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21 Best Activities for 6-Month-Olds At Home (2024)

Kingsley and Aurora playing
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When coming up with activities for your 6-month-old baby during these interesting times, it’s important to find a balance between working from home, babysitting your children, and still maintaining a coherent and loving environment for your whole family. It’s certainly a lot to manage!
Having things for your little ones to do and play with that are safe, aren’t too messy, and won’t require too much of your attention will be absolutely key.

At the end of the article we also have some clever suggestions on free activities for six-month-olds that will help keep your family happy, healthy, and sane!

Aurora at 6 months
Our toddler, Aurora, when she was 6-months-old

Please note: due to unusually high demand, a lot of these products are selling out fast! 🙁

21 Engaging Activities For 6-Month-Olds

  • 1. Chewable Books

    These chewable “Indestructibles” books are awesome for babies in the heart of their teething phase. My daughter started teething at 4 months, which is pretty early, and these books were a lifesaver. Babies can use them during tummy time or while lying on their backs and they can just gnaw on them. These books can be put in the washing machine and are chew proof, rip-proof, and nontoxic. This particular book is super cheap and tells a sweet story about mommies and their babies!

    Chewable Books

    View on Amazon.com ➜

  • 2. Tummy Time Mat

    Tummy time is so important for your infant because it helps them to develop their muscles and the vagus nerve so that they can be confident crawling early. Personally, I did tummy time almost exclusively with my babies which helped them with early development. Having a great tummy time mat like this one is super important because it’s a soft place for them to roll around and not bonk themselves on wood floors or other hard surfaces. This one is my favorite because it’s pretty big.

    Tummy Time Mat

    View on Amazon.com ➜

  • 3. Textured Stacking Rings for Babies

    The best toys for six-month-olds are those which cultivate motor skills and sensory development, so textured rings like these are great. These stacking rings are nontoxic and are super helpful with early development. Your baby can use these rings to touch, build, or chew and they come in different materials, colors, and textures.

    Stacking Rings

    View on Amazon.com ➜

  • 4. Bubble Bath for Babies and Kids

    Things can get tricky when you’re quarantined at home trying to work, take care of your kids, and maintain a healthy and loving environment for your whole family. A great product that will help soothe both mama and baby is this lovely pure bubble bath. It’s got a great lemon lavender scent, it’s non-GMO, it’s ethically traded, and it’s perfect for sensitive baby skin and won’t burn their eyes.

    Bubble Bath for Babies and Kids

    View on Amazon.com ➜

  • 5. Bath Toys

    Bath toys are super fun, and at this age your baby is starting to want to play while being supported in the bath. We love these green bath toys because they’re safe for both baby and the environment, as they’re BPA and phthalate free, and are made from recycled materials. Toys like these also help your child to improve their pincer grip.

    Bath Toys

    View on Amazon.com ➜

  • 6. Portable Activity Center

    A portable activity center like this one is a great way to keep your little one entertained for an extended period of time. It’s incredibly lightweight and mobile so if you want to bring it to grandma and grandpa’s, sit outside with your laptop, or if you’re in the kitchen cooking or doing dishes, this activity center is great to take with you anywhere. It also has a canopy to keep your baby blocked from the sun.

    Portable Activity Center

    View on Amazon.com ➜

  • 7. Teething Toys

    This particular teething toy was my daughters absolute favorite, especially when I was taking her on stroller walks, she would hold onto it and chew it the entire time. If she was in her baby swing, if she was doing tummy time, she just absolutely adored this particular teething toy. We also love these teething toys which can be put in the freezer for some extra relief.

    Teething Toys

    View on Amazon.com ➜

  • 8. Musical Instrument for Toddlers

    This musical instrument set is really fun for when the baby starts sitting up and banging on things, they love making music and making noise. I tend to shy away from using a ton of plastic toys, and this wooden set also avoids too many stimulating bright flashing lights. It includes a maraca, tambourine, xylophone, and more!

    Musical Instrument for Toddlers

    View on Amazon.com ➜

  • 9. Sit-to-Stand Activity Center

    With everyone at home, it can become very overwhelming to have a ton of toys and clutter around the house. This activity center is great because it folds up small for easy storage, plus it’s adaptable for multiple ages and can be used as your child gets older so it’s a great investment. My daughter and son both would stand at this thing for 30 minutes sometimes, pushing all the buttons and using all the different parts; it’s a great way to keep kids busy and entertained.

    Sit-to-Stand Activity Center

    View on Amazon.com ➜

  • 10. First 100 Words Board Book

    This First 100 Words board book is awesome, and it was both my kids’ favorite at that age. Books like these help to develop their verbal skills as well as image recognition, plus the colors are great and images are simple and easy to learn. From about 6 months to a year, my kids absolutely loved this book.

    First 100 Words Board Book

    View on Amazon.com ➜

  • 11. Music Cube

    My kids got this music cube as a present recently and they just love it, even my 3-year-old loves to play with it! It plays classical music and has some flashing lights, and it’s very entertaining for them. This music cube is perfect to use for tummy time, they can chase after it and wiggle themselves around. Your kids will love to push the buttons and it’ll be fulfilling for them to be able to make music play!

    Music Cube

    View on Amazon.com ➜

  • Asher And LyricOn An Important Side Note… Asher and I (pictured) feel it’s necessary to highlight the value of life insurance for parents with young kids. After extensive research, we discovered that parents can get insured for as little as $10 per month. We use Ladder Life who offers coverage up to $3M per parent (without a medical exam, just a few health questions) and you can apply 100% online.

    Get a quote in less than 30 seconds at LadderLife.com ➜

  • 12. Shaded Baby Pool

    As it starts to get hotter out, a fun thing to do with your 6-month-old is play in this shaded baby pool which you’ll love using all summer long. Going to public pools or the beach is going to be a little different in the coming months given the current situation, so having a personal pool like this is a great way to introduce your baby to water. It’s also super important that this one is shaded to protect your child from the sun, and it’s got soft, padded sides, too. For some extra sun protection, consider putting your baby in a baby rashguard like this one to keep their sensitive skin safe and comfortable.

    Shaded Baby Pool

    View on Amazon.com ➜

  • 13. Floor Mirror

    A floor mirror like this one is a great way to stimulate your little one developmentally by helping to improve their focus, learning to track images, and discovering all of the things a face can do, as well as gradually learning to recognize themselves. This mirror is awesome because it’s something your child can’t break, and it can be used both during tummy time or during sit and play.

    Floor Mirror

    View on Amazon.com ➜

  • 14. Water Table

    A water table is another great option for babies that are starting to pull up. They absolutely love it and they’ll play in it for a long while every single day, they never get tired of it. You can bring in your own extra water toys and this one comes with some, too. This water table is the most affordable option and is still very sturdy and nice.

    Water Table

    View on Amazon.com ➜

  • 15. Rattle Chew Toys

    This rattle chew toy is great, both my kids love to chase after it. It’s very inexpensive, made of wood, and kids can chew on it without a problem. It also collapses so if they roll on it, it doesn’t hurt them and they can chase it across the room. Use it for tummy time, in their baby or toddler swing while they’re hanging out, in a bouncer, or while you’re on a walk. Overall, it’s a great product.

    Rattle Chew Toys

    View on Amazon.com ➜

  • 16. Soft Stacking and Teething Blocks

    Blocks are a really fun toy for babies at this age to play with because they enhance a number of their developmental skills and their understanding of balance, gravity, and geometry. These blocks are great because they’re chewy and filled with different textures. They’re imprinted with numbers, animals, and shapes, and your baby will love learning how things stack and fit together.

    Soft Stacking and Teething Blocks

    View on Amazon.com ➜

  • 17. Musical Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker

    This musical sit-to-stand learning walker is a great way for your baby to get comfortable sitting and pulling up. It plays music and has lots of different and colorful things for your child to touch and buttons for them to push, which they will absolutely love.

    Musical Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker

    View on Amazon.com ➜

  • 18. Music Toys

    Though at 6 months old, your baby is still pretty tiny, they’ll still love to play with these instruments when they’re on their back or doing tummy time. It’s fun to strap the bells on their wrists so they can shake their hands and hear the noises, which they’ll love. This set of musical toys comes in a variety of stimulating colors and is a great way to introduce your little one to music.

    Music Toys

    View on Amazon.com ➜

  • 19. Wooden Activity Cube

    This wooden activity cube is great once your baby is sitting up on their own, but can also be used when they’re on their tummies. This cube is super stimulating with lots of doors for them to open and animals to find. Developmentally, this toy will improve hand-eye coordination, cause-and-effect, and imagination cultivation.

    Wooden Activity Cube

    View on Amazon.com ➜

  • 20. Collapsable Tunnel with Ball Pit

    This collapsible tunnel is great for a little one starting to scoot and crawl, and it comes with a little tent area you can play in with them. It’s a great thing to have once your kids get a bit older, too, plus it’s collapsible so it doesn’t take up too much space and will fit easily in a closet or drawer. If your child likes to play quietly you can get the balls that go with it, but if your kids are super energetic like my children, I wouldn’t suggest getting the accompanying balls because they’ll go all over the house!

    Collapsable Tunnel with Ball Pit

    View on Amazon.com ➜

  • 21. Oral Pain Relief Homeopathics

    Starting around 4-6 months up until the kids get their two-year-old molars, teething is the bane of all parents’ existence. It can be so challenging! With my son it wasn’t so bad, but with my daughter, it was horrible and it greatly affected her sleeping. Here are a few of the things we used that helped mitigate the challenges. The Nuby Teething Mitten is great, and the kids love it. We also rub clove oil on their gums before bed if they’re really in pain, and we swear by oral pain relief homeopathic tablets, which help them fall asleep at night. All of these things are calming and soothing, good for pain relief for the teeth and gums, nontoxic,and non-habit forming.

    Oral Pain Relief Homeopathics

    View on Amazon.com ➜

    More Teething Help More Teething Help ➜

7 Free Activities For 6-Month-Olds

If you’re in need of some free activities to do at home while you wait for your other products to arrive, you’re in luck! We’ve put together this list of 7 free activities to do with your 6-month-old that you can do right now with things you already own.

  • 1. Sing Songs with Hand Gestures and Sounds

    Singing songs with your baby and incorporating sounds and hand gestures will both entertain and engage your little one. Sing songs that rhyme and include clapping to encourage your child to clap along, too. Repetitive songs with words like “boom, boom, boom” accompanied by you thumping the ground with your hands or feet will leave your baby feeling delighted and engrossed.

  • 2. Make a Music Shaker with a Box and Rice

    This is an easy at-home toy for your baby to enjoy which won’t take much supervision and will keep them entertained. Simply put rice or cereal in a small box or sealable container and hand it to your baby, showing them how it makes noise when you shake it, which will encourage them to do the same.

  • 3. Play Peekaboo with a Blanket

    Playing peekaboo introduces your little one to the idea of permanence. This is a fun and easy game to delight your child while teaching them a little bit more about the world around them. Simply hold up a blanket between you and your child and drop it periodically as you say “peekaboo!” and watch as they giggle with joy!

  • 4. Read a Story

    Reading a story with your baby is a great way to keep them interested and entertained. Choose short stories with lots of colors, shapes, and simple words and phrases. Reading a book you already have in the house is a great and free way to enjoy a calm activity with your child.

  • 5. Watch an Educational Show

    Sometimes (but not all the time) it’s nice to distract your little one with an educational, toddler-inspired TV show. Some of the popular shows out there today include Beat Bugs, which is available on Netflix, and Sesame Street, which is a classic available on PBS.

  • 6. Stacking Measuring Cups

    Stacking measuring cups is a fun and free way to keep your baby occupied while also helping them to develop basic building and stacking skills. Simply show them how the stack of measuring cups fits together and comes apart and they will begin to learn how to do it on their own.

  • 7. Roll the Ball

    Take any type of toy ball you have in the house and sit across from your child as you roll it towards them and encourage them to push it back towards you. This is a calming and relaxing activity that both you and your baby will love.

Conclusion

Parenting your little one while working from home and trying to maintain a happy, loving environment can be challenging, especially when your 6-month-old requires so much of your time. We hope that this list has helped you to find some fun and educational activities to make this stressful time a bit easier for you, baby, and the whole family!