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Kids are constantly growing and learning, and we all know the best and easiest way for kids to learn is through their toys. Infant kids are a little more limited as they can’t sit up and cognitively learn how to play, but as they get a little older, they respond to motor skills and cause and effect.
Baby toys for eight month olds need special attention as kids are ready to start playing independently. This means they need toys that will keep them occupied! Simple stacking rings might be good for a little while, but kids these days get bored and need more features.
Stacking rings need to sing and speak to the child as they are learning. Plush animals have to be soft for snuggling and sleeping but also have to offer songs and games to keep kids interested. Now you might be asking yourself, “What are the best toys for 8 month old to play with?” Worry no more because we found some of the best toys on the market for this adorable age group.
Contents
The Best Toys for 8 Month Old
Leapfrog Learn & Groove Color Play Drum
If your child likes to dance, this is the toy for them. The Leapfrog Learn & Groove Color Play Drum is a colorful, light-up drum that plays everything from classical and marching music to salsa music. It also speaks both English and Spanish for children looking to become bilingual. Leapfrog makes great baby toys for 8 month olds with its focus on education and movement. Lastly, it teaches numbers and colors while your child is having a ton of fun.
Where to Buy: Amazon
Pros
The Leapfrog Learn & Groove Color Play Drum is a great way to teach your child a second language without overwhelming them with terms. It is fun, and it also introduces a bunch of content.
Cons
It could be great to start learning another language at an early age, but kids might not respond to it right away. It could overwhelm them with information.
VTech Baby Rattle and Sing Puppy
Here is a toy that is great for motor skills as the VTech Baby Rattle and Sing Puppy offers an easy-to-grab design, which helps strengthen your child’s grip. There are also textured rings, crinkly ears, and music buttons, which play songs, phrases, and various sounds.
Where to Buy: Amazon
Pros
Not only is this adorable, but it helps strengthen your baby’s developing muscles as it encourages children to grab and play.
Cons
The fabric on the toy could get dirty easily, especially if your kid likes putting toys in their mouth.
Baby Einstein Discovering Music Activity Table
Musical children can rejoice in this fun play center as it has a bunch of instrument sounds to play with, including piano, drum, guitar, and French horn. It also can speak to children in three languages, including English, Spanish, and French. The Baby Einstein Discovering Music Activity Table teaches colors, numbers, letters, and more.
Where to Buy: Amazon
Pros
Not only does this activity table teach piano, drum, guitar, and French horn in three different languages, but it is also super fun for kids to compose their own music
Cons
Three languages can be a lot for your young eight-month old to take it. Take it slowly and see if they respond to them, but it can be overwhelming for them.
Melissa & Doug Flip Fish Baby Toy
At eight months old, we all know your child’s favorite thing to do is grab things. The Melissa & Doug Flip Fish Baby Toy boasts many different textures and colors for babies to grab. There is also a squeaking tail that promotes grabbing while strengthening finger muscles. It is a visually appealing toy with bright colors and pictures under the flaps for kids to look at.
Where to Buy: Amazon
Pros
If your child is a grabber, this is a great toy for them to grab. Instead of pulling the dog’s ears, this toy promotes kids to learn their sense of touch through grabbing.
Cons
Because this toy encourages children to grab, it could mean they start grabbing other things that they aren’t supposed to go after—like the dog. Make sure to keep an eye on their grabbing habits.
Infantino Balls, Block & Buddies Activity Toy Set
Now that your child is fully able to sit and play, they want a toy that will keep them occupied. Here’s where the Infantino Balls, Block & Buddies Activity Toy Set comes in as it has eight textured sensory balls, four animal toys, and eight counting blocks to play with. This toy will easily keep your child occupied for long stretches of time.
The textures also double as a gum soother while your child is teething, and it comes with a convenient carrying case for play on the go.
Where to Buy: Amazon
Pros
It’s a fun and adorable toy, but it also doubles as a gum soother, which is much needed during this time as your child is most likely teething.
Cons
Because these toys are meant to soothe gums, it means you have to clean them all after every use, which could come out to being a fair amount of work.
Manhattan Toy Snuggle Pod Sweet Pea First Baby Doll
Kids at eight months old might be starting to buck back when it comes to nap time, making it harder for mom and dad to get some quality time or even catch up for the next day. The Manhattan Toy Snuggle Pod Sweet Pea First Baby Doll is a toy that promotes cuddling and sleeping as it shows the child it is ready for bed in its snuggly pod. It is the perfect toy to hug while drifting off into lullaby land.
Where to Buy: Amazon
Pros
Kids that don’t like taking naps or drifting off to sleep at night are put at ease when snuggling this cuddly and adorable doll. They can play with it during the day and snuggle up at bed or naptime.
Cons
This toy is meant to be cuddled and makes your child feel secure at night, which could mean they will get very attached. It almost doubles as a security blanket of sorts.
Munchkin Mozart Magic Cube
This educational baby toy for 8 month olds teaches children how sounds combine while creating classic Mozart pieces. The instrument sounds included with this toy are harp, French horn, piano, and violin, which are all incredibly soothing noises for young children.
Light also flash to the time of the music being played, teaching kids musical timing at a young age. This toy is also incredibly safe as it has soft, rounded corners and is easy for the child to grip.
Where to Buy: Amazon
Pros
The Munchkin Mozart Magic Cube teaches children cause and effect very efficiently. Kids can compose their own masterpieces and see how the music works together.
Cons
This toy is meant to make noise. In fact, that is the whole point of this toy, so that means you have to listen to it at all hours of the day. If it’s your child’s favorite toy, it could be a lot for you as a parent.
Nuby Little Squirts Bath Toys
You can’t have a list of toys without including bath time toys! These adorable bath toys come in a pack of 10 squirting toys that you and your child can have fun with during bath time. They are the perfect shape for your child to squeeze, and they are BPA-free.
Where to Buy: Amazon
Pros
These toys are fun to squirt with during bath time but can also be used outside of the tub. They are adorable, and kids love how they fit right in their hands.
Cons
These toys go in the tub with your child and are meant to squirt, which means water gets inside of them. That can lead to mold.
GUND Baby Animated Flappy The Elephant
The GUND Baby Animated Flappy The Elephant may look like a simple plush toy, but it is more than that. This adorable, soft toy also doubles as a playmate for young children as it sings and plays “Peek-A-Boo.”
The elephant will begin singing ” Do Your Ears Hang Low” and proceed to have its ears drop to entice children to play and sing along when you press the sing button. When you press the play button, the elephant flaps its ears and plays “Peek-A-Boo.” It’s also great for cuddling during naptime.
Where to Buy: Amazon
Pros
It is an interactive toy for children to play with, but it also travels along for cuddles during bedtime.
Cons
It is pretty sturdy, but if your child pulls on its ears it could break the toy.
Animated plush Flappy the Elephant by Baby GUND is an adorable singing animated plush with two different play modes. Press the left foot to play an interactive game of peek-a-boo, and the right to hear the song Do Your Ears Hang Low in a cute child's voice.
Skip Hop Explore & More Follow-Me Bee
Now that your baby is able to crawl, it’s a great idea to give them as much of a full-body workout as you can with their toys so they can prepare to walk.
This musical toy moves in circular motions and random patterns, making your child chase after it. There are also fun songs and flashing lights that attract your baby to the toy as well. The bee part of the toy can also be removed from the cloud and acts as a rattle.
Where to Buy: Amazon
Pros
This toy truly gives your child a full-body workout as it requires your child to chase it around the room.
Cons
It’s great that this toy encourages children to chase it, which gives them exercise, but kids learning to walk are also quick to fall. Always supervise children when they are chasing this toy.
Hohner Kids Musical Toys MS9000 Baby Band
What’s great about this toy is that it comes with four different instruments. The toy set includes a maraca, mini tube shaker, rattle, and cage ball. These toys promote creativity and are easy to grab, which strengthens your child’s muscles making it the perfect toy for the eight-month age mark. It also comes with a convenient travel bag.
Where to Buy: Amazon
Pros
The Hohner Kids Musical Toys MS9000 Baby Band promotes both creativity and muscle strength in one fun package. Let kids create their own music with these fun instruments.
Cons
Like all musical toys, this toy can be overwhelming for parents especially if it’s your child’s favorite as it makes a lot of noise.
Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Sis
This toy is much more interactive than you may think as it teaches children how to develop their sensory and fine motor skills. The Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Sis teaches numbers, color, letters of the alphabet, and much more. It also plays more than 75 different songs and phrases.
Where to Buy: Amazon
Pros
This toy teaches everything from word association to colors and phrases. All your child has to do is press the buttons and learn along with what is being said.
Cons
It might be a little advanced at times for your child as it has so many phrases it teaches. As your child grows older they will catch on, but it might take time.
VTech Stack and Sing Rings
Yes, we have all heard of and bought traditional stacking rings for our children, but have you ever seen stacking rings that also sing? The VTech Stack and Sing Rings help develop motor skills as well as hand-eye coordination.
It also plays over 40 fun songs, sounds, and phrases for kids to sing along to while they are stacking and learning. There is also a wobbly base that makes the stacking task a little more challenging.
Where to Buy: Amazon
Pros
The VTech Stack and Sing Rings offer a bit more of a challenge than your standard stacking rings, as it offers a wobbly base designed to make your child cognitively think about stacking. Also, the music helps children learn much more than with your standard stacking rings.
Cons
Like a few toys on this list, these toys easily end up in your child’s mouth, which means a lot of cleaning after every use.
Skip Hop Explore and More Baby’s View 3 Stage Interactive Activity Center
We all know that children at eight months old need an activity center, but which is the best? Trusted brand Skip Hop offers this amazing option, the Explore and More Baby’s View 3 Stage Interactive Activity Center.
This activity center offers a 360-degree rotating seat so kids can play with all of the activities with ease. There are even piano keys by your child’s feet to encourage them to even use their feet while playing.
Where to Buy: Amazon
Pros
This activity center encourages children to use their entire body while playing, which is great at this age since they are likely crawling and preparing to take their first steps.
Cons
This toy comes with a hefty price tag.
Fisher-Price My First Fidget Cube
If you are looking to keep your child busy and occupied, look no further as the Fisher-Price My First Fidget Cube is the toy you must buy. This cube offers six different sides that all have different activities. The sides help kids learn textures, colors, and activities to stimulate their senses.
Where to Buy: Amazon
Pros
The Fisher-Price My First Fidget Cube is a great teaching toy for your child’s basic senses. It will also keep them busy for a while there are six different sides to explore.
Cons
If your kid likes to throw things around, it could bop another kid on the head causing a boo boo.
FAQs for Best Baby Toys for 8 Month Olds
Answer: There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to your child’s toys, but you definitely want to include toys that help them learn as much as possible since they are in such a developmental stage in life. When looking at various toys, you want to include cause and effect, blocks or stackers, music, and motor skills to add to your child’s collection.
Answer: Again, there is no right or wrong answer here. Parents can choose to buy as many or few toys as they wish for their child. If you have a strict budget, three to five toys could be plenty if you get toys that also teach while your child plays with them. Expensive is not always the best. Always looks at what the toy will offer your child in a developmental way.
Answer: In short, yes! Kids will learn from the stimulation they get from their toys, but there is nothing more fun than having a playmate. Squirting with bath toys in the tub or banging on a music drum with your child will not only be tones of fun for them but also for you as a parent too.
Answer: There are tones of activities to do with your child. Kids love funny noises, so toys that produce noise are something that will get them excited. Dancing and singing is also a great way to play with children as well as games like Peek-A-Boo. Don’t try to plan out playtime. Just go for it. Kids will have fun as long as you are having a good time with them.
Best Toys for 8 Month Old: Final Thoughts
There are plenty of toys to play with when it comes to your eight-month-old child. Some parents try to find the most stimulating toys, but the truth is many toys have lessons to teach. Whether it is motor skills, music, or just learning about the five senses, children learn best by being hands-on with their toys.
Of course, playing with your child also helps them grasp on to these concepts more, and you can even get them thinking bilingually if you get them the right toys.
There is no right or wrong when it comes to buying the right toys, but try to incorporates the many lessons as you can during playtime since your baby’s development is on overdrive right now. Most of all, remember to have fun. Kids grow up so quickly, and these playtime moments create beautiful lasting memories.