Best Christmas gifts for babies
From funny rattles to comfort plush toys that the baby will cherish all the way through their toddler years, we have prepared a list of beloved Christmas gifts for babies.
Is this your baby’s first Christmas?
Your first holiday season as a family is an exciting moment and calls for a celebration. Are you thinking outfits, ornaments, and photo session to mark the new milestone in your life? Wonderful! But don’t forget about the baby’s first Christmas gift either!
Even if the little one will not remember this unique moment, the gift can be preserved as a keepsake. Better yet, you can choose a present that ages with the baby and can be used for a long time.
Some gifts are on the traditional side but with a modern spin, while some are among the ultimate 2021 baby toys. We have carefully selected through dozens of ideas to provide a list of gifts that are safe, developmentally-appropriate, and able to stimulate at least one of the baby’s senses.
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Keep on reading to find out what new babies will love during the upcoming holiday season!
SmartNoggin NogginStik Developmental Light-Up Rattle
This multifunctional rattle was developed by early childhood experts with the aim to encourage critical milestones in infants. The NogginStik Developmental Rattle is a patented and awarded toy designed to promote healthy brain development from the baby’s first day.
What makes this rattle different from similar products? The NogginStik provides the following benefits:
- Easy to hold, so it helps to master grasping;
- It lights up red, blue, and green;
- The soft and pleasant rattle sound promotes auditory skills;
- Teaches babies cause and effect and predicting outcomes.
Ages: from 0 to 12 months
Where to buy: Amazon, $22.99
Little Treasure Christmas Bodysuits
These bodies are perfect both for everyday use and for the holiday photo session. The 3-pack from Macy’s is available in four different sizes, for each trimester of the baby’s first year. The three long-sleeve bodysuits are suitable for wintertime and will make your bundle of joy look even more adorable than ever.
Ages: 0-12 months
Where to buy: Macy’s, $22.50
White Hot® Ducky
Bath toys and thermometers are must-haves on your baby registry. But why not have your cake and eat it too?
The White Hot Ducky Toy from Munchkin is a reinterpretation of the most popular bath toy for kids ever and a help for new mums at the same time. The hot technology warns you when the bath water temperature is too high for baby’s delicate skin. The rubber ducky will be a constant presence around the bathtub as it is water-tight to prevent mildew.
Ages: 0 months+
Where to buy: Munchkin, $3
Deep Space Baby Tummy Time Toy
Is your baby 3 months old? This is the moment when your little one is reaching a new milestone and is able to spend more time on their tummy and even crawl.
You can make the new phase in their life even more fascinating with the Deep Space Baby Tummy Time Toy. It will stimulate their senses and cultivate their interest for astronomy from an early age. This Michelle Romo design toy includes features such as mirror, squeaker, and pockets to keep the baby busy and happy.
Ages: 3 months+
Where to buy: Crate&Barrel, $69.00
Sophie la Girafe
Sophie la Girafe is the world’s most famous teething toy and it has been traditionally produced for more than 60 years. Can you believe that the first Sophie looked exactly the same as it looks today? It has been created by a certain Monsieur Rampeau in France using latex from the Hevea tree.
Sophie was an immediate success from its first release and it remains the favorite of babies all over the world due to its ability to stimulate all five senses:
- Vision – the contrasting spots on the toy provide visual stimulation;
- Hearing – includes a squeaker that keeps the baby amused;
- Taste – the 100% natural rubber is safe for babies and has a pleasant taste;
- Touch – the shape of the giraffe makes it easy to grasp;
- Smell – the natural rubber has a unique smell and makes the teether easy to differentiate from other toys.
Ages: 3 months+
Where to buy: Calisson Toys, $26.50
Bunnies By The Bay™ Ocho Octopus Plush in Blue
This funny octopus can become your baby’s comfort plush toy that they’ll keep in their bed until teenage years. Classic teddy bears and bunnies are cute, but this adorable stuffed animal with striped and polka dotted arms is definitely one of its kind!
Ages: 3 months+
Where to buy: buybuyBABY, $27.99
Janod Tatoo Xylo Roller – Musical Wooden Xylophone Pull-Along Toy
The best toys are those with more than one feature and encouraging the development of multiple skills. This is why we have chosen for the next milestone in your baby’s development this pull-along toy that is also a xylophone.
The eight metal keys of the xylophone produce a pleasant sound, while the rubber rings on the wheels ensure a quiet and smooth ride of the toy. The two wooden mallets can be stored in the back of the toy.
Ages: 6 months+
Where to buy: Target, $39.95
MULA Stack & Nest cups from IKEA
Looking for an affordable toy that is durable and can capture your child’s interest for a long time? The MULA Stack & Nest cups from IKEA supports your child’s learning journey and will hold up even if they are thrown, banged, and chewed on.
The cups help to develop fine motor skills and logical thinking in babies and can be later used for playing with sand, as water toys, or for role play.
Ages: 6 months +
Where to buy: IKEA, $2.99
Winkel
The Winkel from Manhattan Toy is a relatively new but highly successful release in the baby toy industry. The baby will enjoy it as soon as he or she will become able to hold objects and will use it to ease teething discomfort as well. The awarded Winkel Toy does not contain BPA and PVC and meets CPSC and European requirements for phthalates. The middle cube produces a pleasant rattle sound, and the maze of soft colorful tubes will keep the baby fascinated for minutes in a row.
Ages: 3 months+
Where to buy: Manhattan Toy, $16.00
VTech Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker
As your little one becomes able to stand, a whole new world unravels at their feet.
Sit-to-stand baby walkers are a healthy alternative to classic baby walkers because they foster independence. At the same time, the child will make the first steps when they are ready, even earlier compared to babies using a classic walker.
When your little one gets tired, they can sit down and use the removable activity panel for floor play. This toy also comes with piano keys, shape sorters, colorful rollers, light-up buttons, and a telephone handset, offering endless play options to your growing baby.
In terms of safety, the V-tech sit-and-stand walker has adjustable speed controls on wheels so the baby can walk at the pace they are comfortable with.
Ages: 9 months+
Where to buy: Walmart, $47
Soft Activity Book – Itsy-Bitsy Spider
Itsy-Bitsy Spider is a treasured nursery song that can now promote your child’s love of books as well. This book can be used at all ages and will last for a long time as it is durable and machine washable. Its pages crinkle and stretch and will reveal hidden pictures, leaving your baby in awe.
This excellent book from the talented toy creators Melissa & Doug will be your child’s companion at story time, while travelling, or during playtime. Turn its pages and sing together the adventures of the Itsy-Bitsy spider!
Ages: 9 months+
Where to buy: Melissa & Doug, $14.99
Fat Brain Toys Original Dimpl Brand Baby Toy
Pop-it fidget toys have taken the world by storm in 2021 and are appreciated by people of all ages. It’s impossible not to be satisfied by the popping sound you can make by pressing on the soft silicone texture of the toy. Such toys are known to eliminate stress and anxiety and are even being offered as party favors.
The good news is that an adapted pop-it toy version has been developed for younger ages, with such a product being the Fat Brain Toys Original Dimpl Brand Baby Toy. The toy follows the same principle as the famous pop-it, but instead it features 5 vibrant silicone bubbles built into a plastic frame. The Dimpl encourages fine motor skills and sensory exploration and is perfect as a keep-their-attention toy.
Ages: 9 months+
Where to buy: Amazon, $12.95