Gifts & Toys For Babies 6–12 Months: The Tot Gift Guide
Around six months of age, babies begin to babble, bat and sit-up. By 12 months, they may be waving, standing and thinking about taking those first steps. To help the 6 – 12 month old baby in your life continue to think, grow and explore – here’s our list of gift ideas that we absolutely love.
Wondering what to get that special baby in your life? While we know it’s tempting to go for tiny costumes, sneakers or hats, in reality babies need things that hit the trifecta: fun, fashionable and most importantly, functional.
The milestones a baby hits between 6 and 12 months enable to them to start interacting with the world around them. To help show you how to provide support, encouragement and the right kind of toys & gifts, we’ll go over:
- Child development at 6 to 12 months
- Chemicals to avoid in baby toys
- The best toys and gifts for 6 to 12 month olds
Scroll down to learn more!
Child Development at 6–12 months
Stronger vision means a 6–12 month old baby is able to do things like recognize faces, reach for toys and track pictures in a book. When a baby begins to recognize faces, they’ll often start showing affection, babbling and understanding what different facial expressions mean. Books are a great gift idea because they help develop a baby’s vocabulary, portray emotions and provide a nice bonding experience.
Stronger neck and back muscles enable babies to master sitting-up, crawling and eventually walking. While babies often hit these milestones in different ways and at different times, there are things you can do to aid and encourage them. Gifts like standing play centers, play mats and walkers can be safe spaces for them to strengthen leg, back and core muscles. Gifts like rattles and teethers are also useful because they can be placed in front or nearby for babies to reach for.
Stronger muscles also means better hand-eye coordination. Providing toys like stackers and sorters are a fun way for babies to learn shapes and colors, while honing their motor skills. When babies learn to do them correctly, it can also build their confidence. Another fun activity is getting a baby to simply clap their hands, wave bye-bye or blow a kiss.
Perhaps the most exciting thing to happen between 6 and 12 months is the introduction of solid food! While some may do baby lead weaning and others purées, all parents should encourage feeding independence and provide non-toxic dinnerware like silicone mats, bamboo bowls and cups that are free of BPA, PVC, phthalates and other endocrine disrupting chemicals.
Chemicals to Avoid in Baby Products
One of the issues with baby toys is that most of the toys end up in your baby’s mouth….which is fantastic because it’s how babies explore their world.
BUT this is why you must be aware of WHAT the toy is made of.
At The Tot, we never use or recommended anything that hasn’t passed The Tot Safety Test. This means we’ve reviewed third-party testing, examined ingredients lists and asked in-depth questions about a product’s composition to ensure it doesn’t contain any of the ingredients we avoid.
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.
The Best Toys and Gifts for 6 to 12 month olds
Whether you’re shopping for the holidays, looking for a ‘just because’ present or need a first birthday gift, here are gift recommendations we know every 6 – 12 month old will love.
- Baby walker
- Indoor ball pit
- Wooden music toys
- Ball tap game
- Baby/Toddler Swing
- Pima cotton footed bodysuit PJ
- Crochet rattles
- Costume
- Soft book
- Play mat
- Play tent
- Stacking cups
- Sensory blocks
- Custom wooden name blocks
- Ride on toy
- Stocking stuffer gift set
Scroll down to see the options we’ve pulled for each of these gift ideas and shop below!
Wonder & Wise Baby Activity Walker
The engaging baby walker from Wonder & Wise helps babies find their feet while helping them learn shapes, numbers, animals and more!
Wonder & Wise Baby Activity Walker
$99
Balu Organics Medium Premium Ball Pit w/ 300 Balls – Grey
The thing we love about the Balu Organics Ball Pit is that your baby will love playing in it well into toddlerhood!
From 6 to 12 months, the pit can be used as a mat for tummy time, playtime or a soft place to learn to sit up. As they get older, they’ll love jumping, throwing, collecting and diving into the balls!
Balu Organics Medium Premium Ball Pit w/ 300 Balls – Grey
$229
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Available in more sizes and colors
BabyNoise Wooden Egg Shakers
Fantastic for encouraging musical play, hand-eye coordination and rhythm, the BabyNoise Wooden Egg Shakers will keep little hands busy all day!
BabyNoise Wooden Egg Shakers
$18
Available in more colors
Janod Toys Pure Tap Tap Xylophone
A must-have for honing hand-eye coordination and demonstrating cause and effect, the Janod Toys Pure Tap Tap Xylophone adds an element of musical play for more sensory fun!
Janod Toys Pure Tap Tap Xylophone
$27.99
Solvej Baby/Toddler Swing
Made with child-safe materials such as hemp, which does not require the use of herbicides or sprays to cultivate, the Solvej Baby & Toddler Swing offers both a fun and calming way to engage your baby! The best part: it can be used both indoors and out.
Solvej Baby & Toddler Swing
$220
Available in more colors
HART + LAND Bay/Toddler Pima Cotton Footed Bodysuit PJs
Made from pima cotton that’s free of flame retardant chemicals, pesticides and harmful dyes, the ultra soft HART + LAND bodysuit PJs are cute enough for play dates, but also cozy enough for when sleep time calls!
HART + LAND Pima Cotton Footed Bodysuit PJ – Bugs
$40
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HART + LAND Pima Cotton Footed Bodysuit PJ – Watermelon
$40
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HART + LAND Pima Cotton Footed Bodysuit PJ – Banana Leaves
$40
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Cheengoo Bunny Teether
Made from pesticide-free 100% bamboo viscose yarn and non-toxic dyes, the Cheengoo Bunny Teether is safe & soothing to teeth on as well as fun to play with!
Cheengoo Bunny Teether
$18.59
Aeromax Baby/Toddler/Big Kid Jr Firefighter Suit
Imaginative play just got a whole lot cuter thanks to Aeromax! It doesn’t matter if you need a Halloween costume or simply want to indulge your tot’s love of space, this Jr Flight suit is exactly what they need!
Aeromax Baby/Toddler/Big Kid Jr Firefighter Suit
Ranging from $29.95 to $63.95
Wee Gallery Friendly Faces In The Wild Book
Easy for little hands to hold, the Wee Gallery Friendly Faces In The Wild book is strategically designed with high contrast illustrations to help strengthen a baby’s eyesight and ability to focus.
Wee Gallery Friendly Faces In The Wild Book
$16.95
Toki Mats Lunar Phases Play Mat
The Toki Mats Play Mat will be a much loved soft space for your baby to lay and play! This adorable Lunar Phases print is just one of many original prints to choose from!
Toki Mats Lunar Phases – Classic Insert
Ranging from $165 – $275
Available in more colors and sizes
Babai Play Tent
The Babai Play Tent is fun for babies and toddlers to play in, read in, rest in and best of all – imagine in! Available in three colors, it adds style and functionality to any space.
Babai Play Tent
$129.99
Available in more colors
Mushie Stacking Cups
Mushie Stacking Cups are a new take on a classic toy. Featuring cutouts and shapes on the bottom, they can be used for stacking, water play, sand play, dough play and more!
Mushie Stacking Cups
$14.99
Mushie Stacking Cups – Retro
$14.99
Available in more colors
Miniland Sensory Balls
The Miniland Sensory Balls set is a fun way for babies to work on their cognitive development by letting them touch and different textures and colors.
Miniland Sensory Balls
$41.98
Modern Blocks Custom Name Blocks
A toy that does triple time as decor and a family heirloom? Yes, please!
Gift giving is extra special when you can add a personal touch which is why we love these personalized name blocks from Modern Blocks!
Modern Blocks Custom Name Blocks – Natural
Ranging from $8 to $72
Available in more colors
Baghera Twister Ride On Toy
Ride on toys are a must-have for gaining important gross motor skills and coordination. The Baghera Twister is great because it can be used inside and out!
Baghera Twister
$150
Available in more colors
THE TOT STOCKING STUFFER GIFT SETS
If you’re looking for stocking stuffers, you’re going to want to know about our stocking stuffer gift sets! Designed with age, interests and price points in mind, there are loads to choose from!
THE TOT STOCKING STUFFER GIFT SET 0 – 2 Years
$50
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THE TOT STOCKING STUFFER GIFT SET 0 – 2 Years
$100
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THE TOT STOCKING STUFFER GIFT SET 0 – 2 Years
$100
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THE TOT STOCKING STUFFER GIFT SET 0 – 2 Years
$200
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Continue exploring
- Love coordinating your looks? Visit The Tot Family Matching Shop!
- Is your baby babbling yet? Find out 5 Ways to Encourage Language Development in Young Children.
