The Best Toys for 5-Month-Old Infants, According to Families

Peekaboo never gets old, and this soft activity box turns it into a game to share with baby during supported sitting or tummy time. The colorful Ms. Rachel Surprise Learning Box is covered in flaps that reveal friendly faces and sweet scenes, while plush characters are tucked inside the box, encouraging baby to reach, grab and pull out the surprise. Caregivers can lift the flaps and help reveal the characters while baby’s hand control develops. In supported sitting, Tadros says toys like this “encourage movement in sitting rather than passive holding,” giving baby opportunities to reach while you provide support.

Hiding a plush friend and revealing it again adds a playful surprise, without expecting baby to search for hidden objects yet. At five months, babies are just beginning to realize that things still exist even when they’re out of sight. Plus, as your little one grows, those plush toys easily transition into props for early pretend play.

Age range: 3+ months | Batteries required: No | Assembly required: No

Laid flat, this soft barnyard playhouse becomes a tummy-time playground, with eight sensory surfaces baby can reach for and explore, including crinkly peekaboo flaps, squeaker toys, ribbons and plush toys to squeeze. Caregivers can introduce the little surprises as baby practices reaching: A hen tucks into her nest pocket, a peekaboo flap reveals a chick hatching from its egg and the cow can moo its way in and out of the barn. And the soft, fuzzy sheep? My sensory-loving daughter would love them.

Stand it up as a 3D barn, and it grows with baby into pretend play and, eventually, counting, thanks to the numbers on the sheep. To get the most out of it at this age, name each animal and make its sound as baby explores. Baby may not be mooing back for a while, but they’re listening, and your best barnyard impressions might earn a smile or giggle.

Age range: 3+ months | Batteries required: No | Assembly required: No

If you’re looking for an activity center that gives baby an upright view with their hands free to explore, but you don't have the space for a bigger setup, the Skip Hop Seascape 2-in-1 Activity Center is a great option. At about 25 inches square, it's more compact and budget-friendly than our three-stage pick, yet has plenty of the features we love, including a rotating seat that lets baby turn toward whatever catches their eye. The ocean-themed toys give little hands lots to reach for and bat at, with cause-and-effect fun at every turn.

The trade-off? The Seascape doesn’t convert into a toddler table. But it still grows with baby: The toys, including the crab rattle and light-up piano, are removable, so they can come off for tummy time or seated play. Later, the activity center supports standing and cruising play as your little one gets on the move.

Age range: 4+ months | Batteries required: Yes | Assembly required: Yes

Jingling your keys to entertain a baby is a cliché for a reason: The sound can quickly catch their attention. But at five months old, you don’t want to dangle anything in front of your baby's face that you wouldn't want them to grab and put in their mouth. The PlanToys Baby Key Rattle offers a version designed for infant play. This simple wooden rattle, shaped like a keyring with three keys attached, gives baby something to hold, shake and explore with their mouth. Shaking the ring makes the wooden keys clang together with a satisfying sound—an immediate response to baby’s movements. “They shake a toy, and the sound reinforces the movement,” Tyson explains.

It's a cute, simple rattle with potential for play beyond the five-month mark. My own toddler still loves grabbing her toy keys along with her play purse and my sunglasses as she waves goodbye and heads off to “work.” Plus, just like your own keys, they're small enough to take on the go, so you can keep a set in the diaper bag for outings.

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

If your baby's newfound love of “making things happen” includes splashing in the tub, these floating bubbles give them even more to discover (and might keep a little more water in the tub). When baby swats one, it bobs and drifts away, and when they give it a shake, the little toy inside rattles and spins.

Each bubble holds a tiny, eye-catching surprise, like a mini rubber duckie, seashells or a starfish, while a textured ring around the middle gives little fingers something to grip and explore. Try gently rolling one toward baby and watching together as the little character inside spins.

Age range: 4+ months | Batteries required: No | Assembly required: No

You love playing the “pick-it-up” game with baby—right up until you’re trying to finish dinner at a restaurant and the rattle hits the floor for the 12th time. This suction-cup toy helps keep the cause-and-effect fun right where baby can reach it. Its suction base sticks to smooth, flat surfaces like high chair trays or restaurant tables, so baby can bat, spin and shake while the base helps it stay put.

Every activity delivers a different sound: The flower jingles, the bee spinner clicks, the frog chimes and the rollerball rattles. Best of all, because it’s completely baby-powered and doesn’t require batteries, each sound responds to a movement rather than playing continuously.

Age range: 3+ months | Batteries required: No | Assembly required: No

With a textured surface and a shape baby can explore with both hands, this textured silicone ball offers different ways to play now and as baby grows. They can grip it with both hands, bring it to the middle of their body to turn it over, squish it and, of course, bring it straight to their mouth. “A 5-month-old might explore a sensory ball with their hands or mouth, but a 12-month-old can roll and catch the ball,” says Teague. It doubles as a teether and bath squirter you can use together now, and later, it becomes a stacking toy and a ball to roll, toss and bounce. No wonder it won a Red Dot Design Award in 2025.

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

At five months, stacking cups are less about stacking and more about discovering: grabbing them, turning them over, clacking them together and, of course, gnawing on the edges. And they’ll keep getting played with long after this stage, too. “A five-month-old can reach for, grasp, visually track, and bang a nesting cup,” says Teague. “An older child can build or knock down towers, release objects into the cup, or pour water from the cups in the bath.” That’s exactly how it played out at our house.

At this age, my daughter loved grasping her Mushie cups. A few months later, she was stuffing her play scarves inside them, and eventually, they found their way into the bathtub, which, admittedly, is where I had the most fun playing with them, too. Sarno also agrees bath time is when these cups really shine. “Baby can fill, pour and watch the water sprinkle out the bottom for an extra sensory experience,” she says.

For now, you can do the pouring while baby watches and reaches; filling and pouring independently can come later. The cups are made from durable, BPA- and PVC-free material in a soft, modern color palette, and they’re dishwasher-safe.

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

With a ring to grip in one hand and a set of colorful keys to grab with the other, these Nuby teether keys give baby plenty to turn and explore with both hands. Each key has a soft, textured top and a smooth, gel-filled bottom, so there’s something new to discover at every turn, plus everything is easy to bring straight to the mouth. Pop them in the fridge (not the freezer!) for a cooling sensation that may offer relief once teething begins.

Age range: 3+ months | Batteries required: No | Assembly required: No

This soft cloth book is a sensory adventure from cover to cover. The plush pages crinkle with every squeeze, while fluffy, smooth and wrinkly “cat tails” peek out from each page, just begging to be grabbed, tugged and gummed. That mix is exactly what 5-month-olds crave, Tyson says. "Smooth, ridged, and crinkly textures are stimulating and engage infants more around 5 months.”

This lightweight fabric design gives baby plenty to explore during supervised tummy time, supported sitting or storytime snuggled up with you. And if cats aren’t your thing, Jellycat offers a menagerie of animal-themed cloth books, as well as a collection of beloved stuffed animals.

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

This sensory toy by Melissa & Doug offers plenty to explore for inquisitive 5-month-olds. The oversized fish features a variety of crinkly, soft and shiny textures to touch and explore, plus an easy-to-press squeaker. Meanwhile, its bright colors and patterns capture baby's visual interest. Each fabric scale flips up to reveal a hidden picture underneath—giving baby a fun reason to reach, grab and lift during tummy time or propped sitting. There are also plenty of soft fins, tails and edges for baby to bring to their mouth for oral exploration.

These multisensory elements are among those babies this age may enjoy. As Teague explains, “Sensory toys that crinkle, squeak or rattle are generally preferred.” It’s a hit with parents in The Bump community, too—one mom praised it as "colorful, soft, easy to hold, lots of things to look at and explain to a baby.”

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

We’re always big fans of multi-use toys that give kiddos more than one way to play and plenty to explore! A clever combination of a snuggly plush bear and a soft, crinkly tummy time book, the Taf Toys Snuggle Bear Book is designed to both comfort and engage babies from early infancy right through this stage and beyond. Crinkle sounds, ribbons and fabric tags encourage hands-on tactile discovery whether baby is playing on their stomach, on their back or sitting with support.

The book is double-sided, featuring a high-contrast black-and-white pattern on one side and vibrant colors on the other. The attached plush bear has a friendly, embroidered face for snuggles during awake play when the book is folded shut, or acts as a weight to anchor the book upright on the floor. Propped up in front of baby, the built-in baby-safe mirror gives them a friendly reflection to push up and peer at. After all, as Tyson says, “Mirrored toys are fun for all ages.”

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

This Soothie pacifier comes with a lightly weighted plush attached, which offers a few perks: It gives baby a cozy friend to snuggle and explore during supervised, awake use, and the larger shape gives little hands more to grasp as they practice bringing objects to their mouth. It also acts as a built-in beacon for parents, since a plush toy is harder to lose between couch cushions than a small pacifier. For naps and overnight sleep, simply detach the pacifier from the plush—soft toys don't belong in the crib during baby’s first year.

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

It will be a while before your little one develops a taste for coffee, but this cup’s soft, chewable lid gives them plenty to gum on now! While you enjoy your morning mocha, baby can happily gnaw on their own mini-me cup, complete with rattling “coffee beans” inside that reward every shake with a satisfying sound.

The lightweight cup is sized for small hands to grip, shake and bring to their mouth, with opportunities to practice passing it between hands as their coordination develops. A soft loop gives them another spot to grab, and a friendly embroidered face adds an extra serving of cuteness.

Age range: 3+ months | Batteries required: No | Assembly required: No

The Lucy Darling Little Rainbow Sunshine Teether stands out from the rest of the brand’s collection. The cloud detail is covered in small, raised nubs, giving baby different textures to explore when mouthing toys. At the same time, soft silicone rings add a bit of extra visual and tactile interest. The thin, flexible food-grade silicone makes it easy for little hands to grip, hold and manipulate on their own—offering plenty to mouth and potentially soothing sore gums once teething begins.

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

If you're looking for fresh ways to play with baby, these activity cards offer simple ideas for face-to-face fun together throughout the first year. Each of the 28 cards walks you through an activity designed to encourage interaction, and a QR code links to tips from pediatric development experts, handy for a quick read before playtime. Just keep in mind that the cards don't include any toys, and since every baby develops at their own pace, treat the activities as inspiration rather than a milestone checklist.

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