24 Best Baby Gifts 6-Month-Olds, Per Experts

When you’re a new parent, you typically receive an endless amount of cute shoes and clothing… only for your baby to surely grow out of it all at the snap of a finger. It’s unfortunate, but it happens, and like clockwork, it’s the gift idea most people turn to when a milestone occurs, such as, say, turning 6 months old.

Beyond just clothing, we’d like to suggest you turn to more thoughtful gifts that support the developmental stage that comes with meeting the halfway point of their first year on earth (Exciting! Fun!). At 6 months old, they’re probably teething and grabbing everything in sight all the time (and therefore, putting things in their mouths that should absolutely not be in their mouths). Aside from that, they’re simply just curious little creatures wanting to learn about the world they live in.

So what exactly are the best baby gifts for 6-month-olds then? We tapped in two experts: Cofounder & CEO, Jessica Rolph and Dr. Patricia Cantor, a professor of early-childhood education at Plymouth State University, to break it down for us.“Consider what’s happening with a 6-month-old’s developing brain at this stage and what they’re naturally hungry to learn as a result,” Rolph tells Cosmopolitan. “This is a time of many changes, cognitively and with their fine and gross motor skills.” Although it may be overlooked by those, ahem, presenting presents to the bundle of joy’s family, the needs of a 6-month-old significantly differ from younger and older children.

“Younger babies aren’t yet able to reach and grab—they may follow objects with their eyes or swat out at them, but aren’t usually able to intentionally grasp an object,” Dr. Cantor notes. “Older children can reach and grab and will crawl or scoot to go seek out objects they’re interested in. Six-month-olds typically are dependent on adults to put objects within their reach. Many toys that interest babies at six months will continue to interest them when they’re older; children will just use them in different ways. That’s why it’s important to select toys that will ‘grow with’ the child.”

Rolph further explains that while there’s a wide range of where a 6-month-old can be developmentally at this age (i.e. experimenting with sitting, banging objects on surfaces, rolling over, or even starting to eat solids), “anything that supports their developing skills through play and connection with their caregiver makes a thoughtful gift for a 6-month-old.”

Additionally, Dr. Cantor and Rolph point out that by the time a baby is 6 months old, they can see in color and three dimensions—making it ideal to introduce high contrast images. “Until about 12 months, babies take in more information through their mouths than they do through their fingers. Give 6-month-olds safe toys to explore with their mouths,” Rolph says, while Dr. Cantor adds, “Six-month-olds are usually not able to get themselves into a sitting position, but they enjoy sitting on adult laps and holding objects in their hands, or lying on their backs and reaching up or to the side for toys. When lying on their stomachs, they can reach out to the side to grab objects.”

In an effort to help make your quest for the best gifts for 6-month-olds easier, we’ve compiled 24 totally safe and helpful products that both the baby and parents will appreciate.

Below, check out even more great gift ideas that are appropriate for a 6-month-old.