Infant Developmental
Guides & Resources

Visual tracking is one the first “motor” milestones to emerge with your infant! Visual motor development will drive head and neck movement next.  Use high-contrast, noisy toys to stimulate baby’s visual system, working on side-to-side eye movement and sustained gaze in these early weeks.  If you need more ideas on how to practice visual tracking, how to use these toys, or why visual tracking is important – check out our 0-4 month milestone guide!

• High contrast cards 
• Large Oball
• Shaker rattle
• Crinkle blocks
• Wrist bells
• Check out more on our Visual Tracking Amazon list here!

Tummy time is essential to many aspects of your baby’s development: visual system, head & neck strength, shoulder stability, and early trunk strength.  This all-important practice is a big precursor to future baby gross motor milestones and mobility.  Toys used in tummy time should keep baby happy and motivate head and chest lift as your baby ages! If you need more ideas on how to practice tummy time, how to use these toys and why tummy time is important – check out our 0-4 month milestone guide or our free tummy time troubleshooting guide!

• High contrast cards
• Boppy (used for more than just nursing!)
• Crinkle books
• Musical arch
• Play gym
• Soft foam mat
• Water mat
• High contrast play mat
• Mirror (2+ months)
• Check out more on our Tummy Time Amazon list here!

Rolling skills emerge at different times for every baby, but generally occur once baby has achieved good core strength and ability to weight shift.  For rolling, we suggest toys that encourage reaching and tracking with head and neck.  If you need more ideas on how to start laying the foundation for rolling – check out our 0-4 month milestone guide!

• Musical toys (something novel to grab baby’s attention!)
• Ring toys (reaching)
• Play gym
• Soft foam mat
• Check out more on our Rolling Amazon list here!

Finally your baby is upright! Toys used for sitting should be taller and heavier, at first, to keep baby focused on the ground and able to use hands on the ground for balance rather than bringing them to mouth! As your baby’s core strength improves the goal of toys in sitting is to promote fine motor development and social cognitive play.  

• Soft stacker toys (soft ones work best for early sitters)
• Stacking cups 
• Learn & spin 
• Activity cube
• Spin wheel
• Check out more on our Sitting Amazon list here!

Crawling toys should be anything that gets your baby motivated to move! We like musical toys or items that are parts of sets (blocks, puzzles, etc.), but also don’t underestimate the power of a kitchen utensil here! 

• Shape sorter
• Large blocks
• Tunnel
• Pull back soft cars
• Check out more on our Sitting Amazon list here!

Getting close to taking steps! Here are a few toys to encourage standing to play at a surface, or initiating those first wobbly steps. We prefer toys that get baby pulling to stand or walking on their own, rather than containers that “do” the skill for baby.

• Foam shape sorter (place on a standing-level surface)
• Activity center
• Activity table
• Wooden push toy
• Push & pull wagon (add weight as needed for early walkers)
• Sit-to-stand buggy
• Check out more on our Standing & Walking Amazon list here!