21 Baby Toys That Parents Will Have Just As Much Fun Playing With

Because why should the kids have all the fun?

1. A mountain made of stackable rings populated by a singing purple blob and sliding blue bear that combines counting and colors with problem-solving skills.

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The Fisher-Price Stack & Slide Magic Mountain isn’t so much about introducing your child to the basics of geology and topography as it is about sacrificing a plastic bear with a belly full of rattling crystals to a very happy-looking volcano — all in the name of learning of course.

Honestly, I think I play with this toy more than my son does. We love it so much it's the only toy we don't put away. I’ll stack up the rings of the mountain and drop “Bullet Bear” (the name we’ve given him) as a bunch of catchy songs and catchphrases play. Then I'll show the boy how to drop the bear — which he quickly learned to do — but he's more concerned with knocking over the mountain. Every. Single. Time.

Get it from Amazon for $21.

2. An atomic toy for teething and grasping that looks like an actual building block of life and not just a set of building blocks.

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If you're a "science nerd" parent, you're going to love the Manhattan Toy Atom Rattle & Teether because of the way it looks. But no matter what grade you got in high school Chemistry, this toy is all about teaching your baby grasping and reaching, developing vision, and giving the little person something colorful to nosh on.

Promising Review: "Let's be honest...I purchased this because I thought it was cute and quirky. Eyes were rolled by the spousal unit when he discovered I bought it just because it was an "atom," but I love it all the same. The oldest child played with it a little, but the younger one goes nuts over it. Thank goodness, because I was starting to get crap for buying something just because I thought it was cute." —Elle

Get it from Amazon for $10.

3. "Rock Me Amadeus!" A magic cube for kiddies to compose and remix some of Mozart's classical music masterpieces.

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Here's how the Munchkin Mozart Magic Cube works: you (or you know, your child) can add or subtract any combination of instrument sounds, like harp, French horn, piano, flute, or violin, from eight works by Wolfgang A.M. himself. It's baby's first beats lab but, like, totally classy and classical.

Promising Review: "My son plays with it for up to 15 minutes many times a day. I never get sick of the songs. Like another reviewer said, it's the perfect size for the baby to use as a counterbalance while learning to sit up. Every baby/parent needs this toy. If they came out with another cube with new songs/instruments I would buy it in a heartbeat!" —Kevin

Get it from Amazon for $25.

4. A walker for sitting and standing that manages to combine a piano with farm songs and sounds with a cordless phone, but somehow make it all work.

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Upon first glance, the VTech Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker looks like an absolute abomination that any parent should avoid. It's a primary-colored conflagration of noise, lights, and wheels (like some nightmarish Andrew Lloyd Webber musical). However, it's not about how the toy looks but what it does, which is engaging both the parents and the children. Along with some solid barnyard bangers, this toy will age well with your growing child as they sit, stand, and eventually walk. Just put it away after play so you don't have to gaze upon its horrible visage.

I'm enamored by children's toys that continue to include 20th-century telecommunication technology. But I'll be damned if the voice of the phone that says, "Thanx fuh cawl'in" doesn't sound like Janine Melnitz from Ghostbusters. This dreadful-looking toy, however, helped a whole lot in the standing up and walking around department, which when properly pushed around actually unlocked new songs.

Get it from Amazon for $35.

5. A set of sushi toys to remind mom about all the raw fish she couldn't eat during pregnancy.

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If you really want to start to establish your child's palate, the Fisher-Price Rice 'n Roll Sushi Set is a great place to start. Little ones can nom on all of the crinkling and jingly parts to start developing all those auditory and tactile skills. Plus it's a constant reminder that the spicy tuna roll can easily be Seamlessed for dinner once again.

Promising Review: " I adore this set! As soon as I saw it I had to get it for my son. Not only is it adorable but keeps him entertained and helps him with teething. Who couldn't love sushi teething toys?" —Jessalyn

Get it from Amazon for $15.

6. A singing puppy with a wagging tail and flapping ears that you never actually have to take outside for a walk.

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The VTech Pull and Sing Puppy might give your child a run for their money in the adorbs department. This plastic pooch crams in so much cuteness with its light-up nose and puppy sounds but can also teach your child a few new tricks in the form of numbers, colors, and motor skills. You'll end up loving this puppy so much that you'll even allow it on the couch and in the bed.

Promising Review: "Not only a great educational toy for your fast-learning babies but inexpensive! Worth every penny. Owning now for almost two months with two babies that are not so gentle with toys and we have no issues with this toy. Batteries are still holding up (we leave it on, never turn it off) and no malfunctions." —Weston & Lacey Jones

Get it from Amazon for $13.

7. A colorful caterpillar for cranking up those motor skills (while not making a big deal about the whole not-being-a-butterfly-yet thing).

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Sometimes something so rock-simple can bring all the fun, just like the Melissa & Doug Rainbow Caterpillar Gear Toy. Baby is identifying colors and developing problem-solving techniques while you're just waiting for them to put it down so you can have your turn at making the cranky gear go round and round.

Promising Review: "I had this in my cart for months and kept saving it for later. I'm so glad that I finally bought it! My 15-month-old loves this. She will spend 30 mins at a time fitting the gears on and spinning them (before happily flipping the board to remove the gears). I think this toy will last a long time. I'm really happy with this purchase and I feel like she enjoys this more than puzzles at this stage." —Emily Peery

Get it from Amazon for $10.

8. A racecar ramp that is neither too fast nor too furious but fulfills any need for speed.

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Sure the Melissa & Doug First Play Roll & Ring Ramp Tower "encourages sensory development and fine and gross motor skills," but sometimes we all just like to see things GO! In this regard, a car goes down a ramp, flips at each turn, repeat, repeat, repeat. Plus it's made of wood and metal so one less plastic contraption in the toy box.

Promising Review: "I got this for my ASD son. He loves repetition and banging sounds. This is solid wood and very well made. There is a metal piece at every level. The car smacks into the metal piece and then flips over to go down the next level. The action of the car hitting this piece of metal makes a soft bell-like 'ting!' My son loves it so much! Very stimulating!" —Jeremy

Get it from Amazon for $16.

9. A piano babies can play with their hands and their feet, with songs are so catchy you’ll be singing them even without the music.

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"Come and join the animal band!" The Fisher-Price Smart Stages Kick & Play Piano introduces numbers, colors, shapes, and musical animals to bebé. But in a new parent's world that's filled with torture-level repetitive children's songs, these tunes somehow manage to remain catchy, enjoyable earworms.

This was one of the first toys I bought our son and almost a year later it's still a hit for him (and us). The off-brand Idina Menzel that sings all of the tunes about Purple Monkey and Green Froggy should probably receive one of those Grammys they don't televise — she's that good. These songs will probably never leave my brain but I'm totally OK with that. 'You're gonna clap, clap, clap your hands!'

Get it from Amazon for $22.

10. 123s and ABCs for transforming bathtime into a splashy Spelling Bee or a Math Jamboree by sticking chewable letters and numbers to the side of the tub.

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Sure, refrigerator letter and number magnets are the popular choices for alpha-numeric learning, but do you really want your baby chomping down on hard plastic and metal? Of course not, so go grab a super soft bag of Munchkin 36 Bath Letters and Numbers that can help with teething along with all the learning. Best part: you can leave all sorts of creative messages in the tub for whoever is using it next.

Promising Review: "Who knew such a simple little product could bring so much joy to a toddler? We have some pretty fancy bath toys, but these are always her go-to. She loves to stick them on the bath, herself, her dad. Anything. They're easy to clean out of the tub after it's drained. You don't have to squeeze water out of them like rubber duckies so we don't have to worry about mildew." —Kyndra

Get it from Amazon for $7.

11. A Yeti who positively reinforces problem-solving and motor skills by popping out multi-colored shapes … listen, you had us at Yeti.

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The abominably awesome Skip Hop Yeti Shape Sorter is a beast at spinning and spitting out shapes along with 50 songs, sounds, and phrases. Try to resist patting this big guy's hair to hear him giggle (Yes, Yetis giggle).

Promising Review: “We use this toy every single day, for hours at a time, and one month later, we still haven’t needed to replace the batteries. The music is cute and pleasant, and not too loud. Works great on the carpet.” —Amanda A.

Get it from Amazon for $30.

12. Strange-looking stackable spheres that balance baby's first lessons in physics with training for future family Jenga tournaments.

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As much as babies like stacking they love knocking things over much more. The Fat Brain Toys Tobbles Neo tries to push back on that theory by pushing the spatial reasoning and imaginative thinking it takes to properly balance these "gravity-defying" spheres. If these were on your desk at work you'd be playing with them all day, they are that fun.

Promising Review: "His two-year-old sister stacked the balls with ease, and they both loved knocking the stack down and watching the balls wobble around. I was amazed by how long this toy held the attention of a six-month-old baby." —Vanessa Hill

Get it from Amazon for $27.

13. An egg-cellent and totally "cheep" way for kids to practice matching and sorting and for parents to work on their puns.

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Would you take a look at this cute cartoon of eggs, they all have funny faces. Wait, what's that chirping? You mean there are chicks inside of each of the TOMY Toomies Hide & Squeak Eggs. You won't have the heart to make an omelet in front of your kids ever again. The best part? No batteries to replace.

Promising Review: "Overall, this is a great product, super sturdy and has many uses that can grow with your child. We even added a balance game by trying to stack the empty shells. As she gets older I can see us talking about the emotions of the eggs too. The eggs are large enough to not be a choking hazard." —Teaching Momma

Get it from Amazon for $12.

14. An animal- and insect-themed musical instrument set to start baby's first band backed by a rocking red fox and two buzzing bees.

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If the Fox and The Bee isn't already a band name, we're claiming it right now thanks to the Skip Hop Explore and More Musical Instrument Set. A hand drum, tambourine, and clacker might seem a little, well, percussive but that's kind of the point. All it takes is a little shake to get the music going.

It was only a matter of time, probably only a few minutes, before I tried to figure out how to play some of my favorite songs on a plastic fox. I can safely say that I'm just as good as my son and we sound equally great. This trio has been in constant rotation and they keep sounding better. One trick is not to give all three instruments at once, that way if the kid gets bored you've got some backup to cycle in and out of the rotation.

Get it from Amazon for $20.

15. A sports center that should inspire you and your kid to get up off the couch, stop watching Sports Center, and go play together.

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More than a mere basketball hoop and soccer/fútbol goal, the VTech Smart Shots Sports Center teaches counting through the scoreboard along with gears and buttons for learning about numbers. Note: It will be near impossible to resist trying to drain a three from behind the couch once the kid has gone to sleep.

Promising Review: "We all know that with most toys, kids will not stay interested for long. We have had this toy for three months now and my son still enjoys playing with it. He also loves to see the numbers flash on the screen because he will say the number. Putting the toy together was super easy and simple, just make sure you buy the required batteries because this toy does not come with them." —Fran

Get it from Amazon for $35.

16. A baby activity toy station to introduce the concept of "hammer time" and gently relieve some stress.

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Look, before you mention the fact that giving a small child a toy hammer to whack some balls down a ramp might not be the best idea all we can say is, well, you've got a good point. But fun is fun and this just looks like a stress reliever for all parties involved from a fussy baby to beleaguered parents.

Promising Review: "We got this for our daughter when she was six months old. It took her a few days to get the idea. We didn't give her the hammer, she just pushed the balls into the maze. She is now 11 months old and it's still one of her favorite toys. It teaches a lot of good concepts- containment, gravity, hand-eye coordination, cause and effect. We set it up next to a wall and she used it to go from sitting to standing.” —Marie Robison

Get it from Amazon for $15.

17. A bright bumpy ball made of multiple tactile materials for parents to toss around and babies to develop their sense of touch.

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Some of the best baby toys look like they’ve been designed by third-rate Batman villains and we mean that as the highest possible compliment. Try to keep your hands off the Sassy Developmental Bumpy Ball so that your child can actually play with it.

Promising Review: “So far this has been a perfect toy for my five-month-old boy. All the different bumps provide good handles for him to be able to lift and manipulate it. The ball is soft for the majority, so when baby is trying to put everything into his mouth without much coordination, he isn't hitting his face with anything hard or painful." —Emily W

Get it from Amazon for $11.

18. A musical, ball-spitting dinosaur to encourage the kids to crawl and maybe even clean up after themselves (maybe).

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The Fisher-Price Poppity Pop Musical Dino is next-level Hungry Hungry Hippos. Kiddos gather up the balls, drop them in the large opening, and then dino launches them from its mouth or tail. Sit back and watch your child learn to crawl while basically playing fetch. Probably works great with the dog too. Your fun comes in the form of getting a minute to sit down and catch your breath.

Promising Review: "We got this toy for my son before he was born. When he started crawling (about 5 months old) we gave this to him. He's now about 13 months old and still plays with this every single day. At first, he just played with the balls that come with it. Now he walks over with other toys and experiments with different noises things make when he puts them in the bouncing Dino. He learned how it worked very quickly and has enjoyed countless hours playing with it." —Dmarie

Get it from Amazon for $30.

19. A bathtime activity center that turns the tub into a water park complete with "Googly Eyes" and spinning wheels.

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As parents, we know that everything with "Googly Eyes" is at least 20% more fun to play with. So sneak some "science" into tub time with the Yookidoo Baby Bath Spin 'N' Sprinkle Water Lab. Sure there might be some "physics and mathematics concepts" involved but that's all in the name of seeing water spin propellers while making those eyes roll around. Hoo-boy!

Promising Review: "I bought two of these, one for a friend and one for my own daughter. All pieces stay suctioned to the bathtub wall as they should. I haven't had one fall since we bought it a few months ago. My child is 11 months and loves this toy. I can't wait to add on to it with the other sets they have available!" —Manderpuss

Get it from Amazon for $15.

20. An activity walker for developing your child's hand-eye coordination as well as a healthy mistrust of swamp reptiles.

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Next to your lions, tigers, bears, and dinos, gators and crocs might be the most ferocious animals that baby toys and apparel would lead you to believe are otherwise cute and cuddly. But take a look at this trio of adorable snapping gators and imagine the fun you'll have chasing the little one around and how much their agility and balance will improve on their way to walking.

Promising Review: "We (but mostly our baby) love this little walker! It's very high quality, feels sturdy to the touch/push and works quite perfectly. Our daughter was even enthralled by the twisty blocks halfway of the handle. Early on she would sit and spin those for longer than she would stand and push the whole cart. Our daughter has been using this to walk around for almost four months now, well before she was walking on her own. So this provided her a practical and fun way to get up and start using her feet, learning to balance and practice walking." —TheGreatBambino

Get it from Amazon for $47.

21. A stacking ring set with a total Beetlejuice-vibe that also encourages STEM learning.

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A classic primary color ring set is all well and good, but this nine-piece set goes all-Tim Burton with its different textures and weights. Great for developing those hand-to-eye and motor skills and especially great for chewing on (but try to resist that urge, you're supposedly an adult).

Promising Review: “I used these for an unlikely reason — toys for my horse. Highly durable and he loves them!” —Jenna

Get it from Amazon for $9.

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