The Year's Best Baby Toys
Room to Play
Babyplay 4-in-1 Tummy Time Play & Explore Activity Gym
Use Mamas and Papas' Babyplay 4-in-1 Tummy Time Play & Explore Activity Gym with its arches or without; it's also big enough for two, making it perfect for a pair of twins or playdates. (birth and up, $100)
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Charming Chicken
Apple Park's Organic Farm Buddies Surfer Chick
With snazzy shades and shoes, Apple Park's Organic Farm Buddies Surfer Chick is a cool plush friend. (birth and up, $15.50)
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Tummy Time Made Easy
Kathe Kruse's Tummy Time Fitness Roll
The various textures all over Kathe Kruse's Tummy Time Fitness roll will hold your baby's attention. Pull the nose and the whole thing wiggles! (6 months and up, $60)
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Cute Caterpillar
Press 'n Play Zoom Zoom Buggy
Push on the smiling Press 'n Play Zoom Zoom Buggy from B. Kids and it goes a short distance. (9 months and up, $14)
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Tons Of Fun
Tap N Tumble Elephant
When your baby tips over the Tap N Tumble Elephant from Tomy, the toy begins to spin away, inviting your kiddo to chase after it. (10 months and up, $30)
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Super Balls
Bright Starts' Having A Ball Jungle Fun Ball Climber
Teach your tot how to send the balls around and around with Bright Starts' Having a Ball Jungle Fun Ball Climber. He'll stay mesmerized by all the movement! (6 to 36 months, $30)
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Bright Idea
Playskool's Elefun & Friends Shapes 'n Colors Turtle
By pressing on Playskool's Elefun & Friends Shapes 'n Colors Turtle, Baby can set off lights, music, or a shape's name. (6 months and up, $15)
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Truckloads Of Fun
Busy Fire Truck
With a bead maze, mirror, spinning wheel, and more, the wooden Busy Fire Truck lives up to its name. (10 months and up, $44)
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Hot Seat
Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Chair
When your baby interacts with this seat's pretend remote control, book, and seat cushion, the Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Chair plays songs, phrases, and learning games to entertain her. It's easy to set the games to change as she grows older. (12 months and up, $40)
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3-in-1 Indoor Fun
Little Tikes Activity Garden 3-in-1 Adventure Center
For some indoor exercise, the Little Tikes Activity Garden 3-in-1 Adventure Center gives your toddler a place to climb, slide, and rock (12 months to 3 years, $30)
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Jam Band!
Wooden Instruments from Spark. Create. Imagine.
Host your own impromptu music class with three Wooden Instruments from Walmart's Spark. Create. Imagine. line of toys. (12 months and up, $7)
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A Clear Winner
See-Inside Sensory Blocks
Stacking play gets more colorful thanks to the beads inside See-Inside Sensory Blocks from Lakeshore Learning. (6 to 36 months; $30)
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Oink, Oink!
Animals on Wheels
Animals on Wheels, like this piggy, are made in the USA by Green Toys from recycled plastic and easy for little hands to send zipping along.
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Cuddly Koalas
Lamaze Cuddle & Squeak Koalas
Lamaze's Cuddle & Squeak Koalas are more than just stuffed animals to love. The baby is a rattle and clutches a leafy teether. (6 months and up, $20)
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Bounce Around
Little Grip 'N Roll Balls
Bouncy balls never go out of style! This set of three Little Grip 'N Roll Balls, from Little Tikes, is a bargain. (6 months and up, $10)
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Hoppin' Fun
Rattle-A Roo
Rich Frog's Rattle-A-Roo chimes when you jiggle the mom-and-baby-pair. (birth and up, $11)
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Get A Grip!
Uppsala Lion Clutching Toy
A maplewood ring is at the center of Haba's Uppsala Lion Clutching Toy. (birth and up, $13)
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Shake It Up, Baby
Amelia Giraffe
This Amelia giraffe, from Finn + Emma, is satisfying to gum as well as shake. (birth and up, $28)
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Ready To Roll
Color Fun Walker Wagon
Silicone treads on Haba's Color Fun Walker Wagon add stability. (10 months and up, $116)
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Go Kart, Go!
Stow 'N Go Kart
Baby can push, pull and ride on B. Toys' Stow 'N Go Kart, and hide toys in it too. (12 to 36 months, $50)
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Jingle All The Way
Janod's Crazy Doggy Babywalker
Janod's Crazy Doggy Babywalker has a bell on its collar so you can hear Baby on the move. (12 months and up, $60)
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Medieval Fun
Mamas and Papas' Flame the Dragon
Mamas and Papas' fire-breathing Flame the Dragon is full of fierce fun! (birth and up, $18)
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Chew On This
Bandana Buddies Activity Elephant
The neckwear on Bandana Buddies Activity Elephant, from Sklip-Hop, is a teether you can wear. (birth and up, $15)
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Just Magical
Lamaze's Tilly Twinklewings
Flowing mane! Shiny horn! Lamaze's Tilly Twinklewings has pizazz. (birth to 24 months, $16)
Originally published in the December/January 2015 issue of American Baby Magazine.