Rattles aren’t exactly revolutionary toys, but the Skip Hop Silver Lining Cloud Rattle Moon Stroller Baby Toy is designed to be above average. It has a round hook that allows it to be hung (and grabbed) by babies who can’t sit up yet or attached to a stroller or car seat so it won’t get lost. It also has three hanging attachments, one of which is marketed as a teether. Overall, it’s meant to keep babies entertained on the go or at home.
Design: Bright colors and fun textures
This may be one of the most aesthetically pleasing baby toys I’ve ever seen. It has a nice balance of neutral gray, white, and soft blue with neon colors like orange and yellow so it stimulates without overwhelming a baby. The toy also has a clear tube-like rattle filled with colorful beads so the baby can hear and see what happens when they shake it. The best thing about this toy is that it has a lot of different textures for a baby to explore. The rattle and two hanging circles are smooth plastic, the hanging cloud is textured for teething, each hanging piece is connected with silky ribbon, and the plush cloud has a rougher (but still soft) texture. There is a plastic, round clip at the top that allows you to attach the toy to a stroller, car seat, or a play mat so it can be a dangling toy or give parents peace of mind knowing their baby can’t drop it on the ground and lose it. It’s nice because the clip closes tightly and smoothly, so it would be difficult for the baby to pull it loose if it’s attached to a car seat and it won’t pinch fingers if the baby is playing with it unattached. It’s also PVC and phthalate-free.
Key Features: A teether that actually works
For such a small, basic toy, it has a lot of features. The one that stood out the most for me was the teether. My 5-month-old (adjusted age, she was born six weeks premature) grabbed the toy and immediately put it in her mouth. The small, dangling cloud is textured to provide relief to sore gums, but the other attachments, and the rattle itself, are also safe for a baby to chew on.
Entertainment Value: Holds baby’s attention
In all honesty, I was really surprised at how quickly my baby gravitated to this toy, and how long she played with it once she got her tiny hands on it. Few other toys have held her attention for as long as this one did. She enjoyed playing with it as a hanging toy, but was pretty uninterested when it was attached to her stroller because there are so many other things to look at when she’s getting pushed around on a walk. The toy seemed to stand out the most when it wasn’t attached to anything and she could roll around with it.
Age Range: 4 to 12 months is ideal
The Skip Hop toy is certainly safe for newborns (manufacturer states 0+), but the entertainment value won’t be there for them because they haven’t met the milestones necessary to enjoy the toy. My 5-month-old (adjusted age) is probably the perfect age for it because she’s exploring textures with her hands and mouth and is really active in her activity center. Once babies reach the point where they can grab a toy, their abilities typically only grow from there, including chewing, shaking, and tossing toys—all of which this toy will withstand. As a baby turns into a toddler, this will become less interesting, but it isn’t a toy that a baby will outgrow seemingly overnight.
Ease of Cleaning: The fabric moon is trouble
The manufacturer’s website notes that this is spot clean only, so it can’t be thrown into a washing machine or dishwasher. For most of the pieces, that’s fine, but the fabric cloud has a little bit of plush padding in it that soaks up baby’s saliva, so spot cleaning it doesn’t feel like it’s actually getting clean.
Price: About average
At around $8, this toy seems to be in line with the competition. If anything, the multifunctional aspect of it makes it a little more of a bargain than some of the more basic models. Overall, though, it’s pretty standard in terms of price and features.
Competition: It’s not one of a kind
Fisher-Price Slow Much Fun Stroller Sloth: If you’re simply looking for a toy that has different textures and can attach to something, this Fisher-Price stroller toy will serve the same purpose. One thing this toy has that the Skip Hop Silver Lining Cloud Rattle Moon Stroller Baby Toy doesn’t is a pull-down feature that lets a baby pull the toy and watch it move back up. However, this one doesn’t have a designated teether attachment. Skip Hop Bandana Buddies Baby Activity And Teething Toy: Since this is also made by Skip Hop, a lot of the best features are the same (pleasant colors, a cloud teether, good overall design) but the Bandana Buddies toy offers a little more in terms of sensory exploration in both texture and sound. Depending on your baby’s attention, this may be a better buy (and at around $10, it’s not much more expensive). Manhattan Toy Cactus Garden Bloom + Bite: This Manhattan Toy stroller toy is similar in textures, sounds, and function. It has fewer attachments dangling down, but the teether is silicone, which may be a little easier on a baby’s gums when they’re sore. This is a pretty comparable toy but is around $2 more expensive. Ultimately, I’d buy the Skip Hop Silver Lining Cloud Rattle Moon Stroller Baby Toy for my baby again, if for no other reason than the entertainment value. It’s not overly expensive, it’s safe for her to play with, and it’s one of the more visually appealing toys she has.
