle
$14.99
The Fisher-Price Rock-a-Stack is a great gift set for babies as it includes two toys: first blocks and a rock-a-stack. Your little one will be busy for quite a long time sorting the blocks in shapes and dropping them in the corresponding openings on the lid and stacking the rings and then batting at the base to see what there will be next. When the baby is done, he/she can start the fun all over again.
This toy is perfect for enhancing the sense of discovery and curiosity and developing problem-solving and shape-sorting skills. Moreover, parents can teach their kids shapes and colors and count to ten as the baby puts all of the 10 blocks into the bright bucket.
#3. VTech Busy Learners Activity Cube
VTech Busy Learners Activity Cube
$16.19
The VTech Busy Learners Activity Cube is a toy that encourages the baby to explore and discover. There are 5 sides with different types of activities and 4 light-up buttons that introduce animal sounds, names, and shapes. The cube helps develop fine motor skills and encourages crawling while attracting attention with fun sounds. These sounds are activated by the motion sensor.
This toy has 25 amazing songs and melodies which will keep your baby entertained. What concerns safety, it meets the toy safety standard and is phthalates and BPA free.
#4. Baby Einstein Magic Touch Wooden Drum Musical Toy
Baby Einstein Magic Touch Wooden Drum Musical Toy
$19.99
If you want to make a WOW effect on the baby, the Baby Einstein Magic Touch Wooden Drum Musical Toy will do it and even more, developing creativity and logical thinking. It is 100% ecological, durable, and safe as it is made from wood. The magic begins when the baby taps the big blue Einstein button. It helps switch from one drum sound to another.
Two play modes allow the baby to play classical melodies or make their own sounds. Use the volume control buttons to make the music quieter or louder. So, parents, get ready for a huge concert and don’t hesitate to join your little one as this is so much fun.
#5. VTech Baby Lil’ Critters Shake and Wobble Busy Ball
VTech Baby Lil’ Critters Shake and Wobble Busy Ball
$12.99
With all the sliding and twisting, the VTech Baby Lil’ Critters Shake and Wobble Busy Ball is going to make your baby busy for some time. The friendly chicken, nice cow, colorful buttons, and 6-bead tracks help develop the babies’ fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
The three buttons play around 50 different melodies, sounds, songs, and phrases, as well as teach the baby numbers, colors, animals, and simple vocabulary. If you want to make learning and discovering new things a lot more fun, this busy ball is the exact thing you need.
#6. Sassy Fishy Fascination Station 2-in-1 Suction Cup High Chair Toy
Sassy Fishy Fascination Station 2-in-1 Suction Cup High Chair Toy
$8.99
If you are looking for a developmental tray toy for early learning, the Sassy Fishy Fascination Station is the thing your baby will lo-o-ove. The suction cup base allows attaching the toy to the flat surface, for instance, to the high chair tray so the baby can use his chair and explore the various features this station offers.
The spinning wheel which has to be slapped by a hand encourages the little one to tug, bat, and reach for the object. That is what strengthens hand-eye coordination. The colorful beads make the rattling noise and help the baby connect sound to sight.
#7. VTech Wiggle and Crawl Ball
VTech Wiggle and Crawl Ball
$13.88
The VTech Wiggle and Crawl Ball is the best baby toy that encourages babies to crawl. When the ball wobbles and rolls, the baby tries to reach for it and snatch it while trying to move after it. Isn’t it the best toy to learn how to crawl?
The spinning, twisting, and talking animals and flashing lights, the baby’s motor skills, language development, and sensory skills are going to have a blast! When your little one presses the animals, he/she will learn colors, numbers, and names. The flashing lights and bright colors will attract and keep your baby’s attention.
#8. VTech Turn and Learn Driver
VTech Turn and Learn Driver
$14.96
If your kid loves the ‘beep-beep’ sounds and attentively watches the cars pass by, the VTech Turn and Learn Driver will make him/her amazed! This musical toy for babies 6 months encourages imaginative play, and the baby will pretend he/she is the one driving the car.
When using the steering wheel, the funny little dog moves back and forth. When pulling the signal lever, the baby will hear cool music and fun sounds, while the gear shifter introduces opposites. This toy includes 3 modes, and your little one can explore the animal mode, music mode, and driving mode. When pressing the interactive buttons, around 60 songs and phrases about vehicles and animals are played. The red, yellow, and green lights teach the child about road safety. Perfect toy for both boys and girls.
#9. MAGIFIRE Tummy Time Baby Water Mat Infant Toy Inflatable Play Mat
MAGIFIRE Tummy Time Baby Water Mat Infant Toy Inflatable Play Mat
$14.99
The MAGIFIRE Tummy Time Baby Water Mat can be called the best tummy-time toy for 6-month-old out there. The inflatable playmat lets the little one enjoy the water time without even getting wet. The fun floating toys and bright sea world will fascinate the baby, and parents will be amazed at the fun time their baby has with this toy.
When using the mat, the baby’s development is promoted. The funny tummy time on this amazing playmat helps the neck, arm leg muscles get stronger, which prepares the body for crawling, enhances hand-eye coordination, cognitive development, and vision. Also, the MAGIFIRE Tummy Time Baby Water Mat helps get rid of the tummy problems by stimulating bowel movement. Isn’t it the best Christmas gift for a 6-month-old baby?
#10. VTech Musical Rhymes Book
VTech Musical Rhymes Book
$14.95
The VTech Musical Rhymes Book will be your baby’s first entertaining rhymes book. When your baby turns the 6 bright and colored pages, he/she is immersed in the fun world of music and rhymes. Play the piano by pressing the colorful piano keys which show instruments and colors.
There are two modes that introduce instrument and music sounds, as well as age-appropriate vocabulary. To see the flashing lights along with the music, the baby has to press the light-up star. This interactive rhymes book enhances visual and auditory stimulation and is a perfect toy for a 6-month-old.
#11. One Two Squeeze Baby Blocks by B. toys
One Two Squeeze Baby Blocks
$14.67
The One Two Squeeze Baby Blocks is a really classic baby toy for 6-12 months. It was specially designed for curious minds and little hands. There are 10 bright blocks and 60 images on their sides. Every block was hand-sculpted to provide a nice soft feel and a truly educational experience. Your baby can squeeze, chew, stack, and throw them, as well as learn numbers, colors, and animals.
Isn’t it nice when the kid is busy learning all by himself/herself while mommy has a cup of coffee?
#12. Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Puppy
Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Puppy
$13.00
The favorite puppy of thousands of kids around the world. The Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Puppy teaches kids their first 100 words and introduces the shapes, counting, alphabet, and parts of the body. There are three Smart Stages learning levels that grow together with your baby and make learning engaging and fun.
At every level, the Puppy has a range of sounds, songs, and phrases for the appropriate age, so parents just need to slide the switch to select the needed one. The older the baby gets, the more interesting it is for him to play with the toy, pretending it is their good friend puppy, singing songs together, and learning new words.
#13. teytoy My First Soft Book
My First Soft Book
$16.99
Six different topics covered in the teytoy’s My First Soft Book teach your baby how things feel. They are the animal world, sea world, vegetable fruit, number, and vehicle soft books that develop the kid’s social and emotional skills, provoke interest in reading, help to become keen on reading and learning.
As a side effect parents get a strong bond with their little one, reading together and experiencing warm moments and a real pleasure. The book is very easy to hold, play with, and carry. The bright pages made from soft but thick cotton promote sensory awareness and motor skills, and sounds improve the audio recognition at the earliest stages ща your baby’s development.
The soft book is also perfect for stroller walks and traveling.
#14. Sassy Tummy Time Floor Mirror
Sassy Tummy Time Floor Mirror
$10.79
Does your little one like to look at himself/herself in the mirror? Sure, they do! This is what many babies enjoy. And there is a great toy – a large true-reflection mirror – which will encourage the baby to focus his/her eyesight on objects, thus, developing vision. Introducing the Sassy Tummy Time Floor Mirror.
The soft construction of the frame is great for a baby when he/she practices tactile skills. The two-color spinning ball engages the curiosity of your kid; the clicking and rotating bee together with the red ladybug attracts attention, and texture leaves allow entertaining the baby by playing pick-a-boo.
#15. NextX Baby Musical Toy
NextX Baby Musical Toy
$16.99
The NextX Baby Musical Toy will be responsible for your baby’s early music education. It has three hand drums, six piano keyboards, and three musical instrument buttons and offers three types of musical instruments sounds, animal sounds, and songs. Big bright buttons are suitable for a baby.
If you want the best Christmas gift for a 6-month-old that will develop creativity, imagination, and intelligence, this musical toy is exactly what you are looking for. Colorful lights, fun sounds, and nice melodies help the little kid have a fun time and push his/her limits for creative expression in the future.
#16. Ashtonbee Baby Teething Ball
Ashtonbee Baby Teething Ball
$13.99
The Ashtonbee Baby Teething Ball is the best teething toy for a 6-month-old who starts feeling that pain and discomfort. This soft, flexible, and lightweight teething pacifier has raised surfaces for greater comfort of the sore gums. It was made from the highest-quality silicone and is totally safe. Your baby’s sensitive teeth and gums won’t be hurt, and playing with the teether toy is so much fun!
#17. Melissa & Doug Flip Fish Toy
Melissa & Doug Flip Fish Toy
$16.99
Looking for the best birthday present for a 6-month-old? The Melissa & Doug Flip Fish Toy is a multi-textured, crinkling, squeaking, and soft toy in the shape of a cute fish that has hidden cool pictures under the scales.
This is a developmental toy with bright colors and bold features to attract the attention of a baby and develop various skills: the scales encourage tactile exploration and the squeaking tail promotes finger strength and grasping skills.
#18. Skip Hop Baby Guitar Developmental Musical Toy
Skip Hop Baby Guitar Developmental Musical Toy
$15.99
The ‘avocado-shape’ baby guitar by Skip Hop is one of the favorite picks of parents due to its cool educational features. The baby can press the colorful buttons to hear six songs and see colorful lights. The pit of the avocado can be easily spun for four guitar riffs. The Skip Hop Baby Guitar Developmental Musical Toy helps the child stimulate hearing and eyesight and enhance the development of fine motor skills.
11 Best Toys for 6-Month-Olds Under $50
#1. Infantino Sensory Balls Blocks & Buddies
Infantino Sensory Balls Blocks & Buddies
$24.99
The Infantino Sensory Balls Blocks & Buddies is a great toy for a 6-month-old as it helps babies develop motor skills and explore textures. When the baby grows, this fun set becomes a real educational tool, and the baby can stack, sort, recognize objects, and practice the descriptive language.
The set includes 8 numbered and brightly colored soft blocks, 8 colored, shaped, and textured balls, and 4 soft animals. It has a great carrying bag to store the toys and carry them with you whenever you travel. If you are looking for the best infant toys or gift for a birthday, Christmas, or baby shower, the Infantino Sensory Balls Blocks & Buddies has to be your top pick.
#2. HOMOFY Baby Toys Musical Learning Table
HOMOFY Baby Toys Musical Learning Table
$22.99
The HOMOFY Baby Toys Musical Learning Table is the best baby toy 6-12 months to keep your little one entertained and busy for quite a long time! The nice voice and colorful images attract attention and promote the desire to learn and explore. It plays a range of melodies, do, re, mi, fa for a quick and simple start in the world of music, great songs, and sounds.
The kid can turn on and off the light function and enjoy the animal world when looking through the pages and listening to the voice of every animal depicted there. This musical learning table toy promotes and enhances the development of creativity and motor skills and teaches the baby shapes, colors, and animals.
#3. Playskool Poppin’ Pals Pop-up Activity Toy
Playskool Poppin’ Pals Pop-up Activity Toy
$27.40
This pop-up activity toy will be a real hit among all the other toys your baby has. There are elephant, lion, monkey, giraffe, and panda hiding from your child, and he/she should find them by pushing the beeper, sliding the lever, turning the key, etc. Little ones are absolutely delighted at playing the pick-a-boo game with nice and brightly colored animals while discovering their shapes and colors and developing fine motor skills at the same time.
#4. VTech Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker
VTech Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker
$34.99
The VTech Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker can be used both as an engaging toy and a walker when the play panel is removed. The learning center has five piano keys to encourage creativity by playing music. Among other features are three shape sorters, three light-up buttons, and two spinning rollers. Everything can be pressed, touched, squeezed to develop those motor and sensory skills. Older kids will love the role-play with the phone handset.
All in all, the walker has around 70 songs, great music, and sound effects, as well as phrases for language and auditory development. The panel can be left on while using this toy as a walker. Thus, the baby will do two things at the same time – learn to walk and play.
#5. LeapFrog Learn and Groove Musical Table
LeapFrog Learn and Groove Musical Table
$39.99
The LeapFrog Learn and Groove Musical Table has everything to entertain your little sweetie and teach him/her lots of new things. There are over 70 songs, melodies, and responses so that the baby could explore songs, sounds, and musical instruments, developing motor skills when pressing the buttons, pulling, spinning and sliding, and vocabulary. You can flip between the two modes to choose either learning mode or music one. The legs of the table can be removed and it can be used for floor play.
#6. Baby Einstein Magic Touch Piano Wooden Musical Toy
Baby Einstein Magic Touch Piano Wooden Musical Toy
$24.99
The WOW-effect is guaranteed with the Baby Einstein Magic Touch Piano Wooden Musical Toy. The funniest thing about this piano toy is the absence of buttons. The baby will tap the painted wooden piano keys and hear the music play. Pure magic, isn’t it?
The toy is made from classic wood and packed with the latest technology. The two modes of play provide a whole new horizon to creativity – your kid can either play classical melodies or create their own tunes by playing rhythmic patterns. There are three sheets of music included in the set, and the baby will enhance color coordination by matching the colorful notes depicted on those sheets with the piano keys.
#7. rolimate Hammering Pounding Toy
Hammering Pounding Toy
$24.99
The Hammering Pounding Toy by rolimate has an 8-note xylophone to play various sounds and develop hearing and motor skills. The sorter by shape is another great toy that teaches the baby to memorize and recognize colors and shapes by inserting the figures into the openings on the sides. The bright balls on its top help the kid exercise tactile skills. The sorter box can be used as a storage space to accommodate all the accessories and save space at your place.
What concerns safety, this toy meets and exceeds the safety guidelines by CPSC, is made by hand, and painted with lead-free, non-toxic paint.
#8. VTech Sort and Discover Activity Cube
VTech Sort and Discover Activity Cube
$29.99
The VTech Sort and Discover Activity Cube is another fun and creative activity toy with five sides of cool things to do. The toy features more than 75 melodies, songs, and sounds, as well as phrases for the language and vocabulary development of the child. The two electronic panels have animals, numbers, colors, and by pressing five piano keys the baby will hear music and learn to distinguish colors, numbers, and animals.
When the baby turns the pages of the book, slides the animals, twists the spinner, and drops the blocks of different shapes into the sorter he/she has his fine motor skills enhanced and hand-eye coordination developed.
#9. Playskool Busy Ball Popper Toy
Playskool Busy Ball Popper Toy
$34.99
When babies get this best toy for 6-12 months as a birthday or Christmas gift, their eyes are filled with excitement. The 5 colorful balls of the Playskool Busy Ball Popper Toy pop up, roll down and do that all again and again, accompanied by bouncy musical and sound effect. The big button that activates the play is easy to push, so the baby will definitely practice and develop those gross and fine motor skills and try to roll the ball by himself/herself. Your little one will love this toy and be entertained for long!
#10. TOYVENTIVE Wooden Kids Baby Activity Cube
TOYVENTIVE Wooden Kids Baby Activity Cube
$28.99
The TOYVENTIVE Wooden Kids Baby Activity Cube is the best Montessori toy for babies aged 6 months and 1-year-old children as it is a fun, educational toy that will make your baby busy learning letters, counting, shapes, sorting, stacking, colors, and develop hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, problem-solving, and other important skills. It comes in a blue or pink gift box which makes it a great birthday or Christmas present for any child of the appropriate age.
#11. VTech GearZooz 2-in-1 Jungle Friends Gear Park
VTech GearZooz 2-in-1 Jungle Friends Gear Park
$39.99
The VTech GearZooz 2-in-1 Jungle Friends Gear Park is truly an extraordinary toy that comprises loads of activities for active and energetic babies who strive to learn and discover new things. It will be exciting to mix and match the gears from the playsets and connect them on various poles to develop motor skills and imagination.
The nice-looking and colorful animals will add up to the entertainment and produce fun sound effects when placed on Smart Poles. Thus, the child can make his/her own sounds. The light-up buttons on every playset help the baby discover instruments, colors, and shapes and play games and music.
What to Look for in the Best Toy for 6-Month-Old?
6-month-old babies are attracted by simple visuals, movement, and sounds, and they practice reaching, grasping, learning hand-eye coordination, and discovering their senses. Best 6-month baby toys have to include at least one or several following characteristics:
- Bright colors and high-contrast patterns. It is important for little kids to see the difference in shapes and patterns during those early months of their lives. This is where a high-contrast pattern will help. As your baby gets older, he/she will be more fascinated with brightly colored toys.
- Sound. The AOA (American Optometric Association) says that it’s around the fifth month that your baby is able to form a 3D view of everything that surrounds him/her and starts seeing in-depth. And as eye-body coordination and eye-movement control continue to improve, toys that make various sounds help sense the location and focus eyes on the object. So among the best baby toys 6 month are rattles, mobiles, and wind chimes.
- Texture. Toys with different textures help stimulate your child’s senses and develop them every time he/she is using the toy. Touching textured things, the baby continues developing his/her motor skills, and while holding, gripping, squeezing, scooping, poking, etc. your baby strengthens the muscles in his/her body which, in its turn, is responsible for developing stronger hand-eye coordination.
- Movement. 6-month-olds are just captivated by moving objects. The eyesight gets much better and it’s easier for them to see moving things. Also, this is the age when a baby tries to crawl and move after the toy trying to grasp it.
- Dangling. Such toys are very popular and used to train the sit up skill. The dangling sounds are so much fun, and when the baby hears the sound and tries to reach the toy, his/her grasping skills develop as well. Also, dangling things are the best toys for newborns so far.
How to Choose the Best Toys for 6-Month-Olds?
When choosing the best toys for 6-month-olds, it is important to keep in mind the following recommendations:
- Best toys for 6-month-olds must be age-appropriate. Buy toys that are lightweight and colorful and that fit your baby’s age and skill level.
- Best toys for 6-month-olds have to be simple. This simplicity helps develop and use the child’s imagination.
- Best toys for 6-month-olds must be made from non-toxic materials. This is the age of exploration and discoveries, and babies discover this world with their mouths.
- Best toys for 6-month-olds mustn’t contain small removable parts. It’s very important! There is a high risk of choking if your baby removes a tiny eye from the stuffed animal and tries to taste and swallow it.
- Best toys for 6-month-olds mustn’t have any sharp edges or be made from glass and metal as they can injure the baby.
Final Words
If you were wondering what toys for 6-month-old boy or girl to choose, you won’t be anymore. With our list of the best developmental toys, you can no longer look for ideas and buy the coolest toys for toddlers.