As the festive season approaches, many parents in The Baby Village community have shared a few of their favourite toys and gifts for babies and toddlers. These suggestions, ranging from newborns to toddlers up to three years old, come from real parents who know what works when it comes to keeping little ones entertained and engaged. Whether you're looking for a thoughtful present or a practical gift, we've gathered a list to suit every stage of your child’s development. One of the wonderful aspects of The Baby Village is the way it supports parents by reducing the emotional labour of parenting- in this case, researching and choosing gifts. In a world full of endless choices and advice, it can often feel overwhelming to find gifts that are both meaningful and appropriate for each stage of your child’s development.
In our lovely community, we share experiences and practical tips that make parenting just a little bit easier. By coming together and sharing these insights, we lighten the load, feel less isolated and have more mental space to enjoy the journey.
Each of these toys has been recommended by parents in The Baby Village, where we share advice, experiences, and support. If you’d like to join a community of like-minded parents, find out more about The Baby Village here.
We hope these gift ideas make your Christmas shopping a little easier. Happy holidays and happy gifting! Many thanks to all my subscribers who generously offered their experiences to make this blog possible.
For Newborns
(A fourth trimester baby- up to 12 weeks)
Foot Finders – These delightful little toys help babies discover their feet and develop sensory awareness. One parent shared how much their baby enjoyed these!
Foot Finders LINK
Sensory Crinkle Square – A soft, sensory toy perfect for newborns to engage with. This crinkly square stimulates their senses and provides a fun experience for early discovery. Sensory Crinkle Square LINK
Indestructible Books – These chew-proof, rip-proof, and washable books are perfect for those early months when babies explore by putting everything in their mouths! There are various titles that can be bought on Amazon new, or often come up on Vinted too! Indestructibles: Baby Animals
For Lap Babies
(a baby that mostly sits in your lap!)
Trixie Natural Rubber Grasping Toy – Mr. Lion – A fantastic teething toy that babies love to chew on, helping them with both teething and developing their fine motor skills.
Feeding Necklace – While initially purchased to distract during breastfeeding, this colourful necklace has become a favourite for babies to chew, grab, and play with—especially during teething. Breastfeeding Necklace "She looooves chewing it, grabbing it, generally playing with it, particularly when teething. It's such a good all-round distraction, and you can put it on grandparents/friends when you want the baby to sit happily on their lap for a few minutes!"
Teething Chicken – A unique teething toy that’s been a recent hit. The toy is adored for its easy to hold design and teething relief.
Teething Chicken "Alma's favourite teething toy...we call It ' pájaro loco'(crazy Bird)🤣" "Haha yes we call it “chewy chicken” he loves it even three months later!"
Grabbing Baby Ball. Great for teething, pulling on and learning to use two hands.
Crinkle Fabric Books There are loads of fabulous crinkle books available these days and they're an easy to transport toy that babies love. Some of our favourites are:
Mudpuppy Andy Warhol Crinkle Fabric Stroller Book – A colourful, crinkly book that captivates babies while stimulating their senses. Andy Warhol Crinkle Book
Nursery Times Crinkle Books. These mini newspaper style books are so cute! There are a few different titles to choose from. Nursey Times Book Link
For Floor Babies
(a baby that likes to hang out and play/crawl around on the floor)
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Book – A classic that never gets old! The Very Hungry Caterpillar "Lots of flaps that keep her occupied and beautiful illustrations!"
Plastic Kitchen Utensils, Bowls, Tupperware and the Remote Control – Sometimes, the best toys aren’t actually toys! There the things we use everyday, and our babies want to mimic us! For many floor babies, the everyday objects in the house provide endless entertainment.
"He is obsessed with our remotes, I think I am just going to stick a bow on it! 😂😂😂"
'Quiet books'. These are great for little ones as they begin to become more independent in their play. They have various scenes with things to do on each page. Link
Toddler
(Walking up to 3 years)
Yoto Player – A screen-free audio player that offers sleep sounds, stories, songs, and podcasts. Perfect for car trips or bedtime, and can even be used to create custom cards with family members reading stories. There is a mini version as well. These come up as recommended items in my groups again and again. Yoto Player "We’ve also made some ‘make your own’ cards with grandparents and my husband (he sometimes works away) reading stories, you can also listen to free kids podcasts, and I often play stuff via the Yoto app on my phone in the car."
Magnetic Tiles – These toys offer endless building possibilities, helping toddlers develop creativity and fine motor skills. A favourite that grows with your child as they explore new ways to use them. Often listed as suitable for children over 3, use your own discretion when deciding if this toy is right for your little ones. There are many versions of these magnetic tiles available.
Magna Tiles
Custom Photo Board Books – Personalised photo books make wonderful gifts, especially for toddlers. There are various places to get them made, so it's worth looking around to find what you prefer
Custom Photo Board Book
Soft Baby Photo Book - German link
"We put a photo of each family member on each page and made it bright colours, it was useful to take with him when he started nursery ❤️"
Medium Sized Soft Foam Ball – Ideal for toddlers to roll, toss, and later kick. A simple yet effective toy that promotes physical activity and coordination. Soft enough to be used inside.
Soft Foam Ball
Funny Books Toddlers learn through repetition, which often means reading the same book over and over and over and over 🫠 It really helps if you find humour or joy in the story!
Some recommendations are:
I want my Hat Back.
"Loove I want my hat back!! "Like Samuel Beckett meets The Sopranos for pre-schoolers," 🤣https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/books/2023/03/i-want-my-hat-back-bleak-masterpiece-explains-human-condition"
Hippos go Berserk. One hippo, all alone, calls two hippos on the phone. So begins this counting story, in which exuberant hippopotamus guests show up in ever-increasing numbers, until an all night party is inevitable
Kitchen Disco. In this rhyming picture book for young children, fruit comes to life and parties in the kitchen after dark . .
"This is a firm funny favourite of mine!"
You Choose. For the 2.5yrs+ this is a wonderful book with a different story every time. Imagine you could go anywhere, meet anyone and do anything.
Where would you live? Where would you sleep? Who would be your friends?
What games would you play? Go on . . . you choose! "Every house needs a copy of You Choose!"
A Postman Pat van. It's red, with wheels and driven by a friendly community minded postie. What more do you need?
"... with (crucial) rear doors that open is deeply fascinating to my kids, and every 2yo visitor also makes a beeline for it. I got ours secondhand on Gumtree but this looks similar "
A balance bike. Kids love to move and these balance bikes give them a sense of freedom whilst also providing opportunities for early balancing and steering skills.
Recommended brands are Bammax or Scuttlebug.
There's a useful article about bikes for toddlers here
A little rucksack. Never underestimate the joy of a 'mini adult' item that they can practically use. There's lots of types and brands to choose from.
"Our toddler adores packing his, carrying it about, using it in endless games... It cost £4 in a charity shop and is a contender for most-loved toy."
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