Best Toys for 11-Month-Olds

If this activity center/push-along walker doesn’t keep your 11-month old busy, we don’t know what will! With a pretend campfire and chunky foods that are sized just right for beginning graspers, plus a fishing pole and fish shapes to “catch” that can then be sorted into the cooler, there’s ample opportunity for imaginative pretend play. For solo play, the camper offers a mix of sounds, words and phrases — 100+ in all! — including music, the alphabet and the numbers one to 10. It’s sturdy and low to the ground (so baby can sit or stand next to it to play) and can safely be used as a push-along walker.

Recommended age: 9 to 36 months

Power: Requires 3 AA batteries

Weight: 9.24 pounds

Dimensions: 13.58 x 19.84 x 20.79 inches

Get your little one bopping along to the beat with this adorable musical penguin. With a push of a button, the penguin starts to flap its wings and bob from side to side while lighting up and playing music — a mix of original songs and classics your baby already knows and loves. Push the button on the penguin’s other foot for a lesson about shapes. This toy is part of the Linkimals family, so when it meets up with others (like the turtle or sloth), they light up and talk and sing together. But many parents report that of all the Linkimals, the penguin is their favorite!

Recommended age: 9-36 months

Power: Requires 4 AA batteries

Weight: 2.57 pounds

Dimensions: 5.43 x 10.63 x 9.72 inches

Blocks are a classic baby toy, in part because they’re so versatile. Your child can bang them together, build things, sort them by color, learn to count with them and more. We like these blocks because they’re made of soft, food-grade silicone that’s BPA-free. This makes them easy for baby to grasp, safe to chew on, and softer than traditional wooden blocks, but more sturdy than fabric ones. Plus they squeak when baby squeezes them, which helps her learn cause and effect. The sides are embossed with numbers, animals, patterns and fit-together shapes for stacking.

Recommended age: 6 months and up

Weight: 1.41 pounds

Dimensions: 2.08 x 2.08 x 2.08 inches (per block)

Okay, so your little one won’t actually build anything just yet, but she'll sure have fun pretending to! These plush toys are lightweight and easy to grasp and look just like the real thing. The set comes with a drill, saw, hammer, and screwdriver—each says its name and makes realistic sounds when you push the button. Best of all, these zip into the tool box, which is perfect for carrying to the car or to grandma’s.

Recommended age: 0 to 4 years

Power: Comes with batteries

Weight: 6.4 ounces

Dimensions: 6 x 4 x 8 inches (tool box), 4 inches (individual tools)

Vroom! Vroom! Things that go are pretty irresistible to 11-month olds, especially once they’re walking. Mix that in with bright colors and cute drivers and they won’t be able to keep their hands off of this set of four vehicles: a family car, fire truck, school bus and police car. Each goes speeding off on its own after baby pulls it back — no batteries required! — teaching her cause and effect. Parents love that the plush side can be removed from the wheels and tossed in the washing machine.

Recommended age: 9 months and up

Weight: 1.2 pounds

Dimensions: 8.75 x 11.75 x 4.75 inches

A bead maze is a wonderful way for your baby to work on her hand-eye coordination as she pushes and pull the wooden and plastic bead along the colorful path. This one from Hape has a set of fun nesting beads that baby can move to play peek-a-boo or take on a fun loop-de-loop. Parents will appreciate that it has four suction cups on the bottom so it stays firmly on top of your little one’s high chair or other household surfaces. Plus, German brand Hape — a favorite among the What to Expect community — is known for using kid-safe materials and paints.

Recommended age: 6 months and up

Weight: 0.1 ounces

Dimensions: 3.5 x 8.5 x 7.6 inches

Eleven months old is the perfect time to introduce a balance bike, a bicycle without pedals that helps little ones to — you guessed it — balance. The very stable four wheels on this model support baby as she scoots around using her feet, preparing her for some of the balance work required for the two-wheeled bikes of her future. Kids like to walk behind it and push it as well as sit on it and go, go, go! Don’t be surprised if an older sib hops on for a spin.

Recommended age: 6 to 36 months

Weight: 11.1 pounds

Dimensions: 18 x 7.5 x 10.4 inches

It’s never too early to start fostering a love of reading in children, and this soft-sided book will help do exactly that. Your little one will love listening to the rhyming couplets that help with early language skills, plus she can play peek-a-boo with the sweet forest animals hiding behind the moveable flaps. Bonus: The soft owl on the cover hides a crinkly surprise. Because it’s a soft book, kids can easily turn the pages themselves, which helps with their hand-eye coordination. The book has an on-the-go handle making it easy to toss in your diaper bag or attach to their stroller or car set with O rings. Try washing on delicate in your machine when it gets dirty.

Recommended age: 6 months and up

Weight: 3.04 Ounces

Dimensions: 6.75 x 1 x 7.5 inches

There’s no end to the way you and your baby can play with this set of six textured balls. The bumps, textured grooves and soft spikes are begging to be explored by her little hands. You can also play a game of peek-a-boo with these balls by placing them under a napkin or in a small cup. Try gently rolling them back and forth between each other or encourage your child to toss it to you. (Eleven months is a little early for babies to be able to toss and catch, so don’t be dismayed if your child can’t.) The one thing you won’t want to do with these balls is get them wet as that could lead to mildew or mold growth inside the balls. When they need cleaning, wipe them down with a wet rag.

Recommended age: 6 months and up

Weight: 12.3 ounces

Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.7 x 2.8 inches

This musical book has six colorful pages and plays more than 20 different sounds, including nursery rhymes like “Hey Diddle, Diddle,” and “Three Little Kittens.” There are also three light-up animals that serve as the tabs to the page, making it easier for baby to turn each one. Other features include a mini butterfly track maze on the cover and 3D elements throughout. (Parents also deeply appreciate that you can control how loud the toy gets.)

Recommended age: 6 to 36 months

Power: Requires 2 AAA batteries

Dimensions: 1.8 x 8 x 8.5 inches

Weight: 1.1 pounds

Fidget toys aren’t just for older kids — 11-month-olds will work their fine motor skills and sensory exploration as they push the bubbles from side to side on this fun toy. Each time they do, your little one will be rewarded with a satisfying “pop” sound, something that also helps her learn cause and effect. The five colorful silicone bubbles vary in size, which adds interest. It’s also small enough to throw in a purse, diaper bag or stroller bin, making it ideal for travel. Don’t take our word for it? Maybe 15K five-star Amazon reviews will convince you to try it for your little one.

Recommended age: 10 months and up

Dimensions: 1.25 inches x 5.8 inches x 6.25 inches

Weight: 0.3 pounds

While most regular finger paints are off-limits until baby turns 1, these eco finger paints made from organic vegetable powder are safe for kids 6 months and older. They’re even edible so no worries if baby gets some in her mouth or licks her fingers while painting. The set comes with five color powders — purple, green, yellow, orange and pink — that you mix with a bit of water to turn into paint. The paints are free of wheat, dairy, nuts and preservatives, making them safe even for kids with common food allergies.

Recommended age: 6 months and up

Weight: 10 ounces per bag

Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.24 x 2.44 inches