Tummy time is an essential exercise to engage in with your little one. It helps develop and strengthen their muscles.
But without the best tummy time toys, it can be hard to motivate your baby to stay in this muscle-building position.
We’ll share our combined experience with tummy time toys and highlight the best of the best so you and your baby can make this daily routine a fun bonding time.
- Ultra-soft materials
- Super cute baby koala theme
- Large, baby-safe mirror
- Encourages baby to lift their head
- Vibrant colors
- Baby-safe materials
- Supportive tummy time pillow included
- Plenty of surprises to discover
- Soft fabric
- Plenty of animals to play with
- Bright and colorful
- Allows for rearrangement
- Colorful and full of prints
- Features music and bells
- Includes a meter and foot scale
- Fantastic discovery ball with sounds
- Eye-catching
- Durable
- Large, true-reflection mirror
- Bold colors
- Can stand on its own
- Plenty of components to discover
- Easy to wrap up and store
- Machine washable
- For tummy time and seated support
- Multiple textures to discover
- Baby-safe teether included
- Bright, fun colors
- Can stand by itself
- Large mirror with minimal distortion
Why Tummy Time Toys Are Helpful
Tummy time is a valuable exercise to do with your baby from an early age. It helps establish the muscles they need for reaching other milestones, such as crawling, rolling over, and sitting.
Experts have found that babies who spend less time on their belly often experience delays when developing motor skills (1).
Although tummy time is essential, many babies will fuss every time you roll them over. This is when a fun toy will come in handy.
Tummy time toys can be anything that your baby enjoys looking at. It could be a fun ball, a colorful play mat, a baby-safe mirror, or a squeaky toy. As long as it distracts your little one, it’s perfect.
Tummy time should be short 3-minute to 5-minute spurts, three times a day, and only while awake (2).
Editor's Note:
Katelyn Holt RN, BSN, BCHow to Choose a Safe Tummy Time Toy
Age Appropriate
Whenever you look for a toy for your baby, it’s essential to choose one that’s age-appropriate. Almost all toys will have a recommended age sticker or sign showing you the minimum age suggested.
The products on our list today are all suitable for small babies. However, you should still consider whether it’s suitable for your child’s age or too complicated or overstimulating.
Bigger Is Better
Until your little one turns three, you should always be mindful of the size of the toy. Children under the age of 3 years tend to put objects in their mouths, which poses a choking risk (3).
To verify if the toy is big enough, try to push it through a toilet paper roll. If it can’t fit, you’re good to go.
Durability
Your baby may not play rough yet, but they love to pull and chew on their toys. If the item has glued- or sewn-on parts, they could become undone should your little one tug at them.
Before using a toy, test all parts by pulling at them. If they seem to loosen, fasten them securely or find something else.
Product Reviews
These tummy time toys meet our stringent criteria of being safe, well-designed, durable, and stimulating.
Taf Toys Koala Tummy-time Activity Book
Best Tummy Time Activity Book
This activity book helps with two early phases of development. Stage one is for infants under 3 months. It features crinkle sides for initial tummy time. It’s simple, allowing your baby to focus on one image at a time.
For babies older than 3 months, stage two includes rich, vibrant colors with a cute koala theme. There’s a teether and play pocket to develop your baby’s fine motor skills. If you turn the book, there’s also a large mirror your little one can look into.
The activity book stands on its own, making it excellent for viewing when your little one is on their stomach. The cute illustrations on all the pages make the book fun for both parent and child.
Pros
- Ultra-soft materials.
- Super cute baby koala theme.
- Two-stage toy is suitable for different ages.
- Large, baby-safe mirror.
Cons
- There could be more pages.
Our Ratings
Manhattan Toy Winkel Rattle & Sensory Teether
Best Rattle
The Winkel toy from Manhattan Toy is an award-winning product. It’s a two-in-one toy, great for playtime.
As a rattle and teething toy, it allows your little one to continue using it beyond infancy. The rattle is mesmerizing to look at. The maze of baby-safe tubes is great for grabbing and chewing.
The soft tubes surround the central cube, which creates a pleasing rattle sound when your baby moves it. With bright colors, it should grab any baby’s attention.
The tubes are made of safe, BPA-free plastic, and it’s suitable for babies from birth to 24 months.
Pros
- Two-in-one toy.
- Great for encouraging babies to lift their head.
- Vibrant colors.
- Baby-safe materials.
Cons
- Requires frequent cleaning and is hand-wash only.
- You won’t be able to steam-sanitize this because it will melt.
Our Ratings
Skip Hop Treetop Friends Infant Activity Gym
Best Tummy Time Activity Gym
Your little one will have lots of exploring to do while on this activity gym mat from Skip Hop. It has a nature theme, with 17 multi-sensory developmental activities such as a mirror, contrasting textures, and hanging soft toys.
The mat is ultra-soft — with included patterned arches and a supportive tummy time pillow.
We’re in love with the nature-inspired graphics — they’re vibrant and adorable to look at.
Besides the cuteness factor, the mat is full of surprises. There’s a squeaky flower your baby can push, textured crinkly leaves to touch, and much more. All materials used are baby-safe and machine washable, so there’s no need to worry about potential messes.
Pros
- Supportive tummy time pillow included.
- It’s great for back time as well.
- Plenty of surprises for your little one to discover.
- The fabric is soft.
Cons
- It doesn’t fold, so it may be difficult to store.
- No way to replace the batteries for the music function.
Our Ratings
Fisher-Price Rainforest Deluxe Gym
Jungle Activity Gym
Take a trip into the jungle with your baby in this rainforest-themed activity gym from Fisher-Price. With more than ten activities and toys included, it’s fantastic for a growing baby.
Your little one will get a thorough workout by kicking and moving while playing with the animals. When your baby kicks, they’ll activate music and lights.
Fisher-Price includes several animals your child can reach for and play with. Some of the animals are soft plush, while the zebra works as a rattle your baby can hold and shake. Whether your baby is on their tummy or back, they’ll have plenty to do.
Overhead, you can hang the butterflies and the baby-safe mirror. Everything can be rearranged to create a new activity environment for every playtime.
Pros
- Plenty of animals to play with.
- Bright and colorful with sounds and lights.
- Baby mirror included.
- It allows for rearrangement.
Cons
- The bird sits high, and it’s not easy for the baby to interact.
- It takes a lot of storage space.
Our Ratings
LightDesire Musical Caterpillar
Best Musical Tummy Time Toy
This musical caterpillar from LightDesire is an excellent tool for tummy time. Parents say their babies love the colors and texture the most. It’s vibrant and super soft, yet it contains many fun components.
The caterpillar works in different ways — there’s even a fun element for mom and dad. Along its belly, there’s a measuring scale to track your baby’s length.
The bright colors are excellent at promoting visual development. Your little one will have lots to look at with multiple patterns.
For auditory stimulation, the caterpillar’s head plays a lovely song, and throughout its body sections are bells that ring when moved.
Some segments feature crinkly fabric to help develop the sense of touch.
Pros
- Colorful and full of prints.
- It features music and bells.
- Includes a meter and foot scale to measure your baby.
- Soft material.
Cons
- The music button is difficult to push.
- It only features one song.
Our Ratings
VTech Baby Lil' Critters Discover Ball
Best Discovery Ball
This discovery ball is terrific for tummy time. With outstanding reviews from parents, it’s worth a look. It’s a plush ball toy with characters, numbers, and vibrant colors.
The ball includes a motion sensor, which activates sounds and phrases as your baby gets closer. It’s great for grabbing your baby’s attention and encouraging them to lift their head or crawl.
VTech also included some educational components, too. The star-shaped button activates animal sounds and numbers. The ball is recommended for babies aged 6 months and up.
The ball is excellent for physical development. It can be tossed, bitten, and kicked.
Pros
- Fantastic discovery ball with sounds.
- Eye-catching characters, numbers, and colors.
- Durable and able to take kicks, bites, and tosses.
Cons
- The volume is too low.
- The ball is quite heavy, so small babies have difficulty lifting it.
Our Ratings
Tummy Time Floor Mirror By Sassy
Best Tummy Time Mirror
Mirrors are a great tummy time tool, and this one from Sassy is exceptional. We loved it for our little ones, and it also receives stellar reviews from parents, praising how clear and safe it is.
This 10-inch, true-reflection mirror works to engage your child during tummy time. It’s large and colorful with a bold blue frame and attached play bugs your baby can interact with.
The bright red ladybug doubles as a rattle to grab your little one’s attention. There’s an adorable bee you can rotate and click and tactile, crinkly wings to play with.
The mirror can stand on its own, although your baby may knock it over if they get too excited.
Pros
- A large, true-reflection mirror that’s clear.
- Bold colors.
- Fun attached bugs.
- It can stand on its own.
Cons
- It’s easy to knock over.
- It requires a thorough hand wash after receiving to remove residue from the manufacturer.
Our Ratings
Bright Starts Tummy Time Prop & Play Mat
Best for Small Babies
For the smallest babies, we have this playmat from Bright Stars. It’s a 3-foot, bear-themed mat, offering plenty of support for even the tiniest babies.
With plush and extra padding, the polar bear mat is comfy to wiggle, kick, and lie on. Included is a matching prop pillow you can use to support your little one, making tummy time more enjoyable. It’s fantastic for the first few months as your baby develops their muscles.
Around the mat are satin loops, adding a fun element. There are lots of things to discover once your baby gets a little older. From crinkle sounds to rattles, fun attachments, and a mirror — the mat provides hours of play.
Pros
- It offers a lot of support for small babies.
- Plenty of components to discover.
- Easy to wrap up and store.
- Machine washable.
Cons
- The head of the polar bear doesn’t stay up well.
Our Ratings
Infantino Prop-A-Pillar 2-in-1 pillow
Best Tummy Time Support Pillow
This tummy time support pillow is good for small babies. It’s a cute caterpillar that will provide them with ample entertainment.
Once fully extended, you can place your baby on it for tummy time, giving their developing muscles a fun workout.
When your little one is learning how to sit, you can stack the bug, creating a secure seat for them.
Your baby has multiple textures to discover. The caterpillar’s firm, high-quality body has crinkly components as well as soft fabrics. The pillow comes with a BPA-free silicone teether they can bite on when their teeth are coming in.
Pros
- Excellent for tummy time and learning to sit.
- Multiple textures to discover.
- Baby-safe teether included.
Cons
- It can come apart when in seat mode.
Our Ratings
Bright Starts Floor Mirror
Best Mirror Toy for Tummy Time
Let your baby discover their reflection with this mirror from Bright Starts. It has outstanding reviews from parents praising the image and fun factor.
The 11-inch-wide mirror frame is bright green, sporting a jungle theme with crinkly leaves, a little monkey, and a cute dragonfly. It’s capable of standing by itself, and it’s surprisingly steady. You can also pack it flat for when you’re on the go.
The mirror is large and clear — it doesn’t create distortions, as some other baby mirrors tend to do.
Pros
- Bright, fun colors.
- It can stand by itself.
- Large mirror with minimal distortion.
Cons
- It scratches easily.
Our Ratings
FAQs
Why Do Babies Hate Tummy Time So Much?
Babies may dislike tummy time initially because it’s a new position and it requires more effort to lift their head and strengthen their muscles.
What is the Best Light Up Toy For Tummy Time?
Light-up toys like the Baby Einstein Glow & Discover Light Bar are great for capturing a baby’s attention during tummy time.
Why Do You Need a Tummy Time Mirror?
Mirrors encourage babies to lift their heads to see their reflection, thus strengthening their neck and shoulder muscles.
Are Tummy Time Mats Worth It?
Yes, they provide a comfortable, engaging space for babies to develop their muscles and coordination.
Where is the Best Place to Do Tummy Time?
A clean, flat surface like a floor mat or a blanket is ideal. Ensure it’s away from any hazards or sharp objects.
