Families With Babies Are Obsessed With This Tummy-Time Toy (2024)

Families With Babies Are Obsessed With This Tummy-Time Toy (1)

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

It's so exciting when a new baby is born that it's easy to want to rush over and lavish gifts upon the new little bundle. But you have to keep in mind that the best baby gifts would be nice for the infant, sure, but they're really gifts for new moms and presents for new dads.

That means the goal is to find something useful: toys that hold the baby's attention, clothes and gear they might actually need and use, items that'll stand up to the "love" of an infant and (our favorite) personalized items that celebrate the name the parents have agonized over.

Luckily, the Good Housekeeping Institute tests toys, clothes and baby gear year-round to help come up with the list of the best gifts for baby girls in 2023. The items are both evaluated in the lab to ensure they're well-made, then given to real families to road-tested them in the field. From bibs to bodysuits, changing pads to little loveys, these are items that you can feel good giving at the next holiday, baby shower, sip-and-see or baby girl birthday. They should also last until you're looking for the best gifts for 1-year-olds.

Good Housekeeping Best Toy Award Winner

GUND Sustainable Plush

Families With Babies Are Obsessed With This Tummy-Time Toy (2)

Good Housekeeping Institute testers were pleased with the softness of this plush, and said it was just the right size for cuddling. But experts were impressed that it comes from 100% recycled material in the fabric, stuffing and packaging. You can get it in several animals, including a bunny, kitten, lamb, dog and bear. Ages 0+

RELATED: The Good Housekeeping Best Toy Awards

Great for Those About to Crawl

Tummy Time Toy

Families With Babies Are Obsessed With This Tummy-Time Toy (3)

We bet she doesn't have one of these already! This unique toy is helps with tummy-time adventures by offering a cushioned place to lay down. As they get older, they can use their hands and feet to push and scoot it around, working on those all-important gross motor skills. Ages 4 months+

This toy truly has it all: There's a heart-shaped silicone teether, arms that dangle, ears that crinkle, sherpa fabric to feel and — best of all — plenty of tags to explore. (Why do babies always love the tags the most?) It comes in other animal shapes, too, like a sloth or a dinosaur. Ages 0+

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

Good Housekeeping Parenting Awards Winner

Bundle Me

Families With Babies Are Obsessed With This Tummy-Time Toy (6)

There's nothing rougher than having to keep a baby warm while in a stroller: they love taking off hats, and loose blankets get caught in the wheels, drag and get very dirty. This attaches to strollers easily, says Good Housekeeping Institute testers, and keeps babies warm. Testers also found the fabric to be snuggly soft.

RELATED: The Good Housekeeping Parenting Awards

Cutest Stacking Toy

Green Toys Minnie Mouse Stacker

Families With Babies Are Obsessed With This Tummy-Time Toy (7)

Sorting items by size or color and stacking them from large to small are tasks that offer incredible developmental benefits and help with fine motor coordination. This toy does all that and puts a Minnie Mouse bow on top, to boot. Plus, it's made from 100% recycled plastic. Ages 6 months+

For Bookworms

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Apple Play Set

Families With Babies Are Obsessed With This Tummy-Time Toy (8)

If the family is fans of the world of Eric Carle, they'll enjoy this brightly colored Caterpillar-themed play set. In this seven-piece set, the apple comes stuffed with a caterpillar and five different pieces of fruit, each of which make noises when you squeeze or shake them. Ages 0+

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

Good Housekeeping Best Kids' Book Award Winner

Look, it's Woof Woof Dog

Families With Babies Are Obsessed With This Tummy-Time Toy (9)

Families With Babies Are Obsessed With This Tummy-Time Toy (10)

This board book was a hit with Good Housekeeping Institute testers because of its cool collage art style and sturdy felt flaps that reveal animals and the noises they make. On the last page, it says, "But what noise do you make," and has a mirror, a feature loved by kid testers. Ages 0+

RELATED: The Good Housekeeping Best Kids' Book Awards

Cute Teether

Baby Key Teether Rattle

Families With Babies Are Obsessed With This Tummy-Time Toy (11)

It seems like babies are obsessed with keys from the minute they're born. Instead of handing them yours, give them this key set, which is made from rubberwood and organic pigments, to rattle and chew on. Ages 4 months+

These soft, fabric baby blocks are printed with high-contrast patterns that are easy for young babies to see. In addition, the sides have textures to feel, offering a sensory experience. As they get older, kids can practice stacking them or identifying the shapes and colors. Ages 0+

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

Personalized Baby Gift

Personalized Animal Lovey

Families With Babies Are Obsessed With This Tummy-Time Toy (13)

Families With Babies Are Obsessed With This Tummy-Time Toy (14)

It's a blanket. It's a lovey. It's a stuffed animal. It's all three in one — and personalized, too! You can get this in a ton of animal shapes, and also pick out the color and font of the embroidery, too. No age recommendation given

Best Bodysuit Set

Burt's Bees Baby Cotton Bodysuits

Families With Babies Are Obsessed With This Tummy-Time Toy (15)

Parenting rule of them: You can never have too many bodysuits. The Good Housekeeping Institute loves that the brand uses fabric made of certified organic cotton and follows strict environmental standards. Bodysuits come in short and long sleeves, and in addition to bodysuits, you can get gift sets that throw in blankets, hats or PJs.

RELATED: The Clothing Brands That Make the Best Baby Clothes

Best Baby Shoes

Baby Moccasins

Families With Babies Are Obsessed With This Tummy-Time Toy (16)

Families With Babies Are Obsessed With This Tummy-Time Toy (17)

Now 25% Off

Are you more of a pale pink shoe-gifter, or will you go for the wild black and gold or cheetah print? Babies never really need to wear shoes, anyway, so you're really just doing it for the look. BirdRock has more than 30 styles of its adorable moccasin-type shoes, and you can't go wrong with any of them. (And, at their price point, you might find yourself choosing a bunch.)

RELATED: The Best Walking Shoes for Babies and Toddlers

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

Cute Board Book

'The Little Mermaid' Board Book

Families With Babies Are Obsessed With This Tummy-Time Toy (18)

They're definitely too young to watch this year's The Little Mermaid movie, but this book had the idea to set the undersea story in the Caribbean before Disney did — and it's perfect for those bedtime read-alouds. It comes from the Once Upon a World series that takes classic fairytales and sets them in different locations around the world; you can also get a Rapunzel that takes place in India, a Cinderella in Mexico, a Snow White in Japan and a The Princess and the Pea in Russia. Ages 0+

Best Stuffed Animal for Babies

Blossom Bunny

Families With Babies Are Obsessed With This Tummy-Time Toy (19)

The snuggliest bunny on the block! When it comes time for that first cuddly friend, Jellycat's stuffed Blossom bunny is super soft, and comes with a floral pattern in the ears and on the feet. Not a bunny fan? There are lots of other animals to choose from. Ages 0+

Customized Baby Gift

Wooden Personalized Name Puzzle

Families With Babies Are Obsessed With This Tummy-Time Toy (20)

Not only does this puzzle proudly display the baby name that parents so carefully picked, it looks striking on a shelf until the baby is old enough to actually play with it. Ages 12 months+

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

Cute Sensory Toy

Tinkle Crinkle Caterpillar Plush

Families With Babies Are Obsessed With This Tummy-Time Toy (21)

This caterpillar is not just a happy addition to a nursery: Each segment does something different, either crinkling, rattling, squeaking or offering a different texture to touch. It's a feast for the senses, and families just love it! Ages 0+

Personalized Book

'The Little Girl Who Lost Her Name' Picture Book

Families With Babies Are Obsessed With This Tummy-Time Toy (22)

This unique picture book is personalized for each child, and the story takes kids through all the letters in their names. New parents will love the customization, and it might even help kids spell their own names as they get older.

Gift That Gives Back

Baby Animal Collection

Families With Babies Are Obsessed With This Tummy-Time Toy (23)

Good Housekeeping Institute testers loved these hand-knit dolls and found them exceptionally soft. They come in a range of animals, including a set of winter ones for the holidays. Bonus: For each purchase, Cuddle + Kind says the brand provides five meals to children in need. Ages 0+

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

Grows With Baby

Explore & More 4-in-1 Toy Walker

Families With Babies Are Obsessed With This Tummy-Time Toy (24)

Good Housekeeping Institute testers loved the innovative way this toy could grow with a child. At first, it can be used as a tummy time toy. Then, it converts to a walker for toddlers, then becomes either a grocery cart or a toy stroller for bigger kids. All the while, it has plenty of lights, sounds and features to keep them entertained. Ages 6 months+

Sensory Toy

Sense & Grow Sensory Magic Tissue Box

Families With Babies Are Obsessed With This Tummy-Time Toy (25)

There's a lot of learning packed into this little box. Kids pull out the fabrics, which works on their fine motor coordination. Then the scarves have different textures, which gives them a sensory experience. Parent testers said their babies loved the way some of the scarves crinkled and some were smooth. Ages 5 months+

Families With Babies Are Obsessed With This Tummy-Time Toy (26)

Marisa LaScala

Senior Parenting & Relationships Editor

Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; she previously wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found dominating the audio round at her local bar trivia night or tweeting about movies.

Families With Babies Are Obsessed With This Tummy-Time Toy (27)

Reviewed byRachel Rothman

Rachel Rothman was the chief technologist and executive technical director of the Good Housekeeping Institute for over 15 years, overseeing testing methodology, implementation and reporting for all GH Labs. She also managed GH's research division and the analysis of applicants for the GH Seal and all other testing emblems.

Families With Babies Are Obsessed With This Tummy-Time Toy (2024)

FAQs

Why are babies obsessed with baby dolls? ›

One thing to keep in mind when your child shows an interest in a baby doll is that our babies model the behaviour they see and emulate the things they experience. When your baby chooses to play with a doll, it's most likely because he sees you take care of him, and he is trying to copy that.

Why do parents do tummy time? ›

Supervised tummy time is important because it helps to: Strengthen baby's neck, shoulder, and arm muscles so the baby can start to sit up, crawl, and eventually walk on their own. Improve baby's ability to move and control their muscles to complete various actions (sometimes called “motor skills”)

Why might parents not engage in tummy time with their child as much as necessary? ›

Because babies spend so much time on their backs sleeping, the Tummy Time position is not familiar to them and they protest because it is an unusual position. Parents may stop doing Tummy Time.

When did tummy time become a thing? ›

The recommendation for tummy time came about in response to the A.A.P.'s 1994 “Back to Sleep” campaign, which recommended that babies always be put to sleep on their backs, never on their tummies.

What is baby doll syndrome? ›

Bobble-head doll syndrome is a rare neurological movement disorder in which patients, usually children around age 3, begin to bob their head and shoulders forward and back, or sometimes side-to-side, involuntarily, in a manner reminiscent of a bobblehead doll.

What is the doll like baby syndrome? ›

The facial appearance of people with Smith-Magenis syndrome changes with age; in infancy it is described as 'doll like' or cherubic but it is described as coarsening with age. Other physical features include short, broad hands, short stature and a hoarse, deep voice.

What age should you stop tummy time? ›

We recommend you continue with tummy time until your baby starts to crawl or can get onto and off their tummy themselves. Once your baby is doing this, they will be doing their own tummy time. Remember, it is safe to start tummy time from birth.

What happens if I don't do tummy time with my baby? ›

Babies that don't get enough tummy time might take longer to develop some motor skills. For example, they might be slower to develop core strength, coordination and balance, and take longer to build related skills like reaching and crawling.

Is too much tummy time bad? ›

It's also a good idea to do tummy time when your baby is fed, changed, and happy. As your baby gets used to it, place your little one belly-down more often or for longer periods of time. Experts recommend that babies work up to about 1 hour of tummy time a day by the time they're 3 months old.

Do Europeans do tummy time? ›

Interestingly, however, “tummy time” isn't a big deal in other countries. In fact, in many places outside of the U.S., “tummy time” isn't a thing at all. Recently, an American mom who gave birth in France went viral for a video of a French pediatrician telling her not to do tummy time.

Is there an alternative to tummy time? ›

Side lying is a great alternative to tummy time if your baby doesn't tolerate being on their stomach. Place your baby on a blanket on their side; if needed, prop their back against a rolled-up towel for support. If their head needs support, place a small, folded washcloth under their head.

Can I give my baby a pacifier during tummy time? ›

Also as mentioned above, allowing your baby to move during tummy time, rolling over, sitting up, crawling, etc. without a pacifier in her mouth will optimize the oral motor development that happens alongside those gross motor milestones. Give your baby a chance to self-soothe.

Is 3 months too late for tummy time? ›

We can start with tummy time exercises right after birth, usually between 0 to 3 months old. By 3 months, most babies can lift their heads at about a 45-degree angle. And by 4 months, get ready to be amazed as they show off upper body strength with their yoga-like moves and lift their heads a full 90 degrees.

Is tummy time Montessori? ›

Of course! Since there are multiple benefits to tummy time, some Montessori parents will offer the opportunity for tummy time but observe their child to determine how long they are able to stay on their tummies. When they sense their baby has had enough, they stop.

Does tummy time count if baby doesn't lift head? ›

5 tips for newborn tummy time

Your baby doesn't have to lift their head to make tummy time worthwhile. Lying on their belly with their cheek resting on your chest or the floor still counts. Put your baby (belly down) across your lap and gently rub their back.

What is the psychology of playing with baby dolls? ›

doll play appeared to encourage social interaction, even during solo play. Children who demonstrated fewer autistic traits used more language related to the thoughts and feelings of others while playing.

What is the doll baby effect? ›

Research has shown that mothers of infants who have Kewpie doll-like appearances show more affection, play more often with, and spend more time engaged with their baby than mothers of less attractive babies, despite the common belief that parents will treat their child the same, regardless of appearance.

Why do little girls love baby dolls so much? ›

"Because dolls are so close to the human form, a girl tests out on them whatever it is she is trying to make sense of in the real world," says Sally Turk, head teacher of the 2- and 3- year-old classrooms at Wellesley College Child Studies Center.

Do autistic babies play with dolls? ›

The findings show that all children, even those who display neurodivergent traits commonly associated with autism, may use doll play as a tool for practicing social scenarios and developing social skills, such as empathy,” said lead researcher and neuroscientist Dr. Sarah Gerson.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Ouida Strosin DO

Last Updated:

Views: 6247

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (76 voted)

Reviews: 91% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Ouida Strosin DO

Birthday: 1995-04-27

Address: Suite 927 930 Kilback Radial, Candidaville, TN 87795

Phone: +8561498978366

Job: Legacy Manufacturing Specialist

Hobby: Singing, Mountain biking, Water sports, Water sports, Taxidermy, Polo, Pet

Introduction: My name is Ouida Strosin DO, I am a precious, combative, spotless, modern, spotless, beautiful, precious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.