Best Holiday Gift Guide for Babies 6–12 Months | Toys & Essentials Chosen by a Pediatric PT

Products & EquipmentBaby GearMotor Development/Milestones
Written By Allison Chisholm

By Dr. Alli Chisholm, PT, DPT

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through my links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I personally use and love with my own family and clients.

6–12 months?? What a fun age this is!

Yes, it can come with new stressors (like your baby suddenly getting into everything—hello, safe “yes space”). But this stage is also magical. Babies start recognizing you in a whole new way, they’re curious about their environment, and their personalities really begin to shine.

During this stretch, your little one is working through a LOT: growth spurts, teething, learning solid feeding, crawling, pulling to stand, even taking those first steps. While a few toys from the newborn stage are still useful, this is the time to “level up” with toys and essentials that meet your baby where they are developmentally—supporting movement, fine motor skills, feeding, and soothing.

Cause-and-Effect Toys for Crawling + Pre-Crawling

PlaySkool Pop-Up Toy
Once your baby hits around 6 months, this simple toy becomes a staple. Babies love the “jack-in-the-box” surprise of pushing and watching the characters pop up. From a PT lens, I especially love this toy for practicing side sitting (a huge pre-crawling skill). Sit your baby with their legs in a 90/90 position with one hand down for balance and the other hand reaching across their body to work the buttons—it’s functional play at its best.

Light-Up Magic Wand Toy
This one might look simple, but it’s brilliant for motor development. Hold it above your baby while they’re on hands-and-knees over your leg or a cushion. They’ll push up through their arms to track the lights, strengthening their shoulders and core. Or, use it to encourage forward movement in army crawling—just move the wand slightly farther away each time. Disclaimer: do NOT use this toy if you or your child has epilepsy.

B. Toys Loopty Loo Wooden Roller
Sitting balance and crawling prep in one. Babies will love having you flip it to watch the beads slide, which distracts them from the fact that holding a hands-and-knees position basically feels like planking for an adult. You can also roll it forward so they “chase” after it.

Nugget Play Couch
Not technically a toy, but one of my most-loved picks. Build ramps, stairs, and tunnels to create climbing challenges that build strength, bilateral coordination, and problem-solving. This is a gift that lasts years—it’s still used daily in my house. Read more here on how it can support the super important milestone of crawling!

Toys for Cognition and Fine Motor Skills

Melissa & Doug Shape Sorting Cube
A great activity for independently sitting babies, cover all but one slot so your baby can focus on a single match, then slowly add more. This helps with early problem-solving and hand-eye coordination.

Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog
Your 6–12 month old may not put the spikes in yet (that’s closer to 12–18 months), but pulling them out is perfect at this stage. It builds bilateral coordination, grip strength, and keeps little hands busy. Heads-up: the spikes do disappear easily, so supervise play.

Melissa & Doug Jumbo Peg Puzzle (Pets)
Big puzzle pieces = easier grasping. These puzzles are fantastic for matching, visual attention, and focus. Plus, you can model animal sounds with each piece for early language exposure.

Adena Montessori Color + Shape Puzzles
Simple, beautiful, and cognitively stimulating. At this stage, it’s more about exposure than mastery—name the colors and shapes as your baby explores.

💡 Parent tip: this is also a heavy teething stage. Many babies will mouth puzzle pieces or toy parts. That’s okay—oral exploration is normal. Just have a few safe teethers (see my list below) to swap in when needed.

Creating a “Yes Space” for Your Baby on the Move

This is the stage where you’ll want a safe, contained area where your baby can crawl, climb, and explore without you worrying they’ll get into something unsafe.

Baby Gate Playpen
When parents ask me, “Where do I put my baby when I’m cooking dinner?”—this is my answer. A gated play space gives you peace of mind while letting your baby roam freely.

House of Noa Play Mat
Worth the investment. Easy to clean, durable (dog-nail tested!), and beautiful. A foldable, solid mat will save you frustration compared to cheap ones that tear quickly.

SoftZone Climb and Crawl Playset
If the Nugget feels too big or expensive, this smaller playset is a fantastic alternative. Babies love climbing, sliding, and tumbling on it—and it fits perfectly inside a yes space.

Safety 1st Childproofing Set
Whether in your “yes space” or out and about in the rest of your house, babies seriously get into everything—and at this age, they don’t yet fully understand the word “no.” This set is a lifesaver. My tip? Get down at your baby’s level and look around the room from their perspective. Start with outlets and cords, then move up to cabinets and doorknobs as your little one begins pulling to stand and eventually walking.

Pre-Walking + Walking Essentials

Fisher-Price 2-Sided Steady Speed Walker
The only walker I consistently recommend. The wide base and speed control make it stable, preventing tumbles. Babies can also practice pulling up, standing, and transitioning from sit-to-kneel at this same, versatile toy.

Fat Brain Toys Squigz
These suction toys stick to fridges, windows, or doors. Place them just out of reach to motivate pulling up, squatting, or cruising. They’re also a sneaky way to build fine motor skills—pushing them together and pulling them apart takes real strength.

JoyCat Wooden Alphabet Magnets
Similar to Squigz, but with letters. Perfect for pulling to stand, squatting, and side-stepping while playing with magnets to be reached on the fridge, dishwasher, or other magnetic surface. 

Y-Bike
Getting on and off ride-on toys isn’t usually expected until closer to 12–18 months, but this one lays the foundation. It builds reciprocal leg movement, weight-shifting, and heel-to-toe weight-bearing when taking a step—key skills for walking.

Feeding Essentials for Starting Solids

Hauck High Chair
Tripp Trapp dupe, but more affordable and easier to clean. Supports optimal positioning for solid feeding (hips, knees, and feet at 90°).

b.box Weighted Straw Cup
A favorite for teaching straw drinking—an important skill for oral motor development. The weighted straw allows baby to drink from any angle, while the double handles teach your little one to hold this cup on their own.

ezpz Tiny Cup
Silicone open cup designed for little hands. Yes, it’ll spill, but spills = learning. Model sipping with your own cup while your baby practices.

NumNum GOOtensils
Pre-spoons that help babies scoop and self-feed with less mess. They support hand-to-mouth practice without too much frustration.

Munchkin® Raise™ Toddler Utensils
Chunky handles make them easier to grip. A perfect “first real utensil” step.

WeeSprout Suction Plates + Food-Catching Bibs
Game-changers for messy meals. They don’t eliminate chaos (nothing does), but they help contain it.

Teething Must-Haves

Final Thoughts

6–12 months is a whirlwind. Your baby is moving more, mouthing everything, and showing off new skills daily. Instead of wasting money on “cute but useless” gifts, this list is filled with parent-approved, PT-backed toys and essentials that actually support your baby’s growth.

When relatives ask what to buy, send them here—and know you’re giving them a list that truly helps your baby thrive.

👉 Want the full 2025 Holiday Gift Guide + printable checklist (including gifts for 0–6 months, 6–12 months, new moms, and new dads)? Sign up for my email list here and be the first to get it as soon as it's completed!

Allison Chisholm
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Holiday Gift Guide for Babies 0–6 Months: Parent-Approved Developmental Toys & Essentials