The Best Newborn Toys, According to Parents and Experts

As a new parent, your tired mind may go blank when it comes to playtime with baby—but don’t fret. Lovevery has your back with curated, enrichment-focused play kits designed for shared play. Each Lovevery installment, of which The Looker Kit is the first, is designed to cover a two- or three-month period (in this case, baby’s first 12 weeks). The Looker includes a range of newborn toys and a play guide that lays out developmental milestones to look for and activity recommendations to help your child reach them. For all those reasons and more, it came as no surprise that it delighted our tester Niki and her 10-week-old baby.

As its name suggests, the Looker Kit is designed to engage a newborn’s powers of observation. That means plenty of black-and-white imagery, including high-contrast cards and a tummy time-friendly gallery in which to display them. “The contents of this kit is almost entirely black-and-white and designed with a newborn's limited range of vision and movement,” enthuses Niki. Coley suggests using the graphic silicone rattle for caregiver-led visual tracking play; simply hold the rattle about 8 to 12 inches away from baby’s face and jiggle it a little to get their attention. “Once they are focused on the object, you can move it very slowly from left to right,” says Coley.

The set also comes with black-and-white mittens intended to help your infant discover their hands and a trio of “sensory links” that crinkle, rattle and squeak. Niki told us that her baby “engages with the items in the kit on a daily basis for at least 5 to 10 minutes at a time,” giving them plenty of opportunities for brief play sessions together. “My daughter’s been known to flash a big gummy grin at the little wooden book in this kit, but few things bring her quite as much joy as the spiral-cut mobile, which hangs over her changing table and elicits a constant stream of gurgles, coos and caws,” shares Niki.

Niki notes that this set of newborn toys is expensive, but adds that “it feels like excellent value for the money considering that buying dupes of the full range of items piecemeal would cost a similar amount, if not quite a bit more.” She found everything in the kit to be well constructed and said they held up well despite daily use. “The inclusion of developmental guidelines and play suggestions make it especially worthwhile,” says Niki. The play guide provides useful reminders on what to expect during baby’s early weeks and suggestions on how to fill wake windows with a range of different play activities. “When you're juggling all the other challenges of new parenthood, the research-backed curation of a toy kit makes life just a little bit easier—and ease is something I'm happy to pay for,” she continues.

But what really seals the deal is that the collection is immediately accessible for newborns while still holding enough appeal for an older baby. “I can see almost all these items getting continuous use in our home over the coming months and even years,” concludes Niki.

Age range: 0 to 12 weeks | Batteries required: No | Assembly required: No

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Sensory play can be as simple as gently rubbing a soft texture against baby’s skin for them to feel. That’s one reason why we love B. Toys’ Fluffy Koko Koala, a lightweight lovey toy that’s perfectly designed for newborn cuddles. The security blanket features a friendly koala and even features a crinkly, textured leaf for auditory stimulation. “It's small and light enough for my newborn to hold onto and engage with (as opposed to a larger fleece blanket),” says Niki, who tested the lovey with her 10-week-old daughter. And the soft, fleece fabric offers baby a comforting sensory experience. “If I place it on her chest, especially against bare skin, she smiles, grabs it, occasionally sucks on it and seems to enjoy the sensation of it rubbing against her skin,” shares Niki.

Given that her daughter likes to put this comfort blanket in her mouth, Niki really appreciates the fact that this toy can be easily machine washed and dried. The new mom was a little skeptical that her newborn would be able to discern a difference (let alone have a preference) between this lovey and a burp cloth, but she said she was pleasantly surprised to find that her daughter formed an attachment to this toy. “She definitely recognizes the Koko enough to be soothed by it during meltdowns, and she seems to delight in its velvety texture and little crinkle feature,” shares Niki. Though it isn’t safe to put this (or any toy) in the crib or bassinet with your baby for sleep, Niki’s newborn loved interacting with the toy while hanging in the bouncer or “working out” in her play gym. In the earliest weeks, caregivers can offer the soft fabric and gentle crinkle without expecting baby to hold the lovey independently.

Age range: 0+ months | Batteries required: No | Assembly required: No

Some of the best baby sensory toys feature at least sound, light or texture—but the SmartNoggin NogginStik delivers all three. According to Dr. Phillips-Walker, “rattles with colors and textures can help children with tracking and thus develop their vision,” adding that toys that make gentle noises are also important, as they can foster language development. The SmartNoggin NogginStik checks both boxes as the light-up “face” and black-and-white base capture baby’s visual attention, while the gentle rattle sound engages their sense of hearing.

“Since my baby is just 4 weeks old, she is still not doing a lot of ‘playing’ or interacting yet,” says our product tester, Vikki. However, she found the rattle engaging and intuitive enough to use with her baby. Simply press the button to turn it on and shake the rattle to move through an array of glowing colors. Describing how she could use it with her daughter, Vikki says, “the NogginStik has the potential to stimulate visual tracking as well as spatial sound for her to follow.” Dr. Suskind agrees, explaining that newborns are able to follow gentle movements. “When playing with a toy that encourages visual tracking—like a mobile, a rattle or even your own face—slow and steady is the name of the game,” she says. “Because newborns are still developing their ability to follow moving objects, gentle, deliberate movements give them the best chance to succeed,” she continues. Her advice when using a toy like this is to slowly move it across baby’s field of vision and narrate the whole process. For example, you might say, “here comes the rattle—now it’s over here!”

In the earliest weeks, caregivers can hold and gently shake the rattle for baby; independent grasping and shaking come later. This infant toy was designed by an early childhood development therapist and comes with a guide for parents. The guide covers milestones from birth to one-year and suggests ways to play as baby’s skills emerge.

Age range: 0+ months | Batteries required: Yes | Assembly required: No

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“Bold high-contrast designs can draw and hold your baby’s focus well because they match newborn visual abilities,” explains Coley. She adds that “they can distinguish the differences between light and dark areas on a black-and-white plaything.” The Happy Start High Contrast Board Book emerged as a favorite among our testers, who liked its bold features and versatile fold-out design. “I loved that I could make it short or long (like an accordion) so it could be more of a traditional book or the spread out version,” says Presley, who used the book with her 5-week-old. “My baby was able to focus on the images very well,” she adds.

Presley found the book was most effective while her baby lay on his back or during supervised tummy time. “This toy helped with head and eye movement for us,” says the new mom, adding that she felt it gave her child the right amount of visual stimulation. “He was able to focus on certain images and wasn’t fussing,” continues Presley, noting that her son’s favorite picture was the astronaut. From a parent’s perspective, she loved how big and vivid the images were.

Thanks to the sturdy card construction and clever design, this can be used as a classic board book or you can fan it out. Once opened, it stands upright, giving baby something to look at during tummy time. “He didn’t interact with the book but was able to pick his head up and focus on it as I read to him or it was spread out on the floor,” says Presley, adding, “It kept him engaged for about 7 minutes!” To make the most out of playtime, she flipped through the pictures and described each image to her son, which he responded well to. Presley says “it was one of the only toys we were able to enjoy this early,” noting that they were able to increase the length of tummy time sessions while using the book.

Age range: 0+ months | Batteries required: No | Assembly required: No

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The Etta Loves Sensory Hanging squares give baby something to look at during awake outings or playtime at home. “I mainly use the Etta Loves Sensory Hanging Squares while my baby is on his back, in my arms, or during car rides” explains our tester and mom of a 5-week-old, Katelyn. She found the adjustable Velcro loops easy to attach and remove. Follow the stroller or activity gym manufacturer’s guidance when attaching them, and check your car seat manufacturer’s instructions before adding accessories.

Designed in collaboration with an orthoptist and scientific research partners, these Hanging Squares feature high-contrast patterns for baby to notice and follow. The black, white and red colors caught Katelyns’s newborn’s attention. “The high-contrast patterns really catch his attention and keep him engaged for 5 to 10 minutes at a time,” says Katelyn. She also found that he enjoyed watching them move. “He loves tracking the squares with his eyes as I move them side to side, but his favorite spot to play with them is in the car. He’ll stare at them the entire ride when they’re clipped to his car seat bar.” She goes on to say that “right now this is one of the only toys that truly holds his attention, and I think it’s a great option for early sensory and visual development.”

Katelyn also praised the Hanging Squares for being well made and easy to care for. “The fabric is soft and I’ve been able to throw them in the diaper bag, wipe them down, and they still look great,” explains Katelyn. As an added bonus, the squares are reversible. One side is geared toward 0- to 4-month-old babies, while the reverse features more intricate designs and a child-safe mirror for baby to explore as they grow.

Age range: 0+ months | Batteries required: No | Assembly required: No

Slow movement and bold contrast give newborns something to watch during awake play. Suskind suggests placing a high-contrast mobile above baby’s play area or changing station to offer opportunities for visual tracking. The Flensted Flying Swallows Mobile pairs black-and-white birds with red details and is designed to be viewed from below.

Product tester Niki has a background in interior design and was blown away by the beauty and functionality of this mobile. “This mobile features black-and-white swallows with red detailing. It’s exactly the sort of high-contrast imagery that’s recommended for newborns to gaze at to stimulate their eyesight and curiosity,” says Niki. And, unlike many nursery mobiles that are best viewed in profile, this one reveals its magic when you look up at it from below. The swallows themselves are made from thick cardboard, and Niki says “just the breeze generated by walking by it is sufficient to keep the birds lazily circling for hours on end.”

Of course, the most important reviewer of this mobile was Niki’s 10-week-old. “My daughter is obsessed with this mobile,” says Niki, who told us that she’s content to watch it almost indefinitely. “She tracks the swallows with her eyes and will turn her head to look for it when we move her around the room. It has interrupted meltdowns and provided much needed entertainment when doing household chores. We call it ‘baby TV’ in our house,” shares Niki. The new mom found it so engaging that she considered moving it away from the crib, where her daughter would watch it rather than nap. For awake viewing, hang it securely out of baby’s reach and follow the manufacturer’s placement instructions. This is a decorative mobile, not a toy for baby to handle.

This mobile is expensive and it’s certainly not the most robust baby item on this list—but Niki still felt it offered good value for money as her child got so much enjoyment from it. “This mobile is truly beautiful and has brought so much joy and magic into our lives,” she gushes. Niki rounded out her review by saying: “I love looking at it almost as much as I love watching my daughter look at it, and I feel good knowing that she’s enchanted by something that’s developmentally appropriate.”

Age range: N/A | Batteries required: No | Assembly required: No

This plush bear isn’t just a cuddly toy. Designed by Happiest Baby, the creators of the cult-favorite SNOO bassinet, it’s a white noise machine that responds to baby’s cries. The bear is equipped with the same white noise sounds as the bassinet, including a soft hairdryer, a slow shush and rain on the roof. It also includes three new comforting rhythms, all of which can be played for 30- or 60-minute intervals. Another highlight: Once baby settles down, the Snoo Bear continues to “listen” for three hours, and will begin playing again if crying resumes.

Our tester Caitlin found the SNOObear easy to use straight away. “Once it was opened it automatically had batteries in and we were able to turn on the white noise,” she says. Better yet, “our newborn is almost always instantly comforted [by] the bear,” the mom of three praises. Thanks to its built-in strap, you can easily hang it on a stroller or car seat for on-the-go calming—and for keeping close during cuddles.

Plus, Caitlin reported that the toy holds up well during playtime with her little ones. “This bear has been thrown, stepped on, pulled, kicked, etc. and has held up perfectly," she shares. It’s worth noting that this toy is intended for awake, supervised soothing, rather than naps or bedtime. The bottom line: Caitlin says the SNOObear is worth it. “White noise machines are expensive so the price for a teddy bear and white noise machine combined is not that bad,” she tells us. “It’s also very robust and should last a while!”

Age range: 0+ months | Batteries required: Yes | Assembly required: No

This soft pacifier holder combines a familiar soothing option with a gentle texture for baby to feel during supervised, awake use. The Dr. Brown’s Lovey Pacifier and Teether Holder features two Velcro loops on its paws, so it can securely hold baby’s pacifier or teether. Plus, its soft fabric gives baby something gentle to feel as they suckle or chew. “It provides comfort [and] functionality,” our tester Vikki shares. “It's very age appropriate for a one-month-old baby.” Her newborn isn’t grasping yet and didn’t reach for it, but Vikki appreciated its potential for longer use, based on her experience with her older child. “We also have the unicorn Lovey so we already knew we would love this one. Based on having a Lovey with my son, this will last for many months,” she told us.

The detachable pacifier makes cleaning and replacement straightforward: you can put it in the dishwasher, replace it with a fresh one or introduce an option better suited to baby as they grow. There’s also a well-sized gap between the pacifier and toy for proper airflow during self-soothing. Vikki found it “easy to clean” and shared that she’s “not worried about the toy coming apart with regular use and cleaning,” thanks to its durable stitching. Another highlight, of course, is that “the attached buddy makes it harder to lose [pacifiers],” a feature that Vikki loved. Keep the plush holder out of the crib or bassinet during sleep; detach the pacifier if offering it for naps or bedtime.

Age range: 0 to 12 months; (included pacifier: 0 to 6 months) | Batteries required: No | Assembly required: No

An activity gym gives baby things to look at during supervised tummy time as they practice lifting and turning their head. Mirrors and toys placed within view may help keep them interested, especially as not all babies are fans of tummy time. We’ve tested many activity gyms and play mats, but this monochromatic Gymini by Tiny Love emerged as one of the best, with our tester finding plenty of ways to engage her young baby.

Our tester Samantha, who used the Gymini with her 2-month-old baby, loved the size of the mat coupled with the variety of toys on offer. “[The] Gymini allowed her to play about five different ways,” gushes Samantha, noting that it kept her newborn entertained for up to 30 minutes. That doesn’t mean baby needs a long play session—brief periods guided by their cues are enough. The Gymini offers 20 engaging toys and activities for baby, including a toy arch, textured stuffed animals and a child-safe mirror. “She loved the mirror and it’s great since she can continue to play with it laying on either her back or her tummy,” shares Samantha.

Our tester was most impressed by how the variety of toys kept her baby interested during tummy time. “During our first use she was only able to hold her head up for about a minute,” says Samantha. “Now she can go up to 8 minutes at a time and I feel it’s due to the way there’s a good variety of toys to keep her distracted.” After using the Gymini for a week, Samantha felt that their play sessions had already improved her daughter’s neck strength a lot.

The Gymini quickly became a daily favorite for Samantha’s newborn. “As soon as my baby was laid under the bar she was entertained,” she shares. “She was very calm at first as there’s a few things she could stare at. But now she gets excited while laying in the Gymini and being reintroduced to the toys,” the new mom continues. Thanks to its large size and variety of activities, Samantha says, “I see my baby playing with this Gymini for up to 6 months, maybe even more!”

Age range: 0 to 36 months | Batteries required: Yes (included) | Assembly required: Yes

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Newborns can’t grab an Oball yet, but its light, flexible, easy-to-hold shape is simple for parents to place in baby’s palm, prompting a reflexive grasp. “I really love the design of this ball. Because it's so lightweight and has evenly spaced openings all over the surface it's incredibly easy to get baby to grasp it,” shares Niki, mom of a 10-week-old. The fan-favorite newborn gift comes in a variety of bright colors—including vibrant primary hues—to stimulate visual development. Parents can encourage tracking by slowly moving the ball back and forth, and Niki confirms that it’s “colorful enough to catch [baby’s] eye during floor time.”

As baby grows, the Oball offers more ways to play. One survey respondent, Jia*, told us: “I’ve started giving this with every baby gift because you can use it with so many ages.” Later, baby can practice holding it, passing it between their hands and rolling it during floor play. Once they begin crawling, they may enjoy following it too. And with a low price point to boot, you really can’t go wrong with the Oball; it’s no wonder it’s been considered one of the best baby toys for years. “At $5 this toy is a no-brainer. It's virtually weightless for taking on the go and seems quite well-constructed. I'd gift it to others and buy it for myself in a heartbeat,” agrees Niki.

Age range: 0+ months | Batteries required: No | Assembly required: No

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