Top 10 Baby Toys of 2006

There were so mane toys that came out this year that it can be frustrating trying to decide which to buy for your infant. But when it comes to keeping your 0-6 month happy, there are certainly some must haves .Here are a list of the top 10 toys of 2005 for a 0-6 month old.

1. Deluxe Tummy Time Pyramid
Tummy time is very important for your newborn. It helps to strengthen their neck muscles and prepares them for crawling. However, a lot of babies do not like tummy time. So it's important to find a good toy that will not only stimulate them, but keep their attention. The Tummy Time Pyramid has four sides to it that can be turned to face baby. One side has a nice big mirror so baby can look at herself (They just love that!). The other sides have textures, colors, and sounds. The pyramid is a very brightly colored toy which is great for stimulating eyesight. It is available from One Step Ahead and retails for about $40.

2. Bumbo Seat
Okay, so the Bumbo seat isn't a toy, but babies seem to love it so much that is might as well be! This is a seat with a very special design that let's your young infant sit up. They can use the Bumbo seat as soon as they have good head control. If your baby is on the extremely large end (out of the normal range on the percentile chart) the seat will be a little tight. But for 90% of babies, this chair is great. The Bumbo seat retails for about $40.

3. Gymini 3-D Activity Gym
Baby gyms are always a good idea. They have thick, flat, blanket-like bottoms with toys that hang over head. They can kick and bat at the toys over top and it also provides a nice soft surface for tummy time. The great thing about the Gymini Activity Gym is the colors. The gym had very strong contrasting colors in red, black, and white. This is very suited for a newborn's eyesight. When infants are first born, their eyesight is very limited. Soft pastel colors that so many baby toys have are actually built more for the parents to go "Awwwww" over. Infants can't see those shades at first. The Gymini Activity Gym will actually give them something they will enjoy looking at. The gym retails for about $40 from Toys R Us.

4. Ocean Wonders Projection Mobile
This mobile, made by Fisher-Price, has a very cute ocean theme to it. It has brightly colored fish which are easier for baby to see. It also plays some very cute music to send your little one off to dream land. But the great thing about this particular mobile is that it has a mode which will project cute fish patterns up on the ceiling which is great for giving baby something to look at. You can buy the mobile at Toys R Us for about $40.

5. Baby Gymtastics Delux Jumperoo
The Jumperoo is good from about 4 months on when baby has good head control. This toy is amazing at keeping baby busy. They sit in the chair, which is nice and deep for wobbly babies, which is connected by springs and they jump up and down. It has lights and toys on it that bounce, light up, and play music whenever baby starts jumping. Jumperoos do take up a bit of space, however you don't have to worry about smashed fingers like you do with the ones that connect in the doorways. They keep baby entertained long enough so that when mom needs a potty break or to sit for a moment and eat lunch, she can. They retail for about $70 at Toys R Us.

6. Exersaucer Mega-Circus
This exersaucer made by Evenflo is another great way to keep baby occupied for awhile. It plays music, flashes light and has tons of toys to keep baby happy. Just place baby into the center seat which spins around so that baby can play with the toys from all angles. It even has a snack tray on it. Exersaucers are good from about 3 months and up when baby has good head control. Sometimes the seats are fairly large to a 3 month old, but you can accommodate for this by rolling up a baby blanket behind them. This exersaucer retails for about $60 at Toys R Us.

7. Taggie Toys
Okay, I couldn't really pick one specific toy from their site to suggest because all of them are equally good. Taggie's are soft toys from blankets, to balls, to stuffed animals that have "tags" on them. I realize that sounds very odd, but babies LOVE to play with tags. They are obsessed with flipping the tags back and forth. So Taggie's created toys with lots of those little tags all over them. The blankets and the soft balls are my personal favorite. Taggie toys range from about $5 and up and I highly recommend them. Their website is www.taggies.com

8. Lullaby GloWorm
The Playskool Lullaby GloWorm is an old classic that is still just as popular today as when it first came out, and for good reason! It's a soft stuffed animal (or bug) that has a face which lights up when hugged or squeezed. This makes a wonderful crib toy for baby to play with and retails for about $11 at Toys R Us. You can't beat the price on this for a toy that gets so much use.

9. Ocean Wonders Kick & Crawl Aquarium Gym
This is a wonderful toy to have because it lasts for so long. It has a soft mat to lay on with toys that dangle overhead. There is an inflatable ball with bells in it that jingle whenever baby kicks. This toy is fantastic for when they first start kicking as they love to hear the sounds the ball makes. Later, as they begin to crawl, the gym converts to a crawl-through tunnel. It is available from Toys R Us for about $30.

10. Musical Take-Along Arch
This toy is a must have! The Take-Along Arch connects across either your stroller or infant carrier and has toys that dangle overhead for baby to bat at. The toys rattle and play music. This is wonderful for keeping baby busy when you are out on the town. It retails for about $20 from One Step Ahead.