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Play is important for a baby’s development, and the appropriate toys can accelerate your baby’s physical and mental growth. This includes the development of both hand-eye coordination and motor skills. Toys that focus on sensory play can help with brain development too.

Selecting toys at each stage of your child’s journey may not be at the top of your to-do list. Luckily, we’ve done the work so you can focus on the ever-growing needs of your baby. We’ve found some of the best toys for 9-month-olds on the market today.

These toys are safe, educational, and engaging, providing the opportunity for all types of play.

To create our list, we scoured the reviews for toys that were a good value, developmentally appropriate, and most likely to keep your baby engaged and entertained.

Pricing guide

  • $ = under $20
  • $$ = $20–$40
  • $$$ = over $40

Best overall toy for 9-month-olds

Fat Brain InnyBin

Price: $$

A simple toy that incorporates so many principles of play and motor skill development, the InnyBin is great for 9-month-old children.

Your baby can push the chunky blocks (complete with textures and shapes) through the elastic bands on the cube. Can they get them in and out? Watch as they figure out how to manipulate the blocks and the shape-sorting box.

Pros

  • It has a simple design for open-ended play.
  • It’s BPA-free.

Cons

  • Some people don’t think it’s challenging enough for a 9-month-old.
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Best crawling toy for 9-month-olds

Bright Starts Roll & Glow Monkey Crawling Baby Toy

Price: $

Crawling toys are vital because they encourage your child to crawl, which equips the baby to eventually stand and walk. Anything that rolls may help your little one keep moving.

The Bright Starts Roll & Glow Monkey has lights and sounds but a very simple yet amusing design of a monkey that rolls on the floor. Not only do the wheels move, but the baby can also tap the monkey and watch it spin for added amusement and motivation.

Pros

  • This toy encourages crawling.

Cons

  • Some users say it was very loud.
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Best standing toy for 9-month-olds

LeapFrog Learn & Groove Musical Table

Price: $$$

With a variety of instruments, buttons, and songs, this table introduces letters, numbers, and shapes in English and Spanish.

You can easily remove the table legs if you want to use this table on the floor or another surface. It’s perfect for encouraging motor skills in children who are learning to stand.

Pros

  • It’s a good way to keep baby distracted so they stand up longer.
  • The versatile design is great for sitters, crawlers, and standers.
  • It features English and Spanish.

Cons

  • Some parents questioned its sturdiness.
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Best walking toy for 9-month-olds

VTech Sit-To-Stand Learning Walker

Price: $$

As your little one learns to walk, this push walker helps them along while introducing them to animals, shapes, and numbers. The front panel detaches so you can play with it on another surface or even pack it for an outing.

The learning walker plays music and includes five piano keys, light-up buttons, and spinning gears. The manufacturer says the walker enhances motor skills, creative thinking, and sensory exploration. But keep in mind: For sensitive babies, the lights and noises may be too stimulating.

Pros

  • This is a modern walker that doesn’t put a child in a sling-style walker, but still encourages walking.
  • It can be used when baby is sitting or standing.

Cons

  • Some reviewers say the wheels don’t have enough resistance.
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Best subscription toy box for 9-month-olds

Lovevery Play Kits

Price: $$$

The Lovevery kits come delivered straight to your door every other month when you enroll in their subscription. The box contains a whole new set of toys and activities for your little one based on their month of development.

The toys and kits are Montessori-inspired — a style of multisensory, self-paced learning that encourages independence and inquiry.

When they outgrow each, they can keep the toys and look forward to another package. But you can also purchase the kits individually.

In the kit for 9- and 10-month-old children, you’ll get stacking rings, cause-and-effect toys, a scarf, a wooden egg cup, and much more. People love these intuitive, simple toys because there are no lights and sounds — just simple play at its best.

Pros

  • Subscription box includes age-appropriate Montessori-inspired toys.
  • You can cancel the subscription box.

Cons

  • It’s expensive.
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Best climbing toy for 9-month-olds

Foamnasium Up and Down

Price: $$$

Your little one may use these mats to start crawling, but they probably won’t stop there. These gym mats are great for climbing, walking, and playing.

The baby can cruise, learn to crawl (and eventually walk) up the steps and slide down into your arms. What’s better: They can grow with your child because, well, who doesn’t love to play on a gym mat?

If you like to get on the floor with your baby a lot, this is a great way to connect sans all the toys with noises and lights. It’s also Greenguard Gold certified, which means it meets a higher manufacturing standard that monitors the use of harmful chemicals or compounds.

Pros

  • It features multiple configurations (and ability to add on more pieces).
  • It has lots of color options.
  • It’s easy to clean.

Cons

  • It’s expensive.
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Best musical toy for 9-month-olds

Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes Musical Toy

Price: $

With its clear sound and colorful lights, this musical toy stimulates auditory and visual development, giving your baby a musical learning experience.

The toy includes a volume control and seven classical melodies from Chopin, Vivaldi, and Mozart. It’s small enough to keep your little one occupied during diaper changes or to toss into a weekend bag. The handle means the baby can grip it and go, whether they’re enjoying tummy time, sitting, cruising, crawling, or walking.

Pros

  • This toy is convenient and portable.

Cons

  • Users complained that tempo of music was too fast or slow.
  • This is a hard toy, so it’s maybe not best if your baby swings it a lot.
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Best sensory toy for 9-month-olds

BOBXIN Baby Blocks and Sensory Ball Set

Price: $

These soft blocks and textured sensory balls can provide hours of enjoyment. They’re soft enough to squeeze, and doing so produces a squeaking noise, which delights little ones.

They have texture galore — which is great for sensory play — and have many designs and numbers on the blocks. The shapes are interlocking so kids can match them together. You can also use the blocks in the water during bath time or as teething toys.

The kit comes with round balls as well that can double as a massage tool for hands and feet.

Pros

  • The blocks are easy to wash.
  • The set is great for bath time.

Cons

  • Reviewers questioned if they were made of food-grade silicone.
  • Users complain that the blocks don’t stack well.
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Best ball pit for 9-month-olds

LOJETON Rocket Ship Play Tent, Tunnel & Ball Pit

Price: $$

This pop-up ball pit, tent, and tunnel not only provides a ton of fun for little ones, but it also helps foster motor skills, encourages social skills, and inspires creativity.

Connect all three pieces for an obstacle course that’s great for crawling babies, or leave them separate for a different kind of fun.

It includes a convenient carrying case, and the waterproof fabric dries easily and is a cinch to clean. The ball pit doesn’t include the balls, so you’ll need to buy those separately.

Pros

  • It’s easy to clean.

Cons

  • The balls are not included.
  • Some reviewers questioned the toy’s sturdiness.
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Best ball drop toy for 9-month-olds

VTech Drop & Go Dump Truck

Price: $

Teaching cause-and-effect and problem-solving skills, this toy also improves motor skills. Along with hand-eye coordination, you can incorporate color and number introduction with the three different balls.

Just drop them in and watch them emerge in the dump bin, where the child can lift and push them out. This toy includes a pull string.

Pros

  • The truck counts the balls with an audible voice.

Cons

  • Reviewers complained that it was hard to push the balls in.
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Best stacking toy for 9-month-olds

Sassy Stacks of Circles

Price: $

Bright and cheerful, this vibrant nine-piece set of stacking rings boosts hand-eye coordination and helps to develop motor skills.

Your babe can stack the textured, multicolored rings as they please, plus they can use them as a teething toy. The weighted rings provide endless options of sequences and free play.

Pros

  • There are different colors and textures on each easy-to-grasp ring.

Cons

  • There are questions about whether it’s BPA-free, which isn’t clear on the packaging.
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Best sorting toy for 9-month-olds

Melissa & Doug Take-Along Shape Sorter

Price: $$

Popular for a reason, this shape sorter features textured blocks in an easy-to-carry sorter bag.

You can use it to introduce objects, shapes, and colors, and turn it over to reveal pictures on the crinkly flaps that make up the back of the bag.

This toy aids in fine motor, sensory, and communicative development, helping to enhance your baby’s learning experience.

Pros

  • It comes with a plush bag.
  • It features crinkly flaps on the other side that show shapes again for reinforcement.

Cons

  • Some 9-month-old children may not yet be able to sort and insert shapes into corresponding holes.
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Best hide and find toy for 9-month-olds

Identity Games Elmo’s World Hide & Seek Game

Price: $

Suitable for a variety of ages, this game offers several options and levels for play. Young ones can play with the talking Elmo doll as well as the game cards.

Searching for Elmo underneath a blanket or similar item helps babies to learn object permanence. Plus, they’ll want to crawl, cruise, or walk to get to Elmo when he’s put at a distance.

Pros

  • It encourages children to develop a variety of skills.

Cons

  • Children may not be able to grasp the link to cards, which show places in the house where Elmo is hiding.
  • Reviewers complained that the clues to find Elmo are timed, so if the child doesn’t find him in time it may not make sense.
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Best bath toy for 9-month-olds

Green Toys Tugboat

Price: $

Parents love the Green Toys brand because their toys are durable, affordable, and made from recycled plastic. But your kid will likely dig this tugboat because it floats, spins, and pours water.

Whether they play with it in the bath, outside, in a pool, or without water, it offers versatility for a variety of play scenarios.

Unlike soft bath toys that can grow moldy inside, this toy is easy to clean — just pop it in the dishwasher. Remember that babies should never be left unattended around water, baths and toilet included.

Pros

  • It’s easy to clean and dishwasher safe (just make sure all crevices dry thoroughly).
  • It’s made from recycled plastic.

Cons

  • It may be hard to keep clean if you don’t have a dishwasher.
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Developmentally your baby may already be crawling, standing, or walking. Before independent walking, they may also be able to cruise in a standing position while holding onto sturdy objects.

You’ll want to select toys that are in line with their 9-month developmental milestones, which may or may not be exactly on target. Regardless, it’s important to choose toys that will be suitable for their age, and help encourage their development, even if they haven’t yet mastered a certain skill. The child can always “grow into” the toy.

A 9-month-old may start to:

  • sit without support
  • crawl, stand, or walk
  • cruise by moving in a standing position and holding onto sturdy objects
  • use the pincer grasp to pick up an object using their thumb and index finger
  • follow simple directions
  • engage memory recall
  • handle more stimulation
  • understand certain words
  • make sounds
  • make hand gestures
  • create an attachment to a security item or favorite toy
  • comprehend object permanence
  • use their hands to play with objects

Make sure to discuss any developmental concerns with your child’s pediatrician.

How do I keep my 9-month-old entertained?

There are a variety of types of play available for 9-month-olds. Most are pretty simple. You can set up your own sensory activities at home, which are ideal for children of all abilities.

You can also present new toys that help babies understand that certain actions create reactions or consequences.

Babies at this age can likely engage themselves; don’t worry too much about “entertaining” them but instead give them opportunities to explore their world (with your supervision, of course).

How do you know if a baby is bored?

Your baby may look away, move away, call for you, or cry if they’re bored. Before stopping an activity, try to see if the baby is upset. If they’re bored, it doesn’t mean you have to do anything, as a little boredom can be good.

How long is a 9-month-old’s attention span?

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), a baby this age likely only has an attention span of 2 to 3 minutes. But older research from 2008 shows that as they grow into toddlers, they will want more autonomy and may desire to do things on their own while maintaining a longer attention span.

Toys can provide the perfect learning experiences as your child explores the world around them while learning and growing.

Chances are, your baby will be happy with most of the toys out there, but it’s still a good idea to choose toys that will enhance their development.