The 6- to 9-month stage is one of my favorite baby stages. Around this age, many babies are learning to sit, reach, grasp, roll, scoot, crawl, and explore the world around them in new ways.
As a pediatric occupational therapist and mom of three, I always look for baby toys that are fun, purposeful, and supportive of development. At this age, simple toys that encourage movement, fine motor skills, cause and effect, sensory exploration, and problem-solving can go a long way.
Below are some of my favorite developmental toys for babies 6 to 9 months, along with the skills each one can help support.
Key Takeaways
- Babies 6 to 9 months are often working on sitting, reaching, grasping, rolling, scooting, crawling, and exploring.
- Developmental toys can support fine motor skills, visual-motor coordination, cause and effect, sensory exploration, and early problem-solving.
- Simple toys like blocks, stacking toys, and activity cubes can encourage meaningful play.
- Always check the manufacturer’s age recommendations and supervise your baby during play.
- Floor time and caregiver interaction are just as important as the toy itself.
Related: Baby Milestones Month by Month
Best Developmental Toys for Babies 6 to 9 Months
After using toys like these with patients and my own children, these are some of my favorite picks for supporting development through play.
Note: Always check the manufacturer’s age recommendations for each toy, inspect toys regularly for loose parts, and supervise your baby during play.
1. Peek-a-Boo Elephant
I dare you and your baby to play with this toy without smiling. All three of our kids played with this one, and it’s one of my all-time favorites. Babies at this age are beginning to grasp object permanence, which means understanding that people and objects still exist even when they can’t see them. Because they are beginning to understand that things and people do not disappear when they’re not immediately visible, games like peek-a-boo are incredibly fun.
This elephant toy is interactive; his ears flap when he sings and plays peek-a-boo. I promise you, your baby will love this one. And you’ll love it too!
2. Soft Blocks
Yes, blocks. As an OT, I carried my blocks everywhere I went. They are wonderful toys for 6-9-month-olds that help build a baby’s visual-motor skills. Babies love learning to stack blocks, and during their toddler and early childhood years, they will learn to replicate structures with blocks. They are basic toys, but every kid needs a set of blocks.
I like this set because it features bright, engaging colors and pictures. Plus, unlike traditional wooden blocks (which I also love), these lightweight plastic blocks are slightly softer, so when a baby learns how to stack a tower, the blocks won’t hurt them if they topple over.
Related: Baby Vision Development by Age: Newborn to Infant
3. What’s Inside the Box
As babies increasingly explore their environment, they learn about all kinds of things by touching and feeling. All this time spent exploring their environment helps develop an essential life skill called stereognosis. It is the ability to recognize an object by touch without visual or auditory information.
Imagine how often you reach into your purse or diaper bag looking for your keys, phone, or another object and can locate it based purely on your sense of touch. This toy helps foster that skill, and your 6- to 9-month-old will love it.
When a baby is very young, they will love to pull toys out of the box, and you can help them label them with their names, like “car” or “flower.” Babies can reach into the box and tell you the name of the item as they expand their language. As your child ages, you can play a more advanced version of the game by having them reach in and name the object before pulling it out of the box.
4. Spinning Stacker
Stacking rings are a classic toy, and I’ve always loved this “spin” on the original concept. This stacker features six double-sided gears that spin onto the pole as they drop. At this age, babies can understand the concept of cause and effect and are working on their fine motor skills. This toy is excellent for both of these areas and for visual-motor coordination. At the start, you will need to help your baby place the gears onto the pole, but eventually your baby will learn to do it and play with it again and again!
5. Baby Marble Run
This is not your typical marble run with small parts that pose a choking risk for babies. Instead, this marble run features larger balls that roll and drop between the levels to entertain them.
At 6-9 months, babies can open their hands to drop toys. When your baby is a newborn, they cannot fully control their hands, so when they grab something, they hold on tight until their hand opens randomly. But now that they’re older, they have more control over when they let go of objects, making this type of toy the perfect fun activity for your 6-9-month-old. (Note: This specific one is for ages 9+ months.)
Related: When Do Babies Start Grabbing Things?
6. Crawl-Along Toy
I’m a big fan of tummy time; at 6-9 months, some babies are ready to crawl and can move around on the floor. This toy rolls around and encourages them to chase it for fun, gross-motor play. We saw this firsthand when Baby Chick’s Editor-in-Chief’s daughter started crawling while trying to reach her own crawl-along toy. This one features music, sounds, and lights, and includes four languages for learning shapes, numbers, and colors.
Related: When Do Babies Start Crawling?
7. Tissue Box Toy
Who knew pulling out tissues could be so much fun? If you’ve ever been around a baby, you know they love to take things out of containers. This is a fundamental skill for a baby to learn: the ability to grasp something and release it. Eventually, they will also learn to put them back in, but for now, they are really into the “take out” game.
This toy features a soft box full of lightweight scarves and sensory crinkle paper. Baby will love taking out the fabric, and you can even show them how fun it is to throw lightweight scarves and watch them float back down. They will learn the difference in properties between the thicker crinkle paper and the scarves, all during play! This one is sure to be a favorite.
8. Simple Activity Cube
Activity cubes and activity centers are so beneficial for learning through play. At this age, babies may still be a bit young for standard activity cubes, but this more basic one is perfect for this age group. It has basic push-button features and is small enough for your baby to sit and play independently. This is one of the best toys for 6-9-month-old babies to learn simple cause and effect and fine motor manipulation.
9. Smart Stages Puppy
This toy was another favorite of our household. Learning body parts, early language concepts, shapes, colors, and counting are important skills that begin developing during infancy and toddlerhood. Songs are a great way to introduce new ideas to kids; the songs this puppy sings are fun and engaging. Many babies enjoy returning to this toy as they learn new songs, sounds, and concepts.
At 6 to 9 months, babies are becoming more independent in how they explore their environment. Many are learning to sit up, reach, grasp, transfer toys between hands, and use both hands together during play.
This kind of bilateral hand use helps babies learn to stabilize an object with one hand while manipulating it with the other. Toys like blocks, stackers, activity cubes, and sensory boxes can support those skills while keeping play simple and fun.
At every stage, play is one of the best ways to connect with your baby. Developmental toys can be helpful, but your attention, encouragement, and interaction are what make playtime truly meaningful.
