Before they turn one, babies learn through their senses. They can make eye contact, smile, grasp objects and bring them to their mouth to learn even more about them. What they need most of all is adult interaction: talking, singing, reading to baby, holding them and caressing them, rocking them, are all essential. You can read more about how your baby learns in this article.

Newborns are learning so much already, getting to know those closest to them, and all the sounds, sights and smells around them. As they develop, choose simple toys that engage baby, that encourage sensory exploration, motor skills, and cause and effect.

Here are some ideas:

Learning Ages
Sensory learning

Fine motor skills

Cause and effect

0-1

 

Sensory learning

Fine motor skills

0-1
Sensory learning

Fine motor skills

0-1
Sensory learning

Fine motor skills

0-1
Sensory learning

Fine motor skills

0-1

 

Sensory learning

Fine motor skills

0-1
Sensory learning

Fine motor skills

0-1

 

Writing

Sensory Learning

Fine motor

S.T.E.M.

Reasoning

0-2

 

Sensory learning

Fine motor skills

0-1
Sensory learning

Teething

Motor skills

0-2

 

Sensory learning

Teething

0-2

 

Sensory play

Fine Motor development

0-1

 

Sensory learning

Dramatic play

Teething

0-3
Sensory learning

S.T.E.M.

Motor development

0-1
Sensory Learning

S.T.E.M.

Motor development

0-3

 

Sensory Learning

S.T.E.M.

Motor skills

0-3

 

Sensory learning

Serve and return

Motor development

0-3
Sensory learning

S.T.E.M.

Motor skills

0-3

 

Sensory Learning

S.T.E.M.

Motor skills

0-1

 

Sensory Learning

S.T.E.M.

Dramatic play (as they get older)

0-3

 

Sensory Learning

S.T.E.M.

Fine motor skills

0-3
Sensory learning

Empathy (as they get older)

Dramatic play (as they get older)

0-5

 

Sensory learning

Music

Cause and effect

0

 

Sensory learning

Cause and effect

Gross motor development

0

 

Sensory learning

Music

Cause and effect

0

 

Sensory learning

 

0-1

 

Sensory play

Literacy

S.T.E.M.

0-2
Cause and effect

Motor skill development

0-1
Cause and effect

Reasoning

Motor skill development

0-1
Cause and effect

Reasoning

Motor skill development

0-1
Cause and effect

Music

Reasoning

Motor skill development

0-3
Cause and effect

Walking

Reasoning

Motor skill development

0-2
Cause and effect

Walking

Motor skill development

0-2
Cause and effect

S.T.E.M.

literacy

0-2
Music

Reasoning

0-4
Music

Fine motor skills

Cause and effect

0-5+
Music

Hand-eye coordination

Fine motor skills

0-2
Music

Hand-eye coordination

Fine motor skills

0-4
Music

S.T.E.M.

Literacy

0-5
Music

S.T.E.M.

0-5+

 

S.T.E.M.

Music

Hand-eye coordination

Fine motor skills

0-2
S.T.E.M.

Fine motor skills

0-2

 

S.T.E.M.

Motor development

0-1
S.T.E.M.

Fine motor skills

0-5
S.T.E.M. 0-5
S.T.E.M. 0-5
S.T.E.M.

Fine motor skills

0-1
S.T.E.M.

Fine motor skills (writing)

0-5

 

S.T.E.M.

Fine motor skills

Sensory learning

0-1
Motor development

S.T.E.M.

 

0-2
Motor development

Cause and effect

Math

0-1

 

Fine motor skills

Gross motor development

Cause and effect

Math

0-3

 

Gross motor skills

Social + emotional development

Object permanence

Physical education

0-5
Gross motor skills

Fine motor skills

Sensory learning

0-1
Gross motor skills

Self-help skills

0-4
Gross motor development

Physical education

0 (9mo)-3
Focus

Visual learning

0-1
Social+emotional development

Motor development

0
Social+emotional development 0-3