What are some of the best sensory toys for newborns? It might be stressful for new parents to look for the best toys for their infants, but we have gathered a wonderful list that’s made by experienced parents.
Sensory toys help develop your little one’s five senses – touching, hearing, seeing, smell, and taste. Many sensory toys for newborns focus on developing a baby’s tactile skills. They provide interesting objects for your little one to explore either by touching them with their hands, holding them with their fists, or chewing them in their mouths. How fun!
Sensory toys are generally inexpensive but if you buy the wrong one, it can have very bad consequences. The best sensory toys for news should be made with safe material and be attractive to new babies. Let’s take a look at the amazing list we have made just for you!
More Toy Ideas:
Best Turning Sensory Toys for Newborns
Sassy Wonder Wheel Activity Center
What Makes It Special?
- It features beads, a mirror, a roller ball
- It can stick to a flat surface
- It’s engaging and stimulating for newborns
The best sensory toys for newborns should make sounds and movements. One of the best choices is the Sassy Wonder Wheel Activity Center. It’s a multi-purpose newborn toy that is loved by all babies.
This turning wheel measures 10” long and 3” tall. When you turn the wheel, your newborn baby will be attracted to its movements and the sound of the beads inside. Once your little one is a little older, he can easily grab the toy and try to spin the wheel himself. The grooved texture is easy for infants to use.
What we really love about this baby toy is that it can stick to a flat surface. This feature makes it a great high chair toy. The suction cup base can stick very well to a feeding tray. It is a great sensory toy that will keep your little one stimulated for a long time.
Best Fabric Sensory Toys for Newborns
What Makes It Special?
- It is made with soft fabric that is safe to chew
- It provides a fun and engaging play experience
- It is safe for newborns to cuddle, hold, and bite
If you are worried about your newborn’s delicate skin and want to find something gentle to touch, we highly recommend the Melissa & Doug Flip Fish sensory toy.
Some babies have sensitive skin that develops rashes to certain materials. This Flip Fish is an ultra-soft sensory toy that provides a variety of textures and colors. It is also machine washable so you can clean it frequently to remove germs and bacteria. This flip fish toy is squeaking, crinkling, and multi-textured. It also features an infant-safe mirror.
With all the different colors, patterns, and textures, this fish can help your little one develop fine motor skills, better eye coordination, and better tactile skills.
Best Stacking Sensory Toys for Newborns
Melissa & Doug Multi-Sensory Pineapple
What Makes It Special?
- It features soft fur, smooth satin, and crinkly leaves
- It helps newborns develop sensory awareness
- It is made from soft, plush material
We can’t say enough how much we love the Melissa & Doug Multi-Sensory Pineapple. It looks adorable, can be used in many different ways, and can convert into a stacking toy.
Most babies fall in love with this toy first by its attractive appearance. It looks like a baby pineapple. As one of the best sensory toys for newborns, this toy comes with a cloth-covered base, a rattle, two squeezable rings, a textured plastic ring, and a textured topper. Once your newborn can sit up, it can be used as a stacking ring.
When your newborn touches the different materials on this toy, they learn to discern the difference between different sensations. It’s also a great way for them to tune up their fine motor skills.
Best Sensory Book Toys for Newborns
What Makes It Special?
- It features attractive colors for a newborn’s poor eyesight
- It is machine washable and won’t fade
- It is friendly to a baby’s sensitive skin
Newborns spend most of the time lying in their cribs sleeping or looking up. Due to limited mobility and undeveloped eyesight, they can only see bright things that are right in front of their eyes. That’s why we recommend beiens Baby Books for their crib or play gym.
These sensory books are designed with vibrant and bright colors. Unlike traditional cloth books, they also feature animal tails that are made of various materials. What’s more, these books also make squeaky sounds to help stimulate a newborn’s audio recognition.
We all know that newborns love to suck or even bite things. These baby books are made with BPA-free materials that are safe to put in the baby’s mouth. They are one of the most versatile sensory toys for newborns.
Best Maracas Sensory Toys for Newborns
Fisher-Price Rattle ‘N Rock Maracas
What Makes It Special?
- They are easy for babies to grab
- They made attractive sounds
- They help babies develop gross motor skills
One of the most popular sensory toys for newborns is the Fisher-Price Rattle ‘N Rock Maracas. If you already own the Fisher-Price Kick & Play Piano Gym, it probably already comes with a set of maracas.
The reason why most newborns love to play with these maracas toys is that they are super natural and easy for tiny hands to grab. There are three bright-colored balls in a see-through window. Newborns love to shake them and notice the sound they make. When my son was one-month-old, he also loved to bite the softball on the other end.
These maracas are great sensory toys for newborns to also learn cause and effect. Since they are so entertaining to shake, infants also get a chance to move their arms and horn in their gross motor skills.
Best Expandable Sensory Toys for Newborns
Infantino Hug and Tug Musical Bug
What Makes It Special?
- This caterpillar can move up by itself
- It also makes fun music for babies
- It comes with a mirror and rings
Most sensory toys for newborns are non-reactive toys that normally don’t play music. If you are looking for sensory toys for newborns who are more attracted to fun sounds, we highly recommend the Infantino Hug and Tug Musical Bug.
If you hang this toy over the crib or on the car seat, your little one can easily pull down the caterpillar. Then he will be happily surprised that this sensory toy plays music. Not only that, the little caterpillar can crawl up by itself!
The body of this caterpillar features many colors, patterns, and different types of fabric. The plastic rings are also easy for newborns to grab. Many babies also love to feel this huggable bug by putting its knotty legs in their mouths.
Best Cuddly Sensory Toys for Newborns
What Makes It Special?
- It is multi-functional
- It’s equipped with teething rings
- It helps babies develop hand-eye coordination
Some parents don’t like to clutter their house with too many baby toys, then multi-functional sensory toys for newborns are the way to go. Skip Hop Bandana Buddies come with everything you need to help develop your newborn’s tactile skills.
This toy is a teether, a rattle ring, and a cuddly companion that can be used for cribs, car seats, high chairs, strollers, or carriers. Mommies can also wear them on their wrists! The little leaf-shaped teether on this toy features different patterns for your little one to explore with their mouths.
Many parents told us how surprised they noticed that their babies could play with this toy for a much longer time. Their infants don’t outgrow it until they are almost three years old. It is one of the best sensory toys for newborns and even toddlers.
Best Rattling Sensory Toys for Newborns
What Makes It Special?
- It’s made from elastic plastic and is easy to clean
- It features vibrant colors
Some babies love to feel gentle materials while others like to make noise. Don’t forget that sensory development also includes stimulation to a newborn’s sound recognition skills, too. Bright Start Rattle Shaker is for active babies who love to wave their arms and hear some reactions from the toys.
The brilliant waving shape of the middle part makes it super easy for newborns to hold the toy. If you look closely, you will notice small patterns on the plastic windows of the shakers. The colorful beads also reflect lights to help stimulate a newborn’s eyesight.
What’s also noteworthy is that when you purchase this shaker – it is less than three dollars – a portion of the sales goes to support a good cause – breast cancer research.
Best Wearable Sensory Toys for Newborns
What Makes It Special?
- They can stay on newborns feet
- They make fun noises and are interactive
- They are machine washable
Babies under three to six months old are not very good at holding onto toys. If you don’t like to be picking up their toys all the time, Baby Infant Rattle Socks are a great choice.
As one of the most special sensory toys for newborns, these socks are wearable on your little ones’ feet. Once they figure out that by kicking their feet or rubbing their feet together, they can hear interesting noises, they will be immediately attracted to these toys.
The adorable bug features on the socks can also easily grab little babies’ attention. By playing with these toys while exploring the sound effect, your little one also gets to develop his foot and eye coordination.
Best Light-up Toys for Newborns
VTech Baby Lil’ Critters Moosical Beads
What Makes It Special?
- It can light up
- It features more than 30 sounds and melodies
- It reaches shapes, letters, numbers, and colors
Some parents prefer sensory toys for newborns that can teach new subjects. VTech Baby Lil’ Critters Moosical Beads is one of the best options to choose from. We saw so many infants addicted to this amusing little sensory toy.
This educational sensory toy features more than 30 sounds and phrases. It talks to your little one. What’s more, the three different shapes on the plush cow baby can light up. Newborns love flashy lights! The design of this toy is very cuddly and infants immediately feel like hugging it.
You will also notice that this sensory toy features spinning beads that encourage interaction. It invites your little one to try new things. Since this sensory toy is packed with features that are suitable for babies up to 18 months, it will be a great companion for your precious baby on many different occasions.
Best Tummy Time Sensory Toys for Newborns
Baby Tummy Time Water Play Mat
What Makes It Special?
- It measures 40 inches wide, big enough to be a play mat
- Its side can be filled with water
- It helps make tummy time more interesting
One of the things your pediatrician will tell you right after you are discharged from the hospital is to try to encourage your newborn to do more tummy time. However, not all newborn babies love it. Well, you will be surprised how this Tummy Time Water Play Mat can turn things around.
Once filled with water, this play mat becomes super interesting to your little one. She will want to touch it, feel it, and poke it. Depending on the temperature of the water, your little one learns the difference between cold and warm. Once your little one can sit up, you can bring this sensory toy to the backyard or beach so that your little one can spend more time outdoors. Getting exposure to the outside is a great way to develop eyesight, hear the sound of nature, and smell natural scents. It is one of the most versatile sensory toys for newborns.
The size of this play mat is suitable for babies and toddlers. Once folded, you can easily fit it into the diaper bag.
Best Water Sensory Toys for Newborns
Inflatable Tummy Time Premium Water Mat
What Makes It Special?
- It is compact and easy to handle
- It is made with thick leak-proof PVC
- It can be inflated with air or water
If you like the idea of water mats for sensory stimulation but prefer one that is compact and small, we recommend Inflatable Tummy Time Premium Water Mat.
There are multiple ways to use this water mat – you can fill it up with the different amount of water, or inflate it with air. The good news is that you don’t really need a pump! The colorful sea animals invite your baby to exercise their eyes and move their neck around. It helps stimulate more than just your little one’s senses but also his brain development.
Like all other tummy time toys, this water mat also helps prevent flat heads and strengthen little one’s neck muscles.
Tips and Guidance in Shopping for the Best Sensory Toys for Newborns
Since sensory toys are normally inexpensive, many parents make the mistake of getting too many of them. If you are not careful, you may end up buying one that is even dangerous for your baby.
Sensory toys are mostly purchased for newborn babies or infants up to six months. Because children during this age range have very limited mobility. Without the needed motor skills, eyesight, or muscle strength, your little one has very few ways to explore the world and develop his sensory skills. That’s what makes sensory toys super important.
Here are some points to keep in mind when shopping for the best sensory toys for newborns.
- Sensory toys for newborns shouldn’t come with small parts. Even if it has small beads, they must be securely locked inside a compartment that can never be reached by an infant. Small parts can cause choking hazards.
- They must be made with infant-friendly materials. They should be gentle and soothing to the touch and resistant to rough play. If it contains shapes that can fit in a baby’s mouth, it must be BPA-free and nontoxic
- It should feature high-contrast colors. One thing you may not know is that newborns have very poor eyesight. They cannot see very far and cannot even notice colors very well. They are more attracted to high-contrast colors such as red, black, and white.
- It should be easy to clean. Newborns drool on toys, bite toys, and spill milk on toys all the time. If a sensory toy is difficult to clean, it can quickly grow bacterial or germs and this can cause stomach discomfort or illness.
Summary
Buying the best sensory toys for newborns is not difficult but if you get great tips and insights from experienced parents, it can save you a lot of trouble and headache. We also think that besides letting your little one play with sensory toys, another great way to help hone in their senses is to take them outside and let them experience the beautiful nature.
Cecilia Yeung is a successful entrepreneur and product researcher. She has a background in psychology and children’s education. As a working mother of two, she loves to write about children’s education and development.
