83 Gifts for Babies

Between birth to the age of one, babies develop at a rapid pace and hit various milestones quickly, much to the joy of their proud parents. The best gifts range from personalized to useful and developmental.   

Choosing the best baby gifts

Babies grow rapidly and by the time they turn one, they can perform various actions like smiling, rolling over, clapping, crawling, babbling, and more. They form strong bonds with their parents and as they develop cognitively, they can understand a lot more than they’re able to communicate.

When buying a gift, it’s important to consider the baby’s age and what the family needs (or wants) most. If it’s a newborn baby, parents may cherish personalized gifts like baby handprint and footprint makers and baby memory book scrapbooks more because they serve as treasured keepsakes. However, practical gifts that can make their days and long sleepless nights easier are also popular. Babies usually triple their birth weight by the time they’re one year old, which means they’ll outgrow many of their clothes quickly and their parents will go through countless products along the way. This is why they’ll appreciate gifts such as items of clothing, diaper changing pads, baby wipes, and baby products because they’re essential. If you’re close with the family and you’re happy to spend a bit more, you can also look at gifts like baby strollers, which every parent needs. 

If you want to focus on gifts that aid in the baby’s development, you can opt for items like play gyms and baby activity centers. Not only are they practical, but they’re designed to stimulate babies and help with their motor development. When buying toys, it’s very important to stick to age-appropriate ones that were designed with babies’ safety in mind.   

How we identified the best baby gifts

We looked at independently researched and tested items, and took what parents have recommended into account as well when choosing gifts. Our selection includes items that can best celebrate and mark the special occasion, practical gifts that are deemed essential, as well as developmentally stimulating toys and equipment. 

Our personalized gifts range from decorative to functional items, including custom night lights and swaddling blankets. These will appeal to parents who value meaningful keepsakes as well as those who would prefer sentiment and usefulness rolled into one. We evaluated the best baby shower and newborn gifts based on what parents will find most useful in the first few months, including elephant pillows, play mats, and products. If you’re buying for close family members or friends and want to go above and beyond, some of our luxury gifts, such as strollers and car seats, are at the higher price-end spectrum, but they’re essential items that all parents need for their babies. We also included items, like baby gift baskets to add variety. 

We considered the practical as well as developmental benefits of gifts like play gyms – they’re great parents who can safely let their babies play, as well as for a baby’s motor skills – and selected the highest-rated ones. Additionally, we included a range of organic items, which parents prefer because they don’t have any harmful side effects, as well as baby girl- and boy-centric gifts, like beautiful items of clothing, which parents can never have too much of. 

Tips for buying the best baby gifts

1. Consider an item’s lifespan
   Babies outgrow things very quickly. However, if you’re buying a gift like a car seat that they’ll be using for a good number of years, it’s important to consider the quality and how durable it will be.
2. Check with the parents
   Before buying a gift, ask the parents what the baby has and what they need more of. If they already have too many newborn clothes, you can consider buying clothing for when they’re a few months older, for example. If you’re buying for your own baby, try to plan ahead in terms of what you would likely need down the line. Remember, many essential items are given at the baby shower, so it’s an opportunity to buy something that’s not on your registry.
3. Keep it age-appropriate
   If you’re buying toys, ensure that they’re age-appropriate. Toys can stimulate a baby and provide many developmental benefits, but they won’t learn much if a game or toy isn’t right or too advanced for their developmental stage. Additionally, age-appropriate toys and games are designed with a baby’s safety in mind.