Holiday Gift Guide for Babies and Toddlers
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I thought about creating separate lists for babies and toddlers but because there is no clear divide (and I like toys that can be used for a long time), so there would be a lot of overlap. For this reason I created this one long list. I tried to organize it generally by age. I included headers that indicate the earliest age at which your child will likely use the toy. Your child may enjoy it for months or even years longer -- at 11 months my son still enjoys some items from the Newborn category, but I wouldn't purchase them now.
I encourage you to also read my post on my favorite books for the first year and beyond, as reading to babies and toddlers is so important.
Newborn
At this stage your child won't play much but will be fascinated by high contrast toys with lots of black and white and also start spending lots of time on his belly.
Art Cards for Baby
My son loved these art cards. The first time that I showed them to him was when he was two weeks old while my husband was feeding him a bottle. He promptly stopped drinking and just stared, clearly fascinated.
Books
There are a lot of high contrast books for babies, our absolute favorite is I Kissed the Baby. I'm sure we have read it hundreds of times.
3 Months+
Wooden Clutching Toy
There are lots of similar toys out there. I especially like this one because the color is from certified non toxic water based stains. No worrisome paint or lacquer (I've removed a piece of blue laquer from a different brand toy that my son had managed to chip off).
4 Months+
pipSquigz
These are silicone rattles that can suction to smooth objects. My son and all of his little friends got a ton of use out of these. We brought them to all of our playdates. When other babies mouthed them I didn't mind at all, I just tossed them in the dishwasher when we got home.
6 Months+
Drum
Your baby will get years of use out of this drum. It is well made and durable -- I originally saw it at all of our kiddy music classes and at the Children's Museum of Manhattan.
9 Months+
Walker
I have a love hate relationship with this toy. It is bright colored plastic, lights up and plays many different sounds and songs. My first thought when I initially turned it on was "could this give my baby a seizure?" So for weeks I had the sound and lights disabled. Eventually I enabled it. We have gotten more hours of use out of this toy than any other. The piece with all the fun parts comes off, so you can place it on the floor and reattach it once your bub is ready for a walker.
12 Months+
Stacking Ring
This is the same brand as the clutching toy above. The color is from certified non toxic water based stains. No worrisome paint or lacquer (I've removed a piece of blue laquer from a different brand toy that my son had managed to chip off).
Activity Cube
This toy will provide hours upon hours of play. This one is a great brand and is really sturdy. I tried out a bunch and most others were lightweight and my son was able to push them around too easily -- or even worse topple them over.
Tegu or Traditional Wooden Blocks
Tegu blocks come in a great variety of sets. Some are basic and include only blocks (like this one) and others are more interesting -- they may include propellers or wheels. Read the package carefully as some of the more interesting sets are for ages 3+. You can find a set at most any price point.
15 Months+
Play Kitchen
I like this one because it is wood and has a small footprint. It is also a good brand (same as the above Activity Cube).
What are you planning to buy or request for your little ones for the holidays?
