Babies might not look like they’re doing much besides eating and sleeping, but the first year of life is full of seismic shifts in development. And even before they can hold a toy, babies are ready to play.
The best gifts engage them, focusing on the contrast they are able to see or the sounds and movements they can make themselves.
“Infants are really learning about their place in the world, so the best toys give them some sense of feedback,” says Tovah Klein, director of the Barnard College Center for Toddler Development and author of “How Toddlers Thrive.” She cites the classic baby rattle as a good example.
Babies also explore with their mouth, so look for toys that aren’t choking hazards (obviously) and might be interesting to a tiny tongue. Most importantly, keep it simple.
“We tend to shy away from toys that are technological or lighting up and flashing, just because of the overstimulation that they provide,” says Marie Conti, head of The Wetherill School in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, and a board member of the American Montessori Society.
These are the 59 best gifts for baby boys and girls, according to child development experts (and even our own editors).
Rattles and sensory toys | Teething toys | Activity toys | Unique gifts | Play gyms, mats and tables | Gift sets | Books | Luxury baby gifts | Meet the experts
Best rattles and sensory toys for babies
Oball Rollin' Rainstick Rattle
Good for babies three months and older, the 30 holes in this spherical rattle make it easy for tiny hands to grab. Plus, the "rainstick" rattle shape filled with beads is sure to keep them engaged with unique sounds as they bounce it around.
Genuine Fred Buff Baby Dumbbell Baby Rattle
Baby can hit the gym (sort of) with this cute rattle. This “dumbbell” is made from BPA- and phthalate-free materials and only weighs about two ounces.
Melissa & Doug Multi-Sensory Pineapple Soft Stacker
A classic stacking toy like this tropical find from Melissa & Doug gets a friendly and tropical new look, with different textures to explore and sounds that react to their touch as they grab, shake and stack.
Hape Wobbling Melody Penguin
Perfect for tummy time play, this cute lil’ wobbler is musical and shakes and waddles when babies swipe at it. This toy promotes hand-eye coordination, as baby grasps and paws at it. The sound is a slight “tinkling” sound, meant to soothe babies as they play.
The Learning Lovey
Babies and toddlers love to feel different textures, so “taggies” toys or blankets with tags sewn around them are perfect, Conti says. These beribboned sensory blankets have different textures and crinkle sounds, and a portion of proceeds go to Starlight Children’s Foundation, a nonprofit for seriously ill children.
Manhattan Toy Classic Baby Beads
Colorful beads like this Manhattan Toy Company compilation can be twisted, turned and gummed for extra interest. This multitasking toy can also be used as a teether, for extra support during trying times. They're coated with a baby-safe paint, according to the brand, so there's no fear of them consuming harmful substances.
Edushape Sensory Balls
These sensory balls are easy to grab and come in bright colors and spiky shapes that feel great on the hands or tongue. Edushape's claim to fame was the original version of this sensory ball, which the company launched in 1997. They've since released 20 different versions of the toy to enhance the use of baby's senses, motor skills and more.
SmartNoggin NogginStik Developmental Light-Up Rattle
This joyful little rattle responds to a baby’s movements by lighting up in three different colors, including blue, pink and green. The changing lights and rattle sound hopes to keep baby's attention, while the easy-to-grip handle aims to build upon their fine motor skills from an early age.
Gund My Little Food Truck Plush Playset
Perfect for budding little foodies, Gund's food truck-themed playset introduces sensory stimulation through recognizable takeout staples like a burger, taco and boba tea. Each item offers a different experience: the taco is a crinkle toy, the boba tea makes bubble sounds and the burger is a squeaker toy.
Best teething toys for babies
Nuby Ice Gel Teether Keys
Made out of baby-safe easy-to-grip materials, their growing teeth and achy gums will feel relieved thanks to the multiple teething surfaces on this toy. Stick it in the freezer to provide some extended relief for their nibbling.
Dr. Brown's Ridgees Giraffe Massaging Baby Teether
Not to be confused with another popular giraffe teething toy featured below, this one from Dr. Brown's was designed with teething infants in mind by a pediatric dentist.
It features more stiff edges that work to massage the gums, as well as multiple textures that reach different areas of the mouth to provide a soothing feeling.
Friday Baby Not-Too-Cold-To-Hold Teether
While the rest of this teether may be frozen solid after hours in the freezer, the silicone handle remains at room temp so baby can grasp it comfortably while gnawing on it.
This set of three comes with two double-sided inserts that feature two different textures to provide stimulation for both the front and back gums.
Infantino Water Teethers
Why mess with perfection? These traditional-looking teethers are easy for baby to grip, and have a plastic bottle-like crinkle sound when chewed on. They can also be placed in the freezer to give baby a little more relief.
BPA-Free Calmies Teether for Babies
Babies put just about everything in their mouth, but you won't mind when they chew on this. The teething toy is made from sustainable, natural rubber without BPA, according to the brand. Plus, its unique shape makes it easy for babies to grasp and hold on to.
Skip Hop Bandana Buddies Stroller Toy
Crinkly textures and teething spots featured on this adorable toy were made for tiny gums. It's available in a number of different animals, including a giraffe, elephant, fox, kangaroo and more. The different textures make various sounds that will keep baby engaged.
Sophie La Giraffe Teething Toy
Sophie is pliant, she squeaks and she’s easy to wash. She’s also universally delicious to babies, whose tiny hands (and teeth!) can easily grasp this rubber toy, making the teething period a little bit more bearable.
National Geographic Kids My First Atlas of the World and Hugg-A-Planet Globe Set
This global gift is just as adorable as it is cozy. "I bought this gift for my friend who is an avid traveler for her baby shower," says Shop TODAY associate editor and writer Allie Wise. "She was so excited and loved that it was something unique and educational."
Best activity toys for infants
Baby Einstein Take-Along Musical Toy
Give baby their own boom box with this little bestselling musical toy that can travel with them. 10 different tunes play alongside color-changing lights in this bestselling product that reviewers love to keep children busy during long car rides.
Hape Elephant Wooden Pull Toy
As baby starts to crawl and then walk, a pull toy encourages mobility and interaction. The hollow center allows little fingers to easily grasp it. The brand recommends it for little ones 12 months and older.
Lovevery Montessori Rolling Rattle
This Montessori-style rattle comes from an expert-designed toy line, developed to improve coordination while exploring different senses. Infants as young as 12 weeks can play with this toy, according to the brand, hoping to build upon their visual tracking and grip strength.
Wee Gallery Art Cards for Baby
Infant eyes are best at seeing contrast. They love symmetry (like the human face), so black and white patterns are great for stimulating their senses.
This deck of cards is available in a number of different designs, including rainforest animals, safari animals, ocean animals and are crafted with sturdy materials, according to the brand.
Green Toys Shape Sorter Truck
This dump truck and shape-sorter is great for older infants and all kinds of play for years to come. It comes with four different shapes that they can load and unload into the truck, thanks to the back bin that attaches and detaches.
Fat Brain Toys Tobbles Neo
These “frustration-free” stacking orbs from Fat Brain Toys work whether they are in the “right” order or not. Thanks to their easy-to-grasp material, your infant will have fun building and re-building “towers,” only to watch them topple over.
Fat Brain Toys Wooden Personalized Name Puzzle
Get your little one their own custom name puzzle that they can enjoy for years to come. Not only can it help with logic, fine motor skills and letter recognition, according to the brand, but it can also serve as a cute piece of decor for their playroom or bedroom.
Munchkin Mozart Magic Cube
Babies can make all the sounds of a symphony by hitting just a few buttons on this toy. It makes five instrument sounds — harp, flute, French horn, piano and violin — that combine to bring eigh Mozart compositions to life in front of their eyes!
Follies The Baby Bauhaus Set
These soft blocks are great for stacking, throwing and falling since they're made from soft materials, without any sharp edges. The set also includes a mirror that’s especially great for improving recognition skills during tummy time.
Unique baby gifts for boys and girls
Lalo The Bib
Mealtime can be high-key messy when it comes to babies, but these BPA-free, heavy-duty silicone bibs are sure to catch all kinds of food, spills and drool. Plus, Shop TODAY editorial director Adrianna Brach personally recommends them!
Mori Wooden Rainbow Mobile
This beautiful mobile will give little ones something colorful to investigate while in the crib or on the changing table. If they happen to reach up to grab it, it won’t harm them as the mobile has soft edges and is coated with non-toxic paint.
Loulou Lollipop Hooded Towel Set
Bathing baby may bring a little bit of anxiety, but you'll put them at ease once wrapping them in this absorbent towel made with skin-friendly terry cloth. Beyond keeping them warm thanks to the hood and pockets, they'll also look super cute being gently cocooned in a sea of adorable patterns (20 to choose from!).
Baby Merlin's Magic Sleepsuit
Thousands of verified Amazon reviewers can attest how "truly magical" this one-piece is. Made with a patented non-weighted material, the sleepwear is made with three comfy layers and a double zipper design for impromptu diaper swaps and generally easy changing. Just take it from one converted fan who recently snatched this up for their infant: "He’s escaped almost every swaddle we’ve tried and has always seemed frustrated with the fact that swaddling is a reality when you’re a newborn. Enter this sleep suit — he loved it from the first wear!"
Slumberkins Otter Snuggler
It's never too early to build meaningful connections. Slumberkins specializes in promoting early emotional learning in kids of all ages and help parents and guardians "facilitate meaningful moments of connection that allow children to feel seen, valued and loved at the deepest level."
Cuddle + Kind Avery The Lamb
Every child needs a friend to snuggle, and the adorable hand-knit Cuddle + Kind dolls also give back by providing 10 meals to children in need with every purchase. It’s available in two different sizes, a 13-inch petite version, or a larger 20-inch version.
Artifact Uprising Baby Book
This photo baby book gives parents spots to write down small milestones, precious memories and other firsts. The three-prong binding allows you to hole punch documents of your own and include them within.
Best play gyms, mats and tables for babies
Skip Hop Explore & More Activity Table
With squeaky, spinning and rolling elements, this activity table provides two stages of play (for babies and toddlers) and starts out on the floor before the legs pull out to raise it up for when baby begins to stand.
Aden + Anais Play and Discovery Gym
Tummy time just got an upgrade thanks to this activity mat. Baby can grab on to rings and toys and watch themself in the mirror hanging above. (There’s nothing cuter to see!)
Gift sets for babies
Petit Collage Little Elephant Gift Set
Perfect for the eco-conscious family looking to incorporate thoughtfully made items into their baby's life, this gift set features a trio of new parent essentials: a rustic teether, a burp cloth made with organic cotton and a wild board book.
KiwiCo Panda Crate
Learning can start at day one, at least when it comes to KiwiCo. The brand recently expanded the age range for their bestselling bi-monthly subscription from 0 all the way up to 36 months, delivering "child-tested and approved" activities and toys that encourage physical and mental developmental growth. They'll have plenty of essential life skills under their belt (erm, diaper) by the time they enter school!
Literati Gift Box
The subscription box comes with five board books for baby and a personalized note. The brand says the book selection is "curated by literary experts" and they will "endure the nibbles and last for years to come."
Lovevery The Looker Play Kit
Lovevery ships new toy kits as your kiddo grows and develops, starting with the “looker” kit that offers high-contrast images that babies can see, a mobile to hang overhead, and black-and-white sensory mittens to create body awareness.
Camp Bedtime Essentials Gift Set
This curated gift set from the inventive "family experience" store Camp includes a blanket, rattle, footed pajamas and a hat, all wrapped in an adorable, reusable felt basket.
Hanna Andersson Baby 8-Piece Gift Set
Never underestimate how frequently babies need to be changed. This curated newborn set from Hanna Andersson comes with eight pieces of sensitive skin-friendly sleepwear, socks, booties and more.
Best books for babies
“Chicka Chicka Boom Boom,” by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault
Give them an early introduction to their ABCs with this classic board book. Perfect for story time, it features tons of fun rhymes that many parents will remember from their own childhood.
"Indestructibles: Baby Faces," by Amy Pixton and Kate Merritt
Babies love looking at faces, and the material of these books allows them to withstand chewing, ripping and whatever other havoc only a baby could create.
"Global Baby Bedtimes," by Maya Ajmera
“Babies love looking at faces of other babies,” says Nina Lindsay, president of the Association for Library Service to Children, adding that it’s particularly important to look for diverse faces because kids learn bias from a very young age. “It’s really important for all children to see children like themselves and different from themselves in books on a regular basis.”
“Babies Love Outer Space,” by Susanne König
This accordion-style book is designed especially for tummy time, according to the brand, with high contrast black-and-white images that engage a developing brain.
“Strut, Baby, Strut,” by Amika Kroll and Ebony Glenn
This board book includes empowering messages for young girls every step of the way — even if they haven't yet taken their first legitimate steps.
“Nom Nom Nom,” by Jeffrey Burton and Sarah Hwang
This “lift the flap” book lets kids help hungry critters decide what to eat, while introducing different foods and animals. Exclaiming “Nom Nom Nom” is just a bonus.
“I’m Up!” by Antoinette Portis
The sun is up and so is the baby in this book. (Unfortunately, for tired moms and dads, they're also up when the moon appears in the companion book, “I’m Still Up.”)
“Baby Hippo: Finger Puppet Book,” by Yu-Hsuan Huang
Part of the series "Baby Animal Finger Puppets," this novelty book is a fun, interactive way to introduce young ones to new concepts and play puppeteering.
“Tickle Tickle, Little Tum,” by Ashlyn Anstee
The world is full of tummies ripe for tickling, whether they’re furry or smooth, like baby’s. This book invites them to get in on the fun with this rhyming board book.
"Dear Baby: A Love Letter to Little Ones," by Paris Rosenthal and Holly Hatam
This love letter to a baby encourages little ones to be curious, brave and empathetic. Reviewers rave about the diversity included within this children's book, further noting it perfectly describes "the love felt for a new baby."
“You’re Loved,” by Liz Climo
“So simple yet so powerful,” said one Amazon reviewer about Climo’s funny yet heartfelt read. “I bought this book for a friend who just had a baby, and from now on I’ll be ordering it for every new parent I know. [The story] definitely pulls on those heart strings. I wish this book existed when my son was born because it’s so touching.”
“Goodnight Moon,” by Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd
The bedtime story that has lulled generations to sleep gets a new slipcase hardcover edition, featuring a keepsake art print and an afterword by Clement Hurd’s son.
“I Am!: A Book of Reminders” by Juana Medina
A series of affirmations help make sure those early days of self discovery are full of positivity and love. This is the second book in a three-book series with other titles "I Will!" and "I Feel!" helping children navigate their emotions and the importance of remaining loyal to friends.
Luxury baby gifts
Hatch Rest+ Baby & Kids Sound Machine
Help them drift off soundly to sleep with this gadget, which features sounds like white noise, wind, rain and lullabies and doubles as a night light. It's Wi-Fi-enabled so parents can control it from anywhere.
AU Baby The Popcorn Blanket
This merino wool blanket — the brainchild of a mom who worked in the fashion industry — is gentle on sensitive and eczema-prone skin, according to the brand. With all products made at a woman-owned factory in Los Angeles, the company also donates a portion of each purchase to benefit Black maternal health.
Munchkin Bluetooth-Enabled Baby Swing
Rock-a-bye-ing just got a little bit easier, courtesy of Munchkin. The brand's infant swing (good for babies up to 20 pounds) gives the new parents a bit of an arm break thanks to the five levels of natural-feeling range of motions and programmable timer. Other features like its compactable design and preloaded soothing noises and tunes makes this a worthy investment for anyone celebrating new parenthood.
Little Big Playroom Ball Pit + 200 Pit Balls
Little ones 1 and up will love crawling right into this ball bit. “This will instantly brighten up any playroom or bedroom and is great for littles," says Shop TODAY deals editor Rebecca Brown. "It's a safe place to play where they can work on motor skills; it offers endless entertainment.”
Babyletto Pogo 8-in-1 Convertible Crib with All-Stages Conversion Kits
A welcoming and safe sleep space is critical for little ones and, though this 8-in-1 crib from Babyletto is an investment, you'll be able to use it for so many years. “This is as much a gift to the parents as it is to baby," says Brown. "It's a modern take on traditional cribs in that it transforms into uses that feel seemingly endless for baby. It starts off with wheels so baby can be right at your side at all times —even when napping — eventually turning into a toddler bed for cuddling, play and sleep.”
Meet the experts
- Marie Conti is Director of Regional Community Relations for American Montessori Society. She was the former head of The Wetherill School in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania.
- Tovah P. Klein, Ph.D., is Director of the Barnard College Center for Toddler Development in New York, as well as the author of “How Toddlers Thrive." She focuses on young children's social and emotional development, as well as parents' experiences raising them.
Don’t forget to check out Shop TODAY’s other gift guides to find the perfect present for every kid on your list including babies, 1-year-olds, 3-year-olds, 4-year-olds, 5-year-olds, 6-year-olds, 7-year-olds, 8-year-olds, 9-year-olds and 10-year-olds.
