The Best Gifts for Your Baby
A baby lights up at a new soft toy for about ten seconds, and then the parents are the ones who live with it. Picking the best gifts for your baby is harder than it looks, especially for new parents with a house already filling up. The shops are full of choice, so start with what a baby will really use.
Below are seven kinds of gift that get used and fit most budgets. If you are expecting, a baby registry keeps the list in one place, so family can see what is still missing.
Soft toys
Soft toys are an easy pick because babies grab them, hug them and fall asleep next to them. You can choose from animals to well-known cartoon characters; pick the one your baby will want to hug. One good one is enough; by the third rabbit, parents start hiding them in a cupboard.
Baby books
Reading to a baby early helps with language and gives you both a quiet moment in the day. Go for board books with big, bold pictures and a few simple words. Touch-and-feel books, or ones that make a sound, turn story time into something the baby can join in with.
Musical toys
Babies love sound. Toys that play a gentle tune or have soft lights and noises keep a baby busy for a surprisingly long time. A baby piano, a musical mobile or a small toy drum all work, depending on how much noise the parents can take.
Activity gyms
An activity gym gives a baby a safe place on the floor to look, reach and kick. The hanging rattles and mirrors help with hand-eye coordination. Pick one with a colourful play mat, because that is what catches a young baby's eye.
Baby clothes
Babies grow fast and always need clothes, so parents are rarely sorry to get them. Onesies, rompers or a small pyjama set are all useful. Buy one or two sizes up, since the newborn sizes are usually outgrown before the gifts run out.
Teething toys
Teething is a rough stretch for the baby and for everyone who is awake at night with them. Teething toys are made to soothe sore gums and are safe for a baby to chew on. You will find them in silicone, in wood or as simple teething rings.
Baby bouncers
A bouncer gives the baby a place to sit up a little, look around and be entertained while a parent eats something. Most have adjustable settings, a gentle vibration and a toy bar. They suit babies who cannot sit up by themselves yet.
Put the baby gifts on one list
If the family also swaps presents among the adults at Christmas, a Secret Santa generator takes care of who buys for whom. For the baby, write the gifts you liked from this list on a wishlist tonight and share it when someone asks what to bring.
