talk to me about building blocks, shape sorters, drums, and toys of the like

What age do they really start to get it? What are the best type of toys to start them out with?

DS is going to be 8m, and I'm just wondering where he should be in terms of developmentally playing.

As far as I can tell, he likes to turn things over and over, and observe the different sides, but he doesn't quite get building, stacking, or sorting yet. And I'm just wondering if I should invest in toys that help him develop this interest.

I have a very simple shape sorter but he just likes to turn it over and have everything fall out. I put it away so that its interesting when I do take it out, but its really not that interesting to him.

We have this

The poppin pals, but he only really wants to push the animals back in, he doesn't seem to interested when I press on the button to pop them up.

He likes to bang on wave things around to hear sounds they make, but I'm not sure what toys to introduce him to, to encourage his interest. Do you just give them a loud pot? I'm clueless as to how babies play.