When your baby presses the fabric activity board, he'll be rewarded with intriguing (but not, for you, nerve-racking) sounds like boings and drumbeats. It's a terrific way to teach cause-and-effect and -- oh, who are we kidding? It's just fun to hit stuff and make noise. (9 months and up; $25; Manhattan Toy; manhattantoy.com)

"The bright colors grab my son's attention, and unlike other, similar toys, it's very clear where he needs to push to make sounds."
--Jada Davis, mom of Cohen, 15 months, Sioux Falls, SD

Buy it!