Toys Our Baby is Loving: 6-9 Months Old

If I were to make a true list of my daughter’s favorite things to play with these past few months, I’d have to include lots of non-toy stuff, like iPhones and TV remotes. Since my last post, she’s gained a keen interest in whatever the adults around her are regularly using. We actually tried getting her to focus on a phone teething toy instead of going after our real iPhones, but to little effect.

Mobility changes everything, it seems. She can now crawl around and loves supporting herself to stand. Few toys compare to the joy of beelining for any and every stable (or not-so-stable!) object to pull up on. At least for her, it’s all about practicing those movement skills at this stage. Still, she does have some favorite toys. Here’s what made the list for her between six and nine months old:

Sophie the Giraffe

I feel like anyone who knows someone with a baby knows about Sophie the Giraffe. This fancy French teething toy is on lots of baby gift recommendation lists. Honestly, for a while I avoided buying Sophie for that reason. It seemed like a lot of hype over a toy that resembles plenty of others on the market that are much less pricey. However, much like “Baby Shark,” Sophie turns out to be one of those mysterious and magical things that babies just adore. My daughter even has another nice squeaky toy with a similar texture that makes a similar squeaking sound to Sophie, but apparently it pales in comparison.

We have gone through one and bought another one already—I was a dummy and got water stuck inside one while cleaning it. Thank goodness our little one is none the wiser that the one she has is Sophie the Second. ($24.99 on Amazon)

Infantino Textured Multi Ball Set

We have had these balls for a while, but lately she is obsessed with them. The smaller balls in this set are the perfect size for her to hold and wave around without losing her grip. She likes having one in a hand at all times as she explores her little territory. Having her chase after them has been a good way to motivate her to crawl, too. Super cheap and simple but a big hit with her now at this stage. ($7.65 on Amazon)

Llama Llama’s Little Library

Llama Llama’s Little Library was given to us by a friend when my little girl was teeny tiny. We probably started reading the three books in this set to her when she was just a few months old. They may be her favorite due to exposure over time, but whatever the reason my daughter is a mega fan of any Llama Llama book. We have quite a few other books on the shelf in her room, but time and time again it’s Llama Llama that she goes after.

(Side note: She has an adorable new habit from daycare, which is moving back a bit before settling down on her tush the moment we open up a book. I definitely did not teach her to do that! It really looks like she’s getting ready to listen to us read to her. So sweet.)

We have a few other Llama Llama books, including the original, but Llama Llama Hoppity Hop from this set is her absolute fave. There are lots of fun actions you can act out, ending with a lovely “BIG HUG NOW!” ($16.86 on Amazon)

Toys Our Baby is Loving: 3-6 Months Old

As I’d been warned by friends with kids, the first three months with our newborn were purely about getting through it and figuring out what worked for our new family member. We were first-time parents staunchly in “survival mode.” The products we used the most during the newborn period were basically diapers, wipes, swaddles, pacifiers, and burp cloths. There wasn’t much in the way of toys. Our little one was too busy being upset about being in the outside world to pay attention to things dangling above her playmat.

Three months old was a turning point. She started to sleep through the night (with the help of the Merlin Suit), she grasped objects, and she developed a stronger neck that was better able to support her head during tummy time. Toys could now enter the picture in a more meaningful way.

Sleep-wise, we’ve since suffered through a steady series of setbacks, for various reasons. Meanwhile, the play side of things keeps evolving. She’s almost six months old and our little lady is having fun flipping around and engaging more deeply with the people and objects in her world. I have a feeling that crawling will come more swiftly than we expect. Eep!

The toys she’s enjoyed over the past few months are simple. As it happens, they’re inexpensive, too. Ultimately, it doesn’t seem to take much to capture a baby’s interest.

We have two 10-inch storage cubes basically full of toys, which is too many. To spare you from drowning in doodads, here’s what our girl has liked the most, roughly in order over time:

Wimmer-Ferguson Infant Stim Mobile To Go

This mini mobile clips easily to things like playmat bars, etc… When she was teeny tiny she didn’t really pay attention to it, but one day the lightbulb turned on and she was all about watching it spin! ($11.17 on Amazon)

Bitty Bite Bug Rattle

This little buddy may be her ultimate favorite! While small, it has a bit of everything going on: plastic bits, soft fabric bits, crinkly bits (the wings), and a rattle inside. There are lots of different sensations involved with this guy. We wound up buying two so we always have one with us in our diaper bag. It serves as a great distractor. ($5.99 on Amazon)

Atom Teether Troy

This is great for when they enter the phase of sticking evvveryything in their mouth. It’s softer and more flexible than it appears and makes gentle rattling sounds when it moves. ($8.99 on Amazon)

Freddie the Firefly

This is another one that she wasn’t so into when she was super little, but has been increasingly engaged with. Freddie’s kind of huge compared to her, so initially she wasn’t able to manipulate him that well on her own. Like the bug rattle, Freddie is a multifunctional dude. He has lots of bright colors, crinkly wings, hard plastic rings to grasp and chew on, and other little surprises. ($14.99 on Amazon)

Skip Hop Vibrant Village Activity Book

We have been unfolding and propping up this house-shaped toy during tummy time so the little one has something to look at. There’s a black and white high contrast side, a colorful side, and other cute bits included, like a stuffed bird in a pocket and a mirror. She is especially enamored with the side that depicts a little doggie taking a bath, for some reason. Hey, whatever works! ($14.99 on Amazon)

“Indestructibles” books

Books have been getting more and more interesting to our little lady over time. Initially, it was mostly about the cadence of our voices and the attention that comes along with being read to. Then she got excited by the pictures, too. Now there are two new elements: how they taste and feel! We read her these quick books and then let her grab and gnaw away on them to her heart’s content. They’re easily wiped clean and really do not tear. It’s amazing. ($5.95 each on Amazon)