6 Toys for a 4-Month-Old Baby

At four months, you’ve made it through the fourth trimester.

Baby might have longer stretches of awake time and be more interested in the world around them, which could mean it’s time to introduce some toys!

While there’s not much they can play with just yet, the best toys for 4-month-old babies will be stimulating, soft, and simple – and help the little one learn about their place in the world.

So, what toys are good for a 4-month-old? Let’s take a look.

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How do I stimulate my 4-month-old baby?

At four months, there’s plenty to keep them stimulated as it is. Baby is slowly beginning to understand their place in the world, and they’re getting much more physical, too.

Here’s a bit of what you can expect. (There’s no hard and fast rules, though. Every little one is different!):

• They can track movement. Baby can follow moving objects with their eyes and reach out to things (jingly keys, dangly objects, your hair, their toes – and toys!) that they think are close.

• The world’s becoming colorful. They are beginning to distinguish between colors and may even have preferences. Toys with bright contrasts are very stimulating.

• They’ll recognize your voice – and wiggle and move toward you when you speak. Adorable! They like high-pitched squeaky noises too.

• Holding, grasping, shaking. What’s more fun than something to hold and shake? It’s a new skill for a four-month-old that’s endlessly fun.

• Rolling. At four months, baby might be able to roll from front to back – and maybe even the other way as well, the clever thing.

• Sitting up without support? This might be just beyond their skills right now – but they’ll get there soon!

How many toys should a 4 month have?

There’s no rule to say how many toys a baby should have. And as 4-month-olds are only just starting off in the exciting world of toys, you don’t need to go all out with fancy gizmos and electronics. Really, anything that is sensory, stimulating, and safe for them to hold (and put in their mouth!) can be good. it doesn’t even need to be a “toy” at all.

That said, here are some types of toys for 4-month-old babies to try:

What are the best toys for a 4-month-old baby?

Crib mobiles – with music. Since baby is probably not sitting up just yet, a crib mobile is a top toy. These come in so many different forms, from space-themed to sea creatures to clouds. Baby will reach out to it and improve their spatial awareness – while those with music give extra stimulation.

Rattles. Anything that makes a shaky noise is the height of entertainment now that baby can grasp things. It could be a toy rattle, a sealed plastic jar full of beads, a box of pasta - you get the idea.

Things to chew on. Pretty much all toys for 4-month-olds will end up in their mouths. While they won’t always be teething just yet, they’re heading that way. The best teething toys for 4-month-olds are chewable silicone toys that can be cooled down in the fridge for an extra soothe-factor.

Cuddly toys. Soft cuddly animals aren’t just toys. They’re friends for life. They’re soft and stimulating against baby’s skin, they can help baby self-soothe, and they’re great support acts when you’re playing peek-a-boo.

Activity mats. As baby might be just about ready to roll over, an activity mat – colorful, textured, and equipped with noisy buttons – can be a great toy for four-month-old tummy time.

Soft building blocks. Soft blocks are good toys for all sorts of purposes. Passing back and forth, just holding, and, yep, chewing on. The best are equipped with mirrors, rattles, and buttons for extra fun.

Want more ideas for toys for 4-month-old babies? Why not talk to other mamas for their recommendations on the Peanut community?

Read next: 8 Toys for a 5-Month-Old