Around the age of six months, all children are the most vulnerable to change, development, and growth. Although across every stage, babies learn and grow–this period between 6 to 9 months mirrors the most growth.
Children at this age talk and listening to words around them, use their motor skills to sit up on their own, and their digestive tract develops as they start solid foods.
However, these milestones are subjective to individual children, but regardless of these, this stage is crucial in every child’s life.
As your child transitions from a newborn baby to an older toddler, playing with them gets more interesting. Their curiosity is infectious and they love to interact with their surroundings and those around them.
They learn and grow the most during this stage, besides developing their senses and emotional intelligence through social interactions with other children and adults.
To aid in this development for your 6-month-old, you can look into adding to their toy collection. This can help wholistically contribute to their everyday skill set as well as become a habitual contribution to their everyday life.
Considering what is best for your children and their growth, there are so many options available on the market that will fit your need and budget.
Of the things to look out for in these months, there are quite a few universal things that you can look forward to.
According to the CDC, these broad milestones are crucial in developments and maybe a few months eventually for some children, so do not fret if you do not see them at 6 months.
However, if you are concerned, you can always check with your child’s pediatrician to make sure.
Socially and Emotionally
Kids at 6 months recognize the faces of their parents, siblings, and other close family members. This means that they can single out faces they are unfamiliar with, and may respond with tears or curiosity.
Either way, facial recognition is an important stage of development. This stage also will be the time when your kid will enjoy playing with others and understanding how to have fun in the presence of others.
They will also respond to emotions in voices and expressions with noises and faces of their own.
Communication and language
This is also the time in which children turn into active participants in conversation with passive participants. They responding to sounds by making noises on their own, even if incoherent. They use common sounds, like vowels, to express themselves. This also extends to their emotions and what they want.
For instance, children giggle, exclaiming in delights, or even crying for things they want at this age. It is important to encourage this communication by talking to them about objects and things around them, reading books, and even singing songs.
Cognitive thinking
Displaying curiosity about the world around them is also a clear indication of a child’s development.
They may try to reach and grab objects around them, and even just feel them in their hands.
This is also a risky time, as they are teething and will put anything in their mouths.
Motor skills and development
At this stage, children roll in both directions and may even start to stand and support their weight.
They may also advance to sitting without help or any back support.
It is also common for children at 6 months to rock back and forth, just before they crawl.
To encourage this movement, you can provide them with toys that will motivate them to explore and sit to reach for them.
To help your growing baby reach all these development stages, you can provide toys that may trigger development and growth.
But while looking for such toys, there are a few factors you will have to take into consideration.
Below is a broad guideline on children’s toys, including the factors to look out for and what to give preference to.
Buyer’s guide for choosing the right toy for your 6-month-old child
Outer fabric and build
Toddlers tend to bite on things and keep them in their mouths.
So, the material that the toys are made of should be soft, and nontoxic. Make sure to avoid extra fits on the toys including buttons, zips, or any sharp objects on the toy.
If there are fibers on the outer surface, ensure that it does not come off easily or stick on other surfaces.
Stimulating
The purpose of toys for 6-month-olds has to cater to their needs, including the developmental milestones we expected them to reach.
This can be through sounds, lights, learning opportunities of shapes, colors, and sizes.
Variety is an important component at this stage and will provide joy to playtime.
Durability
Pick toys that will last through rough handling. Children are bound to throw, sit on, or bite their toys at this stage.
If the toy is hard, make sure it is made of high-quality plastic, and if it is a soft toy, check to see if the stitches are well-done and long-lasting.
Size
Young children often prefer toys they can carry or push around.
Besides this, heavier or larger toys may pose a safety threat to children that do not understand the danger. Even soft toys, like a teddy bear, in enormous sizes.
Maybe fun initially may smother the child and not provide aid for the child’s movement.
Ease of cleaning
Young children are susceptible to allergic reactions–like a cold. This means that the toys they use should not collect dust or germs easily and should be easy to clean every once in a while.
Look for toys that can be easily wiped or are machine washable.
There is an increasing number of options available on the market and choosing the right toys for your 6-month-old can be hard.
Below is a list of the best toys available currently that you can get and introduce to your six-month-old kid, or gift for your friend’s kids.
Best toys for 6-month-old children:
Fisher-Price Original Stacking Cups Toys
These cups are a great option to keep your baby occupied. They can stack up, collect or just hold and wave about the 8 colorful cups. They help in developing fine motor skills through grasping and stacking the cups.
They also promote dexterity and hand-eye coordination.
In later stages of life, you can use these cups to teach your kid about numbers and colors, since the numbers from 1 to 8 are printed on the cups.
They can independently learn to arrange and balance the cups through trial and error.
Not only a fun activity, stacking toy may seem simple but can aid in exploring complex concepts like sensory perceptions, spatial skills, and coordination.
They are small, lightweight, colorful, and tick all the right boxes for young children to enjoy playing with.
Pros:
- Pleasing to the eye and lightweight
- Varying colors sizes and printed with numbers
- Durable and non-toxic material
- No sharp edges
- Easy to travel with and store
Cons:
- Cups may be a little smaller than expected
Also read this: Best Bath Toys for Kids on Amazon India
Fisher-Price Original Rock-a-Stack Classic stacking toy
Stack-up rings help develop the child’s hand-eye coordination as well as fine motor skills. They can learn to differentiate between the rings based on the size and color.
This is a common toy amongst toddlers that will keep them occupied for hours together as they learn to stack and topple over the stack.
They can also grasp the rings and develop their muscles while being entertained by themselves.
The rings are colorful and introduce the concept of relative size and increase their spatial perception. They develop the child’s visual skills and problem-solving ability.
Hitting the base will cause the rings to rock back and forth on the stand.
Pros:
- Developing visual perception and understanding
- Lightweight and non-toxic material
- A safe toy even for teething
- Introduce the concept of relative size and stacking
Cons:
- Loose-fitting makes it topple over easier than expected
Must read: 11 Best Remote Control Toys For Kids
Baa, Baa, Black Sheep: Ladybird Touch and Feel Rhymes Board book
This book encourages babies to touch and feel the world around them, without causing any damage to themselves and things around them.
This experience of touch and feel books requires babies to utilize all five senses.
Not only will this instill a love for reading at the early stages, but your child will develop valuable motor skills in the process. It also provides a fun bonding time for you and your kid!
This book is a collection of five animal nursery rhymes including Baa Baa Black Sheep, Incy Wincy Spider, This Little Piggy, Hickory Dickory Dock, and Little Bo Peep.
The pictures are filled with interesting textures such as a soft woolly sheep, a fluffy spider, and a silky little pig.
There is also a fun question at the end of these rhymes to get your toddler to think and stimulate thought.
Pros:
- Popular and fun rhymes to sing to your child
- Every pop-up page has unique material on the different animals
- A fun way to develop your toddler’s communication
- Colorful and stimulating
Cons:
- Not a very strong binding, that may give out if handled without care
Check this out: Best Toys & Games For Kids That Promote Cognitive Development
WISHKEY Colorful 7 Rattles and 1 Teether Toy Set
As kids just begin to grasp, shaking, pulling, rotating things, with either their hands or even for teething – these toys are a great investment. This set contains 7 rattles and 1 teether.
All the rattles are made of BPA Free ABS non-toxic eco-friendly plastic material, which makes it safe for children to chew on.
It is also very useful for the development and strengthening of a baby’s sensory, motor, and hand-eye coordination skills.
You can also use these to introduce different colors, shapes, and patterns to promote the baby’s recognition sense.
These toys also make an attractive sound that may distract and soothe the baby.
All the toys are lightweight and do not make much noise, so they can be easily carried around on trips, walks, and even stored easily.
The rattles are just the right size for a child to hold and are big enough to avoid any accidents.
Pros:
- Colorful and contrasting patterns can capture the child’s attention
- The teether has a textured surface that is easy on the baby’s gums
- The toys are free of BPA, Latex, and Phthalate and are safe for children
- The compressible ball ring in this set can be used as a bath toy
- Very stimulating for the child’s sensory perception
Cons:
- Cannot be sterilized with very hot water since it might melt
You may also like: Best Problem-Solving Toys for Kids
Popsugar Smiley Piano and Keyboard Musical Set with Lights for Kids
This fun piano is a great option to keep children occupied for prolonged durations of time.
Children will enjoy tapping on the drum to produce different songs along with flashing lights to stimulate their auditory and visual senses.
The 8 different keys play music, songs and animal sounds along with bright colors and different modes. The toy however requires batteries to operate.
With 6 piano keyboards, 3 hand drums, and 3 musical instrument buttons, it is a unique and fun toy for babies to learn different fun sounds and colors.
The toy is EN71 certified and devoid of banned phthalates and is safe to use.
Pros:
- Vibrant colors and lights to keep children occupied
- Durable material
- Very stimulating for the child’s skills
- Produces different songs with flashing lights
Cons:
- No individual volume control, but high noise production
- Might break if handled very roughly
Also read: What are the best toys for kids in India?
Fisher-Price Baby Activity Preschool Infant Chain
Fine motor skills include the use of the child’s young and developing muscles, especially those in your baby’s ankles and wrists.
This skill can be developed through playing with toys that can be grasped, push and pulled with their hands.
These links are colorful and can be used to form a chain easily by your child.
The toy is lightweight and easy to carry around and is made of non-toxic and high-quality plastic and has no sharp edges.
It is also a great tool to teach your child different colors, patterns, and shapes.
Attaching the links will improve their hand-eye coordination and is a fun way to improve their motor skills.
Pros:
- Developing skills through fun activities
- Aid to teach colors and patterns
- Lightweight and non-toxic material
- No sharp edges to ensure safety
- Improves motor skills and problem-solving skills
Cons:
- Little tighter to join and take apart that might make it hard for an infant
You may be interested in this: Best Toy recommendations for 1 year olds
Final Word
These are all great options available on the market that are subject to change depending on availability and time.
Check out these options and keep in mind the factors to look out for, both in general and depending on the factor of age.
This is a very fun stage for you and your child, and the development during this stage is significant in the long term.
So, choose the right toys that are safe, durable, useful, and more than all this fun for both of you. Bonding is most important during this time in your kid’s life, so make time for fun activities!
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