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Your little one is on the move!
They’re crawling, pulling themselves up, and maybe even taking those first steps.
These toys will support their cognitive skills, encourage problem-solving, and help them navigate the world with growing confidence.
Find helpful videos and expert-backed resources on child development to support your journey.
Table Summery of Toys & Benefits
| Toy Type | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Shape Sorters | Develops problem-solving, spatial awareness, and fine motor skills |
| Pretend Play Toys | Encourages role-play, early language, and social-emotional development |
| Large Blocks | Supports gross motor skills, building, and spatial reasoning |
| Walking Toys | Provides support and encouragement for those first steps |
Popular & Trending Baby Toys & Gifts 9 – 12 Months On amazon.com
- Baby Einstein 4-in-1 Kickin’ Tunes Music and Language Play Gym $41 on amazon.com
- Let’s Count Soft Book $5 on amazon.com
- Fisher-Price Baby Stacking Toy Rock-A-Stack $5 on amazon.com
- VTech Sit-To-Stand Learning Walker on amazon.com
- Silicone Pretend Play Phone Chew Baby Toys $7 on amazon.com
- Large Building Blocks on amazon.com
Large Blocks
Stacking, knocking down, and building towers out of large blocks supports gross motor development, hand-eye coordination, and spatial awareness.
Choose blocks made from soft foam, wood, or durable plastic in bright colors and interesting shapes.
Shape Sorters
These classic toys help babies learn about shapes, colors, and spatial awareness.
As their fine motor skills refine, they’ll master fitting the shapes into their corresponding slots. Choose shape sorters with chunky pieces and fun additions like sounds or textures.
Pretend Play Toys
Your baby is starting to mimic everyday actions and explore imaginative scenarios.
Simple pretend play props like a toy phone, play food, dolls, and toy tools encourage role-playing and help develop their early language and social-emotional skills.
Walking Toys
Push-along toys and walkers provide stability and encouragement as your baby takes those wobbly first steps.
Look for sturdy, well-designed toys with wheels that adjust for speed and features like removable activity panels for added engagement.
Play Activities for 9-12 Month Old Baby
- Shape Sorter Sort-Out: Show your baby how to fit shapes into the sorter. Name the shapes and colors as you play.
- Pretend Kitchen Fun: Give your baby toy pots, spoons, and pretend food. Encourage them to “cook” and “eat.”
- Tower Power: Help your baby build a block tower, then gleefully knock it down together. Celebrate their building success!
- Cruise and Push: As your baby cruises along with their push toy, describe their destination (“You’re walking to the chair!”).
- Peekaboo Variations: Play peekaboo with toys, a blanket, or even just your hands. Let baby uncover you to build suspense and joy.
Resources
- Harvard Health Publishing – The 3 kinds of toys that really help your child
- American Pediatric Association – Toy Buying Tips for Babies & Young Children
- Pathways Org – The Best Toys For Baby’s First Year
- Zero to Three – How to Play with Babies
- Harvard – Center on Developing Child – Activities for Infants, Toddlers, and Children
- UNICEF Parenting – Parenting tips for the first two years of life