30 Best Toys for 6-Month-Old Babies Who Are Always Learning
These gifts meet babies where they're at developmentally — but are also fun!
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When they reach 6 months old, babies have already learned so much. Chances are, by now they can explore items with their mouths, grab for toys they want, push up when they're on their bellies, blow raspberries and look at themselves in the mirror, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.
And according to The American Academy of Pediatrics says that toys that are brightly colored, help kids see the world from different positions (like sitting up or tummy time), mirror toys and cause-and-effect toys are just right for this stage.
To help your search, the Good Housekeeping Institute always does a deep dive, testing toys and gifts for kids of all ages all year. They look at safety and durability in the Lab, and also hand the toys over to the real experts — babies themselves — looking for feedback from parents about whether or not their babies liked the toys and how long the toys kept the kids engaged. The list of the best toys and gifts for 6-month-old babies is a mix of Good Housekeeping Best Toy Award winners past and present, editor's picks and bestsellers.
Ms. Rachel Official Speak & Sing Doll
Littles love Ms. Rachel, and now they can enjoy her songs without a TV or tablet. This doll is soft and huggable, and it also plays four songs and says more than 16 phrases. One Good Housekeeping parent tester said their child immediately started toting this around the house. “She especially enjoys the songs," the parent said. Ages 6 months+
This is designed to be useful as a baby gets stronger. At first, the padded top of the alligator is a comfy tummy-time spot that kids can lay on. As they grow, they can use their legs to kick, and it'll actually roll across the floor so they can get ready for crawling. Good Housekeeping parent testers thought it was an ingenious toy, and even liked that it had raised sides to keep kids from sliding off. Ages 4 months+
'Tummy Time: Farm' Book
Everyone appreciates getting a new book for storytime, but this one has a cute twist: The pages are designed to unfold and stand up on their own, giving babies something to look at during the all-important tummy time. "It’s great for bringing on the go,” one parent tester said. Ages 0+
These toys come in a set of three that have cool colors and they make fun rattling sounds when they're shaken. But the best innovation is the suction cups on the bottom: Stick them on a flat surface, and watch as the baby in your life tries to pull them off, working on their motor coordination in the process. Ages 6 months+
VTech Bopping and Cruising Baby Driver
Parent testers were wowed by the amount of features packed into this one toy: The steering wheel is squishy, the horn beeps, the gear shift moves, the pedals crinkle and buttons activate lights and sounds. The most fun thing about it is that it can attach to a stroller, which will really make them feel like they're behind the wheel. Ages 3 months+
Fisher-Price Mix & Learn DJ Table
This musical toy, a previous Toy Award winner, starts off sitting on the floor, so kids can use it during sitting or tummy time, and then legs can be added to turn it into a table as they get old enough to stand. The piano keys, level sliders and turntable lets kids play around with different musical sounds. And while it may not be key to a 6-month-old's enjoyment, parent testers really liked experimenting with the record-and-playback function. Ages 6 months+
GUND My Little Artist Plush Play Set
This set comes with a cute carrying case, a cuddly bear, and three tools that each have a sensory feature — be it a crinkle, a squeak or some other sound. Parent testers said that babies loved the noises, and older ones enjoyed putting the toys into the case and taking them out again. Ages 0+
Skip Hop Explore & More 4-in-1 Toy Walker
Who doesn't love a toy that's designed to last for years? This one starts off as a floor toy for a 6-month-old, and then it transforms to a walking push toy, then either a toy stroller or shopping cart. Parents appreciated the versatility: “I love that this toy can be used by both my 2 1/2-year-old and my 5-month-old,” one tester said. Ages 6 months+
When kids press the sun at the top of this toy's dome, the corn spins around and the kernels pop — it' s a little lesson in cause and effect. The ears of corn each have different, cute expressions on their faces, too. Ages 6 months+
Babies can bat at this toy to hear thinking bell sounds — and the rounded bottom means it'll wobble without rolling away. They can learn about cause-and-effect by shaking it to hear the musical sounds. It also comes in black. Ages 6 months+
Munchkin Float & Play Bubbles Bath Toys
This comes in a set of four see-through bubbles with characters inside. They float, they rattle and they'll keep babies entertained while they're getting all clean. Ages 4 months+
There's a lot packed in to one little tissue box: When kids pull out the fabrics of different textures, they work on their fine motor coordination, gain an understanding of object permanence and get to explore different sensations. Parents reported to us that babies were mesmerized, and loved the different feels to the tissues. Ages 0+
At 6 months old, babies find looking at themselves in the mirror a real novelty. This tented mirror can sit on the floor and be used as an incentive to push up on those arms during tummy time. The bee also rotates, and the ladybug's belly is a ball that can be rolled to show either a black surface or a white surface. Ages 0+
We already mentioned that 6-month-old babies still like to explore things with their mouths — and that's okay with this toy, because the straw is actually a teether. And when they swivel the straw around, the cup lights up in different colors and introduces kids to songs and phrases about a fruit of the same color. Parent testers liked the size of this toy, which was easy for little ones to hold and use on their own. Ages 6 months+
Melissa & Doug Fill & Spill Soft Taco
This soft, adorable taco shell is made of foam, and then fabric pieces can "spill" out of it and can be stuffed back in to act as the fillings. The fabric pieces have different textures and some crinkle, so kids can explore the different sensations. There are also two attached pieces that are textured as well. Ages 6 months+
As babies, kids will enjoy just putting the coins in the piggy band and listening to the sounds and phrases that result. As they get older, they can use this toy to practice numbers, counting and sorting — in both English and Spanish. Ages 6 months+
Edushape Original Sensory Balls Boho Chic Mega Pack
These balls are textured, which makes them a great sensory toy. They're also easier to grip in young hands, which is good for fine-motor coordination. Babies can hold the balls and feel the different bumps and grooves. As they get older, they can roll the bigger balls back and forth, and then eventually work on throwing and catching. They come in several colors, but our parent testers appreciated the neutral hues of the "Boho Chic" collection. Ages 6 months+
Kids can work on their shape recognition with this shape-sorter, which comes with six pieces and a double-sided sorter to store them in. Parents love that Green Toys' items are made from recycled milk jugs — and the fact that the whole thing can go in the dishwasher! Ages 6 months+
Eventually, kids love to engage in nurturing, pretend play with baby dolls, doing whatever they see the adults in their life doing. Until then, this baby is perfect for snuggling. It has a soft body and the face is printed on, making it suitable from birth. There's also a doll in a blue outfit, and both of them can be thrown in the washing machine. Ages 0+
Wimmer-Ferguson Learning Cube
The high-contrast black-and-white patterns on this toy are eye-catching to babies, so you can introduce this one even before the six-month mark. Each side of the six-sided cube has a different feature or activity, including crinkle paper, a bungee elephant trunk, a rattle, a squeaker, a textured teething ring, peek-a-boo flaps and a baby-safe mirror. Ages 0+
Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; previously, she wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her toy-collecting husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found helping out her team at bar trivia or posting about movies on Twitter and Bluesky.
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