The 28 Best Toys for 6-Month-Olds That Make Great Baby Gifts

Have you ever given a baby a tissue box? There goes five dollars. (Or, you know, whatever a box of tissues costs in your area.) This sensory toy gives them the same feeling of pulling tissue after tissue out of the box, only you can just refill it with the scarves. This one comes with 10 soft scarves and four crinkle papers, so baby can get the feel of different materials.

This rather Seussian-looking object will help develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. It's easy to toss into a diaper bag and interactive enough to keep the little one busy for an entire car ride.

For a baby, a set of easy musical instruments is the best thing since sliced bananas. This set comes with literal bells and whistles, including a carrying bag. (Let grandma listen to the xylophone nonstop, right?)

Meet Spike, baby's new favorite Ankylosaurus. This toy not only helps with grasping ability, the color scheme will help them identify and sort blue, green, yellow, and orange. (I speak from personal experience; my son cannot get enough of this little spiked dome.)

According to Lohiser, this Learning Bot touches on four different areas of growth: gross motor, cause and effect, fine motor, and early academics. Perhaps most valuable of all, though, it encourages crawling by engaging with the baby then moving away. (I can personally attest that both my baby and my toddler were delighted by this toy.)

How cute is this little car? It may be adorable, but it also fosters understanding of cause and effect as baby interacts with the dashboard and all the musical features. It will require a few minutes of assembly, but parents and grandparents rave that children love their new set of wheels.

The best rattle for an older baby isn't what you envision when you think "rattle" — it's a pair of socks. These socks, and accompanying wristbands, come with noise-makers attached so baby can get used to reaching for their feet. Get those crunches in, baby!

This activity cube has made it through both my children's grubby paws and come out impressively unscathed. The five sides all play to a different skill; some sides light up, others play music when buttons slide to the side, and some do both.

For the baby just beginning to get comfortable in the water, consider a splash mat with a built-in backrest. This option, from The Original SwimSchool, also comes with stacking rings and a tower to help build dexterity while they're lounging. The most important part, though? That canopy for sun protection.

Montessori is all about discovery at a young age, and this three-item kit will help baby do just that. There's a spinning wheel to turn for new colors, a ball with textured fabrics, and a mirror so they can see their favorite person: that other baby.

To say we're a big Jellycat household would be an understatement. My kids love their soft stuffies, so much so that when my daughter chose a brown dog as her one and only "lovey," I stocked up on a second one and we switch them out when one is in the wash. This sheep dog is very similar in size and shape. Get one in a laying position, because this dog will eventually become a (well used) pillow.

You won't find a more beloved walker out there than the VTech Sit-To-Stand Learning Walker. Parents rave about the interactive toy, which comes in four different color schemes. Even if the little one isn't close to needing that first pair of walking shoes yet, they can still play with the front like it's a busy board.

Books are one of the keys to a healthy bedtime routine, and Sandra Boynton is the queen. The author has several box sets of board books, but I'm partial to this one because it contains The Going to Bed Book, an all-important tome in many houses.

This may be listed as a product for kids one year and up, but if your baby can sit, your baby will love this thing. We found one of these at a thrift shop and it's easily one of the most loved items in our playroom. It's one of those toys kids will play with for a while, forget about, then see with new eyes a couple days later.

Babies. Grab. Everything. You know what they love the most? Your phone. But next? Remotes! This one from Leapfrog comes equipped with tons of buttons that light up and make noise. It's delightful — for them, maybe not for you.

Four farm animals walk into a barn and…well, there's a joke in there somewhere. These animals double as rattles that will improve little one's fine motor skills. They just so happen to live (happily) in this portable plush barn!

Fisher-Price's version of this classic toy improves on the original by adding an wobbly base so the baby will need to practice grasping the rings and holding the tower steady. Over 40,000 Amazon reviewers have given it five stars, meaning your baby will be thoroughly entertained . . . for at least five minutes!

This editor is Not a Doll Person, but Tikiri dolls are officially the least creepy baby dolls on the market. These handmade items come in various shapes and outfits, but all of them are made of soft organic cotton, so when baby does drop her, she won't make a sound.

The Interactive Plush Dog, which comes in both "Sis" (pictured) and "Puppy" styles, encourages first words by voicing over 100 of them! Designed for children from six months up to 36 months, this five-star rated toy is ideal for kids just learning to speak. It just happens to be quite huggable.

There are some very innovative bath toys out there nowadays, but sometimes it's better to go simple. These little boats hold just enough water to keep afloat, and you can use them to rinse baby's hair.