11 Toys That'll Develop Baby's Fine Motor Skill While They Have Fun

Flip-the-flap books, which encourage baby to lift a flap to reveal a picture underneath, are a classic fine motor skill toy, says Dr. Lytle. Not only does your little one get the experience of turning the pages, but she can also work her fine motor skills by lifting the flaps.

Parents love this particular book not only for the cute illustrations and simple, sweet story (it’s about a frog greeting a duck, turtle and other friends around the pond where he lives), but also because the flaps have a small gap around them, making them easier for little ones to manipulate. According to reviewers, the pages are also sturdy and stiff, so they don’t rip as easily as other flap books do. 

Weight: 8.3 ounces

Dimensions: 5 x 0.9 x 4.9 inches

Number of pages: 5

Age range: Newborn and up

Parents, including myself (a mom of four toddlers), love the Manhattan Toy rattle and teether because there are so many different places for baby to grab, making her much less likely to drop it right away. The arms around the toy are also slightly tacky to help baby get a better grip. My kids all readily grabbed on and were reluctant to let go, staring at all of the vibrant colors. As they got older, they began to shake it, exploring the noise it makes. It was also one of their favorite toys to gnaw on—a welcome relief during the teething phase.

What to Expect staffers also love the Manhattan Toy rattle, including both Karen Sly, Director of Finance, and Grace Pan, Product Designer. 

“This is one of my favorite toys. Both of my kids started playing with it very young because it's really easy for them to wrap their tiny hands around,” says Karen. “It's held up very well with lots of play and teething. Since having my daughter, I've also purchased this as a baby gift for almost everyone I know because it was such a hit in our family!”

Grace has also found that this rattle is a great pick for younger babies to work on grasping and grabbing. “The tubes are soft and easy to grasp, while the rattle keeps her busy while she sits with us at dinner,” she says about her 3-month-old daughter.

Weight: 4 ounces

Dimensions: 5.02 x 4.04 x 3.5 inches

Recommended age: Newborn and up

If you’re looking for a toy that will stand the test of time, Caplan-Colon says the Fisher-Price Rock-A-Stack is a great one: It helps baby understand basic concepts like colors and counting, while honing her fine motor skills. She’ll learn to pick up the rings, which are thick and easy to grasp, and eventually stack them all on the stick. The top ring doubles as a rattle, so baby can grab and shake for the added benefit of learning cause-and-effect. 

“My son loves stacking the rings,” says Sarah Darby, What to Expect’s Senior SEO Content Strategist. “I love that it’s affordable and easy to clean and take on the go.”

Parents say that not only are their babies entertained by the simple toy, but that they also love the nostalgia of the whole experience. Fisher-Price has been manufacturing this toy for decades, so many reviewers have memories (or, at least photos) of themselves enjoying the same toy as much as their own children are today. 

Weight: 8.3 ounces

Dimensions: 11.4 x 10.4 x 9.8 inches

Recommended age: 6 months and up

The Infantino ball set is a great tool for developing baby’s fine motor skills as they grow, as the six balls come in various sizes to present new challenges. They also teach baby about textures: Each ball has a different surface, ranging from bumps to  grooves to soft spikes. And parents say that, because the set comes with six balls, they can easily keep some at home and others in a diaper bag for on-the-go fun. 

“I liked the different textures and you could see that she had an easier time with some at first and then slowly grew into the others,” says Karen. Another thing parents like is the portability of the toy, with some saying they keep a few balls at home and others in a diaper bag for on-the-go fun. 

Many parents add that their babies love chewing on the balls, which is okay since they’re made of BPA-free plastic. The matieral likely contributes to the balls’ durability, with one reviewer saying that they’ve lasted six years through three kids.

Weight: 1.6 ounces

Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.7 x 2.8 inches

Recommended age: 6 months and up

It may just look like a set of colorful cups, but parents rave about the First Years Stack Up Cups. One parent goes so far as to say it’s the best $5 they’ve ever spent on their child. They’re a great simple toy, made of BPA-free plastic that will hold up to frequent play and can also be used in the tub thanks to the drainage holes at the bottom. They also are great for color identification and counting since each cup has a large number on the bottom. 

At first, your little one will work on picking up and grasping the cups. Eventually, she’ll start bringing them to her mouth or banging them against something. Before you know it, they'll turn into noisemakers (but don’t worry, parents say the soft plastic isn’t all that loud compared to other toys). Eventually, baby will master the whole stacking process solo. It’s a toy that will last baby for months as they stitch these different fine motor skills together.

Parents say you can use the cup set as an opportunity to play with your child, by demonstrating take the set apart and then put the cups back together. 

Weight: 4.8 ounces

Dimensions: 2.5 x 3.5 x 3.25 inches

Recommended age: 6 months and up

VTech's busy board encourages kids to find out who is hiding behind each door — while developing fine motor skills in the process. Tots can manipulate the board in a variety of ways, like sliding the lever, lifting the garage door or pressing various buttons. Parents say it keeps inquisitive kids busy for 20-minute stretches — sometimes longer. The board has plenty of longevity, so your child can use it as they develop various fine motor skills over time, eventually tackling some of the harder compartments such as the lock and key. Plus, parents love that it’s not nearly as bulky as it looks. It comes with a handle for easy transportation, too.

Weight: 1.84 pounds

Dimensions: 2.68 x 14.17 x 11.61 inches

Power: 2 AA batteries required

Recommended age: 1 year and up

Mega Bloks building blocks were designed with little hands in mind, so baby can have an easier time learning to grasp the pieces and snap them together. . Many parents said their babies played with these blocks for hours, noting that the chunky block sizes were perfect for little hands to learn how to stack and unstack.

The set includes 80 pieces and a carrying case, so your little one will have plenty of blocks to play with and you can keep them all in one spot when she’s done. Parents noted that the case is sturdy and easy to pack — you won’t struggle to get everything neatly back inside.

Weight: 3.24 pounds

Dimensions: 6 x 12 x 14 inches

Recommended age: 1 year and up

Not only do Honeysticks’ large, chunky crayons work for building your little one's fine motor skills, but they also let her get creative. Parents say the extra large crayons are easy for babies to palm and use from any angle, presenting a less frustrating experience as they learn to master grasping. They’re also almost impossible for your little one to break, which parents say helps justify the cost because you won’t have to keep replacing broken crayons. Parents also love the nontoxic ingredients because they don’t worry when baby puts her mouth on the crayon.

Weight: 7 ounces

Dimensions: 4.9 x 2.8 x 1.8 inches

Recommended age: 1 year and up

Your tot's fine motor skills and hande-eye coordination will get a workout as she pushes the beads along this Melissa & Doug bead maze. It has 18 multi-shaped wooden beads that are larger than what you’ll find in some other similar toys, making it easier for baby to grab and spin them on her own. The beads twist and turn along one of four soft-coated wires that are set between two solid wood blocks. 

What makes this bead maze particularly special is that it has two suction cups on the bottom, so you can stick it to your little one's high chair tray to play with while you’re getting lunch ready. 

“We have multiple bead mazes and this one is my favorite because of the suction cups,” says Karen. “My daughter had hip surgery when she was 16 months old and was completely immobile for a month and this toy got a lot of use!”

Reviewers love this feature for on-the-go play, too. One parent made it through an entire restaurant meal with her little one. In fact, the suction was so strong, she struggled to get it off when it was time to go. 

Weight: 1.25 pounds

Dimensions: 4.2 x 7 x 8.6 inches

Recommended age: 1 year and up

With Learning Resources’s hedgehog, your child can put their ever-growing fine motor skills to the test by carefully placing each quill into the slots on the hedgehog’s body. The peg-shaped pieces are chunky enough for tiny hands, but it still requires precision to secure each one into its slot on Spike’s back. Parents say this toy keeps their little ones busy for long stretches of time. Plus, they love that cleanup is a breeze because all of the parts fit neatly inside Spike’s back. There is one notable downside worth mentioning, though: Reviewers say the quills are unexpectedly small. So make sure to keep an especially close eye on your child, particularly if they tend to put things in their mouth. 

Weight: 9.2 ounces

Dimensions: 9.1 x 9.1 x 3.9 inches

Recommended age: 18 months to 4 years

A classic shape sorter is a child- and parent-favorite toy because it’s simple, colorful and easy to clean and put away. The Melissa & Doug shape sorter is even more special because it’s made entirely of wood, so you won’t have to worry about plastic pieces denting or kids putting toxic materials in their mouths. The cube comes with 12 colorful easy-to-grip shapes little ones can manipulate into the corresponding holes. When they get it right, they’ll be rewarded with a satisfying clunk. Parents say that holds their child’s interest because it’s easy to understand yet provides a challenge for them to solve.

You can also get plenty of use out of it before baby is able to successfully sort the shapes. “Before my daughter understood how to actually sort the shapes, we would stack the blocks and talk about colors and shapes,” says Karen. “So I saw value in it beyond it's intended shape sorting.” The pieces also allow for baby to practice grasping and explore different shapes and how they feel in her hands.

Weight: 1.19 pounds

Dimensions: 5.5 x 5.5 x 5.5 inches

Recommended age: 2 to 4 years