Toy Recommendation for a 12 Week Old

Anything that's black and white, as they still don't have a lot of color vision so the contrast really catches their eye.

Also, what about wrist and bootie rattles? My kids really got into the wrist rattles and then later the bootie socks with bells/rattles on them once they found their hands and feet.

Why don't you take him to Babies R Us and walk through the baby toy aisle? Don't just park him in front of the display; take a few things off the shelf and see if they peak his interest.

If the baby isn't rolling yet, you can always play roly-poly with him. Put him on his tummy and place his favorite toy (or a new exciting) to his side. Shake it and make it seem really cool and attractive so that he has to roll from stomach to back to get the toy.

Although some people turn their noses up at these as baby toys, rattles are actually GREAT for this age. Around 3 months, babies really get into noticing hands, playing with fingers and might start clasping and unclasping. Give him a rattle or keys (toy, not real) for him to work on that fine motor skill of grasping and transferring objects from one hand to another.

Other good, age-appropriate recommendations include:
-bright board books with bold colors
-textured toys that make sounds
-any toys with mirrors (babysafe, not glass)

A book you might be interested in reading is "The Wonder Years" by Tanya Remer Altmann. It is published under the auspices of the AAP and serves as a great guideline for development and has fantastic suggestions for play/toys that will promote development (it WON'T speed it up - kids develop on their own time table).

My daughter is 16 weeks old and LOVES the books that make noise (the crinkling sounds.) My other 2 didn't really seem to like anything at this age, but she loves them. I would also suggest anything that you can hang...we have an octopus and a frog that we can clip on things (the changing table, her crib, her stroller, her activity gym) and now she reaches for them. Good Luck! and congrats!

Hi M. buy him a rattle. There's probably some that make sounds, light up and play music.

At that age, our baby loved playmats! We had one with a musical light-up star on top and he would kick around to the music, and hit at the dangling toys. His aim got so good over time. A friend had another playmat with a cow that rotated to music and he loved it too. That was about the only type of toy he visibly "enjoyed" at that age. The physical games with us seemed more fun than his other toys.

My 3 month old son loves his actiity mat, the swing with the mobile on top and board books.

What about a kick gym? My little one loved it!

M.-
Two toys jumped to mind when I read your question. I was given a little toy elephant that was on a string and could hook to a stroller. If you pulled it, it vibrated. I'm pretty certain that you could get it at Target or any toy store. Also, it's a little early but my son loved a toy that is an oceanarium with lights and a button to start music. It's attached to his crib. Once he started moving in his crib he would hit the button and it kept him entertained. Sometimes I would hear it in the middle of the night. I got it a Babys R Us. Good luck.

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