The 28 Best Toys and Gifts for 6 Month Old Baby in 2023

Every item on this page was chosen by a Woman's Day editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

All recommended by an expert, parenting experience, or scores of reviews.

Babies are fickle creatures. Get them the wrong gift, and it'll be tossed aside to the corner of the room, never to be picked up again. Avoid that disappointment with one of these best toys and gifts for 6-month-olds. The following products — interactive toys, musical instruments, stuffed animals, and more — all come recommended by an expert, scores of Amazon reviews, or personal parenting experience. Before compiling the list, we wanted to consider where six-month-olds are at in their physical and mental growth, so we consulted a childhood development specialist.

"Six-month-olds are just starting to sit independently and get around by rolling or scooting on their bellies," Lisa Lohiser, Ed.D., Manager Early Childhood Development Research at the Fisher-Price Play Lab tells Woman's Day. According to Lohiser, babies at this age are beginning to comprehend action and reaction, meaning toys that showcase cause-and-effect are great for their growing understanding of the world around them. She also recommends toys for 6-month-olds with different textures (for touching and teething) as well as music and lights for a sensory experience. Overwhelmed? Don't be! Just pick one of the tried-and-true baby gifts ahead.

For more of the best baby gift ideas, check out our guides:

Best Baptism Gifts | Best Baby Boy Gifts | Best Baby Girl Gifts

This rather Seussian-looking object will help develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. It's easy to toss into a diaper bag and interactive enough to keep the little one busy for an entire car ride.

Meet Spike, baby's new favorite Ankylosaurus. This toy not only helps with grasping ability, the color scheme will help them identify and sort blue, green, yellow, and orange. (I speak from personal experience; my son cannot get enough of this little spiked dome.)

Repeat after me: Tummy Time is not negotiable. Baby needs to strengthen those muscles and this inflatable mat will have them mesmerized on the floor.

For a baby, a set of easy musical instruments is the best thing since sliced bananas. This set comes with literal bells and whistles, including a carrying bag. (Let grandma listen to the xylophone nonstop, right?)

Four farm animals walk into a barn and…well, there's a joke in there somewhere. These animals double as rattles that will improve little one's fine motor skills. They just so happen to live (happily) in this portable plush barn!

Fisher-Price's version of this classic toy improves on the original by adding an wobbly base so the baby will need to practice grasping the rings and holding the tower steady. Over 40,000 Amazon reviewers have given it five stars, meaning your baby will be thoroughly entertained . . . for at least five minutes!

Have you ever given a baby a tissue box? There goes five dollars. (Or, you know, whatever a box of tissues costs in your area.) This sensory toy gives them the same feeling of pulling tissue after tissue out of the box, only you can just refill it with the scarves. This one comes with 10 soft scarves and four crinkle papers, so baby can get the feel of different materials.

Montessori is all about discovery at a young age, and this three-item kit will help baby do just that. There's a spinning wheel to turn for new colors, a ball with textured fabrics, and a mirror so they can see their favorite person: that other baby.

According to Lohiser, this Learning Bot touches on four different areas of growth: gross motor, cause and effect, fine motor, and early academics. Perhaps most valuable of all, though, it encourages crawling by engaging with the baby then moving away. (I can personally attest that both my baby and my toddler were delighted by this toy.)

This activity cube has made it through both my children's grubby paws and come out impressively unscathed. The five sides all play to a different skill; some sides light up, others play music when buttons slide to the side, and some do both.

Teeth are just beginning to emerge around six months, and baby will need one or two (or 10) teething toys. Infantino's highly reviewed silicone teether comes in various "edible" shapes, including carrot, apple, corn, pea pod, and fruit kabob. It's easy to clean and freezable for extra soothing action.

This editor is Not a Doll Person, but Tikiri dolls are officially the least creepy baby dolls on the market. These handmade items come in various shapes and outfits, but all of them are made of soft organic cotton, so when baby does drop her, she won't make a sound.

For the baby just beginning to get comfortable in the water, consider a splash mat with a built-in backrest. This option, from The Original SwimSchool, also comes with stacking rings and a tower to help build dexterity while they're lounging. The most important part, though? That canopy for sun protection.

Never underestimate how excited babies and toddlers are by stacking cups. They're literally just plastic cups, yet they're so satisfying. This set is suited for the playroom or the bathtub, as they have holes on the bottom for draining water.

What baby doesn't need more shoes? This versatile set includes two pairs of shoes and two pairs of removable soles, making it easier than ever to change baby's footwear.

"These are such well made shoes and so cute too! Being able to easily transition from outdoor to indoor without having to completely take off the shoes is priceless with a toddler," writes one 5-star reviewer.

The Interactive Plush Dog, which comes in both "Sis" (pictured) and "Puppy" styles, encourages first words by voicing over 100 of them! Designed for children from six months up to 36 months, this five-star rated toy is ideal for kids just learning to speak. It just happens to be quite huggable.

There are some very innovative bath toys out there nowadays, but sometimes it's better to go simple. These little boats hold just enough water to keep afloat, and you can use them to rinse baby's hair.

Books are one of the keys to a healthy bedtime routine, and Sandra Boynton is the queen. The author has several box sets of board books, but I'm partial to this one because it contains The Going to Bed Book, an all-important tome in many houses.

To say we're a big Jellycat household would be an understatement. My kids love their soft stuffies, so much so that when my daughter chose a brown dog as her one and only "lovey," I stocked up on a second one and we switch them out when one is in the wash. This sheep dog is very similar in size and shape. Get one in a laying position, because this dog will eventually become a (well used) pillow.

This may be listed as a product for kids one year and up, but if your baby can sit, your baby will love this thing. We found one of these at a thrift shop and it's easily one of the most loved items in our playroom. It's one of those toys kids will play with for a while, forget about, then see with new eyes a couple days later.

After over a decade as a digital editor, Maggie Panos is navigating freelance writing and full-time parenting. She covered entertainment for POPSUGAR from New York and San Francisco before setting down roots in tree-covered Portland and focusing on local journalism. A self-proclaimed "okay baker", Maggie is interested in all things lifestyle — especially if those things involve Bravolebrities.

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