It’s about that time of year. Time to get out the Christmas decorations, bake gingerbread cookies, and shop for gifts! To help you simplify and thrive through the holiday season, I’ve created a list of Christmas gift ideas for babies.
I know that it can be hard to come up with gift ideas for babies—especially if they are newborn and don’t really know what’s going on!
My son was only two months old when we celebrated his first Christmas. Even though he had no clue what was going on, we tried to make it a special time.
Even if the event is a bit lost on your little one, remember that Christmas is a great time to get all the toys your baby will play with for the next year or so. If your little one doesn’t play with something immediately, Christmas is still a great time to stock up on baby toys so your little one will be entertained throughout the year.
Check out these great Christmas gift ideas for babies in your family this year!
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.
Picking out the best gifts for babies
Before we get into what makes great gifts for babies, let me offer you a few tips for picking out the best gifts. You may even be wondering if it’s even worth getting gifts for your baby’s first Christmas. After all, your baby probably won’t remember it, right?
Even if your baby is just a newborn, I think it’s worth getting your baby at least a few gifts for their first Christmas. Besides the fact that it makes Christmas better and adds to the fun and joy of the season, there is a more practical reason as well.
During your baby’s first year, your little one will do an incredibly amount of development—physically, mentally, and emotionally. And during that time, your baby will be able to use and enjoy more and more objects and toys.
So even if your baby is too little for everything you may want to give him or her, it’s worth getting it for later use. Birthdays and Christmas are really the two main times kids get new toys. Use the opportunity to get the things your baby will need and enjoy for the next year.
That said, the best gifts are the ones that help with learning and development, and can be used for a while. Thankfully there are a lot of great baby toys out there that fit that!
Christmas Gift Ideas for Babies
Baby Gear
Some of the best Christmas gift ideas for babies fall more into the “baby gear” category than strictly toys. Although, they can and often are used for playtime as well!
Playmat/gym
For our next child I’ve got my eye on this Skip Hop Silver Lining Cloud Activity Gym that has two crossbars. It’s super cute, but would also be gender neutral for more extended use.
Foam Alphabet Mat
It worked much better than him trying to crawl on his playmat. With less friction than the carpet, he made better progress on the mat which kept him from getting frustrated so quickly. In the end it helped him learn to crawl faster since he practiced more on it!
I also like that this gift can be used for a long, long time. Save it to use later on when you begin working on letters and numbers with your toddler, and you can come up with all kinds of fun games using the mat.
Tummy Time Prop
I love that this one has a mirror, teether, and tags to play with while practicing tummy time. If we had had it, Elijah probably would have liked tummy time instead of acting like I was torturing him!
Toys
Of course, you’ll also want to get your baby a few toys to play with as well. There are a lot of baby toys out there, but here are tried and true ones your baby is sure to enjoy.
Rattles
These simple toys are a great first toy for a baby. And it’s likely to be one of the first toys your baby can grasp all on his/her own.
Baby Walker
Baby walkers are a great place for your baby to entertain himself while you get dinner ready or do some cleaning.
If your baby is rapidly moving toward walking, you might consider getting a walker like this that allows your little one to stand up and practice walking with support. Plus, it has plenty of bells and whistles to keep your baby entertained for a long time.
Stuffed Animals
Last year I bought this plush monkey from Bedtime Originals for my nephew, and a year later he still loves it. Bedtime Originals also has a lot of other super cute stuffed animals to choose from!
Soft Blocks & Balls
He quickly learned how to stack the blocks, and then loved knocking them over and stacking them up again. He also enjoyed throwing the balls everywhere. But since they are rubber, they don’t hurt anything, so it was never a big deal.
Lovey
Even if your baby doesn’t currently hold on to any specific toy or blanket, you may find him attaching himself later on when separation anxiety begins to set in. And that’s when a good lovey comes in handy!
Car Seat/Stroller Toys
These kinds of activity toys are great for car travel with babies, as well as for walks with your little one.
Activity Mirror
While we didn’t have an activity mirror with Elijah, I plan to get the Skip Hop Silver Lining Cloud Activity Mirror for our next child.
Activity Toy
Bright Starts Rattle & Roll Sports Race Car
This is one baby toy that got a lot of play time out of it, and continued to be played with as he grew.
First Blocks & Rock-a-Stack
Both help baby develop motor skills. As your baby grows, he/she will also learn to sort the blocks by shape into the bin. Later on, these two toys can be used to help learn colors.
Baby Cloth Books
And of course, they make a great start to turning your little one into a future reader!
Stacking Cups
That’s why stacking cups make great Christmas gift ideas for babies. Not only do they enjoy trying to figure it out, but it helps them develop their motor skills and cognitive abilities.
Infantino Toucan Piano
This is one gift that can used by a wide range of ages, from little babies up into the toddler years. It’s small enough for little hands, and is packed with fun buttons, colors, and songs.
Bright Starts Safari Beats
He always hated tummy time, but he loved it when he could play with this drum. He played with it all the time, even after he learned to crawl. This was one baby toy that got a whole lot of play out of it!
Baby Necessities
Christmas is also a great time to get your baby some necessary items. Some may be fun things your baby will like playing with, while others are simply things your little one will need over the next year. It’s totally okay to buy necessities as gifts, at any age!
Teethers
We used a classic ring teether and key teether with our son and both seemed to work well with him. While these aren’t the only teething remedies you can use when the time comes, they work well and make great stocking stuffers for babies.
Bandana Drool Bibs
Elijah was forever drooling, and spit up a lot for a long time. Because of this, his clothes were always getting wet/dirty, and regular bibs just weren’t cute to leave on when we left the house.
Bandana bibs solved this problem for us. I love this pack of white, grey, and black bandana bibs. They’re cute, functional, and the neutral coloring allows you to use them for future kids, regardless of gender.
Got More Christmas Gift Ideas For Babies?
I hope you found this list of Christmas gift ideas for babies helpful for you as you prepare for Christmas! Let me know what you plan to get your baby for Christmas, or if you have any other ideas to add!
Leave a Reply