I get asked a lot about Miles’ favorite toys so I wanted to create a post to round them all up.
I plan to add to this post until he’s one so I have a reference of all his favorite toys from birth – 1 year old.
Mirrors
Birth-1 year
Babies are vain. They love to look at themselves. I mean, you can’t blame them, they are adorable. Any mirror that props up is great like this stand-up mirror, or we used the one that came with our Lovevery Play mat. When Miles got older and could grasp toys, he loved having a handheld mirror and it would keep him entertained through many diaper changes!
Black and White Imagery/Toys
Birth-6 months+
When babies are first born, they only see black and white. High constrast images are very interesting to them. Miles would inspect the black and white cards from our Lovevery Play Mat for long stretches when he was a newborn. It was the only way I could get anything done some mornings!
I also discovered awesome high contrast baby board books. We loved the Look Look one by Peter Linenthal. And, the same artist also did a Look at the Animals version!
We were also gifted the large black and white Jellycat dog (and the mini one) and Miles LOVED these as a tiny baby because of the black and white contrast.
Play Mats and Toy Bars
Birth+
Babies love things that hang and dangle above them. Play mats are great for this, we have the Lovevery mat and really like it. You can swap out the hanging toys and items with whatever you want. But, there are a lot of options. Another great option is just a fold out toy bar you can place anywhere and travels better.
Miles also loved the toy bar that came with the infant toddler rocker chair. Honestly, this chair was a lifesaver for us. Between about 2-4 months is the only way I got anything done! He’d watch the hanging animals while I made dinner or cleaned up.
Board Books
Birth+
Babies love board books. Miles loves when I read to him probably just because he likes hearing the sound of my voice. But, he also loves just holding, picking up, looking at, and eating board books. We were even gifted a mini-board book which is just his size and he loves it.
Sophie the Giraffe
3 months+
I’ll be the first to say I thought Sophie was a fad. I didn’t get it. I didn’t buy it. I didn’t want it. But…it was gifted to us and I’m glad it was cause Miles LOVES Sophie. I’m not sure if it’s her rubbery texture, black souless eyes, or squeaker but he adores her. There are also some good alternatives including an elephant and zebra, too.
Crinkle Toys
3-8 months+
The sound of crinkling is something all babies love. Paper bags and tissue paper work great, but there are also tons of toys that do it too! They come in just about every variety from just soft crinkle paper, to toys with crinkle parts, to soft books with crinkle pages.
O-Ball
4 months +
Babies love o-ball because they shape and holes make is super easy to grasp even as they are still learning their Palmar grasp. Because it rolls away from the baby when they drop it, it’s also been a great toy for encouraging Miles to flip, roll and crawl. Miles really loved the ones that rattle.
Mesh Feeder
5+ months
Mesh feeders are great for new eaters and teething. I put frozen purees in my mesh. Reserve the silicone one for fresh fruits (Miles loves watermelon and strawberries in his) because they are easier to clean. I use ours a lot on picnics or when Michael and I are eating something Miles can’t have because it entertains him while we eat.
Bouncer
5+ months
Almost every baby loves a jumper. The most affordable and least obtrusive option is on that clips into a doorway. You’ll need a doorway with molding to clip onto. If you don’t have a spot for that, there is also the Jolly Jumper that has a stand to hold the jumper.
Or, you can go for a traditional stand alone jumper. Honestly, these are pretty freaking ugly, but Miles loves his so much I don’t even care. We have the Jumperoo and it keeps him entertained for awhile. He LOVES to jump and hoots and hollers in joy the entire time. I was also told the Baby Einstein and Skip Hop Jump ones are also great.
Stacking Rings
6 months+
We were gifted stacking rings and I didn’t know if Miles would take to them right away (I thought he was still a little young) but he actually loves them! I hold the base and he’ll whip the rings off one by one over and over again. My mom also gave me this spinning set which is super fun – although still too much for Miles, it’ll be better when he’s 9+ months.
Nuby Silicone Teethe-EEZ
4 months+
This is hands-down Miles’ favorite teething toy. It has different silicone surfaces and it keeps him happily entertained and soothes his gums when new teeth come in. We lost ours and IMMEDIATELY bought 2 more. It’s a can’t-live-without toy for us.
Non-toys
Obviously, babies love things that aren’t toys too. Toys are great since they are specifically designed to be safe but there are other non-toy items we used with Miles that he lovessss.
- Straws
- Plastic baby spoons
- Plastic cups
- Ziplock bag filled with dry rice/beans (double bag it and use a strong ziplock to prevent them from getting out)
- Muslin clothes – Miles LOVED when I would play peek-a-boo with these are even just wave them up over his head
- Sensory play – things like puree food or mashed potatoes poured out on a tray are tons of fun (but messy!)
- PEOPLE! Babies love people’s faces, never underestimate the excitement of one-on-one eye contact!
- Brown paper, gift wrapping paper, tissue paper, potato chip bags
- Empty boxes
