Toys For 3 Month Old Baby - Types, Benefits and What to Buy

The days are just passing away in a blur and your baby is already in their 3rd month after birth. They are getting stronger, smarter and more observant as well. It is important to provide them with the right opportunities and instruments to learn, develop and understand everything around them, including the way their body works. In this article, we discuss the various options for toys for 3 month old baby and how your little one can benefit from them.

How Much Playtime Does a 3 Month Old Baby Need?

Your 3 month old will still nap multiple times a day. Their awake window is slowly increasing, and their vision is also improving. They will show more interest in active playtime. You can engage them with games and toys for a few minutes every awake window. If they are tired, you can identify the lack of interest.

Once your baby loses interest or shows sleep cues, follow them. Never try to “play” more as it can overstimulate your baby. A few minutes of playtime every time they are awake and observant will suffice.

When Should You Start Buying Baby Toys?

You can start buying toys when your baby is around 2 months of age. This is when they are awake more and start observing everything around them. Giving them toys now will stimulate various parts of their brain.

Toys need not be big, elaborate or expensive. Something simple yet stimulating is what your baby needs at this age.

What to Consider While Buying Toys For a 3 Month Old Baby?

Buying toys for a small baby is not an easy task. There are many factors to consider before you can go and splurge on all those attractive and interesting looking toys for your bundle of joy.

Here are 4 important factors you need to consider when you are buying toys for a 3 month old baby.

1. Safety

Your baby will try to put everything in their mouth. Since their grips are stronger, they can hold a toy and after multiple attempts, take it to their mouth. Ensure the toys you buy are not sharp edged and do not have small pieces or any chemical based coloring that can come off when saliva touches them.

2. Age-Appropriate

The toy has to be useful for a 3 month old. If it is not age-appropriate, your baby may not show interest and will not gain from playing with it.

3. Usability

The toy must be useable by your 3 month old. Giving an older kid’s toy to a small baby serves no purpose. It might interest them for just a few seconds.

4. Size

The toy must be big enough to hold comfortably. A 3 month old’s fine motor skills are still in the infancy stage. They cannot bend their fingers enough to grasp something small. Ensure the toy is big enough but not too big that it can hurt your baby.

Similarly, the toy cannot be too small either. Babies can put small toys into their mouths and choke on them, which can be life threatening.

List of Top 6 Types of Toys to Buy For a 3 Month Old Baby

When there are many toys available in the market, it can be confusing to pick the right ones. Different toys claim they are the best for a large number of age groups. But, which are actually useful? What does your baby need to improve on various fronts?

Here are a few toys that are apt for a 3 month old.

1. Teething Toys

Babies love to put everything in their mouths. Teething toys are safe to mouth, chew and easy to hold. Though the teeth will come in much later, your baby will love to taste anything and everything at this stage.

How Can Teething Toys Help a 3 Month Old Baby?

Skill Development	Benefits
Strengthen Gums	String gums are important for healthy teeth. Teeth may fall easily or not grow straight if the gums are not strong enough.
Improve Muscle Movement	The continuous chewing motion will help strengthen the jaw and improve muscle movement. These muscle movements will help in eating and chewing their food as they grow.

Teething Toys You May Want to Consider For a 3 Month Old Baby

Silicone Teethers
Water-filled Teethers
Teething Rings

Few Top Brands in India For Buying Baby Teethers

Luvlap
MeeMee

2. Musical Toys

Babies are naturally attracted to noise and music. They observe with interest and start having preferences when it comes to music. Exposing them to a variety of sounds and music can do them a lot of good.

How Can Musical Toys Help a 3 Month Old Baby?

Skill Development	Benefits
Hearing Ability	Babies have to learn to tune into and focus on both big and small sounds. Good hearing ability is important and lack of it can be a problem as they grow up, hindering many other developmental milestones.
Recognize Sounds	Different toys have different sounds, and your baby will start understanding and recognizing the difference. They will learn to identify the sound with the source.

Musical Toys You May Want to Consider For a 3 Month Old Baby

Battery-operated moving and stationary Toys
Keying toys

Few Top Brands in India For Buying Musical Toys

Intellibaby
Toyshine

[Read : Baby Hearing Development After Birth]

3. Rattle Toys

Rattles come in attractive colors and designs. They are perfect for a small baby’s hands and can also entertain them. They are perfect to carry along in the baby bag too.

How Can Rattle Toys Help a 3 Month Old Baby?

Skill Development	Benefits
Improve Grip	Regular play by holding toys will help improve the baby’s grip and strengthen their fingers. A good grip is important for their development.
Gross Motor Skill Development	Babies learn to shake the rattle to make noise. Moving and shaking their hands help strengthen the large muscles in the arms.

Rattle Toys You May Want to Consider For a 3 Month Old Baby

Rattles with designed handles
Rattle rings
Rattles with colour beads
Soft rattles

Few Top Brands in India For Buying Rattle Toys

Shumee
Ratnas
Baby Moo

[Read : Baby’s Gross Motor Skill Development]

4. Colorful Toys

A 3-month-old can see colors. Babies find bright, colorful toys very interesting and attractive.

How Can Colorful Toys Help a 3 Month Old Baby?

Skill Development	Benefits
Improve Focus	Focusing on an object helps improve concentration and observation. Bright and shiny objects can be very attractive and hold the baby’s attention for a long time.
Distinguish Colors	The ability to differentiate between colors is a very important visual and cognitive development in babies. Colorful toys help the baby understand different colors.

Colorful Toys You May Want to Consider For a 3 Month Old Baby

Color Sponges
Colorful Softballs
Colorful rattles
Color rings

Few Top Brands in India For Buying Colorful Toys

Little’s
Funskool

[Read : When Do Babies Start Seeing Colors?]

5. Calming Toys

Babies can feel overstimulated quite easily. Too many guests or just a few extra minutes before a feed can get them out of balance and agitated. Certain toys are designed to help calm them down in such situations.

How Can Calming Toy Help a 3 Month Old Baby?

Skill Development	Benefits
Regulation	Babies can’t control their feelings yet but an object can help them regulate their emotions by distraction. When a toy is challenging or shifts the baby’s focus, it can help calm them down.
Reassure	Favourite or familiar toys can provide a sense of comfort and reassurance when there is too much “new” around the baby. Too many new faces, a new place or a disturbance in the routine can scare the baby. The toy can reassure them and comfort them.

Calming Toys You May Want to Consider For a 3 Month Old Baby

Soft bendy toys
Crinkle toys
Beaded toys
Toys with mild music or lights

Few Top Brands in India For Buying Calming Toys

Little Monkey
Mee Mee

[Read : Crib and Baby Bed Safety Tips]

6. Crib Toys

If your baby is sleeping in the crib, a small toy to keep them entertained can be very helpful for you. Toys can make them feel safe and create a familiar environment they can associate with sleeping.

How Can Crib Toys Help a 3 Month Old Baby?

Skill Development	Benefits
Soothing	The place where a baby sleeps must make them feel calm and safe for good quality sleep. A toy with mild music can keep them in the crib longer and eventually learn to fall asleep on their own.
Stimulate Hearing	The mild music will encourage the baby to focus on the music instead of other louder noises outside. The ability to focus on a particular sound stimulates and develops hearing ability. This ability will come in handy when they grow up and need to isolate and focus on a particular conversation or sound.

Crib Toys You May Want to Consider For a 3 Month Old Baby

Cot mobile
Soft toys
Printed crib bumpers (though not a toy, they can soothe the baby in a familiar place)

Few Top Brands in India For Buying Crib Toys

Abracadabra
Mee Mee

Babies love toys. No matter what toy you give them, they will play with it with great interest. When you give them the right toys, the interest and the effort that is put into play wi well rewarded. The baby gains something out of playtime. While mindless play is fun, you can teach well through play too. It need not be very hard or rigid always.

Toys For 3 Month Old Baby – Types, Benefits and What to Buy