Welcoming a newborn? Start with the GUND Peek-a-Boo bear, a soft plush for cuddling, or choose the Baby Einstein octopus soother for a baby settling into a crib routine.
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Dolls and figuresFrom 0 months
Soft plush teddy bear to hug, carry from room to room and use in simple games of hiding and popping back into view.
Why we like it
Here the bear does the peeking.
GUND built it as an animated plush that plays peek-a-boo on its own, hiding and then reappearing while a baby on your lap watches. When the game is over, it is still a soft bear to hug.
A dragon toy that fastens to a car seat or stroller handle, keeping something to reach for and grab close by during outings.
Why we like it
On car seat rides, the Lamaze dragon clips on right beside the baby, with crinkly parts to pat and flaps to flip, hanging in plain view for the whole drive.
After the car is parked, it unclips and moves over to the stroller handle for the rest of the outing.
Dolls and figuresFrom 0 months
An octopus soother toy featuring the Opus character, made to keep close by and hand over when a fussy moment needs settling.
Why we like it
A fussy spell halfway through a walk is when Baby Einstein's Opus comes in.
The plush octopus clips to the stroller and plays melodies and gentle sounds, so a tune can start as soon as the crying does.
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A soft fishing-themed playset in the shape of a tackle box, made for grasping, cuddling and exploring during awake play on a lap.
Why we like it
With an angler among the new parents, this GUND tackle box gives the baby a plush version of the family hobby.
A newborn studies bold shapes held close, and once small hands start grasping, the same soft pieces become something to hold. The baby's own fishing kit ends up stored beside the real gear by the door.
A plush stuffed giraffe with a playful rattle inside and no bean pellets, made to be held, shaken, cuddled and carried around.
Why we like it
When you want a newborn gift to hug and to hear, this Aurora giraffe hides a rattle in its plush body.
A gentle shake from your hand gives a newborn something to listen for, cradled in your arm. With no bean pellets, its body stays soft all the way through for holding close.
A plush lovey that pairs a stuffed animal with a blanket, made to be held, cuddled and carried along during waking hours.
Why we like it
During quiet time on the play mat, this GUND lovey gives a newborn a soft face to study up close.
Newborns look longest at faces near them, and once small fingers start to grip, the blanket corner is easy to clutch.
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A ball toy from the Whistleball Colorpop line, made for reaching, clutching and passing from hand to hand during floor play.
Why we like it
Meeting the baby for the first time?
Manhattan Toy's Whistleball Colorpop is an easy gift to carry in. Roll it slowly across the play mat and let the baby, lying close by, follow it with their eyes from one side all the way to the other.
From 0 months
A tiger toy that hangs from a stroller, offering something to reach for, bat at and grab during walks and errands.
Why we like it
One swipe at this Jingle Joy tiger from Bright Starts sets off a chime, so even a wild swing gets an answer.
It goes on the stroller bar and is made for newborns, which means it can come along from the first walk and turn a coffee stop into a few minutes of batting practice.
A play gym and activity mat that combines several toys into a single floor setup for lying, reaching, watching and playing at home.
Why we like it
Right after a morning feed, a newborn can lie under this Skip Hop gym and gaze up at whatever hangs overhead.
Newborns study shapes close to their faces, so having several toys hung together gives those eyes plenty to follow. The baby's own swat that sets something swaying comes months later, on that same spot.
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A teething book that pairs pages to turn with something to chew on, for reading together at home or bringing along on outings.
Why we like it
A new baby gets the Baby Einstein Curious Explorers teething book, made for reading and gnawing alike.
In the early weeks, you hold it open near the baby's face and talk through each page. Once sore gums arrive and small hands can grip, it rides along in the stroller for chewing on walks.
A board book by Eric Carle, published as a single volume to read from start to finish.
Why we like it
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle makes a classic book for a new baby's shelf.
Parents can read it aloud during cuddle time in the early months. As the baby grows, it becomes a book to point at together.
A soft activity book with crinkly pages to turn, pat and look over while someone reads it aloud during shared lap time.
Why we like it
Manhattan Toy's crinkle cloth book gives a new baby pages to look at from a parent's lap.
Read it aloud while holding each page close, since newborns study shapes near their faces. Once small hands start to grab, a few months on, the baby can pat and crinkle the pages too.
Car rides and the walk after them are where the Lamaze Flip Flap Dragon goes. It fastens right beside the baby in the car seat, with crinkly parts to pat and flaps to flip hanging in plain view for the whole drive, then unclips and moves over to the stroller handle once the car is parked, so the same toy stays within reach for the rest of the trip.
Yes, the Jingle Joy tiger from Bright Starts is made for newborns and hangs from the stroller bar, so it can come along from the earliest walks. Any swipe at it sets off a chime, which gives a baby something to bat at and grab whenever the stroller pauses at a coffee stop or on an errand.
Something easy to carry in and hand over on the spot, like the Whistleball Colorpop ball from Manhattan Toy. Roll it slowly across the play mat and a baby lying nearby follows it with their eyes from side to side, and once reaching starts it is made for clutching and passing from hand to hand during floor play.
Chosen by our team from store data and what readers pick, not hands-on tests. Nothing is paid to be on this list. Recall notices checked . How we pick
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