Best Toys for 3-Month-Olds

Simple? Undoubtedly, but our experts say toys don’t need to be complex to be fun and beneficial. This squishy ball has become a classic in recent years, because it’s large and easy to grasp. It has 32 finger holes, so baby doesn’t need refined motor skills to grab hold and explore or shake. And while you can bend and squish, you can just as easily roll it back and forth, too. For even more fun, the company also makes versions of the ball with included rattle pieces for auditory stimulation, too.

Weight: 1.06 ounces

Dimensions: 4 x 4 x 4

Dr. Lytle says 3-month-olds love to explore through touch, and a textured book helps with that. This soft-sided book features a classic story in an interactive format. Its crinkle pages are meant to be manipulated, explored and even gummed. The book is made of non-toxic material, so go ahead and let your little one mouth it. It’s machine-washable, too, so you can thoroughly clean it after each reading. The C-ring lets you attach it to baby’s car seat or stroller, too.

Dimensions: 5.12 x 0.39 x 5.12 inches

Weight: 2 ounces

Another great way to encourage your baby’s vision development? Puppet play! Put on a puppet and move your hand up and down and then in circles while saying your little one’s name. As your baby gets better and better at tracking the puppet’s moments, you can ramp up the complexity of the puppet’s movement.

These adorable animal puppets are great for the long haul, as they’re designed to fit kid and most adult hands. That means you can use them to entertain your baby for now, and then pass them down to your little one once he’s old enough to play with his own hands.

Dimensions: 9.5 x 2.1 x 14.25 inches

You can encourage tummy time by placing a toy 12 inches in front of baby’s face, says Dr. Lytle. “An engaging and interesting toy in baby’s visual space gives them something they can see and look at while they’re doing this sometimes stressful, but necessary activity,” she says.

This Baby Einstein toy bar has rainbow-colored lights that turn on and each play a different sound when your little one pushes them. The noise played depends on which of the three modes the bar is in, which includes animals, colors or xylophone. Plus, it can speak in English, French or Spanish. When baby’s a little older, he can also use this as a seated toy. Just remember to always prioritize engagement with your little one and use the toy to support time with your child, rather than letting the toy do all the entertaining.

Weight: 1 pound

Dimensions: 5.9 x 12.8 x 9 inches

At 3 months of age, toys with “sounds, patterns, lines, or circles” are a great choice for your little one, Dr. Shapiro says. That’s what makes this Melissa & Doug K's Kids Musical Farmyard Cube a solid choice for your baby. Its six sides are covered in both colorful, vibrant colors and multiple shapes and textures. The cube’s features are almost endless: it includes a textured ring, knotted tags, crinkly flower petals and tabs, and a baby-safe plastic mirror. What’s more, you can even use it to help your baby stay interested and entertained while she does tummy time. Talk about a multi-sensory win.

Weight: 5.3 ounces

Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 6

"Three months is a great time to introduce a stationary play mat with toys that hang over baby’s head," says Dr. Lytle. "Baby can lie on their back and bat at the toys, pull them or suck on them." Play mats also provide a safe space for baby to have tummy time and may have different "stations" and toys that are set at eye level to encourage him to stay on his tummy for longer. That's one of the standout features of the Lovevery Play Gym: five developmental zones with different activities, including a crinkle mat, a mirror and more. It also includes four detachable toys like a rattle to bat at and four sets of contrast cards. It even comes with a guide for parents, so you can get the most use out of all the different activities. When baby outgrows the mat, use the cover to turn the whole thing into a fun little fort for toddlers to explore.

Dimensions: 23.9 x 50 x 47 inches

No, baby can’t start building with these soft blocks yet, but that doesn’t mean he won’t enjoy them. Each of the four blocks, which have colorful and black-and-white designs, features different visuals and textures. They're covered in letters, animals, shapes and patterns, and have little tags on the sides for additional tactile play. "Babies can hold them, knock them over and look at the fun shapes and patterns," Dr. Abelowitz says.

You can also get in on the play: Hold a block in front of baby and move it from left to right so your little one can track it from side to side, bang two together, or help baby stack them.

Dimensions: 3 x 3 x 3 inches (per block)

Even at 3 months, reading to your baby helps language development and sets the pattern of your nightly routine. At this age, though, the act of reading is most important, says Dr. Lytle, so pick a book that you’ll enjoy reading night after night. (Reading the same book again and again is helpful, as repetition is one of the most important ways a baby learns, according to the AAP.)

This charming book by Nancy Tillman became an instant classic when it was released a decade ago. The sweet and whimsical illustrations perfectly complement the lyrical prose. We dare new parents to get through it dry-eyed.

Page count: 32

Satisfy baby’s urge to chew and strengthen his hands with this BPA-free plastic teether key ring. Each of the three brightly colored keys has a different textured surface to massage baby’s gums as their front, middle and back teeth erupt (at 3 months, the AAP says he'll be focused on cutting those first tiny teeth in the front).

These "keys" are sized for little hands and have no sharp edges. If baby seems like he's in extra pain or is drooling noticeably, place them in the fridge to activate Nuby's PurICE technology that gently cools irritated gums.

Weight: 5 ounces

Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.1 x 1.5 inches

We love a toy with many uses, and this colorful atom-shaped toy is no exception. This ball-teether-rattle combo is made of BPA-free soft, pliable plastic loops that baby can happily — and safely — chew. You can even refrigerate it for extra relief.

Those loops are also made for grasping, clutching, holding and preparing baby for two-handed play. The inside cube doubles as a rattle that your little one will love to shake, shake, shake. It’s super lightweight, so you can toss it into the diaper bag when you’re headed out. When it’s time to clean the toy, hand wash it in sudsy water, then rinse well.

Weight: 4 ounces

Dimensions: 5 x 4 x 3.5 inches

At 3 months, you don’t need a lot of bells and whistles to keep baby happy when you’re on the go. But if he gets cranky, this adorable firefly should do the trick.

Baby will find the knotted antennae perfect for chewing, while the crinkle velour body will provide plenty of tactile play. There’s also a squeaker and clacking rings that begin to teach him about cause-and-effect (such as, I do this, that happens).

And although there's a clip so you can hang the toy on baby’s stroller or car seat carrier handle, you shouldn’t attach it to the car seat straps, as it will interfere with the fit and safety. (And as always, check the manufacturer instructions of your specific car seat on what's okay and not okay to use, and ask your pediatrician if you have any questions.)

Weight: 4.4 ounces

Dimensions: 10.24 x 2.64 x 10 inches

Plastic links are a timeless choice for your little one, since they’re “very inexpensive and easy to clean,” says Dr. Abelowitz, adding that they’ll also support motor skill development as baby gets older.

What to Expect community members particularly love the Bright Stars Lots of Links for lots of reasons: They’re inexpensive, they’re light enough to be thrown in a purse or diaper bag for on-the-go entertainment and they wipe clean. Moms and dads are also fans of the links’ versatility; you can use them to attach a toy to a high chair so it doesn’t go flying, for instance. And although parents say they’re strong enough to stay linked together, they’re not too strong that they would pinch fingers.

Dimensions: 2 x 0.38 x 2.25 inches

While babies and toddlers of all ages will delight in this adorable elephant that sings and plays games, Flappy the Elephant is particularly great for 3-month-olds learning about imitation and concepts like object permanence and cause-and-effect. When you touch Flappy’s right foot, his ears flap along to music, and when you push the left foot, he plays peekaboo with his ears.

Weight: 15 ounces

Dimensions: 7.7 x 10.5 x 12 inches

Musical toys, like the Fisher Price Deluxe Kick ‘n Play Piano Gym, get the green light from pediatricians. “Babies can see it, hear it and touch it while lying down,” says Dr. Abelowitz, also noting that gyms are generally easy to clean and parts can be disconnected.

This piano gym offers four ways to play as your baby grows, making it a long-term investment. Your baby can lay on his back and play with the five repositionable toys above, use the soft (and machine-washable!) mat for tummy time, sit and play with the keyboard or use the removable keyboard by itself for take-along play. All the while, the gym helps provide sensory play, gross motor development and experience with colors, shapes and sounds.

Weight: 4.5 pounds

Dimensions: 27 x 36 x 18 inches

Is your little one obsessed with tags? Turn to the Taggies Crinkle Me Toy, which is a baby-safe crinkle toy that your little one will love. It includes a soft fabric exterior (adorned with a sweet animal of your choice), eight interactive toys for your little one inside, and crinkle paper and a squeaker on the inside for more sensory stimulation. It also includes a flexible loop that you can attach to a stroller so that it stays off the ground when you’re on-the-go with your baby.

Weight: 1.4 ounces

Dimensions: 6 x 6 inches

Another great pick if your little one loves crinkles, the Melissa & Doug Flip Fish Toy is a colorful, multi-textured toy that helps your infant work on his developmental skills while having fun. All of the scales have hidden photos tucked under them, and the tail features a squeaker — both of which encourage your little one to grasp and explore the toy. Plus, the crinkle scales and soft exterior help with tactile play. Best of all, you can toss it in the washing machine for easier cleans.

Weight: 13 ounces

Dimensions: 4 x 11 x 15 inches

A safe, unbreakable mirror for babies to look at their own reflection is a great choice for your little one, says Dr. Abelowitz. “[It] can be used as a distraction or entertainment while encouraging tummy time,” he adds. Plus, their eyesight will be more developed by now than it was during their first two months.

Lots of parents love the Sassy Tummy Time Floor Mirror, which allows your baby to stare at himself while doing tummy time. It’s propped up by a soft easel back and includes two attached toys for even more fun. Parents say that because it’s so lightweight, the mirror falls down easily when babies hit it, but it doesn’t break and is easily picked back up.

Weight: 10 ounces

Dimensions: 11.5 x 11.5 inches

Although not technically a toy, mobiles help your newborn’s eyesight develop while providing simple yet captivating entertainment. The Manhattan Toy Wimmer-Ferguson Infant Stim-Mobile comes with 10 interchangeable cards that feature high-contrast designs and patterns, in both bold colors and black and white. The cards are labeled by age to help you easily decide which ones to display at different points in time. The mobile includes an adjustable cord so you can change the distance of the cards as your little one’s vision develops.

Weight: 3.2 ounces

Dimensions: 7 x 7 x 7 inches