The Tot Guide to Sensory Toys & Play for Babies – Birth to 12 months
When it comes to a baby’s cognitive and physical development, sensory play is an integral component. In this guide, we look at the benefits of sensory play, outline important developmental milestones and share our favorite non-toxic sensory toy picks!
If you’re looking for ways to help your baby’s cognitive and physical development, then sensory play is something you’re going to want to know about!
To help you fully understand the concept and find the right non-toxic toys for your tot, we’ll go over:
- What sensory play is
- The benefits of sensory play for babies
- Sensory play & developmental milestones – The First Year
- The best types of sensory toys for babies by age
Scroll down to learn more!
What is Sensory Play?
While sensory play will look different as your baby gets older each day, it’s essentially any type of play that helps a baby develop their eyesight, hearing, touch, taste, smell and sense of balance.
Examples of sensory play with a baby include:
- Playing peekaboo. (This shows a baby that even though they can’t see something, it still exists aka object permeance.)
- Encouraging them to touch and explore a multi-textured teether. (This helps them prepare for trying solids.)
- Filling up and dumping cups of sand. (This allows them to have a tactile experience with nature, while also honing their hand-eye coordination.)
- Dribbling water onto a color changing surface. (This demonstrates cause and effect.)
- Climbing on a Pikler Triangle. (This is important for developing a sense of balance.)
- Smelling scented play dough, flowers or food. (This provides a pleasurable or calming aromatic experience.)
All of these types of activities are designed to help your baby understand the world around them while helping their physical and cognitive development.
The Benefits of Sensory Play for Babies
The benefits of sensory play include, but are not limited to:
- Building important nerve connections between the body and the brain
- Developing both fine and gross motor skills
- Developing a sense of self and relationship with the outside world
- Ability to focus on an object and concentrate for a longer period of time
- Building confidence and problem-solving skills
- Demonstrates opposites such as: wet vs dry, smooth vs rough and hot vs cold
- Can be calming for anxious kids
- Can help a fussy eater overcome food texture issues
When done alongside active and open-ended play, sensory play will be an integral part of your child’s early learning and development.
Sensory Play & Developmental Milestones – The First Year
While it’s important to show your baby high contrast illustrations and help them touch and explore a range of textures and sounds from Day 1, babies don’t usually start grasping objects until around three months of age.
In the first few months of your baby’s life, it’s best to stick to lightweight toys (like a crocheted rattle) that your baby can easily handle and explore. You can also hang a mobile or toy over their play area for them to look and bat at.
Because it will take some time for your baby to gain the strength needed to reach for, grasp, shake, and bring an object to their mouth, it may not be until 6 or 8 months that they’ll be able to play with toys like balls, blocks and shape sorters, which allows them to use their imaginations and problem-solving skills.
Below is a breakdown of infant developmental milestones and when you can expect your baby to start hitting them.
By 3 months, your baby may reach the following developmental milestones:
- Stretch out their arms and legs
- Open and close their hands
- Raise their head and shoulders 45 to 90 degrees when lying on their tummy
- Support their upper body with their forearms
- Bear some weight on their legs and push down with their feet when held in a standing position
- Bring their hands to their mouth
- Swipe at objects
- Grasp and shake toys (but no reaching yet)
- Follow objects 180 degrees with their eyes
- Lift their head to look for sounds
- Begin to babble, coo, squeal and make simple vowel sounds such as “ooh” and “ah”
- Begin to imitate sounds, facial expressions and movements
- Smile at the sound of a parent’s voice
By 6 Months
- Hold their head steady
- Lift their chest and part of their tummy off the floor by bearing weight on their hands
- Roll over in both directions
- Sit with their back straight when propped up or begin to sit unsupported
- Bear most of their weight when held upright and they may even bounce
- Rock back and forth when lying on their tummy and they might start to push themselves backward
- Grasp and study small objects
- Be curious about objects around them and try to grab things that are out of reach
- Respond to their name
- Respond to sounds and express their emotions by making sounds
- String vowels together such as “oh” “ah” “eh” or try to copy your speech
- Enjoy playing, especially with their parents
By 12 Months
- Stand alone and attempt their first steps alone
- Walk with only one of their hands being held
- Sit down from standing
- Use their hands and fingers to feed themselves
- Explore objects in many ways, including, shaking, banging, throwing and dropping
- Start to use objects correctly, such as drinking from a cup or brushing their hair
- Turn book pages and recognize some pictures when they’re named
- Put out an arm or leg to help when getting dressed
- Follow fast-moving objects with their eyes
- Find hidden objects easily
- Say a few words, such as “mama”, “dada” and “uh-oh!”
- Try to imitate words you say
- Use simple gestures like shaking their head “no” and/ or waving “bye”
- Respond to simple verbal requests such as “pick up the toy”
- Repeat sounds or gestures to capture attention
- Be fearful in some situations
- Show affection
- Show a preference for some people and toys
The best types of sensory toys for babies by age
At The Tot, we never use or recommended anything that hasn’t passed The Tot Safety Test. This means we’ve looked deep into third-party testing, examined ingredients lists and asked in-depth questions about a product’s composition.
When it comes to toys for babies, we always avoid the following chemicals because they have been suspected to cause a variety of health concerns such as cancer, endocrine disruption, allergic reactions, brain damage and behavioral issues.
- Bisphenols (BPA + BPS)
- PVC
- Harmful Phthalates
- Added formaldehyde
- Pesticides + Herbicides
- Carcinogenic and allergy-inducing dyes
- Heavy metals
Click here for the full list of ingredients we avoid and why.
Scroll down to see our favorite Tot Tested and approved sensory toy picks for babies by age.
0 – 3 Months
PlanToys Mobile
Made from solid and sustainable rubber wood, the PlanToys Mobile is a great way to add style to your tot’s play space while allowing them to strengthen their eyesight and learn to focus on an object.
PlanToys Mobile
$25
The Tot Play & Learn Set 0 – 3 Months
Created by an early learning educator to specifically help babies reach important developmental milestones, The Tot age-based Play & Learn Sets include a booklet of teacher recommended activities as well as six non-toxic toys that can be played with in a variety of ways. Available in sets for 0 months to 6 years!
The 0-3 Month Set includes:
- HART + LAND Swaddle
- High Contrast Black and White Illustrations
- Sensory Ball
- Crinkle Toy
- Silicone Teether
- Interlocking Discs
- Booklet of teacher-recommended activities
The Tot Play & Learn Set (0 – 3 Months)
$120
EXCLUSIVE
Monti Kids Level 1 Infant Montessori Program
If you’re looking for a Montessori approach to your infant’s development, the Monti Kids Activity Gym is for you!
Monti Kids Level 1 Infant Montessori Program
$297
3 – 6 Months
The Tot Play & Learn Set 3-6 Months
The 3 – 6 Month Set includes:
- High Contrast Soft Book
- Rubber Ball
- Sensory Set
- Knitted Rattle
- Dumbbell Rattle
- High Contrast Stroller Cards
- Booklet of teacher-recommended activities
The Tot Play & Learn Sets (3 – 6 Months)
$120
EXCLUSIVE
HART + LAND Double Silicone Teether
Made of food-grade silicone and untreated, solid wood, the HART + LAND Double Silicone Teether is easy for little hands to hold, which means babies will be encouraged to reach for it, grasp it, and eventually bring it to their mouth to explore. It also does double time soothing sore gums!
HART + LAND Double Silicone Teether
$25
EXCLUSIVE
Available in more colors
Wee Gallery Explore Organic Playmat
Tummy time and play time on the floor is incredibly important for your baby’s development. We love the Wee Gallery Explore Organic Playmat because it’s made with soft chemical-free cotton and features high contrast illustrations that will help your baby learn to focus and track and object.
Once they’re older it can be used as a fun scene for small world play!
Wee Gallery Explore Organic Playmat
$89.95
Cheengoo Veggie Rattle Set in Market Bag
While Cheengoo’s soft crochet Veggie Rattles are fun to hold and play with, they also help babies prepare for solids by getting them used to different textures when teethed on.
Cheengoo Veggie Rattle Set in Market Bag
$40
6 – 12 Months
The Tot Play & Learn Set 6 – 12 Months
The 6 – 12 Month set includes:
- Shape Sorter
- Color Changing Bath Book
- Soft Teether
- Stacking Toy
- Maraca
- Baby Beads
- Booklet of teacher-recommended activities
The Tot Play & Learn Sets (6 – 12 Months)
$120
EXCLUSIVE
BabyNoise Egg Shakers
For an auditory experience that’s also going to hone hand-eye coordination and rhythm, the BabyNoise Egg Shaker Set is a must!
BabyNoise Egg Shakers
$18
Available in more colors
Alpha Baby Designs Colors & Shapes Flash Cards
We love the Alpha Baby Designs Colors & Shapes Flash Card Set because it can be used to teach shapes, colors and counting! A must-have for expanding vocabulary, you can take the activity further by having your tot draw a card and then go and search for items in the backyard that are the same color!
Alpha Baby Designs Colors & Shapes Flash Cards
$24.50
EXCLUSIVE
Dena Large Neon Rainbow
Available in different colors and sizes, the genius Dena silicone rainbow is an all-in-one stacker, nester, and teething set that provides fun from birth!
Dena Large Neon Rainbow
$49.99
Guidecraft Hide & Play Hedgehog Tissue Box
Guidecraft’s tactile discovery game will provide loads of fun for curious little minds. Once your baby is confident about reaching inside, you can even help them count the satin cloths, play peek-a-boo and more!
Guidecraft Hide & Play Hedgehog Tissue Box
$59.95
Lily & River Birch Wood Climber
When it comes to Pikler triangles, we can’t get enough of the birch and bamboo options from Lily & River. Designed to encourage babies and toddlers to use their natural instinct to climb, they help strengthen muscles while helping children develop their sense of balance.
Lily & River Birch Wood Climber
Ranging from $350 to $533.95
Available in more colors and configurations
Balu Organics Large Premium Ball Pit w/ 400 Balls
Balu Organics Ball Pits are a soft and tactile space for your baby to do tummy time and practice sitting up! Once they’re a bit stronger, you can add in the included balls for even more sensory fun.
Balu Organics Large Premium Ball Pit w/ 400 Balls
$289
EXCLUSIVE
Available in more colors and sizes
Swurfer Kiwi Baby Swing
Easy to hang on a swing set, under a tree, on the front porch, or even in your baby’s room, the Swurfer Kiwi Baby Swing will help strengthen your baby’s vestibular system, which is important for developing their sense of balance.
Swurfer Kiwi Baby Swing
$79.99
Continue exploring
- Looking for a baby or first birthday gift? Here’s The Tot Gift Guide for 6 – 12 Month Olds
- Raising a Montessori Baby? Here’s How To Encourage Independence From The Start