You officially have the best Christmas Present, a new family member! I keep getting told my little one won’t remember his first Christmas, but it doesn’t stop the fact that I still want it to be special.
Here are some ideas for your newest family member. I recommend deciding guidelines for toys and sharing those with your relatives as well because we all know everyone will want to spoil your little one. Nothing is worse than getting presents you don’t have room for or won’t use.
Gift ideas for 0-6 months old baby
For us we chose to let our family know that we are opting out of battery operated toys and shared a wish list with our family of biggest needs (one of those being clothes, they grow so fast!)
- A good playmat: Things to look for in a playmat are high contrast images, soft space for your little one, and hanging toys to encourage reaching and visual tracking/attention. The one we have used (and still use today even though Scotty is 11 months old!) is the Lovevery Play Mat. It is designed to grow with baby and turns into a fun mini tent!
- Easy to grasp toys like these fun ones from OBall. Oball makes great rattles, balls, and more
- A Mirror: A mirror is another great gift that will grow with baby. There are a ton of great options but this is one of my favorites. A mirror is a great way to mix up tummy time and sitting practice
- Anything with High Contrast Images: Did you know that babies are born with blurred vision and can’t differentiate colors the first few months? Black and white/high contrast images are a great way to facilitate visual development. These books are a great option as they are soft and safe for baby to manipulate and will grow with baby.
- Ankle Rattles/Jingle Socks: Any ankle rattles or socks with jingle balls are a great gift. Hands to feet is a precursor to rolling and this gift is a great way to facilitate bringing those legs up and using those tummy muscles!
- Teethers: Towards the end of that 0-6 month rage your little one is going to start putting everything in their mouth, you may even see a tooth start to pop through! I love keep a good quality teether in the car, in the diaper bag, and of course at home. Some of our favorites have been Sophie The Giraffe and the Banana Teether
- If you are looking for a unique gift, try our little rollers course! Give the gift of quality time and learn baby massage, tummy time, and how to facilitate early rolling. You can check it out here
- A Wobbler: Wobble toys like this are so fun for tummy time practice! Your little one will have great fun working on tummy time or sitting balance while trying to knock a wobble toy over.
- Sensory Toys: Sensory Blankets like thisand Crinkle Paper like this are a great way to start working on tactile exposure to various textures. Baby Crinkle Paper is great fun for your little one combining sound and touch!
- Two things we often don’t think of or hesitate to ask for are: 1.) Don’t be scared to ask family for The Essentials (diapers, wipes, books, and clothes). Baby costs add up fast. Especially at this age, babies are not incredibly interested in toys so make sure the gifts are things your family needs and uses. 2.) Toys that you might need over the next year (see our 6-12 month guide): Don’t be scared to think ahead, especially those of you whose little ones are Nov/Dec babies. A lot can change in a year! We actually put toys on our family wish list that won’t be appropriate until summer but having a December Birthday he only gets family presents once a year.
Happy Shopping! What do you think we missed?
**Kelsey Baas is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com
