The Best Toys for Children Under One (Review) in 2023

What age should my child start playing with toys?

You can engage your child with age appropriate toys from birth. There are toys available that are suitable for every stage of your child’s life. As a newborn, brightly coloured toys or noisy toys can help develop their senses. At about 3 months, your child will have started to develop grasping skills and they may well try to catch toys, for example by reaching up to grab at a toy you hold above them. Our list of the best toys for children under one has a variety of toys for the stages from newborn to one year old.

Are soft toys better than hard toys? 

When thinking about whether soft toys are better than hard toys, the answer depends first on the age of the child. Soft toys are better for very young children as they are still learning how to control their movements and many of their movements in their first few weeks will be jerky. As your baby gains more control of their movements and are less likely to hurt themselves with hard toys with jerky movements combined with hard toys, the answer to this question will be more about what your baby likes when considering which are the best toys for children under one.

You might find if you are looking for a way to organise a messy toy box, soft toys are easier to tidy up.

What are the best toys to promote learning?

Young children are learning every day, and toys can help promote that learning in a variety of ways.  When trying to choose the best toys for children under one, consider the age and aptitude of your little one -not every child develops at the same rate. Also consider what skill you are trying to promote. At this age, children are exploring the world around them and developing their motor skills and hand-eye coordination and learning to recognise sounds. This list has toys that promote different areas of learning depending on the age of your child.

What to look for when buying the best toys for children under one?

There are lots of things to consider when choosing a toy for a child under one.  Safety is always a prime consideration, but you also want to look at the size of the toy and the textures that make up the parts of the toy. As children under one like to chew on toys, you will want to think about whether the toy also doubles as a teether. And don’t forget, many of the best toys for children under one play sounds which can get repetitive for adult ears! Here are some common things you will want to consider.

Sensory – Sensory covers all the senses. Think about which of the senses you are trying to stimulate. Look for different textures if it’s about touch, or bright colours and lights if you want to stimulate sight. If you are looking to stimulate sound, look for a toy that plays music or repeats phrases.

Size – Size is important when trying to choose the best toys for children under one. Consider the size relative to the age of your baby to make sure baby can easily grasp and play with the toy. Choosing a toy too big for your baby means it’s likely to be ignored.

Sounds – Lots of the best toys for children under one make sounds to engage your baby. Do you want the toy to play nursery rhymes, music, or phrases? Are there lots of different options or will you have to listen to the same tune on repeat? Is there a volume control?

Hard/Soft – Whether you choose a hard or soft toy is important. Softer toys might be more appropriate for the younger baby as they are just beginning to work on their motor skills and may end up hitting themselves on the head as they swing their rattle around!

Teething Parts – Babies usually develop teeth from around 6 months. When they are teething, they like to put toys (or anything!) in their mouth and chew on them to relieve the discomfort of teething. Consider whether the toy has teething parts that can help soothe your baby.

Conclusion

Whether you are looking for a toy for your newborn, something to keep your 6-month-old amused, or a toy that will entertain a more active 9-month-old, there are lots of options out there. This list of best toys for children under one has something to suit all children under one. With all those options it can get confusing trying to choose from bright coloured softer toys for your baby to grasp at a few weeks old to the noisier, brighter toys that allow your child to get involved with imaginative play.