Image: MomJunction Design Team
The excitement when your baby starts sitting or crawling is great. These essential milestones develop when babies spend time lying on their stomachs during tummy time. Around this time, you can consider buying the best tummy time toys to enable you to play or interact with the baby.
If you’ve been wondering what toys to get your child in their tummy time phase, worry not; we are here to help you with it. Read on to discover some expert-approved tummy time toys to bring home for your fast-growing little one.
Top Picks
13 Best Tummy Time Toys To Engage Your Baby In 2024
1. Best Baby-Safe: Sassy Tummy Time Floor Mirror
The Sassy Tummy Time See Me floor mirror is a square-shaped, baby-safe mirror designed to stimulate your little one’s senses and promote human face recognition. This mirror features an easel design, ensuring it stays upright on the floor during tummy time. The mirror tummy time toy boasts a symmetrical bee figure on the side and a tracker ball to keep your baby entertained. Made of lightweight plastic material, it weighs just 8.8oz, and the toy has a simple yet safe design, ensuring endless fun and entertainment for your little one.
Pros
- Soft-framed sides and edges
- Rainbow colors on the tracker ball for color identification
- Helps develop motor skills
- Encourages visual perception and tactile exploration
Cons
- Rolling ball may get stuck while playing
- Reflection may be a bit unclear
"The highlight of this baby toy is the spinning ball that my little one finds thrilling. Maintaining its mirror is slightly challenging, but it's proven excellent for aiding development. While the overall toy is durable, I’d suggest placing it on a flat surface to prevent tipping."
Remember2. Best With Poems And Songs: VTech Tummy Time Discovery Pillow
VTech’s tummy time discovery pillow includes three take-along toys—a mirror, a piano, and a rattle. This is a giraffe-shaped pillow made of heavy-duty material that is safe for playing. In addition, more than 50 songs, melodies, and poems are featured on the piano. All the toys represent different shapes and have plenty of animal designs to keep your baby entertained during tummy time. The pillow’s multiple patterns and colors provide good visual and tactile stimulation to the little one. Check out the tester’s experience with this multi-sensory tummy time toy in this review video.
Pros
- Comfortable
- Stimulates motor skills
- Provides auditory stimulation
- Parent-friendly features
Cons
- Might not be durable
"My little one has started enjoying tummy time after I got her this toy. Besides, its lights and music are captivating, and the durable build helps her stand and sit independently. Also, its interactive nature has kept it in use through my baby's growth spurts."
Why We Think It's Worth Buying
The 5,982 positive reviews on Amazon are proof that this product meets customers' expectations.
3. Best Leak-Proof: Splashin’kids Beginner Crawl Along Game Ball
Encourage healthy development in your child by using this one-of-a-kind Splashin’kids crawl-along game ball. It is made of heavy-duty PVC and has been thoroughly tested for durability. This skill-building jumbo roller encourages crawling in infants. In addition, it develops their sense of following sounds when the rattles in the roller make different sounds. The eye-catching animal graphics will grab the attention of the child. It comes with two rattle balls and a LED light ball that shines in tandem with the rolling drum.
Pros
- Helps promote depth perception
- High-quality materials
- Leak-proof
- Stimulates baby development
- Enhances motor skills
Cons
- Might have a strong chemical smell
Quick tip4. Best Travel-Friendly: Playskool Elephant Stuffed Tummy Time Toy
This durable cuddly elephant stuffed toy from Playskool will make your infant’s tummy time more enjoyable. This cuddly elephant will keep your child entertained with its fun activities. This foldable on-the-go toy has incredible features. For example, you can play with the rattle, turn the clicker, and press the squeaker to exercise the baby’s sensory skills. Watch this video of this sensory toy for more information.
Pros
- Engaging activities
- Easy storage
- Easy tumble dry
- Travel-friendly
Cons
- Might be small in size
"The tactile stimulation offered by the multiple add-ons of this toy keeps my child hooked throughout tummy time. Its pink-hue and elephant design also looks quite lovely. I had to wash it on arrival, but its cushiony build offers enhanced comfort."
Why We Think It's Worth Buying
It's no wonder that this quality product has earned over 1,805 positive reviews on Amazon.
5. Best Ergonomic Design: Chicco Boppy Tummy Time Pillow
The Chicco Boppy tummy time cushion is a multicolored neck pillow for babies that can also double up as a waist pillow and provide good ergonomic support when feeding your little one. It has a semi-circular shape and is suitable for babies between two and nine months of age. The trusted baby pillow is made of 100% polyester and comes with three detachable toys. It measures 11.97 x 14.25 x 3.47in and weighs just 14.6oz.
Pros
- Provides a fun and safe tummy time
- Fun prints and shapes stimulate curiosity
- Soft on a baby’s sensitive skin
- Long-lasting
- Machine-washable
Cons
- Detachable toys may come off on their own
- Fabric may be a bit slippery
"In addition to being plush, this pillow has been perfect for exercising my baby’s neck muscles. It requires occasional repositioning, but its multiple toy attachments keep her from getting fussy. And the rattle’s noise isn't too disruptive."
6. Best For Physical Development: Early Learning Centre Blossom Farm Tummy Time Roller
The Early Learning Centre blossom farm tummy time roller is a cylindrical-shaped pillow with colorful shades. It is made of a soft fabric that is durable and well-stitched. This soft tummy time toy includes a chime ball, a teether with a mirror, and farm animals to encourage exploration skills.
Pros
- Excellent for physical development
- Enhances hand-eye coordination
- High-quality
- Attached mirror
Cons
- Might not be suitable for newborns
7. Best For Visual development: Teytoy Tummy Time Toy
The Teytoy tummy time toy will make traveling with your child more enjoyable. The attached toys are made entirely of food-grade teething silicone. With many positive reviews, it includes a baby mirror, teethers, and a soft fabric book to improve sensory skills. The detachable crinkle cloth book can be buckled to the mirror. The cloth book has cute patterns, colored pictures, and animal prints in bright colors on both sides of its pages.
Pros
- Enhances visual development
- Non-toxic
- Cute animal prints
- Baby-safe mirror
- Protective film
Cons
- Might not be durable
"Watching my child point and babble while pointing to her face in this book’s mirror has been a joy. It has also increased my little one’s tolerance for tummy time, and the flat-folding design allows me to store and carry it easily."
8. Best For Motor Skills: Tiny Love Tummy Time Mobile Entertainer
Tiny Love’s tummy time mobile entertainer is designed to promote babies’ motor development skills. This portable tummy time toy has a large detachable clip that allows it to be hung on the baby’s bed, car seat, or stroller. It includes a small peek-a-boo window to promote cognitive development. In addition, the interactive tummy time toy promotes your baby’s hand-eye coordination with various music and light features.
Pros
- Promotes motor skills
- Enhances cognition
- Innovative product
- Fun features
Cons
- Speaker quality might not be good
"This toy makes tummy time enjoyable and encourages my baby to roll over on his own. While the music feature is a nice add-on, the option to play with it in silent mode is a boon for adult ears. Plus, its varied play possibilities continue to engage him as he grows."
9. Best Musical: KiddoLab Musical Plush Crab Toy
The KiddoLab musical plush crab toy is a fun and engaging companion for babies during tummy time. It is suitable for babies aged three months and above and features a sound sensor button to play melodies and a wiggle and shake feature to entertain your little one. This trusted plush tummy time toy requires three AAA batteries to operate and is a great toy to encourage imaginative play and teach cause-and-effect.
Pros
- Compact design
- Lightweight and portable
- Soft and cuddly make
- Preset with five nursery rhymes
- Helps develop motor skills
- Improves hand-eye coordination
Cons
- Battery may be a bit hard to install
- Music may be loud
"Not only does this toy keep my baby entertained, but it also teaches her about cause and effect. Besides, its fabric is velvety soft, and the cheerful rhymes encourage her to babble. Replacing its battery is a bit troublesome, but that is only an occasional hassle."
Did you know?10. Best Fun Sounds: Baby Einstein Tinker’s Crawl Tummy-Time Musical Toy
Allow your child to practice crawling with the help of this talking tiger. This round-shaped toy rolls and wobbles, encouraging the baby to follow it. It emits three bright lights to entice the child and help them develop eye-hand coordination. Loved by many reviewers, it plays soft music in the background and introduces colors, numbers, and shapes in three languages.
Pros
- Durable
- Fun sounds
- Colorful lights
- Encourages curiosity
Cons
- Battery compartment not accessible
"This toy’s light and music encourage my child to crawl and chase after it throughout the day. It drains the batteries quickly, but it's proven durable, and the smooth finish offers peace of mind."
11. Best Environment-Friendly: Figetget Baby Caterpillar Toys
This twistable and durable wooden toy can stimulate your infant’s imagination and creativity. The caterpillar-shaped toy has colorful round balls attached to its body, making it easy for the baby’s tiny hands to manipulate it. The bright colors of this high-contrast toy will attract your baby’s attention. In addition, the Figetget caterpillar toy encourages a firm grip and also doubles as a teething toy.
Pros
- Bright and colorful
- Stimulates imagination
- Promotes sensory development
- Environment-friendly packaging
Cons
- Maybe a choking hazard
"The wooden build is what pushed me to get this tummy time toy. It's lightweight enough for my baby to play with, and the beads and eyes remain secure even when she throws it around. The only downside is that the paint is not fade-resistant, but it's still been a worthwhile find."
12. Best Sensory: Melissa & Doug Flip Fish Soft Baby Toy
The Melissa & Doug Flip Fish soft baby toy is designed as a tag toy for babies and provides great engagement during their tummy time. This fish-shaped developmental tummy time toy for babies above one month is lightweight and has multicolored and multi-textured scales, making it ideal for sensory play. Further, this textured tummy time toy has fun facial features and hidden pictures under the scales engage little ones and help spark their curiosity.
Pros
- Lightweight and portable
- Sleek design
- Encourages tactile exploration
- Great for texture exploration
- Easy to clean
Cons
- May be a bit bigger than expected
- May not grow with the child
Why We Think It's Worth Buying
The 5,044 positive customer reviews on Amazon attest to the product’s quality.
13. Best With Multiple Play Modes: Infantino Grow With Me Tummy Time Piano
This is a three-in-one tummy time toy with three play modes from kicking to tummy time to sitting and playing. The age-appropriate toy includes a removable peek-a-boo mirror, a piano with animal sounds printed on it, and 35 sensory-stimulating sounds. The piano is detachable for on-the-go play. It also has a detachable teether and a half-moon-shaped bolster to enjoy tummy time.
Pros
- Multiple play modes
- Easily washable
- Fine stitching
- Enhances brain development
Cons
- Might have an unpleasant smell
"This toy has made tummy time comfortable and interactive for my baby. He is especially thrilled that the piano emits different animal sounds. Moreover, its machine washable build helps me remove drool and spit-up."
Why We Think It's Worth Buying
About 512 reviewers on Amazon have given their seal of approval to the product.
How To Choose The Right Tummy Time Toy?
Here are some factors to consider when buying a tummy time toy.
- Age-appropriate: All the toys have a recommended age listed on them. So choose a toy that indicates the minimum age.
- Size: Consider the size of the toy you choose. Small children have the habit of putting things in their mouth, so the bigger the toy, the better.
- Durability: Check for the durability of the toy before purchasing it. Because the child tends to pull and chew on the toy, it is best to buy toys that are tested and safe.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do I need tummy time toys?
If you have a newborn at home, you might need tummy time toys that encourage the baby to lie on their tummies. Laying in this posture helps reduce the risk of brachycephaly or plagiocephaly head alignment (asymmetrical flattening of the skull) and influences motor development pertaining to crawling, rolling, and supine-prone positioning (1). It can also help with muscle development and spinal alignment and strengthen their arm, chest, and back muscles (2).
2. Are tummy toys safe?
Tummy toys made of plastic, food-grade PVC, and silicone, as well as BPA-free toys with smooth and soft edges are generally safe for babies.
3. Are tummy time toys washable?
Most cloth-based toys are generally washable, while plastic-based ones can be easily wipe-cleaned. Since the cleaning mechanism may differ from one toy to another, going through the care instructions provided by the manufacturer can be helpful.
4. How much tummy time does my baby need?
On average, 30 minutes of tummy time—not at a stretch but spread throughout the day—is recommended for infants. Ensure the baby is awake and supervised during this time (3).
5. Is tummy time better on the bed or floor?
Low, flat, safe surfaces are ideal for tummy time. Avoid beds and sofas as they can increase the risk of suffocation. Never leave the baby unattended (3).
Why Trust MomJunction?
Priti Bose is a product writer and reviewer with expertise in kids’ products and toys. With her knowledge and experience in the subject, she has combed through different trusted websites and user reviews to bring you a list of the best tummy time toys for your little one. You will find a detailed description of each consumer-tested product, including its material, safety, pros, and cons. She has also provided a purchasing guide and answered all your common queries about tummy time toys.
Feeding your little one can be one of the most challenging tasks of the day. However, investing in time-tested tummy time toys can help keep them engaged, allowing you to feed your child conveniently. Tummy time toys are made for different age groups. Finding one that’s age-appropriate to ensure the toy interests your child. Settling for a gibber toy is recommended as children generally put their toys in their mouths. When you get a durable toy, it will last longer despite rough use.
Infographic: How To Encourage Your Baby To Indulge In Tummy Time?
Tummy time helps reduce the risk of flat spots on the baby’s head and strengthens their neck muscles. In addition, you can encourage them to prolong their tummy time by making it more engaging and entertaining for the little one. Check out the following infographic to learn more about making tummy time fun.
Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
References
- Tummy Time And Infant Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review
https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/145/6/e20192168/76940/Tummy-Time-and-Infant-Health-Outcomes-A-Systematic - Objective Measurement Of Tummy Time In Infants (0-6 Months): A Validation Study
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6392225/ - Tummy Time:
https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/tummy-time.html
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