Infants are quickly learning about the new world around them. They love exploring new textures and objects that are put in front of them.
There are many baby toys for 3 to 6 month olds out there that will help to promote their senses, motor skills, and cognition. The toys below are great for baby’s development in providing stimulation and learning opportunities.
What Kind of Toys are Best for a 3 to 6 Month Old Baby?
It is important to offer different fine motor and sensory activities for babies to explore, discover, and start their journey toward developing many new skills. There are a variety of baby toys and activities that your infant can use to stimulate all of their sensory systems. Most of these toys will target their visual, auditory, and tactile (touch) senses.
The important features to look for in a toy for your 3 to 6 month old are:
- easy to grasp
- brightly colored and stimulating
- multi-sensory (having a lot of sounds, textures, and colors)
Your baby’s skills are emerging at this point so you want to create an environment that allows them to be successful. Make sure the baby toys are within reach to grab for while also challenging them to move a little bit out of their comfort zone to grab them.
Storing Baby Toys
When organizing your home for your baby, it helps to have multiple sets of toys throughout your house and belongings. I like to keep a small storage box of toys in my living room, bedroom, car, diaper bag, kitchen, or any area you’ll be entertaining your baby.
This way you’re never without some sort of stimulation/distraction for your little one and don’t have to run around your home to find one.
By the way, I LOVE these storage bins with lids to contain all my baby items throughout the house. They blend in so well and I love that I’m able to cover them when company comes over.
This post may contain affiliate links for which I would receive a small commission on your purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Must Have Baby Toys for Your 3 to 6 Month Old
Here are some of the must have baby toys for your 3 to 6 month old. Your 4 or 5 month old will love to be entertained by these and it will have a positive impact on their development, as well.
Manhattan Toy® Winkel Infant Toy
At this age your baby will start putting EVERYTHING in his mouth (and that doesn’t end at 6 months either!) This teething and grasper toy easily allows your infant to grasp and chew at the same time.
The toy will help develop your baby’s fine motor skills (grasping), hand eye coordination (bringing it to his mouth), and satisfy his oral sensory (teething) needs. It’s easy for the baby to hold on to the skinny tubes.
Early Years Farm Friends Crinkle Book
Crinkle books can keep your baby busy for quite some time! When they start to grasp around 3 months old, they’ll love the sensory (auditory and tactile) feedback it provides and also love turning the pages.
Crinkle books will begin their fascination with books, but it’s mostly just fun for them to hear the crinkle sound.
Other similar options: Animal Crinkle Books, Peek a Boo Forest Crinkle Book
O-Ball Shaker Rattle
The holes in the O-Balls are perfect for little hands to grab and shake. This one is a great toy because it has a rattle which allows baby to start learning cause and effect (that he can grab and shake a toy and it will make noise).
The entire O-Ball line has the same design with easy-to-grasp holes which makes it the perfect baby toy for those as young as 3 or 4 months old.
Similar options: O-Ball Musical Frog Toy, O-Ball Rainstick Rattle, O-Ball
Light and Glow Push Toy
This Light and Glow toy also teaches cause and effect, allowing your baby to push a button to light up and play sounds. Watch your baby start dancing to the music and see his excitement when he realizes he just made that happen.
Once your child can begin to press buttons (around 6 months), they will love that they can make it play. Up until then, you can press it for them and they will still be stimulated by the lights and music it provides during tummy time.
Other great options: Dancing Yellow Duck, NextX Baby Musical Toy
Donkey Plush Stuffed Musical Toy
This is a soft plush toy that combines bright colors, textures, and music to stimulate the senses. It has the crinkle texture which babies love to feel and hear musical sounds, as well as dangling parts to chew on and manipulate.
Toys with clips on them are also super convenient so you can attach them to the car seat, bouncer, or stroller. This makes sure that your baby won’t lose their toy and also great for reaching and grabbing when it’s positioned far away.
Other options: Lamaze Captain Calamari, Baby Sensory Crinkle and Teething Square
Skip Hop Activity Center
The Skip Hop Activity Center is a great spot for your baby to be entertained while being exposed to various toys and gadgets. You can start placing your baby in the activity center around 4 months old or once they have adequate neck and trunk control.
The raised floor surface gives your baby a chance to start strengthening his legs and maintain an upright position to take a look at his surroundings. There are also several toys positioned around the table that encourage fine motor skills, visual stimulation, and cause and effect.
Research now shows that jumpers are not safe and developmentally appropriate for babies. Unlike the Skip Hop Activity Center, in a jumper, the baby is suspended and bouncing up and down leading to potential toe walking, poor posture, and injury. That is why this Skip Hop Activity center is a better alternative. Read more about the developmental risks of regular jumpers here.
Floor Mirror
A mirror allows your baby to see himself while sitting up or laying down. He will be so interested in his reflection and seeing his own face.
He may even laugh and giggle when he’s looking in the mirror. It will get him to understand and put meaning to facial expressions and his or her own appearance. Plus, it makes a great tummy time distraction!
Related Post: Simple activities to get your baby to sit up on their own
Musical Mobile
A mobile is great for when your baby starts to visually track, follow objects with their eyes, and reach for things. The movement will grab their attention and they can watch as it spins in a circle.
Attach it to the baby’s crib or bassinet, but you will want to remove it once your baby is sitting up and can reach it. There are sometimes mobiles attached to baby swings and pack n plays which are great additions to look for.
Related Post: Deveopmental Baby Activites for your 3 to 4 Month Olds
Wooden Baby Gym or Toy Bar
Floor activity mats, swings, and bouncers with an activity bar are great to engage your little one and help them learn to start reaching and grabbing for items within reach.
If you have an activity mat that has an overhead mat, you can attach a toy with hooks to it for the same effect.
Floor mats are also good for tummy time which is essential to an infants motor development, as well as sitting up on their own.
Related Post: The benefits of tummy time and how to get your baby to enjoy it
Sensory Balls
These sensory balls are great for once baby can start using his whole hand to grasp objects. They will love the different textures, sizes, and shapes of these balls.
As they get a little older they can start learning how to throw and put these in containers.
Other options: Small sensory balls, Puffer Balls
Nuby Silicone Teether
Once your baby discovers their hands and what they can do with them, they will constantly be in their mouth. This may be due to teething or just self-exploration and needed to chew or suck on something at all times.
Once they can really grasp and hold on to an object, they will start putting toys in their mouth too. Use easy to grab teethers that will also help to give them some relief once they start teething. This one is so easy to grasp and around 5 months they should be able to get it in their mouth independently.
Other options: Comotomo Teether, Bendable Silicone teether
I hope you can find a great toy for your 3 to 6 month old baby that will help them to explore, discover, and play all day. They’ll have so much fun learning about the new world around them!
