by Rita Onyx
Babies are very active; no joke. They’re basically the human form of an energy drink. When I first became a parent, my legs felt like they ran a marathon from all the chasing I had to do. My babies would waddle away at any chance!
Hence, one of the best ways to help them burn off energy is with engaging toys. These toys will keep them entertained for hours (which means more nap time for you, mama!). Below, the best baby toys of 2021.
Sassy Fishy Fascination Station
“My grandson started using this toy at 4 months. It’s so engaging. And now at 6 months he really gets full enjoyment from it. We have 2 others which are similar. This is his favorite. Each little ornament on the wheel attracts his attention. And it sticks well!” — Amazon Customer
iPlay, iLearn 10pcs Baby Rattle Toys
“This is my first review on Amazon, even after dozens and dozens of purchases. I am so impressed that I wanted to take the time to share about this set of toys! First of all, the packaging was a pleasant surprise, with the large container to hold all ten pieces. On top of that, each toy was individually wrapped in clear cellophane. And the company includes a Thank You card that gives you contact info should you need any assistance after your purchase … very nice touch. The toys are good quality, great variety and I am very excited to see how my grandbaby enjoys them! This would be a great gift, in my opinion, and I will shop for more items from this company going forward based on my excellent experience with the first impression.” — Katy
Nutty Toys Pop Tube Sensory Toys
“My grandchildren had a ball playing with these “tubes”. My grandson was pretending he was a whale jumping through a hoop, then it was a snake, then a fire hose on a firetruck. The 11 month old loved the noise and when she hummed in one end it was amplified. She loved that!! My oldest granddaughter, a NICU survivor, loved the opening, closing, and noise they made. The one disappointment was we stepped on one and had to use a kitchen knife to push the tube back in place. And this kind of thing my own children played with made music when you swirled them in the air, these don’t do that. But all in all they were a big hit!!” — Amazon Customer
Montessori Toys for Babies
“I’ve been having trouble finding toys that will preoccupy my little boy when he comes to stay with my on the weekends. For whatever reason, these have been a game changer. He likes to chew on them and i’m teaching him how to fit the pieces together based on the shapes. He loves them so much that I even purchased another set so that he could have them at his mother’s as well (she’s also struggled in this regard with finding toys for him).” — Jake
Fisher-Price Rattle ‘n Rock Maracas
“My girls adore their little rattle lol. It’s baby proofed with a soft end to prevent injury. And the other end has balls inside to make sounds like a maraca!” — K. Thomas
Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Game & Learn Controller
“My husband and I are huge gamers. Our son is super interested in video games and loves messing with our controllers (playing and chewing on them) so we thought it would be perfect for him to have his own! It’s perfect because we don’t have to keep taking ours away and it doesn’t matter if he drops it or chews on it. He has an idea how it works so it’s awesome to see how he interacts with it (he will use it while we play and he thinks he’s the one controlling the tv) You really can’t regret this purchase unless your child is just not interested in it.” — Jo
Skip Hop Bandana Buddies Toy
“After visiting a friend who let my daughter play with this toy, I realized I had to get one for her! She had the whole thing slobbered in minutes! The various textures allow her to explore with her fingers and mouth. The legs are crinkly and fun for her to squeeze. The nose has a squeaker, the collar is soft rubber, there is a plastic rattle ring between the front paws, the tail is a textured firm rubber, and the torso makes noise. The packaging states only to wash it with a damp cloth, but my friend puts hers in the wash on gentle cycle and air dries it. All in all, this toy is definitely worth getting! — Kelila
Manhattan Toy Winkel Rattle & Sensory Teether Toy
“My three month old baby started to want to grab everything, but I feel like it is hard to find a toy that is easy for him to hold with his little hands. So I came upon this toy, and let me tell you: He LOVES it! It is so easy for him to hold it from any side and he loves chewing on it. The bright colors catches his attention. The middle piece is a little rattle so when you shake it it makes noise. I also really like that it is BPA free. I have read some reviews saying their toy melted once they boiled it, I just rinsed it under very warm water once I received it. The box doesn’t really tell you how to care for it, so I did not want to risk doing that. I definitely recommend this toy!” — Mila
Baby Rattle Set by LITTLESMET
“I boiled them even though it said you don’t need to.. None of them melted or became distorted like it said they might in the package, when it comes to my child I’m save and not sorry so that’s why I boiled them. If you worry about that them just follow the instructions on the package. I love the colors and so does she, especially the tambourine and the the elephant.” — Nelly
Stacks of Circles Stacking Ring STEM Learning Toy
“Our 10-month old has been using this set since she was 3 months. Her favorite is the clear ring that rattles. She likes removing them and banging them together. She still is yet to learn how to put them back on the stacker, so still more use coming up for this toy. Even the stacker unscrews from the base, giving you two additional toys.” — Mike