The Best First Toys for Babies to Help Introduce Playtime

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After months of imagining your sweet new human, they’re finally here and just as adorable and squish-able as you imagined. But if we’re being totally honest, they’re also very…boring. Babies don't do much if they’re not eating, sleeping, or pooping. It can also feel a little ridiculous to talk to them in a sing-song voice as they stare off into space with a constipated look on their face. It's like, I spent so long waiting for this kid—now what do I do with it? How do I play with this beautiful little lump? And what even are the best toys for babies?

In case no one has told you this yet, it's totally okay if playing with your newborn feels kind of unnatural. You’ve never done this before! And if you have, this will be a nice refresher on which toys to get your newest addition. It's important to remember that playtime will look different for every parent and child. There's so much pressure online to use every minute of a your baby's wake window with the perfect amount of stimulation so that they grow up to be tiny geniuses. In reality, all your baby needs is you just trying your best. The main goal is to foster connection with your child, so here's our list of first toys that can help you introduce playtime.

Play a cute game of peek-a-boo with this bright fish toy. It has hidden pictures underneath the scales, which also crinkle to keep your baby's interest. There's also a small mirror and squeak toy included within the fish to encourage tactile exploration.

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Wearable rattles are perfect for tiny babes that are learning to move their hands! The band is easy to fasten and gentle on their delicate wrists.

We love this adorable peanut butter and jelly themed toy to use at home and on the go. It has 6-pieces with varying textures that are great for sensory development. You can describe the steps of making a PB&J and even turn it into a rhyme or song during playtime.

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This is an adorable soft book with dangly feet that will encourage grasping. This is also a great way to inspire storytelling while bonding with your little one!

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Since babies have limited eyesight during those first few months, high contrast books help with their visual development. This one is a fun and easy to read story featuring different garden books. Try giving all the bugs different voices as you read for an added element of storytelling!

The Itsy-Bitsy Spider gets reimagined with this adorable cloth book. It includes attached pieces that crinkle and reveal hidden pictures to promote sensory development. You can even sing along and add your own hand motions when reciting the classic nursery rhyme.

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Play mats are a great all-in-one center for encouraging baby's development. This one includes nine removable toys and has plenty of space for tummy time activities.

More tummy time fun with this foldable baby mirror that has high contrast designs to keep their attention. Try naming your little one's facial features as they look into the mirror and see themselves.

This one's another take-along toy that can clip to strollers, diaper bags, and high chairs. Baby can pull the cone to reveal four super cute ice cream scoops, which vibrate when when expanded and play chiming sounds once it shrinks again.

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