The Best Toys for 2-Month-Olds
Newborn babies snooze a lot—but by the time they hit the two-month mark they’ll likely be a little more alert during the day, so it’s the perfect time to introduce play to your routine. But how do you entertain baby when they’re still learning how to hold their own head up? With toys of course! The best toys for 2-month-olds help refine baby’s blossoming motor skills and satisfy their newfound need for social interaction. You never know, the right toy may even elicit baby’s first smile.
Not sure what to look for? Read on to discover expert tips and safety considerations to keep in mind when shopping for your little one, then browse our favorite developmental toys for 2-month-old infants.
In this article:
What are the best toys for a 2-month-old?
What to look for in toys for 2-month-olds
Best toys for 2-month-olds
The best toys align with baby’s abilities. At 2 months old, baby is going through a period of rapid growth and development. According to Jana Sarno, BCBA, a board-certified behavior analyst and the chief clinical officer of Hopebridge Autism Therapy Centers, communication skills begin to develop around this stage. You’ll notice baby looking up at your face, turning their head toward your voice and calming down when you speak to them or hold them. They may also begin to coo and make sounds beyond a simple cry. To that end, Sarno recommends creating a language-rich play environment for your little one: “Read to them or describe their day. Use different inflections and voices to stimulate their senses,” she suggests. “This is how they’ll learn about what’s going on around them.” To help you with this task, stock up on high-contrast board books, flash cards, puppets and musical toys. Remember that pretty much anything can serve as a toy at this age—it’s all about how you interact with it. For example, while baby is too young to grasp a rattle, you can shake it from left to right to encourage visual tracking skills. Here are a few other milestones typically reached by infants at this age:
- Baby may begin to smile at people
- Briefly bringing their hands up to their mouth to self-soothe
- Begins to follow things with their eyes, and recognizes people at a distance
- Makes smoother movements with their arms and legs
- Holds their head up when lying on their stomach
Kristen Miller, director of education for Celebree School, a nationwide franchise, reminds parents that every child develops at their own pace. Of course, if you have any concerns about baby’s progress, reach out to your pediatrician.
As baby’s skill sets progress, it’s important to provide them with age-appropriate toys to help them grow socially, emotionally and physically. Here are a few expert-tips to help you choose and use the best toys for 2-month-olds:
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Natural materials. When it comes to toys, Miller advises focusing on natural materials—think wood, natural rubber and even silk—in order to introduce baby to different textures.
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High-contrast colors. At 2 months old, baby’s eyesight is not yet fully developed. Both experts recommend toys that feature high-contrast colors like black and white, as this color palette is engaging without being overstimulating. “Simple pops of color like red and orange sprinkled throughout black and white can get their attention too,” adds Sarno.
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Choose playthings with realistic characters. It’s natural to gravitate towards cute cartoon characters or whimsical illustrations. But Miller suggests adding a few books or toys with realistic depictions of people, animals and vehicles to your toy box; in the long run, this will help baby recognize these objects in real life.
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Narrate playtime. Babies don’t need a lot of toys, but what they do need is human interaction. As you play (or simply get on with day-to-day tasks), speak to baby in a soft tone of voice and describe each action that you take. “Talk, read, make facial expressions—and have fun with it!” says Sarno.
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Supervise playtime and check that toys are age-appropriate. Always check the manufacturer age guidelines for toys, and don’t give baby anything that’s too advanced for their stage of development. It’s also important to supervise baby while they play, and never leave them unattended on an elevated surface.
Ready to start your search? From cushy play mats for tummy time to crib mobiles, rattles and more, browse our favorite toys for 2-month-olds below.
Light-up rattle
Encourage baby’s eye-tracking skills by shaking a rattle back and forth. Sarno likes this option by SmartNoggin. Designed by early childhood experts, it has a light-up head that changes color from red to blue to green with just a gentle shake or tap—perfect for holding your little one’s attention during tummy time. Other elements we love include an easy-to-grasp handle, soft rattle sound and child-friendly mirror on the base.
Learning cube
Here’s another expert-approved toy for 2-month-olds: The Wimmer Ferguson Learning Cube. Designed to engage baby from birth, this soft cube has a different sensory activity on each side. According to Sarno, the ribbons and crinkle paper help infants learn about various textures and sounds, while the high-contrast pattern supports visual development.
Play mat
Tummy time encourages baby to lift their head and strengthen those head, neck and shoulder muscles. According to Miller, the best play mats are designed with soft colors and textures, and often feature a baby-safe mirror. Our top pick is the Play Gym by Lovevery. A multi-year Best of Baby award-winner, this mat has five different play zones and is safe to use from the newborn days right through to toddlerhood.
Soothing interactive toy
How about a cuddly pal? The Fisher-Price Calming Vibes Hedgehog plays 10 minutes of gentle music and offers calming vibrations to soothe your little one. Although it’s suitable from birth onwards, it’s important to note that baby should never sleep with stuffed animals or other soft furnishings for safety reasons.
Teething toy
The black-and-white stripes on this sensory toy zebra will instantly captivate your little one. The plush lovey also boasts multiple textures, including teething-friendly feet that baby can safely gum on.
Soft book
Soft, textured books make great tactile toys for 2-month-olds. This pick by Jellycat has a soft plush cover, colorful illustrations and tons of crinkly fins, shiny tails and squiggly tentacles to touch and explore.
Flash cards
Since baby can’t move around and physically explore their environment yet, they experience the world through sight and sound. That’s why we love these flash cards by Wee Gallery. The monochrome cards clip onto a stroller or diaper bag and help prompt active conversation on daily walks, while running errands or any other time your mini is watching the world around them.
Developmental toy set
It may be pegged as a newborn toy set, but this pick by Monti Kids actually supports infants up to 3 months of age. Designed to support visual development and grasping strength, this set includes a crochet ball, wooden rattle, silicone teether, cotton rope basket, mirror and card stand and a wooden book filled with realistic depictions of baby animals. In other words, everything you need to play with a 2-month-old.
Hand puppet
Hand puppets offer yet another great way to communicate through play. Slip this blue giraffe puppet over your hand and tell a story or use it to narrate an imaginary conversation with baby. It’s made from GOTS certified-organic cotton yarn and doesn’t have any dangerous loose parts. Oh, and when it gets a little mucky, you can pop it in the wash.
Tummy time toy
The Flip Fish by Melissa & Doug has earned a spot among the best toys for 2-month-old babies. Why? This multi-sensory toy is the perfect addition to tummy time. Bright colors and a friendly face will instantly attract baby’s eye, but it’s the crinkly scales, squeaker tail and hidden mirror that’ll maintain their attention.
Bath toys
Bath time is a wonderful way to bring play into everyday life. The warm water alone offers plenty of sensory stimulation, but add a couple of bath toys to the mix for an extra splash of fun. This set by Tikiri Toys is made from organic natural rubber, and is heat-sealed to prevent mold growth. Better yet, the toys have a built-in rattle and double as teethers.
Crib mobile
Next up is another toy for 2-month-old infants from the Wimmer Ferguson collection. This crib mobile has interchangeable graphic cards, meaning you can change up the pattern as baby grows. Start off with the monochromatic design, then move onto the colored patterns in red, blue and yellow.
Sound machine
The sound machine isn’t technically a toy, but it’s a great way to soothe baby on long journeys or at home. The portable white noise machine has six soundtracks including ocean waves and pure white noise. It comes in a few cute animal designs, and has a padded fabric cover constructed from chew-safe materials (because babies are liable to put anything in their mouths). The best part? You can also play your kiddos favorite tunes via Bluetooth, or connect it to the WavHello VoiceShare app and record your own voice singing, shushing or reading a bedtime story. Genius!
Car seat toy
Need something to keep baby occupied on the go? This activity toy for 2-month-olds should do the trick. The clever spiral design easily attaches to a car seat or stroller and has four dangling toys that baby can look up at and eventually reach for.
Musical plush toy
Baby still can’t do much at 2 months old, but they love to watch and observe. Sit this soft and cuddly elephant in front of them, and watch their delight as it gently flaps its ears, sings a jaunty tune and plays a game of peek-a-boo.
Classic baby book
Take a trip down memory lane with this book inspired by the classic Eric Carle tale: The Very Hungry Caterpillar. It features bold illustrations, crinkle pages, a textured teether and a clip for attaching to stroller or car seat.
Soothing crib toy
Baby may be a little more alert than they were a month ago, but let's face it they still spend a vast portion of their day asleep. That’s why we like this soothing crib toy by Baby Einstein. It attaches to most crib railings and offers a 25 minute light and sound show, so your little one can set sail for a night of sweet dreams.
High contrast book
Books are a go-to gift at any age, and this high contrast board book is perfect for a 2-month-old. It’s filled with simple yet realistic illustrations of animals rendered in black, white and a selection of bold primary colors. As you read the book to baby, test out some animal noises to make story time more engaging and fun.
Wrist rattles
To support motor skills and sensory exploration, Sarno says parents can put wrist rattles on baby, which make sounds as they kick and move their legs and arms. This pair by Infantino can be worn on the wrists or ankles, and have built-in teethers for infants. Another fun way to incorporate music and movement is to dance with baby by moving their arms and legs in time to popular nursery rhymes like “Wheels on the Bus” or “Pat-a-Cake.”
Pacifier toy
Last up on our list of the best toys for 2-month-olds is this sweet paci by Wubbanub. The silicone pacifier is attached to a soft plush animal that baby can cuddle. Plus, the nipple is BPA- and phthalate-free and has a rounded tip to encourage a natural latch.
About the experts:
Kristen Miller, director of education for Celebree School, is a leader in early childhood education.
Jana Sarno, BCBA, is a board-certified behavior analyst and the chief clinical officer of Hopebridge Autism Therapy Centers.
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