Between six and twelve months, babies go from sitting up and grabbing everything in reach to crawling, pulling up and maybe taking a first step. Their toys need to keep up. The best baby toys for 6–12 months are soft and light enough to grab and shake now, easy to carry later, and full of personality so they become a favorite friend. For gift-givers, that means toys that grow with the baby across the whole first year, and that the family will want to keep.
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Every gift in this guide is from Estella, a family-owned New York brand making baby gifts since 2003. Our toys are hand-knit one at a time by artisans in Peru with a soft organic cotton exterior, and our clothing is organic cotton. We’ve earned 1,800+ five-star reviews from 55,000+ families, been featured in Vogue, and you’ll never find us on Amazon.
In this guide:
- Our quick picks
- What babies 6–12 months love
- Rattles to grab and shake
- Toys to push, toss and roll
- Soft friends to crawl after
- First books
- Gift sets to grow into
- Frequently asked questions
Our Quick Picks
- Best overall: the NYC Baby Rattle Gift Set ($98): a taxi, a hot dog, a pretzel and the Big Apple.
- Best under $30: the Giraffe Baby Rattle ($28), easy to grab and wave.
- Best keepsake: Frank the Dog ($72), the hand-knit friend they’ll keep for years.
- The showstopper: the NY Bundle of Joy Baby Gift Set ($292), with three bodysuits, Frank the Dog, four rattles and a book.
What Babies 6–12 Months Love
- Grabbing and shaking (6–8 months). Light rattles with easy shapes are perfect for passing hand to hand.
- Banging two things together. Sets of rattles give them one for each hand.
- Chasing and carrying (9–12 months). New crawlers and cruisers love a soft friend to go after and tote around.
- Pointing at pictures. Board books with one bold image per page are a first-year favorite.
Rattles to Grab and Shake
NYC Baby Rattle Gift Set
A taxi, a hot dog, a pretzel and the Big Apple, all hand-knit: four shapes to grab, swap and shake.
Wonderful Gift: This was the perfect gift for a NYC babe -- mother loves it and baby seems to enjoy as well.
Giraffe Baby Rattle
A long-necked hand-knit giraffe that’s easy to grab and wave around. $28.
Adorable: Great! Perfectly made and cute as can be ❤️
Toni the Elephant Baby Rattle
A sweet hand-knit elephant with a little heart on one leg, just the right size for small hands. $28.
Charming Baby Toy! The toy is beautifully made and has a little heart embroidered on one leg.
Pedro the Pigeon Baby Rattle
A quirky, city-inspired hand-knit pigeon, perfect for little hands and future explorers. $32.
Toys to Push, Toss and Roll
Football & Baseball Baby Rattle Set
A soft football and baseball, hand-knit and light enough to toss, roll and crawl after. $45.
All American Baby Rattles
A baseball, a basketball and a football, for sports-loving families.
An athlete in the making: Order process and delivery were exceptional. These sporting goods are cute and perfect for a baby's hands, nice and soft too.
Large NYC Taxi Plush
A big, squeezable yellow cab to push across the floor, lean on and hug, and a sweet piece of nursery decor too.
Organic Stuffed Taxi Cab Pillow: We received our soft Taxi Cab Pillow from Estella - and it is everything we wanted in this item - soft, cute and cuddly.
Soft Friends to Crawl After
Frank the Dog
Our most iconic piece: a 12-inch hand-knit dog with floppy ears and a little taxi on his chest, easy to grab by an arm or a leg.
Great dog! I love this dog. I have bought it for other people's children, and it's always their favorite.
Charlotte the Pig
All charm, with a bright pink snout and a playful spirit, and just the right size for little arms to hug.
Perfect lovey for baby: I got this for my baby (six months) and he loves it. It’s the perfect size for him to hug and play with.
Bruno the Donkey
A sweet hand-knit donkey, soft, friendly and ready for adventure.
Donkey Stuffed Animal: So cute and soft! My 6 month old daughter loves it!
NYC Taxi Baby Teddy Bear
A little hand-knit bear in a taxi outfit, small enough for tiny hands to grip. $32.
Taxi Bear: I gave this sweet taxi bear to my friend as a gift for her six month old and received many sweet photos and videos of the little girl playing with and holding the bear.
First Books
NYC ABCs Baby Board Book
The alphabet, the New York way, with a bold illustration on every page for pointing and naming. $14.
Hello, World: New York Board Book
A vibrant graphic board book that introduces baby to the colors of New York. $12.
New York Is, Baby Board Book
A stylish rhyming board book celebrating New York’s culture, landmarks and energy. $18.
Gift Sets to Grow Into
Wise Guy Owl Baby Gift Set
An organic cotton owl bodysuit with a matching hand-knit owl rattle, for the baby who’s already thinking deep thoughts.
Whale Baby Gift Set
A whale lovey, a hand-knit whale rattle and a striped knit hat: three cozy pieces for the littlest ocean lover.
Love this!: Purchased this as a gift, and the new parents were so pleased. So glad I came across this!!
NYC Little Explorers Baby Gift Set
Two organic cotton bodysuits, a city-icons bib, two hand-knit rattles and a New York board book: something to wear, play with and read.
An Adorable and High Quality Gift for City Loving Families: I have ordered from Estella before and this bundle is another win.
NY Bundle of Joy Baby Gift Set
Three NYC organic cotton bodysuits, Frank the Dog, four hand-knit rattles and the NYC ABCs board book, arriving in a gift box.
Best Gift Ever! Overall experience is excellent. Packaged arrived promptly, beautifully wrapped. Overall quality and attention to detail are wonderful!
What Size to Give a Baby 6–12 Months
Most babies wear 6–12 months between six and nine months old, and 12–18 months from about nine months to their first birthday. If you’re not sure, choose the next size up so the gift lasts. Rattles, plush toys and books need no size at all.
Ready to Give
Add a free gift message in your cart, and every order includes a gift receipt with no prices. Gift boxing is $8, complimentary on orders over $175. Orders ship within 1–2 business days, with free shipping on U.S. orders over $75.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best toys for babies 6–12 months?
Light rattles to grab and shake, soft toys to toss and crawl after, a hand-knit friend to carry and board books with bold pictures.
What is a good gift for a baby under one?
A rattle set or a hand-knit friend like Frank the Dog, or a gift set that adds an outfit in the next size up and a board book.
What are your toys made of?
Our knit toys have an organic cotton exterior, hand-knit by artisans in Peru, with a soft polyester fill. Each product page lists its materials. As with any toy, supervise playtime.
Can I send a gift directly to the family?
Yes. Ship to any U.S. address and add a free gift message; the gift receipt never shows prices.
Can I buy Estella on Amazon?
No. Estella is sold only at estella-nyc.com and at select museum and boutique partners.
More Ideas, Made with Love
See all of our hand-knit baby rattles, our stuffed animals and our baby gift sets. Shopping for the holidays? See our Baby’s First Christmas gifts.
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