Quick Facts: Best Toys for 10-Month-Olds
- Choose toys that are safe, non-toxic, and free of small parts.
- Look for toys that build fine and gross motor skills together.
- Sensory toys with textures, sounds, and colors keep babies engaged.
- Interactive toys support early language and cause-and-effect learning.
- Simple items like balls, bubbles, and bath toys are still powerful tools for development.
At around 10 months, babies are on the move, curious, and eager to explore. The best toys for 10-month-old development help them crawl, pull up, babble, and use their hands in new ways, all while staying safe and engaged.
Below you will find a complete guide to what to look for and the top development-boosting toys for 10-month-olds.
(All images are AI-generated)
What to Look For in Toys for a 10-Month-Old
At 10 months, most babies are:
- Sitting confidently and often crawling or scooting
- Pulling to stand and cruising along furniture
- Exploring everything with hands and mouth
- Babbling, copying sounds, and pointing
When choosing toys, focus on:
- Safety and materials
- No small parts, loose pieces, or sharp edges
- Non-toxic, BPA-free, and phthalate-free materials
- Sturdy enough to handle drops, chewing, and banging
- Age appropriateness
- Marked for 6–12 months or 9+ months
- Simple actions: push, pull, shake, stack, tap, squeeze
- Sensory play
- Different textures, colors, and sounds
- Items that roll, squish, rattle, light up, or splash
- Motor skills
- Fine motor: grasping, transferring, poking, pressing, turning pages
- Gross motor: reaching, crawling toward a toy, pulling up, cruising
- Cognitive and language development
- Cause-and-effect toys (press a button, hear a sound)
- Early music, simple words, animal sounds
- Picture books with clear images and short rhymes
Always watch what your baby enjoys most. Their curiosity is your best guide.
Edushape Sensory Mini Balls
The Edushape Sensory Mini Balls set is a great all-rounder for 10-month-olds.
Why are they great
- Set of six balls in different shapes, textures, and colors
- Perfect size for little hands to grasp, squeeze, and roll
- Soft but firm enough to withstand chewing and banging
Skills they build
- Fine motor skills (grasping, transferring from hand to hand)
- Tactile and visual sensory exploration
- Early social play, when you roll or toss balls back and forth
How to play
- Place a few balls in front of your baby and encourage them to crawl to them.
- Roll a ball gently toward your baby and wait for them to push it back.
- Name colors and textures: “bumpy ball,” “smooth ball,” “blue ball.”
Taf Toys Baby Activity Arch
The Taf Toys Baby Activity Arch is ideal for stroller rides, car seats, and bouncers.
Key features
- Flexible arch that clips to stroller, car seat, or bouncer
- Hanging toys, including a bead maze and a double-sided spinning mirror
- Adjustable angle and height as your baby grows
Skills it supports
- Fine motor skills: batting, grasping, and pulling toys
- Hand-eye coordination
- Visual tracking and early focus
How to use
- Attach to the stroller or car seat, keeping it within easy reach.
- Encourage your baby to reach for the toys: “Can you tap the rattle?”
- Flip the mirror to show your baby’s reflection for extra engagement.
Lovevery Play Kits
Lovevery Play Kits are subscription boxes that deliver age-specific toys designed by child development experts.
Why do they work for 10-month-olds
- Toys are matched to your baby’s age and stage
- Each kit targets skills such as object permanence, pincer grasp, and early problem-solving
- Includes guide cards to show you how to play and what skills each toy supports
Benefits
- Saves time researching age-appropriate toys
- Ensures your baby’s playthings evolve with their development
- Encourages purposeful, high-quality play instead of random toy clutter
These kits can be a smart “set and forget” option if you want a curated toy rotation.
Touchable Mini Bubbles Wand Toy
The Touchable Mini Bubbles Wand Toy turns classic bubbles into a rich sensory experience.
What makes it different
- Produces bubbles that are thicker and easier to touch
- Many bubbles do not pop right away, which fascinates babies
- Simple wand design that adults can use while babies watch and reach
Development benefits
- Sensory play: sight (floating bubbles), touch (popping or patting bubbles)
- Hand-eye coordination and reaching
- Cause-and-effect: baby sees you wave the wand, bubbles appear
Play ideas
- Blow bubbles above your baby’s head while they sit or crawl.
- Please encourage them to reach, clap, or crawl after the bubbles.
- Talk through what is happening: “Look, a bubble! It popped!”
(All images are AI-generated)
Copper Pearl Oceana Squirtie Bath Toy Set
Bath time is a perfect time for learning, and the Copper Pearl Oceana Squirtie Bath Toy Set makes it even better.
Why this bath toy set stands out
- Soft, squeezable sea-themed toys with different spray features
- Easy for small hands to grasp and squeeze
- Designed to come apart for cleaning to reduce mould risk
Skills supported
- Fine motor strength (squeezing to squirt water)
- Cause-and-effect understanding (squeeze toy, water comes out)
- Sensory play with warm water and different textures
Bath play tips
- Show your baby how to squeeze the toy underwater, then release.
- Count squirts or name each animal as you play.
- Let your baby fill and pour to explore water flow.
Baby Einstein Clever Composer Tune Table
The Baby Einstein Clever Composer Tune Table is a musical toy that can grow with your baby.
Key features
- Piano keys and instrument “pads” that play music with a tap
- Lights and sounds that respond to a baby’s touch
- Removable legs so it works as a floor toy or a standing table
Development benefits
- Fine motor skills: pressing keys, tapping instruments
- Gross motor: pulling up to stand and cruising around the table
- Early music awareness and rhythm
- Cause-and-effect learning
Ways to use it
- Start with legs off so your baby can tap while sitting.
- Later, attach legs and let them pull to stand and “play.”
- Name instruments or sounds as they press them.
Fisher-Price Linkimals Cool Beats Penguin Musical Toy
The Fisher-Price Linkimals Cool Beats Penguin is a dancing, singing toy that keeps 10-month-olds engaged.
What it does
- Dances, lights up, and plays more than 85 songs, phrases, and sounds
- Reacts to the baby’s pressing and tapping
- Links with other Linkimals toys for coordinated music and lights
Skills it supports
- Gross motor skills: bouncing, clapping, swaying along
- Fine motor skills: pressing buttons, tapping the penguin
- Early language exposure through songs and phrases
- Sensory stimulation with lights, music, and movement
Play ideas
- Encourage your baby to copy simple movements, such as clapping hands.
- Use the music as a backdrop for tummy time or standing practice.
- Point to and name the lights and body parts: “Penguin’s tummy,” “Penguin’s head.”
Melissa & Doug Natural Play Book Tower
Books are some of the best toys for 10-month-old babies, and the Melissa & Doug Natural Play Book Tower makes it easy to start a home library.
What is included
- Set of 10 chunky board books
- Classic nursery rhymes and simple illustrations
- Sturdy cardboard carrying case for storage and travel
Development benefits
- Language development: rhythm, rhyme, and repeated phrases
- Cognitive skills: early story structure, page-turning, picture recognition
- Bonding and routines around reading
How to use with a 10-month-old
- Let your baby choose a book from the tower and explore the pages.
- Read the same rhyme many times; repetition is powerful at this age.
- Point to pictures and label them: “cat,” “ball,” “baby.”
When to Introduce Certain Toy Types
Most babies around 10 months are ready for:
- Simple cause-and-effect toys (buttons, lights, music)
- Stacking cups, balls, and soft blocks
- Bath toys that pour, squirt, or float
- Early push toys for standing and cruising
If your baby is closer to 12 months and showing interest in cups and self-feeding, you may also want to explore options like a training straw cup. For detailed guidance, see this guide to the best straw cup for baby when you are ready for that transition.
Cleaning and Safety Tips for 10-Month-Old Toys
- Wash plastic toys regularly with warm, soapy water.
- Disinfect bath toys and squirties, and let them dry thoroughly.
- Toss toys that crack, warp, or trap water and cannot be cleaned.
- Check manufacturer age labels and always supervise play.
FAQ
The best toys for 10-month-olds are safe, sturdy, and simple. Look for sensory balls, soft blocks, bath toys, baby-safe musical toys, activity arches, and chunky board books that build motor skills, language, and cause-and-effect learning.
You do not need an extensive toy collection. A slight rotation of 8–12 well-chosen toys is usually enough. Rotate toys every week or two to keep them fresh and interesting.
Some electronic toys can be helpful if they encourage interaction, movement, and language. Choose toys with simple lights and sounds and avoid those that overstimulate or “do everything” while your baby watches.
Rotating toys every one to two weeks works well for most families. Put some toys away and bring others out. This keeps your baby curious without overwhelming them or cluttering your space.
Subscription kits like Lovevery can be a good choice if you want age-specific toys without doing your own research. They offer developmentally matched toys and play guides, which many parents find helpful.
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