Looking back at my daughter’s first year, there are a few toys that deserve a little extra credit. These are the ones we kept pulling out, packed up to bring with us, and found new ways to play with as she got bigger.
Some helped us through tummy time. Others bought me enough time to eat dinner while it was still hot. Honestly, both are pretty big accomplishments.
URMYWO High-Contrast Soft Baby Books
Thank you Honey Bear (Amazon Affiliate)She loved these when she was just a few weeks old, and she still likes looking at them now. We had a handful of high-contrast toys, but these were the winners in our house. The bright colors really caught her attention.
I personally have Honey Bear to thank for several hot meals during that first month. If you’ve eaten most of your dinners with one hand while holding a newborn, you understand how much that means.
We used these during supervised play in the pack and play and on the floor for tummy time. Once she got bigger, she could hold and explore them herself. These would absolutely be on my list for a friend welcoming a baby.
Melissa & Doug K’s Kids Flip Fish
Fish has had a good run in our house. At first, she mostly stared at it. As she got older, she started grabbing it and exploring all the different textures.
The colors are beautiful, there’s plenty to touch, and the little pictures give us lots to talk about together. It’s been fun watching her go from looking at it to actually playing with it.
Glub Glub (Amazon Affiliate)Melissa & Doug Ocean Tummy Time Triangle
This one has been a favorite from a few weeks old all the way to one year. It started as something interesting to look at during tummy time, then became something she wanted to reach for and touch.
Now? It mostly gets worn as a hat.
Apparently, that’s the next stage of play, and I’m here for it. I also love that it folds down so small. It’s easy to tuck away or bring along, and we’ve gotten so much use out of it. A solid 10/10 for the first year.
Get your hat... I mean Tummy Time Triangle today! (Amazon Affiliate)Bright Starts Lots of Links
The simple toys really do stick around the longest.
We’ve used these to attach other toys, link together, and give her something to hold and explore. As she gets bigger, there are more ways to play with them, too—taking the links apart, grouping colors, or adding them to whatever else she’s doing.
They’re easy to overlook next to the bigger toys, but ours have gotten plenty of use.
Find your Links here (Amazon Affiliate)Bright Starts Oball Easy Grasp Ball
This little ball has been such a good buy. The openings made it easy for her to grab when she was first learning to hold things, so it got plenty of use early on.
Now we roll it back and forth, and she chases after it. I love that something so simple has stayed interesting through so many changes in how she plays.
Roll on over and get yours today (Amazon Affiliate)Baby Einstein 4-in-1 Kickin’ Tunes Play Gym
This might be a hot take, but this is my favorite kick mat. Yes, even without the purple monkey song or a beautiful muted color palette.
What won me over was how compact it is. It was easy to move around, and I appreciated that it didn’t take over a huge section of the floor. Once she outgrew lying underneath the toys, the piano still gave her something to play with on its own.
And my favorite detail: there’s a mode that plays a single note with each kick. Sometimes that’s all you want! Fellow moms who prefer a little less noise, you get it.
Play your next tune together (Amazon Affiliate)The Toys That Actually Made the Cut
These are the toys I think of when someone asks what we actually used during the first year. And Honey Bear, if you’re reading this, thank you again for the hot dinners.