Cause and Effect Toys for Babies: Top 7

Babies begin recognizing basic cause and effect as early as three months of age. They realize that if they cry, they will be picked up. That is a powerful and important message for them to understand.

Then when they're several months older and accidentally drop the spoon off the table during a meal, someone puts it back in front of them. They might stare at the spoon for a few moments, look at you and then drop it off the table again.

All parents are probably familiar with this game and might even say, "Oh I'm not giving into that trick!" Play the game! Better yet, get your toddler or another older sibling to play the game with them.

Here's why.

Important stuff is happening in their little baby brain during this game!

They are beginning to realize that their actions can cause something to happen.

This is a very exciting time for your baby and an important precursor to their later use of words and making requests. Understanding Cause and Effect is an important component of their language development.

There are several ways to help facilitate this development as a caregiver with the toys I'll share in this post.

Best Cause and Effect Toys for Babies

Pop Up Toy with Buttons

We've had a very similar version of this pop up toy since my first baby was about 6 months and my toddler still plays with it! It's simple and effective.

OTHER POP UP TOY OPTIONS

• Interactive Pop Up Toy with Music and Lights

• Interactive Pop Up Animal Eggs

Pound a Ball Toy

We have this exact toy and have had it for the last three years. It makes a great present for a one-year-old that will continue to get love well into toddlerhood. Push or hammer the ball through the hole in the top and watch it shoot back out the bottom!

OTHER POUNDING TOYS

• Pound a Ball Toy with Ramp

• Ball Hammering/Shape Sorter and Xylophone

Easter Egg Shakers and Maracas

Egg shakers and maracas are easy for little hands to hold and shake. Listen to the sound then stop! Watch how excited they get when they realize they can cause the shaking to start and stop.

OTHER SHAKER OPTIONS

• Handmade shakers

Stacking Cups

Stacking and nesting cups are simple and effective. As they stack and knock them over (over and over!) they are great for reinforcing cause and effect relationships.

OTHER STACKING CUP OPTIONS

• Soft Silicone Nesting Cups

• Silicone Nesting Cups with numbers and pictures

Spinning and Stacking Toy

Stacking and watching these toys spin is mesmerizing for babies! They may need help stacking until their motor skills are a little more refined but if you an have older sibling, they would make a great helper for this toy!

Press and Glow Spinner

Yes, this has music. Yes, it has lights! And yes, your kid will love pushing that top and watching it spin! Light up toys are not evil. In fact, they can be very motivating.

Rainmaker Toy

Hold it one way, listen to the sound, then tip and hold it the other way. This is simple and also makes a great calm down toy for toddlers!

OTHER RAINMAKER TOY OPTIONS

• Rainmaker

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