Best Toys for 4 Months Old: Safety Tips & How to Choose

Apart from having to learn how to care for a baby physically, you will also have to help the child develop her skills and elemental abilities. But what can you actually do to help in that manner at such young ages? This is where age-appropriate toys for 4-month-old babies come to help. With appropriate and good toys, the baby can have fun and improve various aspects of her development. Toys play a crucial role in a child’s physical and mental development. They learn touch-feel as well as fine-tune their motor skills. Of course, you must choose the right 4-month baby toys, and this article is about just that. We also talk about some must-have toys for 4-month-old babies that help with sensory development.

Rattle Toys

Rattle toys are essential for children, as they can help significantly in various aspects of the development of the child.

1. Skills Development

• With rattle toys, the motor skills of the baby improve greatly. You can place the rattle in the hand of the child and shake it gently. Your baby is sure to follow through, delighted by the noises coming out of shaking the toy.
• Coordination skills of the child also improve if you play with rattle toys well. Place the toys in front of the baby and make her reach for them. When she does hold it, gently shake it so that she understands that she caused the noise.
• Another facet of coordination skills, the close coordination of the baby can be improved with a rattle which is large enough to be held by both hands. Make him hold the rattle with one hand, and then let go- this will help the child pass the rattle from one hand to the other.

2. Recommended Toys

• Twist & Turn Grapes
• Teethe ‘n Rattle Trumpet
• Corn Popper Rattle

Teething Toys

Teething is another important part of the development of any baby. These toys will also be a great pastime for the child.

1. Skills Development

• Teething toys improve the coordination of the baby, as well as his sensory skills.
• If they are bright coloured, babies are naturally attracted towards the toys- since the toys are easy to hold, they will likely hold onto it for a long time.
• The process of teeth growing in the mouth of a baby is a painful one, and you will find the baby crying more often at this age. By biting onto a teething toy, the pain can be alleviated greatly.
• These toys also promote the transition from nursing to chewing, so are essential for the babies so that they get used to chewing.

2. Recommended Toys

• Zig Zag Kid Musical Cow Soft Plush Baby Rattle with Teether
• Fruit-themes Teether Toys
• Nuby Silicone Teethe-EZ Teether with Bristles, with a Hygienic Case

Mobile and Music Toys

Music is a mainstay in the life of any child- it helps him understand how to interpret sound and get the basics of rhythm right.

1. Skills Development

• Mobiles which play music are available for children, which can help your baby listen to music all the time- this improves their hearing ability.
• You will find that your baby becomes more vocal, too, trying to sing or hum along with the music.
• It also helps the baby understand the concept of cause and action, as she realises that the songs are coming from the mobile and that pressing a few buttons will result in different voices and tones.

2. Recommended Toys

• Music and Lights Elephant
• 3-in-1 Soothe & Play Seahorse Mobile
• Woodlands Friends 3-in-1 Musical Mobile
• Rainforest Grow-with-me Projection Mobile

Soothers

More often than not, you will observe that your baby is agitated. At such times, you will find that the soother toys for 4-month-old baby boys and girls can help greatly.

1. Skills Development

• Soothers teach babies one of the most important aspects of life at a young age – self-regulation.
• A soother toy with music, sights and gentle sounds can help the baby wind down and understand when it is time to go to sleep.
• The various lights and colours of the soothers will also help the child understand and differentiate between various colours and appearances.
• When the baby soothes and drifts off into sleep, it can also help you unwind and relax after a tiring day.

2. Recommended Toys

• Infant to Toddler Rocker
• Baby Musical Bouncer
• Mastela Soothing Vibrations Bouncer

Portable Toys

Of course, every child and her parents need portable toys– otherwise, it can be really hard to manage your child. If you travel frequently, you will require a few toys which you can carry easily so that your child is never agitated.

1. Skills Development

• Portable toys are of various types, so they can be of great use in the development of various aspects of the baby’s bodily functions.
• Most portable toys have amazing, vibrant colours and contrasting patterns- this is a great way to stimulate the visual sense of the baby.
• She can also improve on the aspect of switching focus and listening to different sounds from the toys.

2. Recommended Toys

• Honey-bee Teether
• Alligator Teether
• 3-in-1 Convertible Car Gym
• Move ‘n Groove Piano

Educational Toys

Even though it might seem to be a bit too early for your baby to start educating herself, some of these educational toys for four months old girls and boys can help improve the functions of their brains.

1. Skills Development

• By pointing out the various patterns and numbers on the toys, you can give the baby an idea about how they differ and help her recognise the figures as she grows up.

2. Recommended Toys

• Dancing Stand Colourful Rocking Giraffe Wooden Toy for Kids Intelligence
• Landfox Animal Puzzle Cloth Book Baby Toy Cloth Development Books
• A-Store Lala Baby Portable Cognitive Crawling Game Mat

Activity Toys

Activity toys are helpful at young ages, as they help your baby keep busy and burn off some energy through activities that help her develop.

1. Skills Development

• The imagination and creativity of the baby are stimulated through such activity toys.
• Motor skills, like grabbing and pinching, have also improved greatly.
• Animal toys can help her differentiate between different living things, and her knowledge also increases.

2. Recommended Toys

• Cotton Animals Magical Blocks for Infants
• Musical Caterpillar Toy
• Fisher-Price Rattle and Rock Maracas Musical Toy

Crib and Stroller Toys

Your baby might end up in the stroller for at least a part of the day, so it is important that she remains engaged at this time- these toys can ensure that your baby causes minimal problems when you are outside.

1. Skills Development

• Crib toys are usually safe and creative and promote the sensory development of the baby.
• They help in early visual development and display high-contrast images that help the baby differentiate between shapes and forms.
• Some toys also have music, which keeps her busy and develops her auditory senses.

2. Recommended Toys

• Shiloh Baby Developmental Crib Toy with Arm and Musical Mobile Blue Sky
• Manhattan Toy Wimmer-Ferguson Infant Stim Mobile To Go Travel Toy
• Skip Hop Baby Silver Lining Cloud Rattle Moon Stroller Toy, Multi, Clouds

What Do Age Recommendation Labels on Toys Mean?

Age recommendation labels on the toy are only a general guideline for parents.

• They help the parents see whether the baby can fully understand the toy and whether it can help them.
• Most babies can use toys which are meant for older babies- however, educational toys cannot be used for babies younger than the label, in most cases.

Safety Tips for Babies

Here are some safety tips for kids to consider before buying toys.

• Avoid toys with small detachable parts, as the baby is at risk of choking at young ages.
• In the case of teethers, you will have to check whether the toys are made of safe, hazard-free chemicals.
• Buy teethers made of biodegradable substances to prevent any harmful effects on the child.

How to Help Your Baby Learn While Playing?

Helping your baby learn through toys is the best way to teach. Here’s how you can do it.

• Interact with your baby as much as possible, so that she at least tries to understand what is being pointed out to her.
• You can talk to her when she tries to understand something new- she will have an attachment to your voice, and this will help her differentiate between your voice and other sounds.
• Encourage her to do things for herself, like reach out and hold toys- do not always place what she wants into her hands.

How to Choose the Best Toys for Your 4-Month-Old Baby?

It is easy to get overwhelmed by the selection of baby toys out there. Don’t worry. We have created an easy-to-understand guide on how to buy the best toys for 4-month-old infants. Here’s how to choose toys for your little one:

1. Age-appropriate

When buying toys for your baby, consider her age. Choose only toys that she might need, not whatever she wants.

2. Safety

Safety is an important aspect to remember while buying toys. Do not buy toys which have parts smaller than 1.5 inches in width, height or length- they are choking hazards. Go big when buying toys. Furthermore, do not buy toys that work on button batteries. Your baby might end up swallowing them, so you would constantly have to be on the lookout (1). You can buy wooden toys with child-friendly dyes so that it is okay for her to bite into her toys.

3. Skill Development

Pick out toys for your little sunshine that help develop her physical and mental abilities through sensory stimulation. You can buy toys that offer musical sounds, lights, and textures. Visual stimulation is important when it comes to sensory development, and toys with bright colours help with that.

4. Quality

Never compromise on the quality while buying your baby a toy. Buy toys from trusted brands that use high-quality materials and ensure proper stitching for long-term use.

FAQs

1. What kind of toys can I buy for my 4-month-old baby?

Some recommended toys for 4-month-old babies include teething toys, cloth books, rattlers, musical toys, and musical mobile or laptop. ensure the toys have child-friendly and non-toxic material and pose no choking hazard. You can also buy playmats equipped with toy bars to fine-tune your baby’s gross motor skills (2).

2. What are the 4-month-old baby milestones?

4-month-old baby milestones include grabbing and shaking objects, babbling, tracking things with eyes, bringing hands to the mouth, holding up the head without support, mimicking facial expressions, and more, as per the CDC (3).

3. Should I let my 4-month-old baby play independently?

Ideally, you should not leave your baby unsupervised. However, they can play independently on their own with the toys under your supervision. You don’t necessarily need to play with them at the time. In fact, allowing them to play on their own will help them explore the toys at their own pace without any rush, creating a solid footing for solitary play (4).

Buying the right toys for your baby can go a great way in helping her develop her skills and abilities- however, you need to think of the safety aspect too, when you get her a toy.

References/Resources:

1. How to Buy Safe Toys; American Academy of Pediatrics; https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-home/Pages/How-to-Buy-Safe-Toys.aspx

2. Dosman. C. F, et al.; Evidence-based milestone ages as a framework for developmental surveillance; Paediatrics & Child Health; https://academic.oup.com/pch/article/17/10/561/2638880?login=false; December 2012

3. Important Milestones: Your Baby By Four Months; CDC; https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/milestones-4mo.html

4. Yogman. M, et al.; The Power of Play: A Pediatric Role in Enhancing Development in Young Children; American Academy of Pediatrics; https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/142/3/e20182058/38649/The-Power-of-Play-A-Pediatric-Role-in-Enhancing?autologincheck=redirected; September 2018

Also Read:

Toys for 2 Month Old
Best Toys for 3 Month 
Toys for 5 Month Old 
Toys for 6 Month Old Baby

Our Editorial Policy

Parenting is a huge responsibility, for you as a caregiver, but also for us as a parenting content platform. We understand that and take our responsibility of creating credible content seriously. FirstCry Parenting articles are written and published only after extensive research using factually sound references to deliver quality content that is accurate, validated by experts, and completely reliable. To understand how we go about creating content that is credible, read our editorial policy here.