What type of toys should my 6-month-old have?

“When choosing toys for any age group, it is best to consider what developmental milestones are happening with your baby at that time,” says Neela Sethi , MD, lactation expert, MAM Baby ambassador , pediatrician, and mom. Dr. Neela says that at this point in time, babies are usually starting to sit up, and can transfer objects between their hands. They also love sounds. “Toys that play music when buttons are pushed are a great option,” says Dr. Neela. “Stacking blocks, toys where you have to put objects into a container, balls, and toys that have texture or are crinkly are also fun at this age.”

What toys are developmentally appropriate for a 6-month-old?

Dr. Neela reminds parents that babies are growing fast at this age, and their interest levels may change rapidly along with their development. “Six-month-old babies love toys that play music, activity boxes, and toys with texture,” she says. “They tend to do a lot of teething at this age so don’t forget the importance of teething toys! MAM teethers massage and cool sore gums and the outer texture stimulates sense of touch,” she adds. At this age, babies also especially love soft books, balls, stacking rings or cups, and blocks.

What should 6-month-old babies play with?

At six months, your baby is excited to be exploring the world around them. Try to find toys that are safe for them to chew on, as well as fun toys that play music or make sounds in response to your child's actions (like pressing a button). “They love balls and things that move,” says Dr. Neela. “It is also fun to stack at this age or place items in a container. As they grow, babies will gravitate to activity centers and push toys.” At this age, toys can be fairly simple, and something as straightforward as a ball can provide hours of entertainment. Toys and books provide valuable stimulation to help your baby develop.

The 8 Best Developmental Toys for 6-Month-Olds of 2022

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For many 6-month-olds, this is a time of huge growth and development. Some babies will begin babbling, sitting up on their own, or eating solid food. Each child is different, so speak with your pediatrician about specific milestones or concerns for your kid.

To celebrate the major accomplishment of raising your 6-month-old, add a developmental toy to your child's collection. There are many types of development, so consider what’s best for your child and lifestyle, but also ensure the toy is safe, too.

"By six months, a baby is able to roll over and start to sit unassisted. As babies get older, you want developmental toys that encourage your baby to sit up and play, and even start crawling. Once babies become more mobile, they need toys that can keep up," says Laurie Leahey, senior editor at Toys, Tots, Pets & More (TTPM).

To help you narrow down your choices, here are the best developmental toys for 6-month-olds.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

LeapFrog My Pal Scout Plush Puppy at Amazon

This customizable puppy features lullabies and learning activities that will help your little one learn words and feelings.

Best Budget:

The First Years Stack Up Cup Toys at Amazon

This 8-piece set of vibrant cups will encourage your kiddo to stack and pour, while developing their number and color recognition.

Best for Cognitive:

SmartNoggin NogginStik Light-Up Rattle at Amazon

Enhance baby's cognitive development with this toy, featuring visual tracking, texture for tactile engagement, and a rattle.

Best for Visual Stimulation:

Sassy Tummy Time Floor Mirror at Amazon

Tummy time just got a lot more engaging with this floor mirror, encouraging baby's recognition and developing vision.

Best for Sensory:

Edushape See-Me 4-Inch Sensory Balls at Amazon

Engage your kiddo's senses and tactile development with this set of sensory balls that are fun for rolling, tossing, and bouncing.

Best Fine Motor Skills:

Fat Brain Toys InnyBin at Amazon

Perfectly sized for tiny hands, it challenges children to explore the different shapes and textures, enhancing fine motor skills.

Best Gross Motor Skills:

ALEX Toys Discover My Busy Town Activity Cube at Amazon

Babies can use their growing muscles to improve their gross motor skills by playing with this cube and pulling themselves up.

Best for Language:

Indestructibles Basic Word Book Set at Amazon

By listening to the words of this tear-proof book out loud, they’ll begin to mimic language and grow comprehension.

Pros

Helps child learn words, emotions, counting, and colors
Over 40 lullabies with three time-lengths
Can be personalized to say child's name
Over 15 learning activities

Cons

Programming could use some work

Sing, play, and dance along with this cute puppy pal that will help your little one learn first words, feelings and emotions, counting, and colors. Little kids will enjoy that this sweet guy can be personalized with a parent’s smartphone, tablet, or computer, so the pup will know your kiddo’s name.

When it’s time to transition to quiet time, there’s a lullaby timer with 5, 10, or 15 minutes of bedtime music (with volume control) that’ll soothe and calm your little one.

Age Recommendation: 6 to 36 months | Batteries: 3 AA batteries (included)

Pros

Stacking play
Free of BPA, lead, or phthalates
Numbers on base encourage counting skills
Lightweight for babies, sturdy enough for toddlers

Cons

Only toddlers might be able to grip

These eight brightly colored cups can be fun for stacking, pouring, and early number and color recognition. Each cup has different variations of holes in the bottom, so your kiddo will love filling them up and watching the water, sand, or other materials trickle out of the bottom. Easy to keep clean, stacking cups are versatile and budget-friendly toys.

Material: BPA, lead, and phthalates-free plastic | Included: 8 cups | Dimensions: 2.5 x 3.5 x 3.25 inches

What Our Editors Say

"For $5, you can't do better. My daughter loved these simple cups so much, we got a set for our house as well as her grandparents'. The set kept her occupied, whether she was making noise with the cups, stacking them...or just throwing them on the floor!" —Lauren Levinson, Editorial Director, Verywell Family

SmartNoggin NogginStik Developmental Light-Up Rattle

Pros

Free of BPA, PVC, phthalates, or lead
Color-changing lights for visual tracking skills
Mirror on bottom for early self-recognition and vision skills
Textured body encourages sense of touch

Cons

Plastic design could deter some

Increase cognitive development with this multi-purpose toy. Each Noggin Head has color-changing lights that are activated when batted by the baby's hand. The eyes on the face encourage visual tracking, texture on the toy’s body provides tactile engagement, a built-in rattle increases audio engagement, and a mirror on the bottom helps babies see themselves.

Included with the toy is a parent’s guide to monitoring milestones.

Material: BPA, PVC, lead, and phthalate-free plastic | Batteries: 3 LR44 batteries required (included)

Pros

Easy to set up
Rattle and crinkly bee encourage development of touch
Mirror stimulates early self-recognition and vision skills

Cons

Construction of mirror could deter some

Tummy time just got a lot more engaging (and cute!) with this floor mirror made just for babies. Easy to set up, the easel-shaped mirror stands on the floor while the mirror engages the baby's developing vision. Curious kids will love grabbing for the rotating, clicking, and crinkly bee and ladybug rattle that are both attached to the mirror.

Weight: 6.4 ounces | Size: 11.5 x 11.5 x 4.25 inches

What the Experts Say

"Milestones at six months relate to the child’s ability to start interacting with the world. This means recognizing their own faces and faces of important people in their lives. Children at this age develop an interest in seeing themselves, and I like toys with mirrors that allow themselves the opportunity to see their face in different contexts." —Daniel Marston, PhD, ABPP, clinical psychologist

Pros

Can be rolled, gripped, tossed, and bounced
Easy-gripping nubby texture for tactile development
Bright colors for visual recognition skills
Made from BPA- and phthalate-free plastic

Cons

Some might find it not entirely stimulating

Engage baby’s senses and tactile development with this set of four sensory balls that are fun for rolling, gripping, tossing, and bouncing. The bright color design and nubby surface make these versatile toys for kids of all ages, so they’re perfect for young kids and their older siblings. Parents appreciate that they come perfectly inflated so they’re easy for little hands to grab and grip.

Materials: BPA and phthalate-free plastic | Size: Four balls, each is 4 x 4 x 4 with an 11-inch circumference

Pros

Textured chunky blocks for grip and touch
Stimulates fine motor skills
Different styles of blocks for shapes learning

Cons

Straps on box might restrict some hands
A bit more expensive

Babies will love exploring the textures of the six chunky blocks that are sized just right for little hands. Children are challenged to push the different shapes through the elastic bands of the cube, encouraging fine motor skills, tactile exploration, and experimentation. A versatile toy, kids can put other toys in the bin and it’s all self-contained.

Size: 5.5 x 5.5 x 5.5 inches | Shape measurement: 2 inches

ALEX Toys Discover My Busy Town Activity Cube

Pros

Improves gross motor skills
Offers a full-body engagement
Five sides of various learning activities

Cons

Construction could use some work

Babies can use their large muscles to improve gross motor skills by playing with this cube, sitting at it, pulling themselves up, and eventually standing at the sturdy wooden toy. The five sides of fun include curvy wire rides, peek-a-boo doors, spin and match animals, ABC tiles, and more. While it’s recommended for ages 12 months old and up, most 6-month-old babies can begin playing with this toy and will age into it.

Measurement: 16 x 12 x 12 inches | Weight: 13 pounds

Pros

100% washable
Made from rip- and tear-proof material
Can be chewed and pulled on without ruining

Cons

Can get a bit wrinkly after washes

An easy way to boost language development and bonding with children is through reading books together. By listening to the words, they’ll begin to mimic language, grasp repetition, and grow their comprehension skills.

This set of six books are super durable and a great way to introduce simple concepts about the world around them. Each book reflects a simple theme and is accompanied by beautiful illustrations. The best part is that these books are made of 100% tear and rip-proof material that can be machine washed.

Included: 6 books | Material: Synthetic, rip, and tear-proof material that’s 100% washable

Final Verdict

You can’t go wrong with The First Years Stack Up Cups (view on Amazon), designed for babies 6 months old and up. They are versatile, inexpensive, and can be used at the beach or pool, in the bathtub or playroom, or anywhere else.

What to Look for in a Developmental Toy for a 6-Month-Old

Safety

When you’re shopping for toys for a 6-month-old, think large—meaning you don’t want a toy that has pieces small enough to fit in the baby’s mouth. Also, avoid toys made with bean-like pellets, loose stuffing, and toxic materials. Pellets or loose stuffing can cause suffocation or choking if ingested while toxic materials may be poisonous.

"If your baby is mobile, block stairs, cover electrical outlets, lock low cabinet doors, and take other appropriate precautions to keep your baby from getting into something or somewhere they shouldn't be," says Laurie Leahey, senior editor at Toys, Tots, Pets & More (TTPM). "Parental supervision is also really important during playtime. That helps keep baby safe, but parent interaction also helps babies develop language skills and promotes the parent-child relationship."

Developmental Milestones

At 6 months old, a lot of exciting developmental milestones are happening, and many of them can be achieved through play.

The First Years Stack Up Cups (view on Amazon) are great for the cognitive skill of passing things from one hand to another.
For language and communication development, try the LeapFrog My Pal Scout (view on Amazon), which helps little ones learn vowel sounds
When babies look at themselves in a mirror, such as with the Sassy Tummy Time Floor Mirror (view on Amazon), they are working on social and emotional development.

Types of Play

Clinical psychologist Daniel Marston, PhD, ABPP, recommends "toys that do not limit available activities to one or two things but allow for a variety. In my opinion, this allows the child to develop curiosity and individuality." He continues, "the most important thing that toys offer for children during infancy and the first half of their first year is the ability to not only start to distinguish objects but to interact with the world as soon as they are able."

Understanding your child’s milestones will give you an idea of what steps you need to take to further develop their skills. Parents and caregivers should look for toys that allow babies to explore cause and effect, stimulate the senses, and support fine and gross motor development.

Fine motor: Fat Brain Toys InnyBin Shape Sorting Toy (view on Amazon)
Gross motor: ALEX Toys Discover My Busy Town Activity Cube (view on Amazon)
Sensory play: Edushape See-Me Sensory Balls (view on Amazon)

Marston recommends that parents "interact with the child when using toys but do not direct the child in using toys. This lets the child develop skills in their own individual way and builds curiosity while fostering individuality."

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of toys should my 6-month-old have?

“When choosing toys for any age group, it is best to consider what developmental milestones are happening with your baby at that time,” says Neela Sethi, MD, lactation expert, MAM Baby ambassador, pediatrician, and mom. Dr. Neela says that at this point in time, babies are usually starting to sit up, and can transfer objects between their hands. They also love sounds. “Toys that play music when buttons are pushed are a great option,” says Dr. Neela. “Stacking blocks, toys where you have to put objects into a container, balls, and toys that have texture or are crinkly are also fun at this age.”
What toys are developmentally appropriate for a 6-month-old?

Dr. Neela reminds parents that babies are growing fast at this age, and their interest levels may change rapidly along with their development. “Six-month-old babies love toys that play music, activity boxes, and toys with texture,” she says. “They tend to do a lot of teething at this age so don’t forget the importance of teething toys! MAM teethers massage and cool sore gums and the outer texture stimulates sense of touch,” she adds. At this age, babies also especially love soft books, balls, stacking rings or cups, and blocks.
What should 6-month-old babies play with?

At six months, your baby is excited to be exploring the world around them. Try to find toys that are safe for them to chew on, as well as fun toys that play music or make sounds in response to your child's actions (like pressing a button). “They love balls and things that move,” says Dr. Neela. “It is also fun to stack at this age or place items in a container. As they grow, babies will gravitate to activity centers and push toys.” At this age, toys can be fairly simple, and something as straightforward as a ball can provide hours of entertainment. Toys and books provide valuable stimulation to help your baby develop.

Why Trust Verywell Family?

Maya Polton is a former marketing manager and current freelance writer who covers food, home, and parenting. She’s also the mom of a 10-year-old son, 7-year-old son, and 3-year old daughter. Her favorite toys for younger kids are simple toys that have longevity and might be enjoyed by older siblings too like stacking toys and book sets.

Additional reporting by Ashley Ziegler

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