A baby rattle toy is one of the first toys many expectant parents will buy for their child.
The gentle ratting sound of a baby rattle toy could even be described as the soundtrack to life at home as baby begins to explore their surroundings and make more use of their hands.
They're also hugely popular gifts from friends and family because they're often quite cheap to buy and can still hold sentimental value for years to come.
But what makes a good baby rattle? We've put together this guide to help you understand what to look for, and we've got 10 of the best baby rattles available to buy.
Table Of Contents
Our top three baby rattles
Why are rattles so good for babies?
Rattles make great toys for newborns, mainly because they provide huge amounts of sensory stimulation. The bright colours, the gentle rattling sound, the different shapes and textures all trigger baby's senses, which makes them really engaging and captures baby's attention.
There are also developmental benefits, too. Rattles help baby learn fine motor skills, like hand eye coordination, as they learn to grasp and hold it, move it around and place it in different places. They support visual development and visual tracking.
Some baby rattles are also brilliant for teething babies. Providing they're made from a suitable material, baby can gnaw on a rattle toy to help sooth sore gums.
Things to consider when buying a baby rattle
Checking the manufacturer's recommended age range is particularly important when it comes to baby rattles, because they so often end up in your child's mouth and present a choking hazard.
Most rattles tend to be suitable from birth. However, some are designed specifically to double as a teething ring or a soother for older babies, and so are only suitable from the age of six months.
Everyone has their own personal preference between wooden rattles and plastic rattles. If you prefer a plastic rattle toy, be sure that it is BPA free and has a non toxic finish.
BPA is a chemical used often used in the production of hard plastic items. Although the risk is relatively low, exposure to BPA can interfere with the endocrine system, which regulates our biological processes.
Traditional rattles will usually see baby hold it in their hand - often a long, thin handle with the rattle toy at one end. There are plenty of variations these days, however. There's everything from ball shapes to rings, as well as the whacky.
However, a relatively recent addition to the market are wrist rattles - small velcro straps that go around baby's wrists (or ankles) with mini rattles attached to them.
Quality is also important to us as parents, regardless of which toys we're buying for our children. However, as we mentioned in the 'Age' section, toys that are often put in a baby's mouth offer choking hazards. Buying rattles highly regarded for their quality will reduce the risk.
Hard, bright plastics might not be your thing - and there are certainly more natural, rustic looking rattles available - however, high contrast colours really do work best for younger babies' visual development.
The 15 best baby rattles
Now you know what to look for in infant rattles, here are 15 of our favourites that are available right now.
Editor's Review
“This is hands down my 4 month old son's favourite toy!! He is able to easily grasp and hold it and it immediately goes straight to his mouth."
Every baby I've ever known has had one of these Bright Starts Oball Easy-Grasp. And it's our pick as the 'best overall baby rattle'. The award-winning hollow ball has different sized holes, allowing babies of different ages and sizes grasp it without problems. Three of the holes are fitted with rattles containing multicoloured balls. The frame of the ball itself is made from a soft, flexible plastic making it safer.
Material: Polyurethane
Size: 4x4x4" (10x10x10cm)
Suitable from: 0 months
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Editor's Review
“We love this toy! It's the perfect size for my daughter's hands, and is easy to hang on to. The beads make a pleasant noise, and the toy itself is attractive if it gets left sitting around."
Our pick as the 'best wooden rattle', the Artful Skiwsh from Manhattan Toy is definitely the most eye-catching of the wooden rattles. It uses wooden dowels and elasticated ties to create a geometric shape that will always bounce back to its original position, no matter how many times baby 'swishes' it. The rattling sound (although it's more of a wooden chime sound) comes from the wooden beads attached to each dowel as the slide from one end to the other. There is a rainbow version which has painted dowels and colourful beads.
Material: Wood
Size: 6x6x6" (15x15x15cm)
Suitable from: 0 months
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Editor's Review
“My 4 months old loves it! He has played with it every single day since we received it. It has also helped a lot with his teething."
Our choice for 'best ring rattle' is one for the dads who prefer a cute design. The Joliecraft Woodland Friends range of baby rattles see an adorable hand-knitted cotton animal containing the rattles attached to a wooden ring. When it comes to the animals, you have a choice of elephant, lion, bear, bunny, dear or lamb - each as cute as the other. The smooth beech wood ring doubles as a teething ring.
Material: Wooden and cotton
Size: Less than 5.5"/14cm (size varies depending on animal)
Suitable from: 0 months
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Editor's Review
“I couldn't be happier with this delightful toy. These maracas have quickly become my baby's favourite, and they are the only toy that captures his attention, and brings about endless joy and excitement."
The Rattle n' Rock Maracas set from Fisher-Price puts a rattle in each of your baby's hands for maximum fun. Perfectly sized for little one's hands, one end has a small window with colourful beads in, while each rattle as a soft, brightly coloured pom pom on the end.
Material: BPA free plastic
Size: 5.5"/14cm (H)
Suitable from: 3 months
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Editor's Review
“My baby absolutely loves this toy and I do too! I love that it's super lightweight, and the hard rattle piece in the centre and out of the way instead of the outside so that baby won't get hurt."
The Oball Shaker takes the advantages of the Easy-Grasp ball and puts it into a more traditional-looking rattle. Mimicking a dumbbell, it has two of those hollow ball shapes on each end with a thinner, clear handle where the colourful beads sit.
Material: Polyurethane
Size: 8.4"/21cm (H)
Suitable from: 0 months
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Editor's Review
“Good quality rattle. Colourful details attract attention of my little one. I keep it in the car in case my baby starts crying and it calms him down straight away."
The Rainmaker from PLAY is described as being among the wooden rattles, despite being mainly plastic. The wood sits either end of three clear plastic 'air bubbles', each containing a different spinning toy for the beads to pass through. The wooden ends act as stands, meaning baby (with some help) can flip it on its end and watch the beads go through the 'bubbles' as it mimics the sound of rain.
Material: Wood and BPA free plastic
Size: 7"/17.8cm (H)
Suitable from: 6 months
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Editor's Review
“So soft and adorable. My baby rubs this all over his face. She also really loves the small blanket that the lion was wrapped in. The fabric is nice and it's incredibly soft."
Arguably the most adorable baby rattle on this list, Manhattan Toy's Embroidered Plush range definitely brings something different to the market. In fact, you've never know it was a rattle just by looking at it. Available as a bunny, goat or lion, the super soft polyester means it works just as well as a traditional cuddly toy as it does a baby rattle. Each one also comes with a cute, matching burping cloth.
Material: Polyester
Size: 8"/20cm (H)
Suitable from: 0 months
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Editor's Review
“My 4 months old loves these! He loves his hands and feet, and these are the perfect toy for him."
Wrist rattles are an intriguing idea, but this set comes with a pair of rattling socks, too. All four items have brightly coloured insects attached to them, each containing a small rattle. The socks themselves are black and white striped, while the multicoloured wrist straps have small, smooth velro pieces on to keep them in place.
Material: Cotton
Size: 6"/15.2cm
Suitable from: 0 months
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Editor's Review
“He loves the result of making noise but it is hard to find something that he wouldn't hurt himself with. This is perfect for him!"
Skip Hop has combined traditional rattles with the idea of a rainstick with this option. Instead of the rattle being inside the cute cloud, it's in the easy-grip handle itself. There's a plush cloud (which is great for chewing!) and colourful ribbons offering a variety of textures for your baby to explore. And there's also a small squeaker ball at the other end of the rattle.
Material: BPA free plastic and cotton
Size: 9"/22.8cm (H)
Suitable from: 0 months
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Editor's Review
“It's so cute and my 5 month old can hold it really good. He loves chewing on it to help with teething, he carries this thing everywhere."
The Very Hungry Caterpillar book feels like a staple purchase for any parent. In fact, it's one of our picks as the best books for one year olds. So this ring rattle is the perfect toy to accompany the book. The caterpillar hugs a small, clear plastic ring containing the beads with a silicone leaf hanging below it. It's a brilliant way of combining baby's bedtime story with a toy. The leaf also makes an excellent teether.
Material: BPA free plastic
Size: 7"/17.8cm (W)
Suitable from: 0 months
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Editor's Review
“My baby is almost 2 months old and he likes this toy. He doesn't really show too much interest in other toys, but I like that he's able to hold this one for a long time on his own and play with it."
The award-winning SmartNoggin NogginStick was developed by early childhood experts. Each one had a light-up face, that glows red, blue or green when baby hits the rattle. It sits on a stand - which somewhat resembles a bell shape - where the beads sit to make the rattling sounds. But the bottom holds a mirror to add another way of playing. There's also a thin, textured handle in the middle, making it ideal for hands of any size.
Material: BPA free plastic
Size: 5"/12.7cm (H)
Suitable from: 0 months
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Editor's Review
“This baby teether and rattle set is super cute. Came individually packaged and comes with a container to keep them all in one place."
This 10 piece set provides a combination of baby rattles and teething rings at an affordable price. Designed with muted tones and minimalist style, they certainly catch the eye and stand out from the crowd. The food grade silicone is strong and durable enough to withstand hours and hours of chewing and gnawing, while there are plenty of shapes and textures to stimulate baby.
Material: Food grade silicone
Size: Box size = 5.5 x 4.7 x 6.7" (14 x 12 x 17cm)
Suitable from: 0 months
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Editor's Review
“Great rattle for a 2 month old. IF she gets a good grip, I don't have to worry about anything hard smacking her in the face. The rattle is very gentle and pleasant."
This is a beautifully designed baby rattle from Taggies. The flower-themed soft deer features a small rattle inside, four Taggies ribbons and embroidered eyes and mouth. The body of the deer also has a hole, making it a ring rattle that is easy to hold for little one.
Material: Satin
Size: 6"/15cm (H)
Suitable from: 0 months
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Editor's Review
“I love the simple minimalism of the rattles in general. Trying to eliminate as much plastic as I can made these a great choice for us."
This set of three wooden rattles offers plenty of fun for babies for months and years to come. They can first be used as rattles with gentle sounds from the wood. But as your baby becomes a toddler, they can progress to using them as stacking blocks and super fun rollers.
Material: Natural beech wood
Size: 3"/7.6cm (per rattle)
Suitable from: 0 months
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Editor's Review
"Works really well for baby that is learning how to grab toys. I like that its hollow. Sometimes we take it in the bath, sometimes I shove other toys in the middle."
A third entry from Bright Starts, this one combines the Oball flexibility with a bright and engaging character. The top half is a hard plastic Elmo from Sesame Street, with the bottom half the more flexible Oball frame with a small ball offering chime sound when rattled. The Oball also ensure the toy stays upright, making it really useful for tummy time. And finally, there are two small bead chaser toys on Elmo's side.
Material: BPA free plastic
Size: 6x4x5"/15x10x12cm (LxWxH)
Suitable from: 6 months
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FAQs
How much does a baby rattle cost?
A baby rattle is typically inexpensive compared to a lot of infant toys. The most expensive options tend to cost around £20/$25, but you can most definitely get an amazing rattle for around £4/$5.
Are baby rattles dangerous?
Any toys used by babies carry a risk. A rattle isn't particularly dangerous, but there are risks you should be aware of when buying one and when your child is playing with one.
Obviously, anything with small parts carries a choking hazard. But you also need to be aware of how hard the rattle is - some are quite hard, and could hurt if your child shakes it a bit too hard.
Which type of baby rattle is best?
This really is up to you. Each type of rattle has its own positives and negatives. Because they're quite small, cheap products, the differences between each type are relatively limited.
What age is a baby rattle suitable from?
A rattle is often seen as a baby's very first toy, so they are suitable from birth in most cases. There are some rattles, however, that are designed specifically for slightly older babies and toddlers - so they might only be suitable from around six months.
Are plastic rattles better than wooden rattles?
Again, this is really down to personal preference. The brighter colours that a plastic rattle offers are better for visual development and sensory stimulation. However, no infant is short of bright plastic toys, so it's more than fair that some parents prefer the natural look of a wooden rattle.
