I had my baby last Spring, and I was one of those pregnant people that was asking people, “Do newborns really need toys?” And the answer is yes, yes they do. Newborns need specific types of toys that help them get engaged and develop their senses. One of the skills babies have to work on is tummy time, which is why it’s so helpful to have a couple strong tummy time toys to help your baby enjoy tummy time as much as possible.
Some babies really don’t like tummy time, and others don’t mind it so much. Regardless, supplying your baby with some fun, interactive tummy time toys will help you remember to do tummy time a few times each day, and will make it more fun for both you and baby!
In this article, I’m going to share my favorite tummy time toys separated by toy type. I’ll share my favorite tummy time mirrors, toys and books, activity mats, and pillows. First, I list my favorite choice for the category, then 1-3 other great options to consider, dependent on your preferences. Feel free to skip around to the tummy time toys that you’re most interested through the linked below. Afterwards, I’ll share some tips to help as well.
You definitely don’t need all of these things. If you’d like to go the minimal route, I recommend one tummy time mirror or one tummy time toy, and a tummy time activity mat. However, if tummy time is a struggle for your little one, then you may want to get a couple more items to help your baby like being on his or her belly more.
Note: This post contains affiliate links. This means that I may receive affiliate fees when items are purchased through the links below. Note that this does change the price. See my disclosure page for details.
1. Tummy Time Mirrors
Top Pick: Taf Toys Combination Tummy Time Soft Book with Baby Safe Mirror
This may be my favorite tummy time item on the list. I love a good multi-use baby item (they grow out of things so quickly!) and this one nails it. It’s basically a stand-up high-contrast book that ends with a baby safe mirror. The simple, high-contrast images are great for babies developing eyes, and the mirror provides a fun, interactive toy for babies to look at during tummy time. The flip side of the high-contrast images are more colorful and detailed images to show the baby as s/he gets a little older and can focus on more colors and details. Did I mention the pages have crinkle and 3D features, too?! Brilliant!
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Other Great Tummy Time Mirror Options:
Sassy Tummy Time Floor Mirror
This stand up mirror by Sassy is also a great tummy time mirror choice. It’s simple, high-contrast, and have some really cute features including a little bee in the upper corner, and a spinning trackerball surroundinged by a rainbow of colors.
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Bright Starts Safari Floor Mirror
This rectangular floor mirror by Bright Starts is a really simple, colorful floor mirror great for tummy time, especially for those of you who are on the go with their babies, since this easily folds flat into a very packable size. The leaves in the corner are crinkly, and there is a little monkey in the lower corner. This is also the most budget-friendly tummy time mirror on our list, although none of them are very expensive.
2. Tummy Time Toys and Books
Top Pick: Taf Toys North Pole Soft Activity Baby Book
This is another favorite tummy time item of mine (No, this post is not sponsored by Taf Toys, they just make some awesome tummy time things!) It’s a soft book that opens like an accordion, making it a book that can stand up on it’s own, usable during tummy time on play mats, or along the edges of a crib or bassinet. I bought it for my daughter, and it improved her tummy time tremendously. I place it in front of her tummy time mat and she studies it for long periods of time. It’s very packable too, making it something easy to put in the diaper bag and use on the go, too!
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Additional Tummy Time Toy Options
Tummy Time Mobile Entertainer
This unique toy makes the list because of how versatile it is. It’s a mobile that can be used in the car, then flipped upside down and used during tummy time! It features a peek-a-boo window that reveals scenes, and a hanging apple and bird that move. It also plays music and lights up.
Melissa & Doug Flip Fish Toy
This colorful plush toy by Melissa & Doug is perfect for babies and toddlers. It features scales that can be turned over to show hidden animal images, a variety of textures, a squeaker, a teething textured tail, and a mirrored scale. Although it isn’t a tummy toy specifically, it makes a good one because of the low profile, vibrant colors, and tactile feature of the scales.
3. Tummy Time Activity Mats
Top Pick: Infantino 4-in-1 Twist & Fold Activity Gym & Play Mat in Tropical
This is the activity mat that I bought for my baby. Any baby items that is multi-use… Sign. Me. Up. Babies grow out of things like this SO fast. So it’s great when something can do more than one thing. This Infantino Activity Gym nailed it. It’s not only a cute activity mat, but it also folds up to roughly the size of a golf umbrella which made it easy to take on weekend trips, it the hanging toys are removable so I could use them elsewhere and move them to different locations, and it included tummy time specific items like a pillow and a mirror so my baby could flip flop from laying on her back to play with the hanging toys to being on her tummy to do some tummy time with help from a pillow and while using the mirror.
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Additional Tummy Time Activity Mat Options
This very inexpensive water play mat is a really great tummy time toy. It’s filled with water, with fun graphics under the water. It has loose toys that babies can move around in the water, making it really fun and engaging. Although lots of people like this water mat, it does have some lower reviews that you may want to consider before purchasing (which might be connected to the very low price).
Bright Starts Tummy Time Prop & Play
I love the simplicity of this Bright Starts Tummy Time Mat. It’s available in three designs. This polar bear style is very inexpensive, has a small footprint, and includes some great tummy time items including a pillow, attached toys, and a mirror. This tummy time mat would be great for people who have smaller areas for their babies to play on the floor or for people who want a very mobile-friendly tummy time mat that they can take with them on the go.
Bright Starts Mr. Ray Ocean Lights Activity Gym
This last option I’m sharing is more of an activity gym than a tummy time mat, but I love the unique features it has and that it has a canopy, making it a great option for Summer time babies so you can use it outside and have some coverage from the sun. It has lots of fun attachment toys (some even double as finger puppets!) and also has a tummy time pillow and a built-in mirror. The sting ray canopy also lights up, which is fun and eye catching for baby!
3. Tummy Time Pillows
Top Pick: Infantino Grow with Me 3-in-1 Tummy Time Piano
I love the idea of this inexpensive 3-in-1 tummy time piano! My baby really likes music, so I wish I would’ve known about this one when she was a little younger. It makes 35 different sounds. It grows with your baby and offers 3 great play modes including learn to kick, tummy-time, and sit and play, so your baby won’t grow out of it as quickly as s/he would other tummy time (only) toys. I also love the raccoon plush design – so cute!
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Additional Tummy Time Pillow Option
Infantino Prop-A-Pillar Tummy Time & Seated Support
This popular tummy time pillow is also made by Infantino (this post is not sponsored by them, either! They just make great tummy time items). It’s rather colorful and cute, and like some of the other tummy time items we share in this article, it also doubles as another item – this time, a supported seat, for when your baby is just about ready to sit, but still needs a little extra support. It also has two little attached toys (peep the sun and the little green ring closer to the catepillar’s face). Note that it comes in two pieces that separate when it is to be used for tummy time. The image shown left is it in its connected seated support position.
There you have it! Those are some of my favorite tummy time toys on the market. A handful of them I used for my daughter. Some items I gifted to my nephews and nieces, and a couple are just really neat and have fantastic reviews so I’ll probably consider getting them for future children of mine or for expecting family and friends.
As you can probably tell with this selection of baby toys and activity centers, I really like packable things. Not only are they great for weekend getaways and drive to vacations, but it’s also just easier to have things that pack up or have a smaller foot print so you can more easily move them around the house, and pack them up in space-saving containers when babies outgrow them.
Did I miss anything that should be added the best tummy time items for babies? What is your favorite tummy time toy or activity center and why? Let me know in the comments below! Thanks so much for reading!