The Best Toys to Boost Your Baby’s Development in the First Year

A mother’s role does not end with feeding, changing clothes, or ensuring her newborn’s health and hygiene. From the very first days, she also plays a key part in stimulating her child’s senses and supporting the development of intelligence. While genetics provide the foundation, environment and early training strongly shape a child’s abilities and skills. Choosing the right toys during the first year is therefore essential. Each toy should serve a purpose—not only entertaining but also enhancing growth and learning.

Dr. Fatina Abu Al-Yazid, a pediatric growth specialist, outlines the most suitable toys for babies from birth to one year, divided into four stages:

From Birth to 3 Months

• Hanging crib toys: to encourage eye tracking.

• A soft rattle: easy for little hands to grip and bring to the mouth.

• Sensory ball: to hold between fingers.

• Black-and-white cards: to strengthen early vision.

• Teething rings: especially for babies who show signs of teething early.

From 3 to 6 Months

• Activity cube: sparks curiosity.

• Advanced rattle with handle.

• Small fabric books: introduce textures and visuals.

• Teething toy with a soothing surface.

• Baby rocker: stimulates balance and brain development.

• Stacking rings: excellent once the baby begins sitting.

From 6 to 9 Months

• Soft cotton blocks.

• Stacking cups: also encourage crawling by placing them at short distances.

• Rolling toy animals (e.g., a duck on wheels).

• Soft baby phone with buttons and sounds.

• Bead maze: develops hand-eye coordination.

• Simple puzzles with 4 pieces: introduce problem-solving.

From 9 to 12 Months

• Simple musical toys (drums, tambourines): help auditory development.

• Shape sorter: improves recognition of shapes like circles and triangles.

• Push walker: strengthens standing and walking skills (different from sit-in walkers, which can be harmful).

• Activity board: with buttons, switches, and textures.

• Small puzzles with shapes, animals, or letters.

• Hammer toy: develops motor skills and cause-effect learning.

By selecting age-appropriate toys at each stage, mothers can transform playtime into a powerful tool for boosting intelligence, curiosity, and essential developmental skills in the first year of life.