The Best Developmental Toys for 4-Month-Old Babies

At this age babies love to reach out and grasp things, and this crinkly calamari is the perfect toy to satisfy that urge. This plush toy has long tentacles that baby can wrap their hands around and each one has a different texture for added sensory stimulation. Better yet, it features a child-safe mirror on the underside that baby can look up at when it’s clipped onto a car seat or stroller handle. As an expectant parent I would be delighted to receive this travel toy for 4-month-olds and, judging by the feedback we saw in our community, many other parents agree with me.

Age range: 0+ months | Batteries required: No

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The toy is designed to grow with your child, from tummy time to sitting upright through toddlerhood. But four months was definitely the sweet spot and a perfect time to introduce this interactive, brightly colored play piano gym. “A friend gifted this toy for our first baby, and my boys (four years old and 17 months old) still enjoy it,” says mom of two, Christine C. “We love the engaging songs—I think I sing “Maybe you could be a purple monkey in a bubblegum tree” in my sleep,” she continues.

“I love how babies could kick at the piano keys or reach for hanging toys, encouraging them to use their arms and legs together, which enhances coordination,” says Christine. And she’s not the only one—we got more recommendations for this toy from parents in our community than any other single product. Our survey was full of praise for the way it engages babies during tummy time. And our product tester Rachel M. was also full of praise for this activity mat. “It transitions through all stages of your baby's first year from the earliest sensory development with contrasting colors and patterns, to older babies learning their words, shapes and colors,” says Rachel.

Age range: 0+ months | Batteries required: Yes

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At 4-months-old, baby probably enjoys reaching out to grab their toys. But grasping objects is a skill that needs to be developed. Enter: The Oball Shaker Toy. This rattle is shaped like a dumbbell and has large finger holes that are easier for infants to grip onto. “The ends of this rattle make it easy for their little fingers to hold onto it,” confirms mom of four Jennifer W. “As a result, this rattle was actually the only rattle that my baby was able to hold onto herself for more than a few seconds at a time,” she continues.

The central column is clear, so baby can see the rattle beads moving around inside. “The colorful beads on the inside make a soft rattle sound when shaken, which can help baby learn cause and effect,” notes Jennifer, explaining that the muted sound isn’t too loud or overstimulating for young babies. These thoughtful yet simple design features promote motor skills, encouraging baby to grasp and shake to stimulate multiple senses. One mom who responded to our survey told us how the Oball Shaker Rattle helped promote motor skills, saying her son “used to catch his fingers in the end and grab on and now has developed the ability to grasp the middle of the rattle.”

Age range: 0+ months | Batteries required: No

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Let’s be real: If you’re a parent or caregiver of a little one, you’ve probably heard of Sophie La Girafe. For over 60 years in France, it has been a wildly popular teether, perfect for soothing your 4-month-old. Mom of three and product tester Caitlyn said her son’s face would light up every time he saw his Sophie and it quickly became his go-to toy. “I believe this toy is perfect for [the] 4-12 month age range when tactile exploration curiosity is high as well as teething,” explains Caityln, noting that it was easy for her son to hold and gum on.

Sophie la Girafe is made from natural rubber and food-grade paints, so it’s perfectly safe for infants that like to explore with their mouths. The toy’s soft, lightweight body is easy for baby to grasp and chew and her contrasting spots are stimulating for baby’s developing vision. And with multiple chewable parts—including her ears, horns and legs—she’s perfect for soothing sore gums. I’ve bought countless friends a Sophie as a baby shower gift and now that I’m expecting my first child it’s a toy I’ll definitely add to my wish-list.

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Age range: 0+ months | Batteries required: No

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At this stage of development babies can see most colors, but they’re likely still drawn to bold, monochromatic visuals. Wee Gallery Art Cards are a set of six reversible cards with striking black and white beautiful images of animals printed on laminated boards that are sure to stand up to baby’s handling. “Each card is double sided and features two black and white images, for a total of 12 images,” explains product tester Jennifer W.

The cards are generously sized and have rounded edges to foster safe play. “My baby enjoyed looking at these cards during tummy time,” shares Jennifer, who noted that the images were visually stimulating and held her baby’s attention. “We just laid a card on the ground in front of her, or sometimes propped it up on a pillow so the card was at an angle,” says Jennifer. Beyond tummy time, you can use them to grab your 4-month-old’s attention when they’re wiggling during a diaper change.

Age range: 0+ months | Batteries required: No

Reading to baby from an early age is the best way to encourage language development. Plus, it’s a great way to bond with your little one. This soft cloth activity book by Melissa & Doug is safe for the youngest of readers and offers plenty of hands-on fun. According to our product tester Caitlyn M. this book was great at keeping her son entertained on car journeys or while he sat in his high chair as she prepared meals. “This book keeps him entertained for around 20 minutes and during this time he will turn the pages, play with it and chew on it,” says Caitlyn, noting that it quickly became one of his favorite toys to play with.

“I appreciate the soft texture and plushness of the pages as well as the pull out design elements that make it easy for him to grab,” says Caityln, adding that she feels confident letting her baby play with it independently due to the child-safe construction. And safe to say her son loves it too! “He squeals when looking at this book and I believe it is helping both physical and cognitive skills for his age,” shares Caitlyn.

Age range: 1+ months | Batteries required: No

This plush discovery cube offers six sensory delights in one. Each face of the cube has a large black and white image as well as a different interactive element. “The learning cube definitely captures my baby's attention and entertains her,” says mom of one, Niki A-G. Our tester used it with her child during tummy time and said it kept her infant daughter engaged for 5 to 10 minutes at a time.

Baby can touch and explore textured fabrics, lift-up flaps and colored ribbons. “It’s soft and relatively lightweight, with various flaps, pockets and other interactive components,” says Niki. This activity toy even has a child-safe mirror, which is a huge asset at this age as 4-month-olds love to gaze at their own reflection. Our tester and her little one loved that it offered so many different modes of engagement. “She smiles when I play "peekaboo" with the crinkly elephant ears, and likes to gaze into the mirror,” shares Niki.

Age range: 3+ months | Batteries required: No

With over thirty-million sold worldwide, Baby Einstein Take-Along tunes packs a big punch for a portable little baby toy. Parents and babies alike love the colorful and easy-hold design that plays ten different songs for baby to groove to. With its interactive button that baby can press to change the melody, your little one will learn cause and effect in no time. This toy was enormously popular in the home of Daniel C., e-commerce director for The Bump and dad of one. As he tells us, “This was the first toy my daughter ever danced to. 'Dancing' at that age meant waving her arms up and down, but she knew she could hit the button and get music, and she loved it.”

Age range: 3+ months | Batteries required: Yes

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Between 4 and 5 months old, babies begin to reach for objects (and faces!) The Itzy Bitzy Sweetie Rattle features a sweet-faced bear with an easy-grip textured handle that your 4-month-old will want to reach for—the bear toy’s soft, hollow top with a gentle rattle inside encourages baby to reach, grab and hold on. One mom told us that her son “can grab it, shake it and chew on it. I think he likes the face on it as well.” Soft silicone is easy on tender gums, and this lightweight, easy-grasp design makes it perfect for this developmental milestone.

Age range: 3+ months | Batteries required: No

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Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar is one of those classic baby books that is a staple in every child’s library. At this point, between both kids, I think we have at least four copies, and one of them is the soft book version. Daniel has a shared experience, telling us, “This is one of those stories that will be with your family for years.” And while introducing baby to board books is wonderful, there’s nothing quite like a soft book with crinkly interactive colorful play pages. A textured teether, mirror, and squeaker add to baby’s exploration through touch.

Age range: 0+ months | Batteries required: No

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Munchkin’s lightweight easy-grasp boats in vibrant colors attract babies' attention, stimulating visual development and encouraging them to reach out and grip the boats—plus, these adorable stacking toys make water play so much fun, kids love splashing around while practicing their motor skills by grabbing the toys. I love that they are easy to clean and mold-resistant (an absolute must for water toys).

Age range: 4+ months | Batteries required: No

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Roger Priddy’s First 100 Word, is a wonderful book to encourage active listening with your four-month-old and beyond. When it comes to books and games, Kristen Miller, director of education for Celebree School, prefers options with realistic depictions of animals and people—and this book definitely fits the bill. As you read to baby, emphasize the pronunciation of each word and point to the object to help form a linguistic link in your child’s mind. This simple, inexpensive book is not only a fun one, but a wonderful learning tool to promote attentive listening, even at a young age.

Age range: 0+ months | Batteries required: No

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If you don’t already own a play gym or activity mat, this one by SkipHop is a great investment. Mom of five Payton R. used it with her youngest child and said it helped support her baby as she slowly increased her upper-body strength. “I love that this play gym comes with a tummy time pillow to help support her and teach her neck strength so she can look around,” says Payton. Our tester also appreciated the muted color scheme and the high-quality construction of this activity gym. “I love that this play gym is a more neutral tone toy for both genders, also just very calming,” says Payton, adding that the structure of the wooden bars was another great feature as they weren’t at risk of toppling over. It comes with five toys and can be used for overhead play, tummy time and seated play, depending on your child’s age and stage of development.

Age range: 0+ months | Batteries required: No

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