15 very popular gifts for 6 to 12-month-old babies
These toys are all popular for a reason. Babies between the ages of six and twelve months love them. And they don’t drive their parents insane.
I have twice been ‘gifted’ toys outside of a birthday and Christmas that the parent just couldn’t live with anymore. One was a helicopter with audio that sprang into action if you even just breathed near it. Everything below is either silent or has an off switch.
They may not be the most beautiful toys. But babies don’t care about living in an Instagram-ready home. From around three-months-old, bright, contrasting primary colours are more stimulating for their brain and can actually aid development.
If you are looking to save money, there is only one item included that is anywhere near the £100 mark. Ten of the toys are under £20 and five are under £10.
So here they are. Fifteen very popular baby toys, which make perfect gifts.
1. Tomy Toomies Hide and Squeak Eggs
These eggs are so popular they almost feel like a baby essential. Plus if you get to your child’s birthday with all the pieces intact, you will feel like the greatest parent that has ever lived.
It’s a yellow plastic box with eggs that (quietly) squeak when pressed. The baby can match the egg to its shell plus match the shape on the bottom to the right shape in the box. So much fun! (For babies.) It’s suitable from six-months-old onwards.
2. Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Cookie Shape Surprise
This is a musical shape sorting toy but I promise you that it not only has an off switch but a volume control. It requires 3 AA batteries but they are included.
It’s basically a cookie jar, with ‘cookies’ (shapes) to put through the matching holes. There are two modes: one teaches numbers and one teaches shapes. Plus there is a glowing red nose so what could be more Christmassy? (I’m thinking more drunk uncle than Rudolph.)
It’s suitable for those six months old and older.
3. Halilit rainmaker
This toy saved many a nappy change. My son would be violently opposed to the whole being cleaned up situation until I put this in his hand or dangled it up above him. (I could really have done with a third hand. It wasn’t easy.)
I heard about it from a cranial osteopath who said every practitioner he knows has one to keep a baby entertained while being probed.
It’s basically a tube with tiny coloured balls which move from one end to the other, which (kind of) makes the sound of rain but in a tinkly rather than bleak, dark, damp depressing way.
It’s said to be suitable from six months but my son used it from a lot younger.
4. SKIP HOP STACK AND POUR BUCKETS
This is a brilliant bath toy. It’s suitable from nine months but my five-year-old still sometimes plays with his. They are stacking buckets with different sizes of holes in the bottom for water to pour or trickle through. This lends itself well to renditions of ‘There’s a hole in my bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza.’
5. FISHER-PRICE ROCKER STACK RINGS
Stacking rings are always popular with babies and this one is made from plant-based materials with 90% of it coming from ethanol extracted from sugar cane. Which sounds very tasty but I’m sure isn’t. There is also a wibbly, wobbly base for extra fun. It’s suitable from six months old.
6. Fisher-Price Roaring Rainforest Jumperoo
These activity centres which a baby can bounce in take up what feels like a colossal amount of room. But I would have got rid of my sofa to accommodate it if necessary. Babies from six months old love the feeling of being upright and also able to move. There are also lots of stimulating things for them to play with. It’s the most expensive thing on this list but it’s worth it. You could try getting a second-hand one.
7. John Lewis Wooden Baby Walker and Bricks
This is a wooden trolley for a baby to push around and is full of wooden bricks for building. It says it’s suitable from 12 months but it would be fine if your child was slightly longer.
My son was bought something very similar and before he could walk he loved the independence it gave him and probably helped build the muscles for when he did start to walk.
The wooden blocks are also great for building structures and then knocking them down (obviously). It’s made from FSC-certified wood.
You can get walkers with lots of electronic activities but I love the simplicity of this one which was used by my son for ages to transport small items around the home.
8. Vtech little friendlies starlight sound bear
This bear plays nursery rhymes, lullabies and nature sounds but the real draw is the colourful starlight projection. It’s great for incorporating into the bedtime routine and has both a volume control and off switch. It can also be set to come on automatically when a baby cries at night, which in theory will soothe them back to sleep but good luck with that.
9. My first lift-the-flap nursery rhymes
All the nursery rhymes which you probably grew up with plus the added excitement of flaps for your baby to lift and practise their fine motor skills. Even if it means they rip them off.
There is also a QR code to scan to hear the songs when you can’t face Sing a Song of Sixpence ever again. This is a beautiful book, which would make a great gift.
10. Early Learning Centre soft stacking blocks
These nine blocks are soft enough to be squeezed and probably also chewed. This also means they will hurt less if ever thrown in your face. They have stimulating raised textures on all sides. These include animals, numbers, shapes and patterns. It’s designed for babies from six to twelve months.
11. Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Stages First Words Puppy
This cuddly soft toy dog can teach a baby over 100 first words including colours, parts of the body, the alphabet and numbers. It’s basically like having a private governess. It’s for children from 6-36 months.
12. JoJo Maman Bébé rag doll
A soft rag doll with removable clothes, which is great for comfort and imaginative play. It’s not literally made from rags. This is JoJo Maman Bébé after all. There are a few different types of dolls to choose from and you can opt to have your child’s name embroidered on it for an extra £5. The maximum length is 11 characters, which will be very bad news if your baby’s name is Alexanderine.
13. 100 first words book by Edward Underwood
Another beautiful lift-the-flap book with 100 words for your baby to become familiar with. These include animal, farm and vehicle words as well as every day around the home ones. There are lots of first words books but I love the flaps and illustrations of this one.
14. VTech Little Star Activity Table
This activity table can grow with your child as it can also be used for sit-down, as well as stand-up play. They can play the piano (sort of)! Talk on the phone (kind of)! Read a book (ish)! There’s a lot to keep a child occupied including melodies and spinning things. It will also introduce them to numbers, colours, shapes and letters which will go some way to helping you to forgive the garish plastic. There is both an off switch and volume control.
15. Early Learning Centre Stacking Cups
Another very popular toy in my house. They are just simple stacking cups which can be nested inside each other or placed in a tower. But they have so many other uses. Numbers inside make them educational and there are also small holes meaning they are fun in water. They’re also good for little sand castles and hiding items in for ‘magic’ tricks.
I haven’t included any baby clothes on the list as they always feel like more of a present for the parent than the child and are outgrown so quickly. But if you want to buy baby clothes as a gift for another family, it’s worth considering a gift voucher to rent baby clothes. There are some lovely rental services starting to spring up, offering beautiful organic clothes. You can read all about them here:
If you’re looking for a gift for a baby under six months, there are some lovely toys here.
This list of baby toys has been narrowed down to the very best with thorough research and the following considered:
Consumer reviews
Best-seller lists
Recommendations from industry experts
Award-winning products
Personal experience and the products loved by other parents.
If you buy through a link, we may earn a small affiliate commission. 5% of profits are donated to UK Baby Banks to help parents in need of essentials.
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