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My youngest is 7 months old, which means we’re right in that fun stage where he’s suddenly much more interested in everything around him. As a mom of three, there have been certain toys that were clear favorites, many used for all of my kids at this stage. One thing I’ve learned over the past six years is you don’t need a million baby toys – you need just the right mix of 6-9 month baby toys.
My 7-month-old just learned to sit up independently and popped his first tooth, both things later than my first two kids. He’s been spending a lot of time playing on the floor, doing tummy time, or sitting with some support. He reaches for any toy he can get his hands on, and many of his favorites are teething toys.
These are the 6–9 month baby toys we’ve actually used with our kids, with the majority being favorites again now that we’re doing the baby stage for the third time.
Rattles
Rattles are a staple because they’re simple and allow babies to grab, shake, and make noise. These are the rattles we’ve used:
- Hape Sea Animal Suction Cup Rattle Set – These were a gift for my second baby and are fun little rattles.
- Bright Starts Oball Shaker Toy and Ball – These are great because the circles make it easy for a baby to grab, shake, and throw.
- Manhattan Toy Loop D’ Loop Rattle – We have a very similar rattle – the Winkel – from this brand and it’s always been a favorite. They can easily grab it when first learning.
Teethers
Once those baby teeth start coming in, we keep plenty of these around. Our favorites are:
- Nuby Ice Gel Teether Keys – These pretend keys were my oldest’s favorite. You can put them in the refrigerator for some extra relief.
- Nuby Nananubs Massaging Brushing Teether – All three of my babies loved this! I think it must feel great on their teeth.
- Infantino Carrot Teether – Probably my kids’ most used teether. We had multiples to have in every bag! It’s small and easy to hold onto. Plus it’s great for a baby Easter basket gift!
- Haakaa Silicone Palm Teether – This was a new one for my youngest and he has liked the “hand” shape of it.
- Nuby Tag-a-Long Teether – A good one to attach to a stroller bar. We used a very similar one for all three kids.
Crinkle Books
Crinkle books are easy for little hands to grab, and these ones are indestructible so they can crinkle or chew on the pages without ripping. We’ve used:
- Indestructibles – These books are rip-proof and can be chewed on, drooled on, and washed. The best!
- Tuffy Books – These are similar to above, but they have a silicone edge to them on the binding of the book, which a baby can chew on.
Baby Pianos & Musical Toys
We are pretty selective about musical toys, mostly because we live in a small space and can’t have too much going on at once. These are our favorites:
- Skip Hop Baby Activity Center – This is more than just a musical toy, but it does have a piano that gets lots of use, so I’m putting it here. We’ve used this so much with all three kids. They jump around and play in it, then it turns into a table when they grow.
- Fisher-Price Kick & Play Piano Gym – Very popular for a reason! We finally got this for our third baby and it has been a great grow-with-me toy. At this stage, I removed the mat and propped the piano up so my son could sit at it and play.
- Baby Einstein Musical Kick Pad – You can tie this piano onto the side of a crib and use it as a kick toy, but we’ve always used it as a floor toy. The songs are catchy, but it’s a favorite.
- Baby Einstein Glow & Discover Light Bar – A good music toy for both tummy time and sitting up. It folds flat so you can easily store or travel with it.
Other Sensory Toys
Here are some other favorites we’ve used, with different textures, sounds, and other entertainment:
- Infantino Balls, Blocks, and Buddies – Very similar silicone blocks have been a favorite for all my kids. They knock them down, chew on them, carry them, and more.
- Hape Raindrop Maker – Babies love to listen to and look at this one; it’s soothing.
- Melissa & Doug First Bead Maze – This is our favorite suction high chair toy. Throw it on while you prep meals or when you just need a place to put the baby down.
- Lamaze My First Fish Bowl – Great for sitters, this toy has small, plush sea animals babies can play with and put in or take out of the tank.
- Animal Tales Soft Cloth Books – Another fun book option with sensory animal tails. These come as individual books or as a set of two.