The best toys for 3-month-olds — such as a classic Oball, a batting toy and high-contrast books — give curious infants the opportunity to touch, manipulate and explore new objects that activate their senses, experts say.
Our Top Picks
Best Affordable Toy for 3-Month-Olds Bright Starts Oball Shaker Rattle Toy
Best Rattle for 3-Month-Olds AUYYOSK Soft Rattles for Baby
Best Soft Book for 3-Month-Olds The Very Hungry Caterpillar Soft Teether Book
Best Puppet for 3-Month-Olds Melissa & Doug Pooh Bear Hand PuppetsWhen my eldest son was about 3 months old — officially out of the newborn phase and increasingly exploring the world around him, most often with his mouth — it occurred to me that we hadn’t really bought him a lot of toys. And while I understood that toys themselves aren’t nearly as important as the time I spent talking, reading and snuggling my baby ("The ‘perfect toy' is no replacement for quality time engaging with their parents," notes Steven Abelowitz, M.D., F.A.A.P., regional medical director of Coastal Kids Pediatrics), I still wanted fun things in the house for play time.
But buying toys for a 3-month-old can be tricky, experts say. At this age, your little one won’t be rolling a ball around or stacking impressive block towers, for example. And caregivers have to be extra cautious about small parts and potential choking hazards. But the right toys can help encourage your increasingly curious little one to touch, manipulate and explore new objects, in turn understanding sensations like texture and smell, says Donna Housman, Ed.D., a clinical psychologist and CEO of the Housman Institute in Newton Centre, Massachusetts. “Babies learn and engage with the world around them through their senses, and we want to make sure we provide them with as many opportunities to stimulate their sensory exploration as we can,” she says. “Toys play an important role in facilitating this exploration.”
There are a lot of toys out there marketed for younger babies, and it can be really challenging to figure out which are right for the 3-month stage. I started by pulling together a list of around 50 toys that were advertised as being age-appropriate for babies 3 months and older, including some that I personally used with my two sons (now 2 and 5).
Next, to better understand specific toy features to look for (and avoid), as well as developmental skills babies are mastering around this age, I spoke to: Dr. Housman and Dr. Abelowitz, as well as Sarah Lytle, Ph.D., director of Outreach and Education at the Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences (I-LABS) at the University of Washington; Ilan Shapiro, M.D., F.A.A.P., medical director of health education and wellness at AltaMed Health Services; and Micah Resnick, M.D., a board-certified pediatrician in Cincinnati, Ohio, with TriHealth and member of the What to Expect Medical Review Board.
These five experts shared what features to look for in toys for 3-month-olds based on factors like safety, longevity and size, as well as the types of toys that they thought were especially great for little ones at this age based on what's happening with their development. In addition to interviews with experts, I referenced information on toy buying safely from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
Finally, I turned to the What to Expect community to better understand which toys were beloved by their own 3-month-olds. Seeing what is overwhelmingly used by other children (plus their parents) helps make the shopping experience easier. I made sure their suggestions aligned with our experts' guidance, met safety requirements and had glowing reviews on shopping platforms, too.
Photo credit: Amazon
Buying Options
Amazon $4.99
Pros
Cons
Weight: 1.06 ounces
Dimensions: 4 x 4 x 4
Why We Love It
Simple? Undoubtedly, but our experts say toys don’t need to be complex to be fun and beneficial. This squishy ball Opens a new windowhas 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, which your little one will be increasingly interested in doing within a few months. For even more fun, the company also makes versions of the ball with included rattle pieces for auditory stimulation, too.
Buying Options
Target $4
Pros
Cons
Dimensions: 8.4 x 4 x 2.2 inches
Weight: 1.4 ounces
Why We Love It
If your little one loves the classic Oball, the brand’s shaker rattle toy is another great option, Dr. Housman says. This toy features two miniature teething balls on either end with a textured rattle in the middle that makes a gentle sound when baby shakes it. (Some parents will appreciate that the rattle noise is on the quieter side and not too abrasive, though it’s worth mentioning that some reviewers say it could actually be a little louder to be more engaging.) Babies get different kinds of stimulation from this toy — the sound of the beads, the feeling of touching the textured ball and rattle and observing the colorful balls bouncing around inside. It’s BPA-free, easy to wipe clean and at just $4, one of the most affordable toys for 3-year-olds, too.
Buying Options
Amazon $15.99
Pros
Cons
Dimensions: 7.6 x 7.24 x 2.91 inches
Weight: 3.2 ounces (both rattles)
Why We Love It
“Be on the lookout for toys that produce or encourage movement and create sound,” says Dr. Housman — which is why this two-pack of soft rattles from AUYYOSK is another excellent choice, she says. These easy-to-grasp toys are ultra soft and fuzzy (a pleasant texture for little hands to explore) and covered in high-contrast fabrics that will draw your baby’s attention. The rattle sound is engaging and pleasant, parents say, and because it’s so lightweight, on the smaller size and has a convenient clip, it’s easy to take on the go.
Photo credit: Amazon
Buying Options
Amazon $5.99
Target $6
Pros
Cons
Dimensions: 5.12 x 0.39 x 5.12 inches
Weight: 2 ounces
Why We Love It
Dr. Housman 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 even lets you attach it to baby’s car seat or stroller.
Photo credit: Amazon
Buying Options
Amazon $22.18
Pros
Cons
Dimensions: 9.5 x 2.1 x 14.25 inches
Weight: 3 ounces (per puppet)
Why We Love It
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 (though some reviewers say they can run a bit small). 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 them himself.
Buying Options
Amazon $16.99
Pros
Cons
Dimensions: 5.12 x 0.39 x 5.12 inches
Weight: 2 ounces
Why We Love It
Soft, squishable, textured balls are ideal toys for 3-month-olds, Dr. Housman says. This set includes eight small shapes (in addition to balls, there’s a star, square and cylinder) that are made of safe-to-chew PVC plastic and have fun textured surfaces. The shapes are soft, super squishy and make a gentle squeaking noise, so they’re satisfying for little ones to touch and squeeze. And once your baby is a few months older, he’ll eventually be able to stack, bounce and roll them. Many parents say they work very well as tummy time toys, too.
Buying Options
Amazon $39.95
Pros
Cons
Weight: 1.98 pounds
Dimensions: 14 x 8.5 x 4.4 inches
Why We Love It
Soft stuffed animals and dolls are among the baby toys that get the most long-term use: Not only are they fun for even the youngest babies to touch and explore, but they can provide comfort to older infants and eventually be used for imaginative play once your child is a toddler and preschooler. Dr. Housman recommends this set of three stuffed toys Opens a new window(an octopus, elephant and turtle) for 3-month-olds because they’re so sensory: The animals are covered in a range of different materials and textures, such as crinkly fabrics, fuzzy fur, silk and sequins. Parents note that they feel especially well-made and little ones enjoy manipulating the different surfaces. The octopus also features a clip so you can attach it to your little one’s stroller.
Buying Options
Amazon $19.98
Target $20
Pros
Cons
Weight: 1 pound
Dimensions: 5.9 x 12.8 x 9 inches
Why We Love It
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, such as 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.
Photo credit: Amazon
Buying Options
Amazon $20.89
Pros
Cons
Weight: 5.3 ounces
Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 6
Why We Love It
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 pick for your baby. Its six sides are covered in vibrant colors and various 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.
Buying Options
Amazon $13.99
Pros
Cons
Dimensions: 6.6 x 6.2 x 2.3 inches
Weight: 3.52 ounces
Why We Love It
A visual book like this one helps introduce 3-month-olds to different shapes and colors, Dr. Housman says. In addition to various patterns, some of the pages have small pieces of fabric your little one can manipulate, while others make noise; there’s also an included baby-safe mirror. The high-contrast, black-and-white images are especially appealing for younger babies still developing their vision, but many reviewers say their older babies enjoy flipping through the soft pages, too. At about 6 by 6 inches, it’s larger than your typical board book, and some parents say it’s a little clunky to fit in a diaper bag — though the larger pages also help make it so engaging.
Photo credit: Lovevery
Buying Options
Amazon $140.00
Pros
Cons
Dimensions: 23.9 x 50 x 47 inches
Why We Love It
"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. I used this play mat with my two sons, and loved that it was easy to switch in different toys (they’re attached with simple Velcro loops), which helped to make it continuously engaging. Also good: When my sons each outgrew tummy time, I could use the cover to turn the whole thing into a fun little fort for toddlers to explore.
Buying Options
Amazon $28.00
Pros
Cons
Dimensions: 3 x 3 x 3 inches (per block)
Weight: 1.15 ounces (per block)
Why We Love It
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 blocksbhave both colorful and black-and-white designs, as well as different visuals and textures. They have little tags on the sides for additional tactile play, too. "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 your little one stack them.
Buying Options
Amazon $6.79
Pros
Cons
Page count: 32
Why We Love It
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.
Buying Options
Amazon $28.00
Pros
Cons
Dimensions: 11.54 x 6.97 x 0.75 inches
Weight: 4.6 ounces
Why We Love It
Your baby’s vision is continuing to become sharper, and by 4 months an infant’s eyesight is almost fully developed. But things can still be a little blurry around 2 to 3 months, which is why high-contrast black-and-white images like the ones in this baby book can be so appealing for 3-month-olds, Dr. Housman says. This book features soft, crinkly pages that are fun to touch and gum, plus plenty of high-contrast shapes for your child’s visual development.
Helpfully, many parents say, the book fully expands like an accordion, making it an excellent prop for tummy time. You can shift the book around to change up your baby’s view — and in turn motivate him to keep that little head raised off the ground.
Buying Options
Amazon $9.95
Pros
Cons
Weight: 2.08 ounces
Dimensions: 5.63 x 4.72 x 0.67 inches
Why We Love It
Satisfy baby’s urge to chew and strengthen his hands with this BPA-free teether ring, which Dr. Housman recommends for teething 3-month-olds. The AAP does not recommend liquid-filled teethers for babies, but this one — which is made of silicone and wood — is a safer bet. Each of the brightly colored silicone nubs 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).
The wooden ring is easy for little hands to grasp and has no sharp edges, and you can remove the silicone rudders and boil them to clean (just note that the wooden ring can’t be boiled).
Buying Options
Amazon $9.99
Pros
Cons
Weight: 4 ounces
Dimensions: 5 x 4 x 3.5 inches
Why We Love It
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.
Buying Options
Target $9
Pros
Cons
Weight: 4.4 ounces
Dimensions: 10.24 x 2.64 x 10 inches
Why We Love It
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 crinkly velour body provides plenty of tactile play. There’s also a squeaker and clacking rings that begin to teach little ones 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.)
Buying Options
Amazon $11.19
Pros
Cons
Weight: 5 ounces (all three toys)
Dimensions: 10 x 10 inches (card), 5.5 x 30.8 inches (book), 3.5 x 3.5 inches (cube)
Why We Love It
“Look for books that have interactive elements that engage the senses, like crinkly pages, flaps to lift and reach for, and textures to explore,” says Dr. Housman. This set of three high-contrast toys — an expandable book, a flat card and a travel cube — combine all of these features and then some.
Your 3-month-old will enjoy looking at the images, flipping through the soft pages (made of non-toxic materials that are safe to put in the washing machine, they’re OK for littles to chew, too) and interacting with crinkly materials. The small cube also comes with a travel clip, so you can attach it to your baby’s stroller — it’s the perfect toy to encourage batting and kicking while you’re on the go.
Buying Options
Amazon $5.99
Pros
Cons
Dimensions: 2 x 0.38 x 2.25 inches
Weight: 4.2 ounces (total)
Why We Love It
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 your baby gets older.
What to Expect community members particularly love the Bright Stars Lots of Links: They’re inexpensive, light enough to be thrown in a purse or diaper bag for on-the-go entertainment and they wipe clean. Parents are also fans of their versatility; you can use these links to attach a toy to a high chair so it doesn’t go flying, for example. And although parents say they’re strong enough to stay linked together, they’re not so strong that they would pinch little fingers.
Buying Options
Amazon $37.83
Nordstrom $40
Pros
Cons
Weight: 15 ounces
Dimensions: 7.7 x 10.5 x 12 inches
Why We Love It
Toys that “make noise but aren’t too stimulating” are ideal at this age, says Dr. Resnick. 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 his left foot, he plays peekaboo with his ears.
Buying Options
Amazon $49.26
Pros
Cons
Weight: 4.5 pounds
Dimensions: 27 x 36 x 18 inches
Why We Love It
Musical toys like the Fisher Price Deluxe Kick ‘n Play Piano Gym get the green light from many pediatricians. “Babies can see it, hear it and touch it while lying down,” says Dr. Abelowitz, also noting that gyms like these are generally easy to clean since 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.
Buying Options
Amazon $10.87
Pros
Cons
Weight: 1.4 ounces
Dimensions: 6 x 6 inches
Why We Love It
Is your little one obsessed with tags? Turn to the Taggies Crinkle Me Toy, 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 child to play with inside, and crinkle paper and a squeaker 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.
Buying Options
Amazon $17.49
Pros
Cons
Weight: 13 ounces
Dimensions: 4 x 11 x 15 inches
Why We Love It
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. 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.
Buying Options
Amazon $14.99
Pros
Cons
Weight: 10 ounces
Dimensions: 11.5 x 11.5 inches
Why We Love It
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 practicing 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.
Before you purchase toys for a 3-month-old child, take these factors into consideration:
Walmart $20
Lovevery $140
Kohls $20