Fabric rattles with bright graphics with licks of black and white patterns that have a lot of eye appeal. Shaped like lolly pops the tops of some have a single colorful image such as a big yellow and black bumblebee or a polka-dotted butterfly with crinkles in its wings. Others have a photo of a baby's face--take your pick. All of them have a rattle sound and quiet, non-startling squealer in the handle. The reverse side of each has a small unbreakable reflective mirror. Though the handle is fat for little hands, it is squish-able. Best of all it's soft enough for babies to grasp and shake and not bop themselves before they have full control of their hand movements. Infants and up. The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements. We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

Age: Infants. Award Year: 2011.

Unlike most musical toys with keys that turn, this 10-inch pink plush Mama Hippo has a sweet little calico checked baby on her back winds up to make music.  Baby hippo turns slowly as it plays Brahms Lullaby with true music box sounds rather than electronic sounds--a real plus. It has several textures that range from short plush, smooth cotton with a lively print pattern and a short satin ribbon tail. This is one of a new line of musicals from the Smarty Kid line. Also new, see W is for Whale Mama-Baby Action Musical. The G is for Giraffe plays the Alphabet Song has a neck that turns.  It is cute but a bit top heavy and topples over more often than not. Infants. Surface washable only.  The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements.  We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

Age: Infants. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Smaller than the usual crib size musical mobile, this is designed as a take-along extra for changing board or trips away from home. It has three small dangly toy animals that can be seen as your horizontal baby looks up at them. All too often mobiles are made with dangly toys that baby cannot really see when they hang sideways. Such mobiles are room decorations, but not designed for baby. Despite the photo shown here, this mobile's dangly toys are actually well positioned so baby looks at the faces. They move slowly and the little musical interludes by Beethoven and Mozart are quiet and soothing. Our recent tester mom was happy to have this take along version, since the full sized mobile is way too heavy for her pack ad go crib. There is a Tiny Love Tiny Princess Take-Along Mobile, a pink version of this toy for those who prefer gender specific toys. SAFETY NOTE: Mobiles should be removed when baby can reach out and touch. The manufacturers say infants to 5 months, but if your baby is able to touch it--it's time to move it or remove it.   Also, note, the manufacturer warns that this is not to be used in a moving vehicle.

Age: Infants. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Smaller than the usual crib size musical mobile, this is designed as a take-along extra for changing board or trips away from home. It has three small dangly toys that can be seen as your horizontal baby looks up at them. All too often mobiles are made with dangly toys that baby cannot really see when they hang sideways. Such mobiles are room decorations, but not designed for baby. Despite the photo shown here, this mobile's dangly toys are actually positioned so baby looks at the faces. They move slowly and the little musical interludes by Beethoven and Mozart are quiet and soothing. We generally less gender specific toys, but some will love the pinkness of it all. There is also a Tiny Love Animal Take-Along Mobile, a non-pink version of this toy that will suit little princes. SAFETY NOTE: Mobiles should be removed when baby can reach out and touch. The manufacturers say infants to 5 months, but if your baby is able to touch it--it's time to move it or remove it. Also, note, the manufacturer warns that this is not to be used in a moving vehicle.

Age: Infants. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Newest in a line of well made play mats, and this one is better than most. Tiny Love was the company that introduced play mats with crossbars and tends to do them better. This big new mat is no exception. It has bold animal graphics that can be enjoyed for tummy time. The cross bars can actually slide on a mechanism that allow you to change their position with ease. The designers have not put a lot of "stuff" on the mat that would be unpleasant for baby to lie on. Soft animal toys and rattle rings attach to the bars and can be slid down to the corners or above for gazing. There is a good-sized unbreakable mirror that will slide down for tummy time looking. The musical attachment plays electronic sounds that are less annoying than most and there is also a not-too-bright-light mechanism that changes color when the sound is turned on. Happily there is a volume control and the mat can be enjoyed with the sounds and lights turned off completely, too. 

Age: Infants. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Hang this in the stroller for gazing interest of young babies. It's a bee with many colored wings and bright dangly rings that sway as you move along. Use it for lap games that encourage baby to reach out and touch. It has crinkle and squeaker sounds as well as colorful patterns. A good take along.
Surface washable only. The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements. We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

Age: Infants, Toddlers. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

Unlike most musical toys with keys that turn, this 10-inch blue plush Mama Whale has a sweet little green baby on her back that winds up to make music. Baby whale turns slowly as it plays Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head with true music box sounds rather than electronic sounds--a real plus. It has several textures that range from short plush, waffled cotton and smooth cotton with a lively print pattern. This is one of a new line of musicals from the Smarty Kid line. Also new, see H is for Hippo Mama-Baby Action Musical. The G is for Giraffe plays the Alphabet Song while its neck turns. It is cute but a bit top heavy and topples over more often than not. Infants. Surface washable only. The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements. We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

Age: Infants. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

This whopper of a sandwich includes two velour buns that have built-in jingles. The best part is that the multi-layers (all ten) are stitched together loosely so that it opens like an accordian. The layers all make a wrinkling, crinkly sound when they're moved or touched. You can hang this one up on a car seat holder for younger babies to bat at- and older babies will enjoy tasting and exploring this yummy sandwich. 3 mos. & up. There is also Stertchy puppy (that has the same in between layered aspect) but we prefer the sandwich.

Age: Infants, Toddlers. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

This rock and roll theme translates into a pleasingly bright mat that is done in a variety of interesting fabrics and textures.  The archs are easy to put together and there are several adjustable and removable rattles that hang down for your baby to gaze at in the beginning.  Our favorite is the rattle that sounds like an old-fashion chime.  Eventually your baby will be able to bat at them.  It comes with a mirror that you can place at the bottom of one of the arcs--this is ideal for tummy time play. There is also a mirror that you can put above the baby. There is electronic music...not our all time favorite but you don't have to use it.  Our parents also liked that the mat was light and easy to carry. The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements.   We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

Age: Infants. Award Year: 2011. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

High contrast black and white graphics are now combined with bold colors so the mobile can be changed as baby grows. Designed with out music or motor, this versatile mobile is nevertheless more visually stimulating than most. The images are displayed so that the newborn looking up sees the whole graphic rather than just a sideways glance. It's design is based on research that indicates that newborns see black and white high contrast most easily during the first weeks of life. Babies are also visually attracted to images of a face, simple bulls-eye graphics and other bold patterns.
       Another plus is the ability to change the view. Like all of us, infants stop noticing things that are constantly in sight. Since you can change the position of the graphics, this is a more interesting mobile. Without a motor to make it turn, this is activated by baby's own motions as she moves her arms and legs. This mobile has no music, but you can add that with a stand alone musical toy.
      Based on the original all black and white Stimobile by Wimmer Ferguson, this is a classic.

The company has signed a verification form complying with our safety requirements. We did not independently test this toy in a lab.

Age: Infants. Award Year: 2007. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.