My 5 Favorite Toys For Baby's First Year

As I am starting to switch out Ethan's toys for the first time, I thought it would be helpful make a list of my favorite first year toys. There are so many options for toys its hard to know how to cover the basics. The following list are toys that I found Ethan was attracted to the most and the toys we made sure were on the packing list when we traveled.

one. Stacking Cups | These were by far Ethan's favorite toy {and still are}. He loved knocking them down and pulling the cups apart. They are a simple, cheap, and extended play toy.

two. Sensory Balls | The sensory balls are soft and easy for a baby to hold. They introduce the baby to new feelings with the nubs on the surface of the ball. Ethan picked up on the idea of "catch" quickly and would toss or roll the ball to me, waiting for it to return. Ethan will definitely be using these past a year, but they are a great basic toy to add to the toy chest.

three. Letter Links | I grew up with plastics links and I knew Ethan just had to have them! These letter links were a great spin on an old classic. They have bright colors, sensory nubs, and are even fun for mom to spell things! Ethan used them as teething rings or just loved to hang onto one as it fit nicely in his fist.

four. Grasping Toys | These were one of the first things that Ethan was able to grasp and "play" with. He had both a wood and plastic one. He loved shaking, sucking, and chewing on them. They were great to bring to restaurants to keep him entertained while we ate or socialized.

five.  Wood Blocks | Honestly, Ethan never did more than pick them up, throw, or chew these blocks, but I still think they are a great basic. They are the perfect size for babies' hands and stimulate the senses. They don't have a ton of extended play this first year, but will stay a staple in the toy chest until Ethan can stack, build, and try to spell.

I do have to add a post script as Ethan had some other favorites in his first year. Ethan loves stuffed animals. He hugs and snuggles all his stuffies. And although, his stuffies are extremely well loved, I know that whether a baby takes a shine to stuffed animals is a case by case basis. It is always fun to see which toys your children become attached to.

Vi ses senare!
Emily