A baby rattle is a rattle produced specifically for the amusement of an infant. Rattles have been used for this purpose since antiquity, and experts in child development believe they help the infant improve hand eye coordination by stimulating their senses.[1][2]
An 18th century silver baby rattle in the shape of a lion passant. In the collection of the Zuiderzee Museum in the Netherlands
Early 19th century silver child's rattle and coral teether, in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. British, imported to the United States. Original ownership attributed to the daughter of Duncan Phyfe.