Milestone Boosting Toys
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Tracking
By the time she's a few weeks old, your infant can use her eyes to follow an object as it moves.
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Studying Faces
A baby may be fascinated by her face in the mirror, even if she doesn't yet know who exactly that cutie is!
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Reaching and Rolling
By 3 months, infants love kicking and grabbing at toys overhead. Later, this mat will be a safe place to roll.
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Getting a Grip
After about 4 months, your baby can hold what he wants long enough to inspect it.
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Lifting Her Head Up
Throughout the first six months, your baby benefits from daily time playing on her tummy, which helps build back and neck muscles.
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Sitting Pretty
Once a baby can hold her head steady, she'll love a seat that lets her sit up while playing.
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Holding & Releasing
In the second half of his first year, your baby will get more deliberate with his toys: grasping them longer, passing them hand-to-hand, and putting them into containers.
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Crawling
Some babies love to crawl and others need a little more motivation, like a toy that moves just out of reach.
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Stacking
It's surprisingly hard to pile traditional blocks on top of one another; most babies can't do it until they're more than a year old. Blocks with ridges make the balancing act easier. Early Years Stacking Cubes; $23; earlyyears.com
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A Stand-Up Routine
Babies find it easier (and more interesting) to get on their own two feet if they have a short, fun toy to lean on. Leapfrog Learn & Groove Musical Table; 45; leapfrog.com
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Walking While Supported
Somewhere around her first birthday, your baby may be ready to take a few steps. Holding on to a toy that rolls gives her some much-needed support. Radio Flyer Push, Pull & Ride; $50; radioflyer.com
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Walking on His Own
He's off and running! Encourage your baby to get around with a toy that's fun to push or pull along with him. Schylling Color Roller; $25; schilling.com
Originally published in the May 2010 issue of American Baby magazine.