6 Best Standing Toys to Help Your Baby Meet a Milestone
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Quick Summary
Walmart 
Target One day your baby is struggling to roll, and the next he’s pulling himself up to stand at the coffee table. At least, that’s how fast it feels. When your little one starts showing interest in wanting to pull himself up to stand — usually somewhere between 9 to 12 months — you might want to look into buying standing toys to help him practice and develop important core and leg muscles.
How we chose the best standing toys
We spoke to a pediatrician and pediatric physical therapist to learn about the safety elements and entertainment features to look for in standing toys. Per their guidance, we evaluated toys based on the following factors:
- Safety: Your child will likely fall as they learn to stand, but the toy helping them master the skill shouldn’t pose fall risks. For this reason, you should avoid seated baby walkers, which have been found to pose fall risks and can delay baby’s motor development, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Additionally, the standing component of your toy should be appropriate for children between 9 and 12 months old, the age when most children start to stand, and should be sturdy enough to hold your child's weight. Finally, the toy shouldn’t contain any removable small parts that could pose a choking hazard.
- Versatility: To get the most for your money, you’ll want a toy that provides multiple ways to play. A sit-to-stand walker, for example, may have a removable activity board that young babies can play with while sitting. Other toys, like activity tables, allow children to practice fine motor skills with buttons to press and levers to pull. Even a standing toy that teaches your child colors, letters and more is a worthwhile investment.
- Interactivity: A toy is useless if it doesn’t keep your child entertained. A good standing toy will have a variety of interactive elements, such as playing music and sounds or using lights to grab baby’s attention and engage with his senses. However, if your child gets overstimulated or is sensitive to sound, you may want to consider a non-electronic standing toy.
Each of the toys on this list meets or exceeds the safety standards, and has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from What to Expect community members for the other criteria.
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What to Expect is the world’s most trusted pregnancy and parenting brand for a reason. Our product recommendations are based on expert parent insight, advice from medical professionals and feedback from the millions of parents and parents-to-be in our community. Our editors adhere to the highest research and reporting standards and our team of vetted OB/GYNs, pediatricians and other health professionals ensure our recommended products are safe and effective for you and your baby.
Best Overall Standing Toy
Baby Einstein Curiosity Table
- Can be used on ground
- includes lights and sounds
- has removable dry erase board
- Large
Baby Einstein’s Curiosity Table has so many components, your child will never be bored. One side of the table is geared towards STEM play, with spinning gears and a kid-friendly circuit that makes lights glow. On the other side, you’ll find a dry erase board and props that encourage creative play. The table’s lights and sounds capture baby’s attention, while the activities keep him entertained.
Parents especially liked that there is a lot to offer children of different ages: Older babies might want to draw on the whiteboard, while younger babies may be more entertained by the pretend paint pots. And at 2 feet by 18 inches, there’s more than enough space for two kids to play. Plus, many parents feel the table’s size added to the sturdiness, making it safe for little ones pulling themselves up.
Dimensions: 23.5 x 17.5 x 27.6 inches
Weight: 5 pounds
Power: 3 AA batteries
Most Versatile Standing Toy
VTech Magic Star Learning Table
- Can be used on ground
- includes sounds and lights
- Some said it could slide
Your little one will eagerly pull himself up to play with one of the six play stations on the VTech Magic Star Learning Table. Each station presents a different opportunity to play and develop fine motor skills: Your baby can toggle between turning the pages of the flip book, driving the steering wheel, spinning knobs and more. Many parents say the variety of toys, as well as the sounds and lights, helped grab and hold their child’s attention to help them practice standing.
And you’ll get plenty of long-term play out of VTech’s table. Babies can start playing with this toy as early as 6 months as a floor toy — just remove the legs and place the top on the floor.
The wide base of this table makes it sturdy to use for pulling up, although some parents suggest pushing it against a wall so it doesn’t slide.
Dimensions: 20 x 15 x 17 inches
Weight: 4.1 pounds
Power: 2 AA batteries
Best Standing Toy with Balls
Bright Starts Having a Ball Get Rollin' Activity Table
- Can be used on ground
- includes lights and sounds
- has built-in ball drop
- Other objects can get stuck in ball drop
This Bright Starts activity table features a ball drop that helps baby practice fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination and learn cause-and-effect — all while strengthening the muscles needed to stand. Parents said this toy has provided hours of playtime, as baby never seems to tire of placing the ball on the ramp and watching it spiral down. Many parents said their babies were fascinated with the ball drop, which also plays lights and sounds, and stayed standing for a long time, ultimately helping them feel more confident on their feet. When not in use, the six balls can be stored in the legs of the table.
Another bonus: The top comes off to become a tummy time toy, sitting toy or travel toy.
One thing to note: Your baby may learn how to put any object in the center, which could result in toys getting stuck.
Weight: 7 pounds
Dimensions: 19 x 19 x 16.5 inches
Power: 3 AA batteries
Best Sit-to-Stand Toy
VTech Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker
- Can be used on ground
- doubles as walking toy
- Some said the wheel locks don’t work well
The VTech Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker comes highly recommended by What to Expect community members, and it’s easy to see why. For starters, it gives baby a lot of support as he learns to stand. The walker’s thick handlebar makes it easy for baby to grab to pull himself up, while the wide base evenly distributes weight to steady baby as he learns to balance. Many parents said that their babies felt comfortable trying to stand in the beginning with this toy. “It's really helping to build his confidence!” one parent noted.
But your baby can use the toy before they start standing, thanks to the removeable activity board. Featuring a shape sorter, several spinners and plenty of buttons, the activity board has a number of objects to hone your child’s fine motor skills. Many attribute the activity board to increasing the toy’s longevity, with numerous parents saying their babies played with it from 6 months through their toddler years.
In addition to how much their babies loved playing with this toy, parents also appreciated that it’s lightweight, easy to store and portable.
Dimensions: 16.5 x 14.2 x 18.1 inches
Weight: 5 pounds
Power: 2 AA batteries
Best Wall-Mounted Standing Toy
Learning Advantage Crocodile Activity Wall Panels
- Multiple kids can use at once
- includes eight activities
- takes up no floor space
- Expensive
- requires drill to install
Featuring multiple activities, including spinning gears, mazes and a xylophone, Learning Advantage’s crocodile-shaped toy encourages baby to stand without taking up precious floor space, which parents in small homes especially appreciate.
What parents love most, however, is that the toy provides an electronic-free learning experience. At more than 6 feet long, the wooden playing center is free from noise or flashing lights to avoid overstimulation. And, because it’s so long, many parents said that they were able to keep multiple kids occupied at once.
One thing to note is that unlike the other standing toys on this list, baby can’t use it to pull himself up. So, you’ll either want to use it for babies who are already more comfortable on their feet or with something nearby that can support them as they standup.
Weight: 22.5 pounds
Dimensions: 74 x 24 x 5 inches
Power: N/A
Best Wooden Standing Toy
Manhattan Toy Double-Decker Celestial Star Explorer
- Stylish
- two tiers
- multiple compartments for more than one child playing at once
- Heavy
- expensive
The multiple levels of this double decker wooden activity table encourage baby to stand and reach for one of the many fun features. From wire bead runs, to gliders to clacking doors, all the components on Manhattan Toy’s table support fine motor development. With four different compartments, parents liked that multiple kids could play at the same time and found that kids from ages 6 months to 3 years old were entertained. And since some of the features are placed on the table’s legs, babies can play with this toy before they start standing while sitting or during tummy time. Parents also liked that all of the edges are smooth and that it’s quite heavy so it’s less likely to tip over.
Dimensions: 20 x 20 x 27.5 inches
Weight: 14.25 pounds
Power: N/A
Our Experts
We consulted with a pediatrician and physical therapist:
- Katie Lockwood, M.D., Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and spokesperson for the AAP.
- KC Rickerd, PT, DPT, pediatric doctor of physical therapy and owner of Milestones & Motherhood
We also canvassed the What to Expect’s community boards to see what standing toys received the most positive reviews, and what parents liked most about them.
FAQs
Are standing toys good for babies?
Standing toys are good for babies and a great way to help them practice standing. “Push toys, like a sturdy wagon or push cart, can also help kids cruise around and build confidence,” says Dr. Lockwood. “But [they] should only be used under supervision in a child-safe environment.”
You should also avoid using seated baby walkers, which have been found to pose fall risks and can delay baby’s motor development, per the AAP.
It’s important to note, however, that while standing toys are a great way to motivate baby, Dr. Rickerd says you don’t need one. As long as you’re giving them plenty of floor time, your baby will likely progress from crawling to standing to walking on their own. They may use the couch, the crib or even your body to start pulling to stand and practicing their balance.
What toys help babies stand up?
There are many types of toys to help baby stand up. You’ll want to look for elevated toys that encourage upright exploration, like a stationary activity table or a sit-to-stand walker. They should be sturdy and able to bear the weight of your child pulling without tipping over.
Some toys and objects you could use as baby learns to stand include:
- Activity tables and stations: An activity table is just what it sounds like — a child-sized table with an assortment of toys, buttons, levers, switches and more to explore attached to the top. These are designed to entice baby to stand and support him while he plays.
- Push walker: These are often wagons, carts with wheels or a sit-to-stand toy that comes with an activity board on the front. They include a bar for baby to grab onto to pull himself up. They’re also a great toy that grows with baby because when he’s able to take steps, he can use it to push it forward.
- Wall-mounted toys: If you want to save on floor space, wall-mounted toys are a great way to encourage baby to stand. These are often wooden activity boards that you can hang low on the wall for baby to play with while he practices standing. One thing to note is that they don’t typical offer a bar or surface for baby to use to pull himself up, so this might be a better option once he’s more comfortable on his feet.
- Household objects: A sofa, coffee table, laundry basket or diaper box can also work as a standing toy. Early walkers are known to find creative ways to use things in their environment to practice standing and even taking a few steps. So, you’ll also want to keep an extra eye on baby that he isn’t pulling on anything that can tip and fall over.
“With any toys, I recommend aiming for ones that children can get into and out of on their own,” Dr. Rickerd says. Ultimately, you want to avoid placing your child in a standing position, even if you’re using an activity table or the couch. Allowing them to figure it out on their own will go farther than simply placing them in the position.
- WhatToExpect.com, When Do Babies Stand Up?, October 2021.
- American Academy of Pediatrics, Baby Walkers: A Dangerous Choice, August 2022.
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