Christmas Gift Guide for Your Baby

Christmas Gift Guide for Your Baby

The holidays seem especially exciting this year with a new baby. We’ve got our Christmas decorations up, so that means it’s time to start wrapping presents for under the tree. But picking out gifts for your baby can sometimes be difficult, so here’s a roundup of some of my 8-month-old baby’s favorite toys and items, plus what we plan to get her in the coming months.

0-3 months

• We are more minimalistic when it comes to baby toys. We don’t enjoy having a lot of clutter and items laying around, so the Lovevery Play Kit Subscription has been perfect for us. It sends a few toys every few months that align with your baby’s milestones. This takes the stress out of researching developmentally appropriate toys for your baby and it’s an exciting package to receive every few months. Plus, if you don’t have a playmat yet, the Lovevery Play Gym is aesthetically pleasing and a must have for tummy time.
• This was a random Amazon find, but this Baby Einstein Sea Dreams Soother has mesmerized my baby ever since she was a newborn. She still loves watching the fish move around while listening to the soothing sounds and music.

 4-7 months

• When my baby was starting to sit up more, I purchased this Activity Chair and I would consider this a baby essential to any new mom. I chose this particular chair because you can strap your baby in when they still aren’t quite sitting up, but it’s also completely removeable for when they are. Some activity chairs have a closed off front, however, I liked the fact that this one was open because now that my baby is older with long legs, she can still use it as her reading chair. I’d plop my baby in the chair with a few toys on the desktop and enjoy my coffee while watching her play.
• These aren’t the most glamourous, exciting toys but during this time-period your baby is going to want to chew on everything. My baby loved these fruit shaped teething toys and these Drive and Drool
• Anything with lights and music will also keep your 4–7-month baby entertained. These Safari Beats Drumsare still a big hit in our household.

 8-10 months

• Now that our baby is crawling around, we purchased this Baby Playpen as a safe place for her to explore and crawl. Plus, it keeps our dogs from constantly pestering her. The size is small enough to fit comfortably in the corner of our living room, and it’s big enough for one adult to sit inside with the baby with plenty of room to play. It also comes with a cushioned playmat with cute animal designs.
• This Ball Pit is what we are getting for our baby for Christmas this year. She has one at school and absolutely loves to play in it. We chose this one because the sides are soft but sturdy for if she takes a tumble, plus it comes with the balls.
• Now that my daughter is getting older, she is starting to engage more with books. Her favorites are the Push Pop Books. She loves to press the bubbles and hear them pop.

 11+ months

• My daughter isn’t quite old enough to walk, but she is starting to pull up on things to stand! I plan to buy her a baby push walkers, like this Wonder and Wise option, to assist her as she learns to walk.
• Similarly, activity tables, like this LeapFrog version are great as your baby learns to stand and walk.
• Finally, the Toniebox. It’s designed for children 3+, but my daughter already loves music and story time, so I plan to buy this for her first birthday. It allows your child to engage with their favorite characters and shows, without the screens. 

All of these items are sure to excite and entertain your baby after you open them together on Christmas morning. But don’t forget about experiential gifts! They are a little bit harder to think of for really young children, but here are some ideas.  

Experience-Based Gifts

• We are a very outdoorsy and active family, so part of our daughter’s Christmas gift is a 12-week swimming lesson
• Passes for the zoo, museum or a local aquarium are exciting activities to do as a family.
• A trip to the bookstore where you can read and pick out new books.

Experiential gifts are a great, intentional way to make memories and spend time as a family. While they may not be wrapped under the tree, they are moments that you and your child will always cherish.

Enjoy your first Christmas with your new baby!