Toys for Six to Twelve Months
The toys suggested below are generally appropriate for typically developing babies aged six to twelve months. Many of these same toys are also suitable for kids who are not developing according to typical milestones, though they may need to be used differently. (For information on selecting or adapting toys for kids with disabilities, see Selecting Toys for Children with Disabilities or visit the National Lekotek Center at www.lekotek.org or www.ableplay.org.) Parents and caregivers must always ensure that any toy they let a child use is safe for that child.
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Parents who sing, talk, and read to baby
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Well-secured, unbreakable crib and wall mirrors
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Soft-bodied dolls with faces and without parts (e.g. eyes, hair) that can detach
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Simple stuffed animals without parts (e.g. eyes, hair) that can detach
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Hand puppets (mostly to be used by adults) representing interesting objects or characters
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Play animals or objects (six to eight inches) for exploring and grasping
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Simple vehicles with large wheels for babies to sit in or ride on with supervision
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Teethers
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Beads on rings
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Pop beads
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Squeaky toys
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Sturdy, washable cloth toys
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Disks or keys on ring
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Interlocking rings
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Grasping balls
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Texture & chime balls
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Busy boxes
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Roly-poly toys
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Floating water toys
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Lightweight cloth, wood, or molded blocks (2 to 5 inches per side)
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Simple two- to three-piece puzzles
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Activity boxes or cubes
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Texture pads
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Simple nesting cups
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Simple stacking ring cones
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Safe containers for filling and emptying
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Sturdy, washable picture and rhyme books
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Push or pull toys—cars or animals on wheels
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Secure, age appropriate swings
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Secure, age appropriate climbing platforms
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Music
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Wrist or ankle bells
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Lightweight banging toys (e.g. drum, xylophone, pots & pans, boxes with lids)
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Non-toxic crayons (between 9 and 12 months)
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Canning jar rings
Adapted from Martha B. Bronson: The Right Stuff for Children Birth to Eight; Theodosia Sideropoulos Spewock & Jean Warren: Play with Purpose; and other sources.
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