Gift Ideas for a 6-9 Month-Old Baby

Push Toy

• By the time a child is six months old, she's used to interacting with her surroundings, and during this three-month period, many children begin to cruise around furniture, pull themselves up and show the first signs of walking. To help aid this transition and give them a place to balance, purchase a push toy. Most of these are plastic, and many also have activity centers so that a baby who can't yet stand up and push the toy around can still push buttons, hear sounds and see lights. Once the child is able to stand up, many of the push toys also play music to encourage the child's movement. Parents who might not enjoy excess music and lights will enjoy a basic push toy. Search for one that doesn't require batteries for those parents.

  Two-in-one baby walkers are baby walkers that convert from a walker to a push toy when a child is ready. Consumer Reports, however, says to avoid these products, as they don't pass the Consumer Reports' safety standards.

Stationary Activity Center

• Stationary activity centers give babies who are beginning to sit and become more mobile a place to exercise their legs. Some models also encourage the child to stimulate leg muscles by bouncing. Most come with activities, such as lights and buttons, to keep a baby entertained when she's in the bouncer. You can find an activity center to match any budget; however, Consumer Reports says that some babies might be overwhelmed by the more the expensive models that can have as many as 29 activity features. Inexpensive models start at around $40, and while they have considerably fewer features, most babies will be fine with what's offered.

Gates

• While a baby gate might not be exciting for a baby, parents will appreciate its ability to block off areas that might be dangerous for their newly-mobile child. Some manufacturers also make plastic play zones that create a large, gated-off area. Many of these also come with sounds and lights to keep babies entertained while they're playing.