Are you noticing that your baby is starting to get bored with your current assortment of toys?
Toys for babies 6-9 months need to be ones that encourage a whole new skill set.
I have been working with babies in early intervention for the past 10 years and will show you some of my favorite baby toys that encourage development in all areas.
Chances are your baby has been pretty content laying the last few months on the baby floor mat playing with an assortment of teethers and rattles.
They may have lost interest in those toys and are needing something a bit different to challenge them.
Having toys that your baby can play with in different positions is important.
Your baby is most likely sitting, crawling, and may even be starting to pull to stand.
Toys for infants 6-9 months will be a bit different than the toys you have for a younger baby.
They are also able to use their hands in a more controlled manner.
They can bring them together to hold and manipulate toys.
You can read more about 6-9 months motor skills here.
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Best Toys for Babies 6-9 Months
Sitting Baby Toys 6-9 Months
Does your baby love to play in a seated position? At around 6 months your baby may start to prefer this type of upright play.
You will always want to make sure that your baby has the support they need when sitting so that they do not fall over.
Giving your baby some support from behind is a great way to help them enjoy this position while they play.
Toys for 6 Month Old that Encourage Play in a Variety of Positions
My 6-month-old LOVES this lion walker toy.
She enjoys sitting in front of it and exploring the different buttons and balls with her hands.
One thing I love about this toy (you can check it out here) is it grows with your baby.
They can explore it in a seated position as well as standing.
It can also be used as a push toy for when they start walking.
Make sure your toddler is walking well before they play with this toy by pushing it.
It is not meant to teach your baby to walk.
Your baby needs support from you to learn to walk!
This is one of the best toys for 9 months because it allows your child to play in a standing position with you supporting them.
Click here to learn more about baby standing milestones.
Pros
- Allows for play in multiple positions
- Lot of parts to explore for fine motor development
- Easy to store
Cons
- The toy is a bit lightweight. You should supervise your little one closely when they use this toy for standing or pushing.
Toys for 6-9 Months that Encourage Fine Motor Skills
Stacking rings are another option to entertain your baby while in the seated position.
Toys for 6 month old babies should be ones that they can manipulate and explore.
This toy requires your baby to use their hand and eye coordination to remove the rings and place them back on which makes it a great toy for building fine motor skills.
It grows with your little one as they learn about size and color.
It becomes more challenging as your toddler learns to put the rings on in the correct order.
Pros
- Allows for play in seated position
- Lots of concepts to learn from it: size, color, on/off, etc.
- Does not take up much space
Cons
- Rings can get lost easily. Make sure to keep this toy together in a spot when your child is done playing with it.
6 Month Old Baby Toys that are Entertaining
Activity cubes are one of the best baby learning toys for 6-9 months.
It provides your little one with lots of different ways to learn while they are sitting, standing, or on their tummies.
The one pictured above has lots of options for fine motor practice for babies such as banging the xylophone or pushing the shapes on top of the cube.
As your baby’s hand movements become more controlled they can use the shape sorter or beading string for another play option.
Cognitive skills are worked on as there are many options for problem-solving.
You can take a closer look at activity cubes HERE.
Pros
- Allows for baby to play in multiple positions
- Skills are worked on in all domains
- Toy will grow with your child
Cons
- This is a bulkier toy that will take up more room and can be difficult to store
Top Baby Toys 6-9 Months for Fine Motor Development
Stacking Cups
Stacking cups are one of the best toys for 6-9 months old.
Why? because they are a very versatile toy!
You can use stacking cups in the bath tub to practice dumping and pouring.
You can use them to practice fine motor skills by stacking or using them as nesting cups.
They teach problem solving skills as your baby tries to nest one into the other.
You can also play hide and seek by placing toys under cups to encourage intellectual development.
They make lots of different varieties of stacking toys such as nesting octopuses (check them out here) which are a great option for tub time!
Pros
- Multiple functions including stacking, nesting, and pouring
- Teach cognitive skills such as colors and counting
- Small toy that is easy to store
Cons
- If you lose a cup you won’t have a complete set which will then make stacking and nesting the cups hard to do
Activity Tables for Babies
Activity tables can be a wonderful way to provide your little one with a learning experience from another position.
I use mine a lot if I am trying to finish something up in the kitchen or need to attend to my toddler.
Stand up toys for babies can be beneficial because they let your infant learn and explore in another position.
This is the one I recently bought for my daughter. It has been a big hit with her!
You can read all about how to find the best activity table for your baby HERE.
Pros
- Provides a different position for your baby to explore
- Easy entertainment for baby when you need to get something done quickly
- Many activity centers have multiple uses
Cons
- Make sure to limit the time your baby spends in an activity table or jumper. Too much time in these types of toys can have negative effects. Read more about that HERE.
Books for Babies 6-9 Months
Books teach babies so many things!
This is one of the best toys for 6-9 month old baby because they work on EVERY area of development.
Early literacy skills for babies are developed as your little one chews and grabs the pages in a soft book.
When babies are 6-9 months you can pick out books that are safe for baby to mouth and explore on their own (soft books like these work well.) If you are going to sit and read stories with your little one you can choose a sturdier board book (like this).
They even have books that you can clip on to your stroller that your little one can explore when out (like this one.)
Pros
- Encourages motor, language, social, cognitive, and language development
- Great to take with wherever you go
- Many books are easy to wash
Cons
- Some books can get ruined. Make sure you pick a book that is durable and appropriate for your baby’s age.
Baby Water Mats for Tummy Time
Did you know that tummy time is still important for babies 6 months and up?
Many people realize that tummy time is important for babies in their first few months but it is actually very important for older babies as well.
Why?
Because a baby being on its tummy is still a great way to strengthen muscles in the abdominal area that are needed for crawling, sitting, standing, and walking.
You could also get a smaller water play mat (likes this) to use while your baby is sitting up right at their high chair as well.
Pros
- Perfect for tummy time
- Engages fine motor practice
- Very entertaining
Cons
- There is a risk of water spilling from the toy if not properly plugged up.
Push Cars are Great for Babies
Want a versatile toy that your baby can play with in multiple positions?
Push cars are a great option for entertaining your little one during tummy time.
While they are on their tummy, push the car back and forth.
Your baby will most likely reach out for it and want to give it a try themselves.
This is also a great option for keeping your baby busy while they are in the high chair and you are prepping dinner.
They can watch how the balls pop and wheels move up close.
As your baby starts to stand this can be a fun toy to have up on the couch for them to reach for. They can push the car back and forth and see it from a new angle which can be very motivating.
There are lots of different options for push cars (my babies have loved these ones.)
This is a toy that your baby will get a lot of use out of.
Pros
- Great for encouraging tummy time and fine motor development
- Language skills can be worked on when making car noises
- Multiple ways to use cars in that are beneficial for different positions
Cons
- Some popper cars can be loud
Large Blocks
Your baby is starting to use two hands to manipulate objects and blocks are a perfect way to practice that skill.
Young babies can explore soft blocks with their hands and mouth them.
As they get older you can model for them how to stack them and knock them over.
There are many different types of blocks that would work well.
You can get ones with pictures like the ones above or rubber ones (like these) that are BPA free.
Pros
- Great for fine motor development
- Toy grows with your child
- Blocks with pictures or letters encourage early literacy skills
Cons
- Blocks can easily get lost if they are not properly stored
Toys for 6 month old babies can be a great gift. You may want to check with the child’s parents or get a gift receipt so they they have the option to exchange.
Choose toys that the baby will be able to play with for a while and will not grow out of too quickly.
Books for a 6 month old that are textured can be a really great gift that promotes learning.
All babies are different and will be interested in different toys.
You will want to present your baby with different items to see where their interests lies.
Toys that have bright colors or different textures are often times very appealing to that age.
You will also want to choose toys that allow them to play in a variety of positions such as on their tummy, sitting, and standing.
9 month old babies are often times interested in exploring as they become more mobile.
They also have very short attention spans so don’t expect that your baby will play with one toy for very long.
Keeping toys put away and then bringing them out for independent play times can be helpful to keep them interested.
Grab your FREE Milestone Guide HERE.
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Kayla O’Neill has a master’s degree in education as well as a bachelor’s degree in special education with an emphasis in early childhood education. She has been working as a developmental therapist with babies and toddlers in early intervention since 2012. She is also a mom with two young children.