15 best toys for 9-month-olds as rated by parents

With colourful shapes and numbers, the Fisher-Price Baby's First Blocks shape sorting toy has plenty to offer when it comes to learning through play.

While simple, shape sorting toys are ideal for this age group as they encourage your baby to develop their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. With the Fisher-Price Baby's First Blocks, your baby can reach and grasp the 10 different shapes, stack them, drop them inside the bucket holes and then take them out again.

The bucket stores all the shapes when not in use and it has an integrated handle so that you can easily take the toy with you for playtime away from home.

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A classic baby toy, you can’t go wrong with a set of stacking cups. Colourful, versatile and easy to pop in a bag for entertaining on the go, your nine-month-old will have endless fun fitting them together, stacking the cups up and knocking them over. They are also ideal for playing with both in the bath and on their best baby play mat, making them a simple but versatile choice.

The eight cups by LAMAZE are also great for playing hide and seek with, banging together and identifying different colours. With numbers written on the bottom, the cups can help your child to practice counting and recognise numbers as they get older too.

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The Hedstrom Folding Toddler Swing brings all the fun of a playground to your garden. Suitable from six months, your baby will love being pushed on the swing for some beneficial outdoor play.

The seat has a high back support - made from fabric that can be easily washed – and comes with a strap to securely hold your baby in place. The ropes can be adjusted to fit a child up to age of 36 months, but it’s worth noting that some users found their babies grew out of it before then.

Made from UV-resistant materials and with a sturdy steel frame, the swing will provide plenty of outdoor fun come rain or shine. But if you do want to store it away, the swing can be quickly folded up. It can also be used indoors if your baby has outgrown the best baby bouncer and you're looking for a replacement - just make sure it’s properly weighted down for safety.

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The VTech First Steps Baby Walker isn’t just the best baby walker, but it’s also an activity toy too, so there’s plenty to keep your child busy even when they’re sitting down.

When they’re not pushing the walker around, your baby can play with the removable activity panel which has a host of fun features including light-up buttons, a shape sorter, animal buttons and a play phone to encourage pretend play and aid their physical development. There’s also fun music to help them learn numbers, words, shapes and animals.

Suitable from six months and available in two colourways, the VTech First Steps Baby Walker will provide plenty of fun for your baby as they learn to take their first steps – and long after too. Do bear in mind though that the NHS advises that babies should only use a walker for up to 20 minutes at a time as it may delay walking if they use it too much.

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With balls that rattle and a colourful slide, the Chad Valley Stacking Ball Drop is great for sensory play and helps your child to develop their hand-eye coordination. It also has detachable sections, and the slide can be easily dismantled and stacked together in whatever order or size your child chooses.

Similar to a marble run but for babies, they can enjoy putting the balls at the top of the slide and watching them roll down, rattling as they move. The three balls are fun to play with on their own too, whether it’s rolling them on the floor, throwing them or hitting them together. No wonder it's one of the best sensory toys for babies.

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If your baby loves splashing about at bathtime, they’ll enjoy filling up the Nuby Fun Watering Can and watching the water pour out. This toy isn’t just for bathtime though - it can be used for water play in the garden too. The watering can helps to develop hand-eye coordination as they fill it up with water and then tip the spout to pour it out.

Lightweight and small, it’s easy for little hands to hold and the fun, vibrant design will make this toy a hit no matter when or where it’s used. Bath toys are also a fantastic way to distract your baby while you wash them too, making life that little bit easier (our selection of the best baby shampoo and body wash has plenty of options ideal for little ones).

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The TOMY Hide and Squeak Eggs are a hit with babies and toddlers and are highly recommended by Mumsnet parents.

The six coloured eggs come in a carton and they each have different facial expressions that babies will enjoy. Crack them open and play hide and seek, matching them up to the correct colours and shape to locate the egg’s spot in the carton.

Each egg chirps when pressed too, so there’s lots of sensory fun to be had. It’s not a bad price either for a toy that will likely be played with again and again.

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The Halilit My First Baby Band has been designed for small hands, featuring a rainboshaker, baby maraca, clip clap and cage bell. These super fun musical instruments can help strengthen your baby's muscles and enhance hand-eye coordination.

Young musicians can shake, rattle and roll the four fun instruments using their hands and kicking their feet to make the different sounds.

The instruments are small and colourful, with different coloured beads inside. This set is a great introduction to musical play that they can play with independently or you can invite some of their friends over and form a band!

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Suitable for use up to the age of three, the smarTrike STR7 could be a worthy investment. Useful for school runs with siblings in tow or walks to the park, your child will love being able to see the world from the comfort of this stroller/trike combo.

The trike grows with your baby from the age of six months. Parents can push the trike as a stroller using the adjustable push handle and it can then be transformed into a trike to give your toddler an independent riding experience.

On sunny (or even rainy) days, the four-tier UPF 50 canopy offers protection and the seat reclines for naps on the go. The front-wheel shock absorbers mean this trike can be used on a variety of terrain, while the five-point harness keeps your child securely in their seat. The best part though? The smarTrike can be folded down in a matter of seconds for easy carrying and storage.

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For more active babies, bring all the fun of soft play to your home with the Kid Active My First Pop Up Ball Pit. The ball pit is great for aiding physical development and it pops up and down easily, so it can be used inside your home or out in the garden.

The animal-themed ball pit comes with 30 colourful balls and three sensory bean bags that jingle, crinkle and squeak to stimulate the senses. It also has a peek-a-boo mesh window on the side and ball holes for hours of fun.

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If you’re looking to cut down on the amount of plastic in your home, the Galt Pop-Up Toy will make a good addition to your baby’s toy collection.

The four wooden characters pop up and down on concealed springs and can be taken in and out to play with. Each character is different so your child can learn about colours and have fun identifying the correct slot for each peg. Perfectly sized for little hands, this toy also helps to develop fine motor skills.

Where’s Mr Duck? is part of the Felt Flaps series of bestselling board books, written and illustrated by Ingela P Arrhenius. With fun flaps and cute animals, these books are ideal for reading with your child, whether during the day or when winding down for bed.

The colourful board book has felt flaps - so they don’t tear easily - revealing a series of pond animals on every page. And, at the end of the story, the final flap reveals a mirror so they can see and marvel at their own face and facial features.

Lift-the-flap books are a great way of introducing children to the joy of books and there are plenty of stories to choose from in this series, including Where’s Mr Lion? and Where’s Mr Dog?

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The LeapFrog Picnic Basket is not only great for encouraging pretend play, but with different shaped food, such as a watermelon triangle and an orange circle, your child can learn about shapes and colours as they play.

Lay out the blanket, some plates and yummy food, and you can enjoy a picnic for two with your little one.

The interactive basket requests food and encourages your child to sort the pieces into the right shapes. It also plays sound effects and songs to help them learn – but be warned, they may get stuck in your head!

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Introduce your child to puzzles with this gorgeous Melissa and Doug First Play Wooden Puzzle. The animal pieces – a cute kitten, puppy, rabbit and bird – are chunky for little hands to grip and also to stand up as figures.

Puzzles can help to promote sensory development and fine motor skills – and Melissa and Doug toys always go down well with Mumsnet users too. The animals feel furry and under each piece is a matching illustration so your child can identify the right slot. In the middle of the board is a child-friendly mirror so they can see their own reflection too, adding to the sensory fun.

With fun lights, playful songs and funny dance moves, the Linkimals Smooth Moves Sloth will keep your child entertained and have them dancing and giggling along with him.

Press the button on the sloth’s foot to hear songs and phrases for learning the alphabet, numbers, opposites and colours, and watch as he claps his hands and bobs his head to the music. He also has colourful lights on his belly and his arms are soft for playing with.

If you know another child who has a Linkimals toy, you can bring them together to play a synchronised music and light show.

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