The best learning toys for babies must also hold their interest and entertain them. After all, they won’t learn if they aren’t interested.
Babies process the world around them every second they’re awake and the right learning toys in their environment have a positive influence on their development.
Learning toys stimulate the senses, demonstrate cause and effect and help babies develop fine and gross motor skills.
Here’s some of the best learning toys for babies to help them further these skills.
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Best Learning Toys for Babies
Activity Cubes are Some of the Best Learning Toys for Babies
VTech Busy Learners Activity Cube Red
The Busy Learners Activity Cube by VTech will keep baby entertained long enough for mom or dad to make dinner and maybe even eat, too.
Each side of the cube has something eye-catching for baby to focus on. Plus, there are 25 songs, sounds and words to entertain and teach your little Einstein.
Some of the skills this toy helps to develop are:
- Gross motor skills
- Fine motor skills
- Cognitive reasoning
- Stimulates sight, hearing, and touch
VTech Busy Learners Activity Cube Purple
There is one more important thing parents adore about it – volume control!
Because there are so many interactions and it’s only about 6 inches square, the Busy Learners Cube is a nice go-to toy when parents need something quickly to keep baby busy. And it’s small enough to throw in the diaper bag and take in the car.
For all of these reasons (plus the great reviews!), this is our top pick of the best learning toys for babies. Also, as an online exclusive, it comes in purple!
Age: 6-36 Months
Best Learning Toys for Babies to Appreciate Music
Baby Einstein Discover and Play Piano
Baby Einstein backs up that smart-sounding name with all sorts of inventive learning toys for babies.
The Discover and Play Piano is a unique musical toy because babies can play with it in three different modes. Depending on the mode its in, that’s the sounds the keys make when they are pushed.
In numerical mode, it teaches melodies and numbers in Spanish, English and French.
In musical mode, babies learn the sound of the drum, violin and horn.
In animal mode, it plays the sound of a cat, dog and duck. You haven’t lived until you’ve heard Mary Had a Little Lamb in duck quacking!
Here are some of the learning and other features of this toy:
- Lights up to capture baby’s attention
- Automatic shut-off to save batteries
- Volume control
- Develops fine motor skills, language and cognitive reasoning
One thing you should know is the “keys” are fabric and not actually like piano keys. If you view the toy on Amazon, close-up, you can see what I mean. Some reviewers found that a drawback, but most of the other parents and babies loved this toy.
To see the Discover and Play Piano in action, here’s a popup video of a short review from another mom that you might find helpful.
Age: 3-36 Months
Baby Einstein is known for making some of the best developmental toys for babies. Here’s two more highly-rated baby toys in their line that encourage music appreciation in little ones.
Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes Musical ToyBaby Einstein Discovering Music Activity Table
Some of the Best Developmental Toys for Babies Don’t Require Batteries
Manhattan Toy Tree Top Adventure Activity Center
Many of the best learning toys for babies use sounds and lights to capture attention, so it’s nice to find one that’s equally engaging but without the external effects.
The Tree Top Adventure Activity Center is a beautiful and colorful toy filled with ways to keep busy hands occupied.
Babies and toddlers can push the beads along their tracks, open and close little windows, spin windmills, and move bugs and birds along paths.
With it being made all of wood, it will surely last even longer than the recommended age. Some of the skills it helps little ones develop are:
- Fine motor skills
- Hand-eye coordination
- Cause and effect
This charming, all wood toy is really a feast for the eyes. And bonus…it’s quiet!
Age: 12 Months – 5 Years
Activity centers are such versatile toys for babies! For more toys babies and parents love, check out our Best Toys for Babies 2017 Holiday Gift Guide.
Who Knew Baby Could Learn This Much from Sitting?
Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Chair
The Fisher-Price Smart Stages Chair was released last year and is a big hit with babies and parents!
It gives commands, plays songs and phrases, and teaches numbers and other simple lessons. There is a sensor in the seat so when the child sits or gets up, it activates different commands.
Another fun feature is the seat lifts up and there are hidden surprises in the compartment for baby to discover. It also has volume control and automatic shut-off. Here are some other reasons it’s on our list as one of the best learning toys for babies:
- Over 50 songs and phrases
- Parents can set level for age-appropriate games
- Teaches baby to follow directions
- Helps baby improve coordination
- Advances baby’s motor skills
- Helps babies recognize numbers, shapes, colors and words
I need a Smart chair to remind me of the thing I got up to get, but then forgot. 😀
Take a look at this popup video demo to see the Smart Chair in action and then check out the great reviews on Amazon.
This is a captivating learning toy for babies and toddlers at a really good price!
Age: 12-36 Months
Bumpy Balls are Among the Best Developmental Toys for Babies
Sassy Developmental Bumpy Ball
The award winning Sassy Developmental Bumpy Ball is full of interesting colors, sounds and textures for baby to explore.
The bumpy ball is just the right size for baby to hold, but small enough to throw in the diaper bag for on-the-go entertainment.
For such an inexpensive baby toy, this little thing encourages all kinds of developmental skills in babies:
- Tactile sensitivity
- Reaching and grabbing
- Stimulates and strengthens baby’s vision
- Rattle sounds stimulate hearing
This bumpy ball would be a welcome baby shower, Christmas or birthday gift for babies and parents.
Age: 0-36 Months
Happy Puppies Make the Best Learning Toys for Babies!
Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn Singin’ Storytime PuppyThe only thing better than hearing stories from mom or dad is hearing them from a charming puppy!
The Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn Storytime Puppy makes learning fun with his songs, stories and adorable movements. Babies can activate him by just pressing his paws. Here’s some more of puppy’s charming features:
- 40+ songs and phrases
- Teaches ABC’s, numbers, words, colors and more
- Weighted bottom for stable sitting
- Baby learns cause and effect
Take a look at the popup video below to see this little puppy in action.
His engaging voice and movements, plus the happy reviews of parents, put him on our list as one of the best learning toys for babies!
Age: 6-36 Months
You can take a look at the whole selection of Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn toys here. They have a ton of great learning toys for babies!
These Classics are Still Some of the Best Developmental Toys for Babies
The classic stacking cups, blocks and shape sorter toys stimulate baby’s vision with their bright, cheery colors. They also teach babies several basic skills:
- Stacking, sorting and matching
- Shape and color recognition
- Develop fine and gross motor skills
- Encourage problem solving
The spongy blocks on the left float and the stacking cups on the right have holes in the bottom for water drainage, so both of these are also great bathtub toys for baby.
These simple toys have been among the best learning toys for babies for a number of years and they are still priced right too!
Age: 6-36 Months
B. ToysOne Two Squeeze BlocksFisher-Price Stack and Blocks BundleThe First Years Stacking Up Cups
Best Learning Toys for Babies to Help Them Walk
VTech Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker
Speaking of learning toys that are priced right, the VTech Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker is a great deal! Not only does it have several learning activities for babies, but it also encourages them to walk.
Check out some of these other features that babies and parents are loving:
- 70+ songs, sounds and phrases
- Over 10 activities and games
- Has a keyboard for music appreciation
- Works on tile or carpet
- Removable activity panel for floor play
- Helps fine and gross motor skills
- Teaches cause and effect
- Teaches shapes, colors, numbers, animal sounds and more
Take a look at the thousands of positive reviews and you’ll see why this toy made our list of the best learning toys for babies. And did I mention the great price?
Age: 9-36 Months
Electronic Books are Some of the Best Learning Toys for Babies
The VTech Musical Rhymes Book is a best seller in learning toys. It contains six different written nursery rhymes, plus over 40 songs, phrases and melodies baby can listen to as she turns the pages.
There are also colorful buttons that teach musical instrument recognition. In addition to all the stimulating sounds, there are actions baby can take on each page, like peek-a-boo sliders and levers to turn.
The Musical Rhymes Book helps babies develop these skills:
- Fine motor skills
- Cause and effect
- Color and music recognition
- Cognitive reasoning
There is an online exclusive version of the VTEch Musical Rhymes Book in pink also. Both are parent favorites and at a super price!
Age: 6-36 Months
Babies are Aflutter Over Fifi the Firefly!
Fifi the Firefly doesn’t light up, but he sure provides lots of sensory delights for babies! The one pictured here is pink and purple, but you can select her brother Flit, who is red and green, if you want a more gender neutral firefly.
Here’s why little Fifi and Flit are among the best developmental toys for babies:
- Visual patterns help baby focus
- Jingles, squeaks and clacks engage baby’s hearing
- Lots of different textures to explore
- Includes a safe teething ring and mirror
- Attaches to stroller, car seat or high chair
- One side is black and white for very young babies
Parents and babies give these little fireflies a perfect score (check the reviews!) and they are priced so affordably, they would make great baby shower or Christmas gifts!
Age: 0-24 Months
Here’s a few more highly rated learning toys for babies from Lamaze.
Jacque The PeacockMy First FishbowlMortimer The Moose
Versatile Activity Tables are Some of the Best Learning Toys for Babies
Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Around The Town Learning Table
I love activity tables because they grow with your baby. While baby is small, he can play with it on the floor, but as he gets older, you can attach legs to the toy and baby can play with it while standing.
The Fisher-Price Around the Town Learning Table features fun town-themed activities, like visiting the market or the zoo. Each destination on the table has things to press and move and attention-grabbing lights and sounds.
Here are some more engaging features of this toy:
- Three play levels
- 120+ songs and phrases
- 4 town fun spots for a variety of interactions
- Volume control!
- Develops fine motor skills
- Promotes hand-eye coordination
- Shows cause and effect
- Teaches shapes, colors, numbers, animals and object recognition
All of these fun features come at a reasonable price, too! Babies and parents agree that the Around the Town table is a great addition to the popular Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn line of developmental baby toys.
Age: 6-36 Months
The Best Learning Toys for Babies are Good ‘Ole Cloth Books
Cloth books full of color, texture and crinkle noises are a delight to baby’s senses. I love them because they are small and portable – easy to keep in the car or a diaper bag for quick entertainment.
They are wonderful learning toys for babies and encourage these important skills:
- Visual focus
- Textile recognition
- Auditory and motor skills
- Cognitive reasoning
Lamaze (the makers of Flit and Fifi) and Melissa & Doug make some really excellent cloth books for babies. Here’s our favorites below, but you might want to check the whole selection of cloth books for babies for lots of others to pick from!
Age: 0-24 Months
Lamaze Flip Flap DragonMelissa & DougEarlyears Farm Friends
These top learning toys for babies will help your child reach her developmental milestones. We hope this list helps you choose the best learning toy for the special baby in your life!
More Ideas for Best Learning Toys for Babies