Baby Toys (0–12 Months): Rattles, Play Gyms & More

Baby toys accompany your child from the very beginning while discovering, grasping, and learning. Discover lovingly selected baby toys for the first few months.

Baby Toys: Guidance & Tips for the First Months

Babies develop rapidly in the first months of life – and their abilities change with every stage. The right baby toys support your child specifically in discovering, grasping, and learning.

Which baby toys are right for which age?

Baby toys accompany your child through important developmental milestones in the first months of life. Whether it's baby toys from birth, or for 3, 6, or 9 months – what matters is that they're age-appropriate and support the senses as well as motor skills. In our range you'll find a large selection of baby toys for 0–12 months – from the first grasping toys to baby play gyms to fine motor toys. Discover the right baby toys for every developmental stage now and support your baby's growth through play.

cute baby lying holding lovey nattou lion ernst

Baby toys from birth (0–3 months)

In the first weeks of life, your baby mainly perceives visual stimuli and sounds. They begin to focus on objects and develop their first movements. During this phase, your baby discovers toys mainly together with you – you show, move, and encourage grasping. Toys should therefore be simple, high-contrast, and easy to perceive.

Crib mobiles with gentle movements - ideal above the crib or changing table
Music boxes & sound toys with calm melodies for soothing or falling asleep
soft loveys & stuffed animals provide comfort and offer the first tactile stimuli
first rattles & grasping toys for playing together and for first attempts at grasping

Rattles & Grasping Toys

Loveys

Crib Mobiles

Stroller/Pram Chains

baby lying under baby play gym activity mat fehn sleeping forest

Baby toys from 3 months (3–6 months)

From around 3 months, your baby begins to grasp purposefully and reacts more actively to their surroundings. They discover their hands, objects, and first connections. Now toys are needed that support motor skills and engage various senses:

Fine motor toys with different materials and shapes (e.g. simple activity cubes or active toys)
Rattles & grasping toys for targeted grasping and touch attempts
Baby play gyms & activity mats for grasping, interacting, and kicking
soft cloth books for visual and tactile stimuli
first sound toys for discovering sounds and simple connections
Hanging toys or activity spirals for the crib, infant car seat, or baby play gym - for grasping and discovering.

Baby Play Gyms & Activity Mats

Baby Books

Rattles & Grasping Toys

Hanging Toys & Spirals

sitting baby plays with activity cube otter by fehn

Baby toys from 6 months (6–9 months)

At around 6 months, your baby is noticeably more active: they grasp purposefully, roll over, may already sit, and explore their surroundings ever more independently. Now toys become even more exciting: your baby experiments, repeats movements, and actively discovers their surroundings.

Balls & activity cubes for grasping, rolling, and crawling after.
Fine motor toys with movable elements that encourage turning, pushing, and experimenting.
Bath toys for playful variety during bath time.

Balls & Cubes

Baby Play Gyms & Activity Mats

Bath Toys

baby 9 months playing outside on blanket with stacking cups luxbaby bibs pastel rainbow

Baby toys from 9 months (9–12 months)

At around 9 months, your baby becomes increasingly active and begins to understand cause and effect: they drop things, stack them, and deliberately try out what happens. Many babies now crawl around the home and pull themselves up. Toys may now be challenging, encourage participation, and enable first problem-solving:

Fine motor toys with various play elements that allow turning, pressing, and targeted experimentation.
Balls, which encourage throwing, rolling, and crawling after.
first stacking toys & shape sorters, where your baby sorts shapes and stacks pieces on top of each other.

Every baby develops individually – many children already show interest in first toys for age 1+ toward the end of this phase.

Stacking Towers & Shape Sorters

Fine Motor Toys

To Toys for Age 1+

Still not sure which baby toys are right for right now?
In the Babyartikel.de magazine you'll find concrete tips and examples of meaningful baby toys for the first months.

Discover our shopping guide on baby toys →

Frequently Asked Questions about Baby Toys

Meaningful baby toys are age-appropriate and support your baby in discovering, grasping, and learning. In the first months, simple toys such as crib mobiles, grasping toys, or activity mats are ideal. Later on, toys that encourage experimenting, moving, and combining are added, such as balls or first shape sorters and stacking toys.

From birth, your baby can already perceive first stimuli through toys. In the first weeks of life, visual impressions and sounds are the main focus. As your baby gets older, toys become increasingly important for playfully supporting motor skills, senses, and first movements.

Suitable baby toys are well made, feel comfortable in small hands, and are easy to clean. Materials such as fabric, wood, or plastic offer different sensory experiences and are versatile.

Less is often more: your baby benefits from a few, well-chosen toys that they can rediscover again and again. Too many stimuli at once can quickly become overwhelming. It's better to occasionally rotate toys to provide variety.

Baby toys that suit the current developmental stage and are versatile make great gifts. Classics such as grasping toys, activity mats, or cloth books are always a good choice. For older babies, first shape sorters or stacking toys are also a good option, as they can be used for longer.