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The Tot Gift Guide: Babies 6 – 12 Months

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.

Summer Land Writer & Author

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. 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

PlanToys First Stacking Ring

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.