Beyond being just a noise-making toy, a baby rattle can play a significant role in supporting a child’s learning and development. By improving crucial developmental skills such as visual tracking and hand-eye coordination, rattles are an essential tool for babies (1). These toys come in various shapes and sizes, often featuring vibrant and high-contrast color schemes, and producing a range of sounds.
We’ve put together a list of the best unique baby rattles that not only offer a fun and engaging playtime but also promote sensory and cognitive development. From rainsticks and chime rattles to musical puppies and rollin’ rainstick balls, we’ve got you covered with the most innovative and safe options to keep your baby entertained and learning.
Our Top Picks
- Best Light-Up Rattle: SmartNoggin NogginStik Developmental Light-Up Rattle
- Best Rattle Set: iPlay, iLearn 10pcs Baby Rattles Toys Set
- Best Rattle & Teether Toy: Manhattan Toy Winkel Rattle & Sensory Teether Toy
- Best Wooden Rattle Toy: Wood Baby Rattle Teether by Homi
- Best Dumbbell Rattle Toy: Genuine Fred Buff Baby Dumbbell Baby Rattle
- Best Egg Rattle Toy: Skip Hop Egg Shaker Trio Baby Toy
- Best Moose Rattle Toy: Tomy Lamaze Mortimer The Moose
- Best Ring Rattle Toy: Sassy Ring Rattle
- Best Bracelet Rattle Toy: Bright Starts Rattle & Teethe Wrist Pals Toy
- Best Ball Rattle Toy: Baby Einstein Bendy Ball Rattle Toy
In This Article
HappyBabyHub’s Best Unique Baby Rattles Picks
1. SmartNoggin NogginStik Developmental Light-Up Rattle – Best Light-Up Rattle
This rattle features engaging textures and red, blue, and green lights to stimulate visual tracking. It also has a soft rattling sound to please the ears and an easy-to-grip handle.
In addition, each Noggin Stik includes a user-friendly pamphlet that guides you through different activities and interactions you can do with your baby at different stages of development.
2. iPlay, iLearn 10pcs Baby Rattles Toys Set – Best Rattle Set
This set of 10 rattles in primary colors is designed for babies at different developmental stages. Each rattle has a unique grip, shape, and activity to aid in fine motor skills development. The variety of textures helps with the development of touch, taste, and smell.
Different noises and patterns in the rattles help to expand your baby’s sensory experiences and improve their eye-tracking abilities. Plus, the rattles are easy to maintain and come in a clean container for storage.
3. Manhattan Toy Winkel Rattle & Sensory Teether Toy – Best Rattle & Teether Toy
The Winkel baby rattle toy is perfect for small hands and provides a fascinating maze of soft, continuous teething tubes. Infants are instantly captivated by this portable and colorful baby toy.
The Winkel measures 5″ x 4″ x 3.5″ and can be easily packed into a diaper bag. Plus, the supple and flexible loops comply with phthalate and BPA limits for mouthed toys, making them ideal for teething or gumming babies.
4. Wood Baby Rattle Teether by Homi – Best Wooden Rattle Toy
This baby rattle is made of organic wood and is carefully sanded before being coated with beeswax and organic coconut oil. Water-based, 100% non-toxic paints, dyes, and sealers are used to make this wooden rattle, making them not only beautiful but also safe for your child. Additionally, each rattle is produced in the United States from hardwoods that have been sustainably harvested.
5. Genuine Fred Buff Baby Dumbbell Baby Rattle – Best Dumbbell Rattle Toy
Your little one will have a great time showing off their bench-pressing skills with this entertaining toy! The Buff Baby rattle features soft rattling sounds and organic hand grips to grab your child’s attention. This portable and sturdy “dumbbell” weighs around 2 ounces and measures 5.5″ x 2″.
It is also free of BPA and phthalates, making it safe for your child to play with. This is a perfect gift for parents who love fitness or are gym enthusiasts.
6. Skip Hop Egg Shaker Trio Baby Toy – Best Egg Rattle Toy
Each of the egg shakers is perfectly proportioned to provide a unique sound! Children will enjoy mixing up their playtime with these three cheerful characters. These egg-shaped forest animals emit a different sound when shaken and are perfect for small hands. The set includes three characters – Owl, Hedgehog, and Fox.
7. Tomy Lamaze Mortimer The Moose – Best Moose Rattle Toy
Mortimer the Moose has colorfully textured legs and hooves that contain entertaining crinkles and jingles. The body of the moose is made of an extremely soft material that your baby will love to touch, and its large textured antlers are perfect for teething.
Mortimer’s clacking tail rings and squeaker stomach will excite your baby’s senses and encourage exploration. Using the Lamaze clip, you can take Mortimer with you wherever you go by attaching it to strollers, carriers, and diaper backpacks.
8. Sassy Ring Rattle – Best Ring Rattle Toy
The Sassy Ring Rattle is perfect for even the smallest infants to explore due to its easy-to-grasp design. Its high-contrast colors enhance their vision and help them focus (2). The rattle’s soft-touch edge is textural and aids in the development of tactile awareness, and it is designed to be mouthed.
Furthermore, the clear plastic bead-trapped rings teach babies about cause-and-effect, while the click-clack beads aid visual awareness and promote eye tracking.
9. Bright Starts Rattle & Teethe Wrist Pals Toy – Best Bracelet Rattle Toy
With Bright Starts’ wearable wrist rattle toys, playtime is always within reach, like having a “watch” for babies. Every shake and jiggle of these cheerful bracelet toys featuring elephant and monkey characters will bring a smile to your baby’s face.
The green-colored, BPA-free silicone leaf offers soothing relief during the teething stage. Your baby boy or girl will love this playful and portable toy that can be taken anywhere for hours of entertainment.
10. Baby Einstein Bendy Ball Rattle Toy – Best Ball Rattle Toy
This toys soft and flexible plastic material is perfect for your baby’s grip, and the cheerful caterpillar on top is sure to bring a smile to their face.
Inside the bendy ball, there’s a smaller ball that rattles and shakes as your baby plays with it. The Baby Einstein Bendy Ball is also incredibly travel-friendly due to its small size. Bring it along on car rides or outings to keep your baby entertained and engaged wherever you go
11. Lamaze Gardenbug Footfinder and Wrist Rattle Toy Set – Best Wearable Rattle Set
At approximately 4-7 months of age, infants will start to grasp for their feet, which is a significant developmental achievement (3). This set includes two foot finders and two soft wrist rattles that promote awareness of their own limbs. The baby’s wrists are gently covered with cute, colorful bugs that securely attach with Velcro tabs.
Plus, the ankle socks come in bright colors and are easy to put on, allowing your baby to interact with the bugs. The eye-catching rattles, striking patterns, and vibrant colors encourage exploration and engagement and the fabrics are safe for your baby to chew on.
12. VTech Baby Rattle and Sing Puppy – Best Musical Rattle Set
The Rattle & Sing Puppy is a musical toy that is both fun and musical. With an easy-to-grip handle, your child can shake the rattle and enjoy the sound of the vibrant beads inside. In addition, the puppy’s cheeks light up, introducing the concept of cause and effect, and the toy features 20+ songs, melodies, noises, and phrases that your child can learn.
It also has an automatic shut-off feature. Plus, the puppy’s crinkly, colorful ears provide visual and tactile stimulation, and the two textured rings promote the development of motor skills.
13. The First Years First Rattle – A Great First Rattle
The Lamaze My First Rattle provides babies with an opportunity to explore different textures, colors, and sounds. The vivid colors and contrasting patterns of the rattle stimulate the baby’s eyes, while the legs wrapped around the torso make it easy for them to grip the toy.
Your baby will be entertained by the pleasing rattling sound and surprising crinkles when they hold onto this adorable first toy. Plus, the tangled antennas and soft surfaces of the rattle make it perfect for chewing.
14. Bright Starts Oball Rattle & Roll Sports Race Car Toy – Best Rattle Car Toy
No need for petrol, this race car is powered by your child’s imagination as they vroom and zoom all around the room.
The innovative design of the car helps develop fine motor skills, as it is easy for your child to push and move thanks to its soft and flexible holes. Plus, the sound of the bead-filled tires clicking along will delight your young speed racer as they play with their car.
15. Skip Hop Baby Rattle – Cloud Rattle Toy
Your baby will be delighted by the soothing sound of raindrops when they shake this adorable rainstick rattle. The soft, easy-to-hold handle is perfect for little hands, and there’s a fun raindrop squeaker ball at the base to explore.
With a fluffy cloud and colorful ribbons for tactile stimulation, the rattle also features a transparent handle with comfortable grip and vibrant rattling beads. Plus, there’s a toy ring attached to the top loop for even more fun!
16. green sprouts Chime Rattle – Organic Rattle Toy
The Chime Rattle, made from organic cotton without formaldehyde and featuring azo-free colors, is ideal for your baby’s health and well-being. The rattle has a soft, pliable texture that makes it easy for babies to grasp and shake, producing a delightful rattle sound. By stimulating a baby’s sensory, motor, interaction, cognitive, and creative learning pathways, the Chime Rattle promotes their overall development.
17. Baby GUND Winky Lamb Plush Stuffed Animal Rattle – Stuffed Animal Rattle Toy
Introducing Lopsy, the cuddly and playful lamb that is sure to delight any child, brought to you by GUND. The Comfy Cozy design combines the softness of a blanket with stuffed animal features, providing increased huggability and playtime enjoyment.
The cream fabric has a satin underside that enhances the tactile experience on the baby’s skin, making it perfect for tummy time. And the rattle format adds more interactive value and sensory stimulation, as it produces delightful rattling sounds while the baby plays.
18. Fisher-Price Maracas – Best Maracas Rattle
Baby can have a blast making music with these colorful maracas, perfectly sized for small hands to easily grab, shake, and rattle. The rattle’s colorful beads spin around on one end as the baby shakes it, while the other end features a fluffy pom-pom texture. Plus, this set includes two maracas, one for each hand.
19. Oball Bright Starts Rollin’ Rainstick Rattle – Rain Rattle Toy
The ball features 30 finger holes that are bright, colorful, and nearly indestructible, making it easy for even the tiniest hands to grasp, bend, and shake.
As your baby plays with the ball, they will be soothed by the relaxing sound of rain, and you’ll hear the sound of their laughter fill the room. The clear rattle on the ball contains rainbow beads that spin from one end to the other, promoting the development of fine motor skills.
20. PlanToys Baby Key Rattle – Key Rattle Toy
Crafted from high-quality and sustainable rubberwood and painted with non-toxic materials, this delightful key rattle toy is a safe and eco-friendly toy. Vibrant hues are achieved using vegetable dyes, and a rope ring attaches the keys. This toy supports the development of visual and gross motor skills and also serves as a teething aid.
How To Choose The Best Baby Rattle?
- Safety: Ensure that the rattle is made from non-toxic and safe materials and that there are no small parts that can pose a choking hazard (4).
- Material: Look for rattles that are easy for your baby to grip and hold, with no sharp edges or rough surfaces that could harm delicate skin. Rattles with different textures, colors, and shapes can provide sensory stimulation and promote cognitive development.
- Age-Appropriate: Some rattles may be suitable for newborns, while others may be better suited for older babies who are more developed and can handle more complex toys.
- Extra Features: Baby rattles can come with various features such as buttons, music, lights, and different textures, among others. While it’s important for a rattle not to overstimulate your baby, certain features may actually aid in their development.
What Is The Purpose Of A Baby Rattle?
The purpose of a baby rattle is to provide sensory stimulation and promote the development of key skills in infants. Rattles can help with hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, visual tracking, and auditory development. The sounds and movements produced by the rattle can also be entertaining and soothing for babies.
Do Newborns Need Rattles?
Newborns don’t necessarily need rattles, but rattles can be beneficial for their early development. Newborns are often attracted to high-contrast visual stimuli and rattles with bright, contrasting colors and patterns can help stimulate their visual tracking abilities. Additionally, the sound of a rattle can be soothing for some infants and can help promote their auditory development.
What Age Do Babies Use Rattles?
Babies can use rattles from birth, but they usually start to be more interested in them around 2 months of age when they are able to grasp and hold objects on their own (5). Rattles can help stimulate their senses and develop their hand-eye coordination, so they are a great toy for babies during their first year of life.
Are Rattles Safe For Babies?
Yes, rattles are generally safe for babies when used appropriately. It is important to choose a rattle that is age-appropriate and meets safety standards, such as being free of small parts that could be a choking hazard. Always supervise your baby when they are playing with a rattle, and regularly check the rattle for any signs of wear or damage that could make it unsafe.
How Long Should Babies Play With Rattles?
There’s no set amount of time that babies should play with rattles, but it’s generally recommended to give babies opportunities for short play sessions throughout the day. As babies grow and develop, their attention spans will increase and they may want to play with rattles for longer periods of time.
