Are you stumped by the kinds of toys you should be giving your babe to get them engaged and excited? (and that gives you a break for five minutes?) While there’s no shortage of Amazon offerings, odds are if you peek into some closets and drawers around the house, the answers might lie waiting. “There’s no right or wrong way to play,” says Jennie Monness, mama of two and founder of Mo’ Mommies and Union Square Play. “For me, it comes down to what we want our children to get out of their play. Don’t we want them to be engaged rather than entertained? Do we want them to sit and watch when they play or immerse themselves in learning and fun?”
In a bid to curate the perfect go-to toy assortment, we asked Jennie to round up some easy play things you might have around the house, with the goal of raising curious, engaged babies. That means creating the right mix of toys and “non-toys” that encourage interactive and creative play. Peep her picks below.
The Ultimate Toy Guide for Babes Aged 0-6 Months, by Jennie Monness
A Metal Tray or Bowl
“So random I know, but what babies love about this is that nothing else in their play nook is shiny and reflective like this. It’s sort of a mirror like but sort of not, it’s shiny, reflects light and cool and smooth to the touch. They may not interact with it much until they are comfortable on their bellies or able to grasp the bowl, but once they can, you’ll see the magic. Add in a metal kitchen utensil as long as you have no zoom calls for some noise making!”
Giggle Spots
“What is so cool about these is that you can use them literally ANYWHERE. They come with tiny little velcro dots so that you can adhere the black and white photo on any surface. Some of my favorite spots are on the seat of the car where their car seat faces (i always feel bad they have to stare at the set and so this makes that more exciting) and on the wall by the changing table. Eventually your baby will love reaching and pulling them off the spot that they are adhered to and putting them back on.”
Hair Rollers
“My favorite toys are non toys, that’s because there’s something about real life objects that just intrigue babies more than soft plush toys. Everything is soft and plush but not everything rolls, has tiny holes in it and is easy to pick up and stick their tongue through. That’s what a hair roller does! A baby who can sit up will even try to nest them through one another seeing what fits and what doesn’t.”
Oball
“This is one of the first toys I recommend introducing to a baby. It’s because its allows for an “Accidental grab” with all the holes in it. So even before a baby has developed the ability to intentionally grab an object, they can intertwine their fingers in this and hold it. Put a cloth napkin through it if the rolling away is frustrating for your baby who can’t crawl yet.”
Water
“There’s something about water that intrigues and calms young children. If you add water to a bowl and put it in front of your infant, they’ll love splashing, dipping and swishing it. Even put some down on a baking tray while your baby is on their belly and watch as they smack the water.”
Silicone Cupcake Tray
“It’s like a tray of buttons! Babies love buttons and they’ll also love mouthing this. You can even sprinkle some water in each ‘button’ for exploring.”
Skwish
“Similar to the oball a baby can grasp and hold this more easily. It also makes the most lovely noise as the wood clangs against eachother. I also appreciate that the noise is visible unlike a rattle where a baby has no idea why or what is making noise, a baby can see that the wood beads sliding against one another is making noise (once they are old enough to notice this).”