Top 8 Teething Toys
It’s teething season again in our household (insert sigh of exasperation here). While Baby Mum Mum teething biscuits (reviewed by Paul here) and silicone feeding teethers are very effective solutions for us, if I’m not in the mood for a mess or we’re on the road, teething toys come in handy. In honor of teething season, I thought I’d share the top 8 teething toys to which I owe my sanity. Ranked by price from lowest to highest.
1. Baby Banana infant training toothbrush
While intended to serve as baby’s first toothbrush. This silicone toothbrush has fantastic bristles and handles for itchy gums. The bristles need to be cleaned regularly as they tend to trap small fibers. Available from Amazon for around $7.
2. Nuby silicone teether with bristles
100% silicone. One side has tiny bristles, the other side is a textured ring. Great fun for baby but it gets saturated with drool easily and requires a frequent rinsing as the bristles can catch a number of fibers and odds ‘n’ ends. Available from Amazon for around $7.
3. The First Years massaging action teether
This is a multifunctional toy that has both a rattle/spinning panel on one side and a star-shaped vibrating teether on the other side. The teether only vibrates when compressed and the battery has a long lifespan. Erik is 8 months old and this teether is still going strong. This does an amazing job of relieving teething discomfort. Be aware that some versions of this product are labeled BPA free while others are only “safety tested” for BPA. Available from Amazon for around $8.
4. Sometimes wooden textures are more appealing for teething babies. This product might not be everyone’s up of tea for a teething baby. You might prefer to offer an unpainted, unfinished wood teething toy; however, these qubes are finished with a non-toxic, water-based paint. The wood is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) accredited. They are the perfect size for little hands to pick up. Erik has gone to town on these blocks and they’re still in perfect condition. They’ll be a lot of fun and educational as he moves past the teething stage as well. Available from Amazon for around $9.
5. Wubbanub Infant Plush Toy Pacifier
While my son was never interested in using the Soothie as a pacifier, this plush animal-attached Soothie has made for an excellent teething toy. The Soothie is 100% medical grade silicone. We have the wubbanub monkey and Erik likes to alternate between chewing on the pacifier to chewing on the monkey’s tail then legs and so on. Available from Amazon for about $13.
6. Pretty strait forward 100% silicone rings with multiple textures. One of which is reminiscent of octopus tenticles which might fascinate me more than the baby. Easy for little hands to grip. A little overpriced for a simple ring however you get 2 per pack. Phthalate, PVC, BPA and latex free. Available from Amazon for about $15.
7. Educational with numbers 1-10, adorable animals, and pleasing colors. Erik does not appreciate the educational value of these yet, but If I stack them up, he loves to knock them down. These blocks have make a very soft squeak when squeezed or chewed. These blocks are BPA free. Available from Amazon for about $17 but available at Target for $11.
8. Vulli Sophie the giraffe teether
I know it seems ridiculous to spend so much on a piece of rubber, but kids really do love Sophie. She’s just got that “je ne sais quoi” that kids go crazy over. This is one of Erik’s favorite teething toys and he can spend entire car rides chomping on it. 100% rubber so no ingestion concerns. Only downsides are that it has an incredibly loud and annoying squeak when compressed in the middle and the squeaker can also trap water, which can then foster mold growth. Available on Amazon for about $20.
