How toys can be helpful for newborn babies development and growth?
While the first weeks with a newborn might feel like a blur of eating, sleeping, and snuggling with almost no marks of development nor growth, newborns are hard at work soaking up information they’ll build on throughout infancy and beyond. In fact, in just their first month of life, newborns are figuring out how to recognize sounds, process language, decode the visual world, and establish spatial abilities, even while they’re sleeping, according to Parenting Science. In this developmental stage, it can feel like they’re not doing a whole lot, but there’s a lot going on under the surface. And with the right toys, you can help them do just that.
Through play, children of any age, even infant, can learn about themselves and the world around them.
And you can join in on the fun, too: playing with your baby with one of the best newborn developmental toys can help them achieve important physical milestones, develop their (quickly growing!) brains, teach them about emotions and social skills and encourage language development.
Which skills are developed in the 3 months?
A lot happens during your baby’s first three months. Most babies reach certain milestones at similar ages, but infant development isn’t an exact science. Expect your baby to grow and develop at his or her own pace. As you get to know your baby, consider these general infant development milestones.
What to expect
At first, caring for your baby might feel like an endless cycle of feeding, diapering and soothing. But soon, signs of your baby’s growth and development will emerge.
Motor skills
Your newborn’s head will be wobbly at first and movements will be jerky. But soon your baby will be able to lift his or her head and chest while lying on his or her stomach, as well as stretch and kick his or her legs in that position. If you offer a toy, your baby might grasp it and hold on tight for a few moments.
Hearing
Your infant will be sensitive to noise levels. Expect your baby to begin responding to the sound of your voice by smiling and gurgling back at you. He or she will also begin turning toward the direction of sounds.
Vision
Your baby will probably focus on your face, particularly your eyes, during feedings. At age 1 month, your baby will prefer to look at bold patterns in sharply contrasting colors or black-and-white. By around age 2 months, your baby’s eyes will become more coordinated, allowing for tracking an object. Soon your baby will begin to recognize familiar objects and people at a distance.
Communication
By age 2 months, your baby might coo and repeat vowel sounds when you talk or gently play together.
Is my baby development is on track?
Unfortunately, babies don’t have instruction manuals, but you can monitor important developmental milestones to ensure your baby is on track.
Keep in mind: the expected ages for meeting developmental milestones are just guidelines. Every child is unique and develops at their own individual pace. Occasionally there will be moments in which your baby’s development seems to lag, usually followed by a spurt in progress. Don’t worry if your baby meets some milestones sooner or later than the guidelines suggest. However, let their milestone timeline serve as a guide for illuminating potential red flags
To view full list of developmental milestones sorted by ages from newborn to 2 years, click the button below
How we made our picks for the best newborn developmental toys?
Our review process is well structured and focused with specific guidelines to protect and assure you the best newborn developmental toys for you and your baby
When we think about our babies, above all, the very first thing that comes to our mind is Safety first.
We examine the reviewed products with all required and not required safety aspects in order to make sure that you keep your baby safe.
Convenience and ease of use are also very important considerations when we check the Best Newborn Developmental Toys out there and when we buy a toy, we need it to be not too complicated, but effective.
During the first year of life, your baby is experiencing rapid growth, physically, cognitively and emotionally. Toys takes a major part of your children development and growth journey
A use of toys for skills development and milestones achievement can be for example things like rattles and other grabbing toys, balls, activity gyms and board books. Those are great for encouraging developmental milestones during your baby’s first six months
When we review the recommended products, we give you a list of all of its capabilities to help your children reach their developmental milestones with fun and joy
All durable infant or toddler products, regardless of type, must meet certain children’s product safety requirements, such as those for lead in surface coatings, lead content, phthalate content (in certain circumstances), mandatory testing at a CPSC-accepted laboratory, certification, registration cards, and tracking labels and other markings.
Here at Moms Arena, we check most of the recommended products by ourselves, and if not, we read and analyze ALL of the online review for a specific product.
Good toy play allows kids to try on lots of experiences, contexts, and challenges in a safe structure that they’re in charge of or collaborating with other kids. and if the toy is not fun and interesting, kids will leave it pretty quickly and no development done here.
The common denominator that links all good toy play for kids is that the kids themselves are generally in charge of the experience and it meets their unique inner needs (of which only they really know) at the time of play. Oh, and one more thing, after all : Toys are fun, and fun is important!
What are the Best Newborn Developmental Toys?
We have tested, reviewed and order the best newborn developmental toys online for you to make the best choice for your baby.
#1 Vulli Sophie The Giraffe
Popular
Sophie la giraffe, full of discoveries and activities to awaken baby’s senses.
Sight: The dark and contrasting spots all over Sophie la giraffe’s body provide visual stimulation and make her easily recognizable to baby. She soon becomes a familiar and reassuring object.
Hearing: Her squeaker keeps baby amused, stimulates his hearings, and helps him to understand the link between cause and effect.
Taste: Sophie la giraffe is very flexible and has lots of parts for baby to chew (ears, horns, legs). She is perfect for soothing baby’s sore gums when teething and above all, it is completely safe. Made of 100% natural rubber and food paint.
Touch: Sophie la giraffe is perfect for baby’s small hands. She is very light and her long legs and neck are easy for baby to grip. She is very soft to touch, just like baby’s mummy, stimulating soothing physiological and emotional responses.
Smell: In addition to the above, The singular scent of natural rubber (from Hevea tree) makes Sophie the Giraffe very special and easy for your child to identify amid all his other toys.
Product Highlights
- BPA Free, Phthalate Free, Latex Free, Lead Free
- Made of 100% natural rubber from the Hevea tree
- Perfect for soothing baby's sore gums during teething
- Design engages baby from pre-teething to beyond
- Pros
- Natural
- Great for teething relief
- Soft and lightweight
- Popular
- Cons
- Relatively expensive for simple toy
- Squeeze hole can cause mold growth
Summary:
Sophie’s design has remained unchanged since 1961 and that’s simply because you don’t mess with a toy that’s entranced babies for generations – and consistently soothed their sore gums. We love that Sophie and we proudly puts it in our Best Newborn Developmental Toys list. It is so easy to hold, and her squeaks, contrasting colour and spots make her endlessly fascinating to very little ones.
#2 Teytoy Tummy Time Floor Mirror
Best in Visuals
Bring the world into focus by surrounding your baby with black, white & bright colors.
Before they are able to clearly see colors, babies respond to the strong contrast between black and white, Experiencing bold black-and-white contrast helps stimulate development in the retina and the optic nerve.
The high contrast pattern aids in the development of baby’s visual perception.
Baby begins to learn self-awareness, Encourage baby to focus on a human face with the large true-reflection mirror.
Tummy time floor mirror can be used for your baby’s tummy time in different ways. Baby mirror, tummy time toys, high-contrast graphics all in one, therefore, we can’t miss it in our best newborn developmental toys list. Baby safety goggles encourage babies to focus on their faces and attract their attention. Encourage your baby to explore his own image or try different ways of playing.
Product Highlights
- High contrast colors - Black and white
- Can by used on the floor and in crib
- Include a baby-safe mirror for self recognition
- Pros
- Multifunctional
- Light weight
- Value for money
- Cons
- Mirror isn’t too great
- Slippery when hanging in the crib
Summary:
Tummy time mirror teaches your little one how different things feel by touch with these soft high contrast toys, Before they are able to clearly see colors, babies respond to the strong contrast between black and white, which makes this the perfect first toy for young, developing brains.
The Tummy time mirror can be use in multiple places and for many proposes, on the crib, car, on the floor and much more.
#3 Fisher-Price Perfect Sense Deluxe Gym
For all Senses
Mattel is home to some of the world’s most well-known and beloved brands, including Barbie, Fisher-Price, Hot Wheels, American Girl, Thomas & Friends, UNO and MEGA.
Delight all five of your baby’s senses with the otter-ly engaging Perfect Sense Deluxe Gym from Fisher-Price which without a doubt one of the best newborn developmental toys out there. Its super-cozy play mat with supportive tummy-time wedge is the perfect spot for your little explorer to embark on a sensory adventure. From the lights and music of the friendly otter, to the chewy leaf teether, plush sloth lovey, scented cloud and more, there’s so much for your baby to discover on this deluxe infant play gym.
There’s even a fold-out milestone panel for those monthly photo-opps! Where development comes into play
Sensory:
Sights, sounds, textures and more—this infant gym is packed with sensory-stimulating play for your baby to discover!
Gross Motor:
The silly animal pals overhead encourage your baby to reach and bat during lay and play time, strengthening their gross motor skills.
Fine Motor:
Grasping the toys and bringing the teether to their mouth for chewy fun helps strengthen your baby’s hand-eye coordination and dexterity.
Product Highlights
- Plush, sensory-stimulating infant activity gym for babies from birth plus
- 20 Sensory Discoveries to engage all five of your baby’s senses
- Extra-large, machine-washable play mat with plush llama and tummy wedge
- High-contrast toy arches
- 6 moveable toys with sensory elements
- Pros
- Easy to assemble
- Easy to clean
- High quality and durability
- Hugh variety of sounds
- Cons
- Can't be packed up
- May not be adjustable
Summary:
The Fisher-Price Perfect Sense Deluxe Gym is designed to engage all five senses with 20 Sensory Discoveries for your baby to explore, including a variety of textures, a scented cloud, a BPA-free leaf teether, an otter toy with music and lights, a crinkly month panel, a mirror, and high-contrast patterns.
#4 Sassy Developmental Bumpy Ball
Best Budget
The bright colors, bold patterns and easy-to-grasp bumps make this ball a must-have. The high contrast colors of the ball allow baby to focus, strengthening vision. The gentle rattle sounds from the trapped beads create neural connections in baby’s brains from birth through 3 years of age. Chunky sized bumps on the ball encourage reaching, grasping, and transferring from one hand to another, developing baby’s motor skills. The differing materials engage baby’s developing tactile sensitivity and teach baby about variety.
Product Highlights
- ASTM, CPSC, EN71 & Health Canada Safety Standards
- Multiple textures & materials engage baby's developing tactile sensitivity
- Bright colors & bold patterns are visually appropriate for vision developing
- Gentle rattle sounds create neural connections in babies brains
- Pros
- Easy to hold
- For Teething
- Multiple textures
- Helps develop grasp
- Cons
- Reports of thin fabric
Summary:
This bumpy ball from Sassy is bright, colorful, and made of various textures to capture baby’s attention and help them learn to grasp and eventually pass objects back and forth between their hands. It also rattles gently to further entertain and stimulate their senses.
#5 Fisher-Price Deluxe Kick 'n Play Piano Gym
Best Play Gym
Mattel is one of the best newborn developmental toys manufacturers. Mattel is home to some of the world’s most well-known and beloved brands, including Barbie, Fisher-Price, Hot Wheels, American Girl, Thomas & Friends, UNO and MEGA.
Kick play time up a notch with the Deluxe Kick & Play Piano Gym, which has five light-up piano keys, a repositionable toy arch, and four musical settings that keep your little one rocking out for years! As your baby grows from lay and play to tummy time to sitting up at the piano, you can change up the music and learning, too!
Smart Stages technology lets you change the learning content to best fit your baby’s age and stage, while real piano notes encourage your little Mozart to create a tune of their own! You can even detach the keyboard for musical fun on the go! Where development comes into play.
Sensory:
Lots of bright colors, a variety of textures, and all those exciting songs, sounds and phrases stimulate and engage your baby’s developing senses.
Gross Motor:
With all that kicking, reaching, and pushing up, those little muscles are getting ready for big things!
Curiosity & Wonder:
Rewarding activities like pushing on the piano keys and hearing fun tunes will keep your baby coming back to this gym again and again.
Early Academics:
As your little active learner kicks and plays away, they’ll hear phrases and songs that reinforce what they see, introducing them to colors, shapes, numbers and animals.
Product Highlights
- Up to 20 minutes of continuous playful music, lights, and sounds
- 4 ways to play as baby grows: Lay & play, Tummy time, Sit & play, Take along
- Removable Large keyboard with 5 light-up keys
- Super soft & thick, machine-washable play mat features loops to attach toys
- Pros
- Easy to wash
- Removable keyboard
- Grows with baby with four ways to play
- Cons
- Bulky
- Mat might be thin
Summary:
This musical gym is the perfect play time spot for your growing mini-Mozart. The large and colorful play mat and repositionable toy bar with five activity toys take baby from laying and playing to sitting and interacting! Keep the learning and music fun going and growing with the removable light-up piano, which includes three Smart Stages levels and one bonus freestyle piano play mode-time to rock, baby!
#6 Manhattan Toy Wimmer-Ferguson Learning Cube
Best Activity Cube
Professional research has shown that newborns are more attracted to high-contrast patterns than to color or brightness alone. The Wimmer-Ferguson Baby Learning Cube was designed for this purpose, encouraging baby to learn pattern recognition from the start.
The Wimmer-Ferguson Learning Cube Activity Toy totally worth it and it is one of the Best Newborn Developmental Toys in the market.
It includes six sides of hands-on developmental activities including ribbons, crinkle paper, a bungee elephant trunk, rattle, squeaker, textured teething ring, peek-a-boo flaps, and baby-safe mirror. Baby can’t possibly get bored, but may tire out from all the exciting touch-and-feel goodness to play with.
The 6-inch cube comes to life in the hands of a child when engaging with the six sides of developmental activities including ribbons, crinkle paper, a bungee elephant trunk, rattle, squeaker, textured teething ring, peek-a-boo flaps, and baby-safe mirror.
Product Highlights
- Surface wash only
- Include baby-safe mirror
- Six sides of hands-on developmental activities
- Helps nurture cause and effect learning and clutching skills
- Pros
- Mobile
- Super convenient
- Multiple uses
- Versatility
- Cons
- Surface wash only
- Small mobile
- Teething ring don't detached
Summary:
The Wimmer-Ferguson Learning Cube is a colorful, softly textured activity cube that is loaded with engaging fun from six sides of hands-on activities including ribbons, crinkle paper, a bungee elephant trunk, rattle, squeaker, textured teething ring, peek-a-boo flaps, and baby-safe mirror. Wow! That’s a lot for little one to do. A smiling elephant and bold patterns with varied textures will engage baby’s sense of curiosity while fostering the development of gross and fine motor skills.
Wimmer-Ferguson toy graphics and designs are based on scientific research of visual development in early infancy.
#7 Manhattan Toy Wimmer Ferguson Tiger Spiral Toy
Best For Crib and Travel
From Manhattan Toy’s award winning Wimmer-Ferguson infant collection – the original innovator of black and white developmental toys. The patterns of all Wimmer-Ferguson products adapt to baby’s changes in visual development by featuring a range of design complexity and color, inspired by laboratory research.
Professional research has shown that newborns are more attracted to high-contrast patterns than to color or brightness alone.
The Wimmer-Ferguson Baby Learning Cube was designed for this purpose, encouraging baby to learn pattern recognition from the start.
Product Highlights
- Encourage infant visual tracking
- Surface wash fabric only
- Travel toy - fits to crib, stroller, car and more
- Pros
- Light weight
- Easy to assemble
- Clever design
- High contrast colors
- Cons
- Possible to detach when baby pulls
- Cant be washed in machine
Summary:
The tactile rich Tiger Baby Spiral is a safety rated toy for newborns designed to be your little one’s go everywhere favorite tiger. From crib toy to stroller toy, the unique animal-themed spiral shape makes it easy to attach to most everything with a bar or rail.
#8 Tiny Love Meadow Days Sunny Stroll Stroller Arch
Best Stroller Arch
The adjustable arch adapts easily to a range of stroller designs and attaches easily with a universal clip.
Tiny Love strives to identify the latest discoveries in child development and translate them into engaging, interactive baby toys that nurture skills and delight the senses. Flexible arch bends forwards, backwards, up and down, making it compatible with baby’s age and playing preferences. As your little one lies facing the toys hanging within arm’s reach, baby can gaze at the mirror, the shining sun or the toys dangling in front. all things considered, This arch is totally one of the best newborn developmental toys out there.
Product Highlights
- Teach cause and effect
- 8 different activities to promote baby development
- Easy to grasp teether promotes healthy, natural development
- Stimulates sight from day one with contrasting black-and-white colors
- Adjustable clips fit most strollers
- Pros
- Attaches easily
- Durability
- Giftable
- Easy to clean
- Versatile
- Cons
- Doesn't stay upright very well
- No music
Summary:
The Magical Tales Sunny Stroll by Tiny Love is a take-along flexible arch with activities that help develop baby’s senses and keep them entertained while out and about. The arch angle can be adjusted to give your baby easy access to the toys, and the adjustable clips connect to most strollers and bassinets.
What makes The Magical Tales Sunny Stroll by Tiny Love one of the best newborn developmental toys, is that it is great for development from day one, the black-and-white color scheme (with the bursts of pastel) encourages baby to reach out and touch the dangling toys, or catch a glimpse of their smile in the rattle mirror bird.
When baby gets older, the dangling toys encourage grabbing and pulling for cause and effect. The baby-activated propeller is also a rewarding favorite.