The best toys for a 9 month old move with them, stack, bang, and hide. The toys that were perfect a few months ago just don’t keep up anymore.
Here’s some good news if you’re shopping for “educational” toys: at this age, every toy is educational 🍎🏆
They all teach your baby something about how the world works. This list is built around what your baby is working on developmentally between 9 and 11 months, sorted into the 11 play categories I use at home.
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Does your baby suddenly seem bored with every toy in the house? That’s pretty normal around 9 months. Your baby is sitting, scooting or crawling, pulling up on everything, and figuring out that the spoon they just threw off the high chair still exists.
For the full first-year picture, start with our guide to the best toys for babies and 1 year olds.
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Developmental Milestones for 9 Month Olds
These come from the CDC’s Learn the Signs. Act Early. checklists for 9 months and 1 year, which list what most babies (75% or more) can do by each age. It’s perfectly fine for your baby to hit them earlier or later. If you’re ever worried your baby is falling behind, talk to your pediatrician.
Social and emotional
- By 9 months: is shy, clingy, or fearful around strangers
- By 9 months: shows several facial expressions (happy, sad, angry, surprised)
- By 9 months: looks when you call their name and reacts when you leave
- By 9 months: smiles or laughs at peekaboo
- By 1 year: plays games with you, like pat-a-cake
Language and communication
- By 9 months: makes lots of different sounds like “mamamama” and “babababa”
- By 9 months: lifts arms up to be picked up
- By 1 year: waves bye-bye and calls a parent “mama,” “dada,” or another special name
- By 1 year: understands “no” (pauses or stops when you say it)
Thinking and problem-solving
- By 9 months: looks for things when they drop out of sight (like a spoon or toy)
- By 9 months: bangs two things together
- By 1 year: puts something in a container, like a block in a cup
- By 1 year: looks for things they see you hide, like a toy under a blanket
Movement and physical
- By 9 months: gets to sitting on their own and sits without support
- By 9 months: moves things from one hand to the other
- By 9 months: uses fingers to “rake” food toward themselves
- By 1 year: pulls up to stand and walks holding on to furniture
- By 1 year: picks things up between thumb and pointer finger
- By 1 year: drinks from a cup without a lid while you hold it
That “looks for hidden things” skill has a name: object permanence. It’s the understanding that something still exists when you can’t see it, and it’s why peekaboo is suddenly hilarious. Here’s how all of these line up with toys:
| What they’re working on | Toy Category | Jump to |
|---|---|---|
| Sitting, crawling, pulling up, cruising | Gross motor | Gross motor |
| Hand to hand, raking, thumb and pointer finger | Fine motor | Fine motor |
| Banging, dropping, putting things in containers | Close-ended toys and blocks | Close-ended, Blocks |
| Peekaboo, looking for hidden things | Open-ended toys and lift-the-flap books | Open-ended, Books |
| Babbling, first words, waving | Music and books | Musical |
| Copying you, favorite toys | Pretend play and nurturing | Pretend play, Nurturing |
| Mouthing, teething, textures | Sensory | Sensory |
Independent Play & Toy Rotation for Babies
This is also a great age to practice a few minutes of independent play while you’re nearby. Even a baby who’s clingy around strangers can practice a few minutes (5-10 minutes) of playing on their own with you right there in the room.
Those minutes are the seed of the quiet time routine that saves my afternoons now. I also don’t pull out all of their toys at once. You don’t need a lot of toys for a 9 month old. Two or three out at a time is plenty. That’s the toy rotation system, and it works from the baby days on.
Having a safe space for your little one to explore, say in the living room while you fold laundry or have a cup of coffee ☕is key! Because these 9 month olds can be quick and decide one minute they are crawling! That’s why we got the playard, which we eventually used as a wide gate to section off a room.
Toddleroo Superyard Playard
We used ours as a playpen, and when my little one wanted more space to roam, we attached it to the walls (with the adaptor) and created a baby-safe side of the room.
- SAFE PLAY SPACE: Create a safe play area for kids. The 6-panel play yard encloses up to 18.5 sq. ft. and is 26 in. tall. Our portable baby playpen has six bright, playful colors and folds quickly for easy portability with included carry strap.
- INDOOR & OUTDOOR USE: Our baby play yard is great for indoor or outdoor use. The UV-resistant design keeps colors vibrant and ensures long-lasting durability. The SuperGrip feet and skid-resistant pads prevent movement and protect hardwood floors.
- EASY TO USE: The baby fence has self-locking hinges that only bend in one direction. The clicking noise ensures the hinges are locked. Use our Superyard Wall Mount Kit (sold separately) to convert the play yard into an extra-wide baby gate.
- ADJUSTABLE & FLEXIBLE: Adjust our toddler playpen to fit your space. The hinges move independently for angled or straight setups. Need a bigger area? Add a 2-Panel Extension (sold separately) for 6.5 ft. corner to corner, a 34.4 sq. ft. play area.
- MADE IN USA: Our Baby Safety Alliance certified play yard brings peace of mind to the entire family. We stand for the highest safety, quality, and operational standards while creating the ideal collection of products for babies ages 6-24 months. Proudly made in the USA!
Toddleroo Superyard Wall Mount Kit
We used this wall mount kit to convert our playard into an extra wide gate. And don't worry, once you attach it to the wall, it's still easy to take on and off to convert back to a playpen when needed.
- PERFECT FOR WIDE OPENINGS: This wall mount kit allows your Superyard to span openings from 38.5 in. up to over 16 ft., making it ideal for open floor plans or large spaces that need to be sectioned off.
- COMPATIBILITY: For use with Superyards and Petyards up to 6-panels. To ensure safety, do not exceed 6-panels. Not for use at the top of stairs.
- EASY TO INSTALL: The Superyard Wall Mount Kit should be mounted into solid materials such as wood, metal or a stud behind sheetrock. Each Wall Mount Kit comes complete with wall hinges, screws and mounting connectors.
- FLEXIBLE CONFIGURATION: The hinges on the Superyard allow you to move the panels independently for the perfect fit. Stretch the panels straight across or at an angle, the choice is yours.
- MADE IN USA: Our Baby Safety Alliance certified play yard brings peace of mind to the entire family. We stand for the highest safety, quality, and operational standards while creating the ideal collection of products for babies ages 6-24 months. Proudly made in the USA!
Gross Motor Toys for 9 to 11 Month Olds
Sitting on their own, crawling, pulling up, and cruising along the couch all happen in these few months. Your coffee table is officially a gym where they can pull to stand. More ideas are in our gross motor toy guide.
My second was a late crawler. He was perfectly happy sitting in one spot, thank you very much. This ball wiggles and rolls just out of reach, and it’s what got him to tilt, lean, and eventually scoot after it to keep playing. It’s still my favorite from our short list of VTech toys.
VTech Wiggle and Crawl Ball
My second was a late crawler. This ball helped him learn to tilt, lean, and eventually scoot to keep playing with it.
- Move and crawl with the animal friends on the Wiggle and Crawl Ball by VTech
- Interactive ball wiggles and wobbles on its own encouraging your little one to chase after it; features 45+ playful songs, melodies, sounds and cheerful phrases
- Five flashing lights attract your baby's attention while spinning and twisting animals encourage interaction; play and crawl with the moving ball
Skip Hop Baby Walker
One of the things I dislike about most walker toys is that they are covered in buttons, lights, and other distractions. This design leaves a little market for kids to play with, but the focus is on the walking aspect.
- Grow-With-Me Fun in 5 Ways: From first sit-ups to confident cruising, our convertible baby walker grows with your little one from 6 months to 5 years. Sit, cruise, push the shopping cart, roll the stroller, or dive into pretend play and spark creativity with endless ways to explore, learn, and play!
- Supports Balance, Motor Skills & Early Learning: Our baby push walker is thoughtfully designed to help little ones practice walking, balancing, and counting. Its interactive features encourage gross and fine motor development, imaginative play, and early problem-solving in a fun, engaging way.
- Detachable Play Panel for Floor & Easel Play: The removable play panel turns into a mini easel or floor activity station. Detachable fruits and veggies let kids role-play as farmers market workers or shopkeepers, building hand-eye coordination, cause & effect, and pretend play skills while exploring at their own pace.
- Farm-Themed Fun: With a bright, farmstand-inspired design, the baby activity walker includes interactive fruits and veggies designed to keep your child engaged and entertained for years of learning fun. Coordinates with Skip Hop Farmstand collection. Size (inches): 16.3L x 18.5W x 18H
Bright Starts 5-in-1 Your Way Ball Play – Jumbo Play Mat
Both of my kids loved this play gym as infants. From laying on their back watching the singing elephant, to tummy time on the silky mat, to propped up with the included pillow, and when they are ready to sit and play, it converts to a ball pit!
- Includes 40 balls with carrying case for easy storage
- Cheerful elephant toy lights up and plays 20 minutes of music (and detaches for on-the-go fun)
- Includes 7 tropically cool take-along toys: elephant musical toy, crinkle toy, mirror, flash cards, hanging leaf toy and bead rattle
- Grow with me from infant to toddler, ages newborn and up
- Machine washable mat and easy-to-clean wipeable toys
Ingenuity 3-in-1 Baby Jumper and Activity Center
I think my oldest might have lived in his activity center if we let him! He would jump and spin, play with the toys, and be happy as a clam!
- 3u2011inu20111 design grows with baby: jumper, activity table, and floor toy pieces
- 360u00b0 rotating seat with 3 engaging toy stations for allu2011around play
- Lightu2011up greenhouse with music and nature sounds encourages causeu2011andu2011effect fun
- Jumper adjusts to 4 heights for a justu2011right fit through early development
- Activity table mode features modern wood legs for a stylish, open play space
Little Tikes Activity Garden Playhouse
We loved this playset and even gifted it to a family who has used it for their two kids! Climb and slide, or sort and click. This activity center has dozens of things for little ones to do.
- Convertible frame shape
- Shape sorter, ball drop, mini-piano, bells, a slide, shutters, a front door, mailbox, and so much more
Fine Motor Toys for 9 to 11 Month Olds
Passing a toy from hand to hand, raking food toward themselves, and eventually picking up tiny things between thumb and pointer finger are all on the CDC checklist. That little pinch is the same grip they’ll use for crayons someday. Our fine motor skills toy guide has more.
The First Years Stacking Cups
Playtime, bathtime, snack time: my babies loved these everywhere.
The First Years Stacking Cups
Playtime, bathtime, you name it, my babies loved these! Stack them, build them, and knock them over!
- This set of stacking toys features 8 brightly colored cups that stack together with unique holes in the bottom for pouring and water play at bath time
- Montessori Stacking Toys
- Made without BPA for toddlers and kids ages 9 months and up
Ring links are great for linking and unlinking once fingers get more coordinated. The Oball is easy to grab, throw, and chase.
Sassy Ring O Links
The smallest hands can feel the different textures of each ring, and once your little one gets some dexterity, they can link and unlink the rings for fine motor practice.
- TACTILE STIMULATION: Different materials and surfaces stimulate baby's sense of touch and teach baby to recognize new objects.
- EASY GRASP: Textured handle is easy to grasp and great for mouthing
- VISUAL STIMULATION: Contrasting black, white and brightly colored links stimulate baby's developing vision.
- SAFE FOR ALL CHILDREN: Complies with all government standards for infant products. All Sassy rattles and teethers are tested to the most rigid age grade standards.
- Top Rack Dishwasher Safe
Bright Starts Oball Easy Grasp Classic Ball
Open-Ended Toys for 9 to 11 Month Olds
Open-ended play isn’t the same as pretend play. Your baby isn’t playing house yet. But open-ended toys, the ones with no right or wrong way to use them, are how babies build up to pretend play. Our open-ended toys guide explains why these last the longest.
Silks are perfect for the peekaboo stage. Hide your face, hide a toy, hide their feet. Every time your baby pulls the silk off, they’re practicing object permanence, which is right there on the CDC list. They’re also great for waving, tugging, stuffing into a cup, and pulling back out. And in a couple of years, they’ll be capes and fort roofs.
Newcotte 5 Set Magic Color Silk Scarf
One minute you're running these silks through your newborn's fingers for sensory play, the next your toddlers are wearing them as capes, tying them into ropes, building forts, and more.
- More Fun Than You Realize: can use it as a game prop, play hide and seek with their friends, throw the handkerchief and more, offering a diverse range of open ended play experiences
- Versatile: we can use this play scarves as carriers, scarves, capes, grass for rocking horses dance props and even to build forts with play clips, and also can be a sling for a doll or stuffed animal, a decorative backdrop for a make faith scene, there is more fun waiting for you to discover
- Durable: our large square scarves are made of durable reusable satin chiffon fabric ideal for playing dress up, doll blankets, dancing and twirling, capes, activities and songs, Halloween costumes, picnics, traveling, movement, juggling, and more
- Promotes Motor Coordination: the flowing scarves are ideal for dance and movement activities helping to improve balance coordination and rhythm they can also for tossing catching waving and storytelling promoting physical development and boosting confidence
Close-Ended Toys for 9 to 11 Month Olds
Close-ended toys have one right answer: the ball goes in the hole, the shape goes in the slot. Babies this age are just starting to figure out the “put it in” part (a 1 year old milestone). Our close-ended toys guide covers why these matter too.
Skip Hop Geometric Wonders 2-in-1 Pounding Bench
- 2-in-1 Baby Musical Toy & Pounding Bench: Part interactive pounding bench, part baby music toy, our baby activity toy engages babies 6 months+ with hands-on play, introducing shapes, cause & effect, and early developmental learning through pounding, drumming, and musical fun.
- Supports Early Development & Skill Building Play: Designed to help babies learn shapes (square, triangle, circle), cause & effect, fine and gross motor skills, and sensory awareness, making it a perfect first activity toy, musical toy, or a learning toy for infants.
Melissa & Doug K’s Kids My First Activity Book
A cute book to take and toss in your bag. Has lots of sensory input like a busy board, just for babies!
- Play, Learn & Explore: Turn soft pages, lift peekaboo flaps, button & buckle, move clock hands, & role-play with puppets during tummy time, stroller rides and travel, for screen-free learning activities
- Whatu2019s Inside: 8-page cloth book with removable hand puppet, 2 finger puppets, crinkling surprise panel, movable-hand clock, button and buckle activities, built-in handles, and a clear tote for easy storage
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Blocks and Building Toys for 9 to 11 Month Olds
At this age, building is mostly knocking down. That’s still learning: how things fall, how two blocks fit together, and how to get a block into a cup (hello, milestone). Our building toys guide walks through the types.
B. Toys Elemenoqueeze Soft Blocks Learning Set
Fun and squishy to build and chew.
- Every block is an educational and sensory experience
- Each one features a letter of the alphabet, as well as a different animal for every letter!
- Learning Toy: Build your masterpieces, improve your motor skills, and learn the alphabet along the way with these soft unit blocks.
- Play Any Way: Nibble on them, toss them in the tub, play with them wherever you want!
Musical Toys and Books for 9 to 11 Month Olds
Babbling, first words, and waving bye-bye all live here. Music and books are the easiest way to play with sound, and our musical toys guide has plenty more. Sing the same few songs every day. Our lullabies with lyrics have the words if you’ve forgotten them.
Baby Einstein and Hape Magic Touch Piano
This piano leaves kids to create on their own (open-ended play), listen to music (sensory), or follow along with songs and patterns (close-ended).
Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes Musical Toy
My kids loved their little "radio," that they could choose the songs. It's a pretty non-descript toy, but makes the list for being a great music player that both kids adored.
DK Books Baby Touch and Feel Animals
We must have 2 dozen touch-and-feel books from DK. They are great quality and have a lot of different textures (where some brands have the same textures in every book).
- Touch and feel books help children who are not interested in books engage in books
- The sensory experience of seeing a picture, hearing you read the words, and feeling the texture is perfect for early development
Babies Love Lift-a-Flap Boxed Set
We love lift-a-flap books at my house! As your baby gets older, they can practice lifting on each page too.
- 6 chunky and sturdy flaps are extra strong so your little one can open and close again and again.
- Surprise and delight baby with bright artwork and special treats under each flap.
- Perfectly sized for little hands and fingers to open and close the flaps.
Art for 9 to 11 Month Olds (Almost)
I’ll be honest: most babies aren’t ready for art supplies until closer to their first birthday, and even then it’s all about the mouth.
When you’re ready, start with chunky crayons made for a baby’s palm grip and paper taped to the high chair tray. Our art supplies guide sorts supplies by mess level for when you’re ready to go bigger.
Sensory and Teething Toys for 9 to 11 Month Olds
Babies at this age still explore everything with their hands and mouths, and teething is often in full swing. Having toys that are just for chewing saves the rest of your toys (and your furniture). Our sensory toys guide has lots more.
Nuby Ice Gel Teether Keys
These teething keys were perfect for our little ones to soothe sore gums during teething. You can put them in the freezer (or fridge if the freezer is too intense) for some relief.
- BABY TEETHING TOYS: Our teething toys are perfect for soothing sore gums during every stage of baby teething; Place in refrigerator to provide a soothing, cooling sensation for your little one
- SAFETY FIRST: Parents can feel safe knowing Nuby baby products are developed, researched, and manufactured to exceed all government safety regulations and standards
Nuby Teethe N' Pop Sensory Play Teether
Our babies loved the feel of Nuby teething toys. This turtle has different textures for them to explore with their teeth and gums. It also practices hand-eye coordination.
- TURTLE TEETHING TOY FOR 3+ MONTHS: Playful Teethe N' Pop Turtle soothes your little one's discomfort and assists in the emergence of teeth
- SUPER SOFT BABY TEETHER: This teether toy is made of 100% soft silicone for sensitive, tender mouths, which provides teething relief without being rough on sore gums
- COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT: Multiple textures and fun turtle shape captivate baby's attention and help stimulate sensory development; Fun Pop Center assists in the development of fine motor skills
- MADE FOR SENSORY PLAY: This teething toy is thoughtfully designed to encourage sensory play
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Pretend Play Toys for 9 to 11 Month Olds
Real pretend play is still coming, but babies this age copy everything you do. That’s where it starts. Some babies are fascinated by everyday things like carts, strollers, and brooms now, and some (like my son) don’t really get into household objects until closer to 12 months. Our pretend play guide picks up from here.
VTech Turn and Learn Driver
Oh boy did my kids get alot of use out of this toy! They loved to pretend to be bus drivers, pilots, or anything else that had an engine.
- Little hands eager to explore can turn the steering wheel and press colorful buttons to discover animals, vehicles and sounds with over 60 songs and phrases
- Slide between Animal, Driving and Music modes to keep little drivers entertained through sounds and melodies that encourage hands-on play
- Honk the horn to introduce road safety with red, yellow, and green lights; perfect for teaching simple concepts like opposites and directions
- Enhance imaginative role-play by using the signal lever, checking the mirror, and shifting gears while pretending to drive
Nurturing Toys and Lovies for 9 to 11 Month Olds
“Has favorite toys” shows up around now, and that’s the start of nurturing play. My son gravitated toward his pacifiers and one small stuffed bear he slept with.
For months, he asked me to kiss the bear goodnight when I put him down. If your baby picks a favorite, teach them its name, how to care for it, and how to be gentle with it. Our nurturing toys guide covers what comes next.
A stuffed character from a favorite book or show is a great first lovie. This is also a good time to start a simple sharing game. Say “your turn” and let your baby hold a toy, then “my turn” and hold it yourself for just a few seconds before you give it back.
STEM Toys for 9 to 11 Month Olds (Bonus)
Most of these STEM toys for 9 to 12 months focus on cause and effect: “If I push this, what happens?” That’s the same thinking behind science and engineering later. See our STEM toys guide for the toddler years.
Fat Brain PipSquigz
PipSquigz are the baby version of our favorite Fat Brain Toys: Squigz. The suction cups pop and stick to high chair trays, windows, and the tub, which is a lot of cause and effect (and a lot of sensory input) for a 9 month old.
Fat Brain PipSquigz
We never owned this jumbo baby version, but my kiddos LOVED the regular Squigz, and these provide so much sensory input for babies, they had to make the list.
- FUN LITTLE SUCKERS! – Fat Brain Squigz toys are innovative suction toys that stick to each other and most flat surfaces, then pull apart with a POP. Sized for tots, this 6-piece pipSquigz set is a larger, chunkier version, each with fun shapes, textures, and bold colors.
- SAFELY DESIGNED – BPA-free silicone baby toys are easy for little hands to grasp, encouraging creative play. Dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning, they won't leave residue on your tables or windows, and make soothing teething toys.
- BABY FIDGET TOY SENSORY STIMULATION – Fat Brain baby toys encourage the development of motor skills, hand-eye coordination, visual thinking, and concentration. Featuring cool, textured surfaces, the unique pieces rattle when shaken.
- VERSATILE AND PORTABLE – Fun baby bath toys, pipSquigz are also a great baby high chair toy, handy baby airplane travel accessories, and an amusing car window toy. Each baby toy stores neatly in the included zippered case.
- AWARD-WINNING GIFT IDEA – An ASTRA Best Toys for Kids Award winner, this pipSquigz combo makes an awesome birthday, holiday or baby shower present for ages 6 months and up.
And don’t forget homemade toys. Empty water bottles, cardboard boxes, and a wooden spoon with a pot can keep a 9 month old busy longer than a lot of store-bought toys.
Looking ahead? When the first steps come, head to our best toys for 12 to 17 month olds.
Planning a party? We have first birthday gift ideas and gifts for a 1 year old, and a lot of the wooden picks here are from our favorite Melissa & Doug toys. Everything else lives on our toy guides page.
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Get StartedFAQ
Toys that match what they’re working on: something to crawl after or pull up on, something to bang and put in a container, a few board books, and a teether. Stacking cups, a pounding bench, soft blocks, and a push walker cover a lot of ground.
Anything with cause and effect or object permanence: peekaboo with a silk, lift-the-flap books, hammer-and-ball toys, and cups to put things in. Every toy is educational at this age, so match the toy to the skill instead of the label.
Just a few. We put out 2 or 3 at a time from different categories and rotate the rest. Too many toys out at once overwhelms babies.
Put most of them away and bring out a small set. Then check whether your baby has outgrown the old ones. Babies who are crawling and pulling up usually want toys that move with them.
A push walker with a wide, stable base is great once your baby is pulling up and cruising. Pick one that keeps the focus on walking rather than lots of buttons, and always supervise.
Stacking cups, soft blocks, a pounding bench, a lift-the-flap book, or a push walker are all safe bets. If the family is short on space, books and a teether are always welcome.
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