How many toys should my 12-month-old have?

This one is totally up to you! There's no rule on how many toys your 12-month-old should have. Whether they have an entire room full or only a few, as long as they're engaging and stimulating (not to mention safe for a 1-year-old), your baby will enjoy playing with them. Plus, babies' attention spans are baby-sized, so it's unlikely they'll get bored with them anytime soon.

How does your baby benefit from playtime with you?

Although kids benefit from playing with their siblings and peers, there are special advantages that come from playing directly with parents and other familiar adult caregivers. This kind of play helps to develop their social skills and self-control, as well as their working memory, cognitive flexibility, emotional regulation, creativity, gross motor skills, and peer leadership skills. This is because you provide a more mature and diverse play environment. Plus, playing with your child benefits you too! It releases oxytocin, a happy hormone, which helps strengthen your bond.

The 9 Best Toys for 12-Month-Olds of 2023

As your baby nears their first birthday, they will likely become increasingly more mobile and more curious, a milestone that will likely inspire and challenge you. With your little one quickly growing and demanding physical independence, finding the right toys that will be entertaining while ushering them through their milestones is essential.

The best toy specifically for your little one will depend on the star in the bunch that hones in on their specific interests. We considered childhood development experts' insights, engagement, and skill-building when reviewing the best toys for 12 month olds. A licensed clinical psychologist from our Review Board also reviewed this article for accuracy, and the best way to evaluate appropriate toys for 12-month-olds.

Here are the most entertaining and developmentally appropriate toys for your 12-month-old.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

Green Toys Shape Sorter at Amazon

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Best Developmental:

Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Learn at Amazon

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Best Musical:

Baby Einstein Magic Touch Piano at Amazon

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Best Educational:

Fisher-Price Rollin' Rovee at Amazon

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Best Sit-to-Stand:

Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Chair at Amazon

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Best Budget:

B. toys by Battat B. Toys Stacking Rings Set at Amazon

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Best Montessori-Style:

Hazelnut Kids Grimm’s 6-Piece Rainbow Stacker at Hazelnutkids.com

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Best Ride-On:

YBIKE Ride On Toy and Walking Buddy at Amazon

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Best Active:

VTech Count and Win Sports Center at Walmart

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In This Article

Our Picks
What to Look For
FAQ
Why Trust Verywell Family

4.7

Amazon

View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Babylist.com

Pros

Made of food-safe, recycled plastic
Dishwasher safe
Boosts fine motor skills

Cons

Includes only four different shapes
May be hard to open for some children

This toy pleases everyone: Mother Earth, parents, and infants. Made in the USA from food-safe, 100% recycled plastic (HDPE #2) milk jugs, this shape sorter is a fun, age-appropriate toy that has longevity but also comforting concern about your little one's health. (Little humans greet everything via the mouth. Big human customs haven't yet kicked in.)

Safe for kids 6 months old and up, younger kids will enjoy grasping the lightweight shapes while older babies can practice fine motor skills and color matching by sorting the shapes and placing corresponding shapes into the sorter. And both age groups will highly welcome the visually engaging colors and various tactile pieces.

Lastly, perfect for indoor or outdoor play, moms and dads appreciate that the pieces can be stored inside the sorter and the whole set is dishwasher safe for easy cleaning. (That means quicker diving to a naptime after putting your tyke down for the nap, parents.)

Price at time of publication: $20

Amazon

View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Entertainmentearth.com

Pros

Budget-friendly
Easy-grasp handles
Offers Spanish

Cons

Batteries required
Height is not adjustable

With two ways to play, this adorable puppy is the perfect pal for kiddos 6 months and up. Sitting and cruising babies will love the playful songs and phrases that include the alphabet, colors, numbers, and Spanish words that come from the puppy. As your baby flexes their muscles and begins to stand and walk, the easy-grasp handles provide sturdy support for a wobbly baby. Parents appreciate the budget-friendly price tag and three levels of learning content, depending on the baby's age and stage.

Price at time of publication: $25

Amazon

View On Amazon View On Johnlewis.com View On Target

Pros

Easy to clean
High-quality craftsmanship
Multi-level volume control

Cons

Only six songs provided
Black keys do not make sound

Parent reviewers praise the high-quality craftsmanship of this creative and musical toy. The wooden piano has two levels of play, giving your child the ability to create their own masterpieces or play along with some classic melodies. Three sheets of music encourage color matching to play along, perfect for older kids. Safe for babies 6 months old and up, the keys are flat, so they are easily wiped clean, and multi-level volume control makes the music sound just right.

Price at time of publication: $35

Amazon

View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Maqio.com

Pros

Learning content included (alphabet, counting, and more)
Includes lights and fun activities

Cons

Requires five AA batteries
English only

Give your 1-year-old an interactive friend that has four play modes to keep them entertained from the infant phases through preschool. With learning content including the alphabet, counting, opposites, following directions, and more, your tot will love the added bonus of lights, music, and fun activities. Appropriate for so many phases, from sitting and crawling to dancing, and more, parents appreciate this educational toy for its longevity of use.

Price at time of publication: $57

Courtesy of Amazon

View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Staples

Pros

50+ sing-along tunes, phrases, and sounds
Three levels of play
Seat lifts up for storage

Cons

Batteries required
Height cannot be adjusted

A chair that teaches? Yes, please! This interactive musical chair activates songs and phrases when your baby gets on and off the chair. There are over 50 sing-along songs, tunes, and phrases that’ll help your kiddo learn first words, numbers, shapes, colors, and more. Parent reviewers are pleasantly pleased with this well-loved and simple-to-use seat. One common complaint is that there’s no plug-in power option, so batteries are required. Three levels of play ensure fresh and age-appropriate content.

Price at time of publication: $71

Amazon

View On Amazon

Pros

Develops problem-solving, fine motor skills, and hand-eye coordination
Budget-friendly

Cons

Almost all rings have same texture/material (may be issue for those wanting different textures)

Help develop your baby’s curiosity and introduce the concept of problem-solving, fine motor skills, and hand-eye coordination with this budget-friendly twist on a classic stacking toy. The five rings are each made out of different materials and feature distinct colors and textures. Safe for babies 7 months old and up, your child will love touching, building, and even chewing on these rings.

Price at time of publication: $9

Hazelnut kids

View On Hazelnutkids.com

Pros

Stylish
Made with non-toxic, water-based colors

Cons

Similar stackers they combine with are sold separately

Beautifully crafted and stylish on your playroom shelf, these rainbow stacking blocks are so versatile. Perfect for open-ended play, these colorful arches can be used as tunnels, houses, hills, rocking chairs for dolls, or more. These stacking blocks will accompany your child for a long time and can be joined with other toys time and time again.

Price at time of publication: $35

Amazon

View On Amazon View On Walmart

Pros

Safe for indoor or outdoor play
Promotes balance, coordination, strength, and more

Cons

Costly
Rides best on smooth surfaces

Accommodate your child’s developmental phases with this versatile walking buddy that’s useful for riding, pushing, sitting, and supported walking. Safe for babies 9 months old and up, this ride-on toy will get lots of use, indoors or out, and is best on smooth surfaces. Helping to promote balance, coordination, strength, confidence, and spatial awareness, parents appreciate how easy it is to assemble and how well it works for early walkers through toddlers.

Price at time of publication: $60

Walmart

View On Walmart

Pros

65+ songs, melodies, sounds and phrases
Basketball goal height is adjustable
Volume control

Cons

Requires batteries
May tip over easily

Toddlers will enjoy moving their muscles with this sports-themed activity toy. The soccer ball will exercise their little legs and feet while the basketball game will get tiny arms and hands working. Intended for toddlers between 12 and 36 months old, two adjustable heights mean this toy grows with your child. With over 65 songs, sounds, melodies, and phrases, your tot will be encouraged to learn while having fun. Reviewers appreciate how engaging this toy is and that it’s a great option for activity, especially during cold winter months when outside play may be limited.

Price at time of publication: $50

What to Look for in Toys for 12-Month-Olds

Interests

At 12 months old, the transition from baby to toddler is in full swing, which means they’re opinionated and, if they haven’t started to already, it won’t be long before they shout “No!” at you when they don’t want to do something. So the more toys you can find that lean into their interests, the fewer tantrums you’ll deal with.

While they are growing more and more independent, one-year-olds usually still need an adult to play with them. It’s great to find interactive toys that caregivers can play with their child. These interactions will not only be fun for the little one but will also present opportunities to help their development.

Occupational therapist Meredith Soucie tells Verywell Family that to help babies learn, adults should “encourage repetition of sounds, use gestures like waving and pointing, imitate animal sounds, talk about everyday experiences and use books to look at pictures and encourage language.”

Milestones

Caregivers are usually well aware of the importance of development for babies. Even though the pace of growth slows down a bit after the first birthday, 12-month-olds still need lots of support to continue to meet their milestones. A good way for adults to do this is by intentionally choosing toys that are age-appropriate and offer opportunities for learning.

Fine motor skills: “Fine motor skills can be challenged by stacking blocks, putting objects in bins, or taking toys out of them,” according to Soucie. With this in mind, the Green Toys Shape Sorter (view on Amazon) would make for an excellent toy for a 1-year old.
Large motor skills: Around this age, babies are either working on standing and walking, or they’ve mastered it and are doing it constantly. Either way, the Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Chair (view on Walmart) is a good way to support this skill.
In addition to walking and standing, 12-month-olds are typically sitting unassisted and sometimes still crawling, and the Fisher-Price Rollin Rovee Toy (view on Amazon) is designed to entertain little ones in all of these stages.

Entertainment

A 1-year-old’s attention span is pretty short even when they are entertained, so if you get them a toy that isn’t entertaining at all, they’re going to lose interest very quickly. To avoid this, look for toys that will grab their attention and keep them engaged. Some engaging features to look for include sensory play, music, and toys with containers that they can put things in and out of.

According to Soucie, toys that “encourage mobility by providing a wide array of safe objects to climb on, under, or through” are also really good options because they are both fun and support development.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many toys should my 12-month-old have?

This one is totally up to you! There's no rule on how many toys your 12-month-old should have. Whether they have an entire room full or only a few, as long as they're engaging and stimulating (not to mention safe for a 1-year-old), your baby will enjoy playing with them. Plus, babies' attention spans are baby-sized, so it's unlikely they'll get bored with them anytime soon.
How does your baby benefit from playtime with you?

Although kids benefit from playing with their siblings and peers, there are special advantages that come from playing directly with parents and other familiar adult caregivers. This kind of play helps to develop their social skills and self-control, as well as their working memory, cognitive flexibility, emotional regulation, creativity, gross motor skills, and peer leadership skills. This is because you provide a more mature and diverse play environment. Plus, playing with your child benefits you too! It releases oxytocin, a happy hormone, which helps strengthen your bond.

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, a 7-year-old son, and a 3-year old daughter. Her best gifts for 12-month-olds are toys that have longevity (and avoid loud noises). Anything that can be used for years to come is good in her book!

Additional reporting by Ashley Ziegler.

Ashley Ziegler is a full-time parenting writer, mom to a 1- and a 4-year-old, and has personal experience in researching and using infant carriers, strollers, and travel systems. Key considerations she focused on when selecting these products include personal experience, safety features, ease of use, and user reviews.

More Toys and Gifts for Kids

When it comes to toys and gifts for kids, our team has you covered. The Verywell Family team of editors (who are parents or have nieces and nephews of their own) have tested, gifted, and personally recommend every item we feature. Find more of our top gift and toy picks for every age and stage here: