Christmas Gift Guide for Babies – 2018

Wondering what to buy a little one for Christmas? Babies aren’t always that easy to buy for so maybe you’re looking for some inspiration with my Christmas Gift Guide for Babies, filled with products that are relevant and should be enjoyed by the vast majority of families, and their tiny new additions. Whether you’re a parent looking for stocking fillers or a friend or family member, I can guarantee the gifts on this list will be well received!

This Christmas Gift Guide for Babies is aimed at newborns and young infants, from age 0 up to 12 months, with most things also being suitable for 18 months. If you’re looking for a guide for slightly older children, I have a Gift Guide for Toddlers which focuses more on interactive and educational toys that are suitable for 18 – 36 months.

Here’s my little one enjoying his First Christmas in 2017!

The Best Gifts to Buy in 2018 for Babies

SweetDreamers – Ewan the Dream Sheep

I’m not just recommending this because I’m Welsh, honest! Ewan is a cuddly sheep that plays a heartbeat and womb sounds that offer babies a great deal of comfort. It is especially good for those who suffer from little ones who have broken or unsettled sleep which is a lot of babies out there (and their parents). It’s not just for babies, it can be soothing all the way up to the toddler years and is something that will be cherished for many years. It has a very soft glow as well, which creates a reassuring night-light to fall asleep to. The sounds and light stay on for 20 minutes after activated, and being a sheep, is entirely gender neutral and suitable for all children. It’s a #1 Best Seller on Amazon for a reason – it works. At just shy of £30 you might think it’s a bit pricey, but as any sleepless parent will tell you, a good night’s sleep is well worth the money!

Sophie the Giraffe Teether

This 100% natural rubber giraffe was created in France in 1961 and has become a firm household favourite. It is suitable for boys or girls and especially for those with an interest in nature and animals. She is ideal for babies from 0 – 12 months and can also be purchased in a dual Teether Gift Set if you’re looking to give a nicer gift. There are a lot of Sophie items available, so a small gift package could be put together with a matching, cute design. Other options include Storytime with Sophie (Board Book set), Sophie’s Busy Day (Touch & Feel Book), Peekaboo Sophie! (Board Book), Sophie’s Multitextured Ring Teether and more. My son absolutely loved this teether when he was younger, so it comes with a personal recommendation from him.

Splashing Christmas!

My son’s favourite thing is bath time, but even for babies who are a bit nervous about the water a few toys will help make it more fun and bearable. Some simple toys such as these fun Rock Pool Squirters or Ocean Floor Squirters will go down a treat, and a fun way to wash would be to use a character themed bath mitt. This Teddy and Duck Bath Mitt Set by Hape will introduce play time to being washed.

We’re also a big fan of the Nuby Octopus and it’s been used every bath time in our house from 5 months (below!) to today (20 months!) on no doubt for many years to come. My son shows his appreciation for his toys by eating them. It’s perfectly normal, so I’m told.

Fisher Price Sooth and Glow Owl

This is a little bit similar to Ewan the sheep, in that it is a soft cuddly toy that makes soothing noises and offers a night light. In this case, the baby can activate the sounds themselves, although there is not a distinct heartbeat. It’s also a little smaller, but is entirely suitable from babies up to toddlers. It comes in two colours, brown and pink – they’ve clearly set out their gender expectations there, and I’d like to have seen more options since it is quite a colourful toy. I really like the extra addition of tiny little teethers for feet too!

At 18 months my son William still loves this owl. He carries it around and when I tell him “Go get hoo hoo,” he brings me his owl. It was one of the first things he could really push and interact with, so I think it boosted his confidence loads.

Fisher Price Rainforest Jumperoo

If you’re looking for a bigger “show stopper” then consider the Fisher Price Rainforest Jumperoo. My mother used the full size one, whilst we used the Fisher Price Rainforest Jumperoo and I can personally attest to how great these are for development. They do take a bit of floor space and are quite noisy, but it’s well worth it for the amount of physical and mental enrichment they provide. They are suitable up to a maximum of 26lbs, so double check the baby isn’t too big before purchasing. Otherwise, I think this is a household addition that will be well used every single day. The price is usually around the £70-80 mark, but it is well worth it. It holds it’s value well and once the baby has outgrown it, often sells second hand for a reasonable value. We loved the space saving jumperoo in our house because with the three of us living in a tiny 1 bedroom apartment for the first 16 months of William’s life, it was great that you could fold it away once you were done with it and tuck it behind the sofa for storage.

Lamaze “Freddie the Firefly”

I have actually written a separate review on Freddie the Firefly before, because this was William’s favourite toy from 0 – 6 months. At 18 months he has outgrown it, but it was well loved. It is suitable from birth but can be used all the way up to toddling age, is inexpensive and is full of sensory play. Lamaze also do a lot of other products and have a ridiculous amount of experience in baby enrichment through play. Quite frankly, I’d love one of everything. You can Fisher Price Rainforest Jumperoo and be confident you’re buying from a high quality company that values education through stimulation right from birth. If you’re only picking one thing, I think with over 1600 5 star reviews, mums and dads everywhere have approved of Freddie.

Cuddly Toys

Cuddly toys are a popular purchase, but you want to make sure that it’s a good quality so it can last the years. Children often get very attached to their toys and they provide comfort, soothing and have powerful positive memories attached to them. A favourite cuddly toy is something that we’ll remember our entire lives, but finding one that really captures their attention and imagination can sometimes be challenging.

Here are some excellent cuddlies on Amazon that would make a perfect baby’s first Christmas gift, and all of them extremely affordable whilst being good quality too.

Wild Republic Cuddlekins Sloth   |   Aurora World Happy Hedgehog   |   Rainbow Designs Elmer Soft Toy

Pompom Penguin   |    Ravensden Brontosaurus   |    Snugglepets Unicorn

For something really special you can also get some amazing personalized gifts on Etsy, like this amazing dragon I bought for William’s first Christmas – and he sleeps with it in his cot every night ever since. A custom gift like this really makes a beautiful gift for both the baby and the parents as it’s a keepsake that will last a long time, with so many happy memories attached to it. The seller that I purchased this from is Jo’s Baby Gifts and I highly recommend her for personal, hand-made gifts for any special occasion.

There are also a ton of practical gifts you could be giving that will help both parents and baby. For example, I never seem to have enough bibs, clothes, washcloths, toiletries or baby snacks! It might not always be appropriate if you don’t know the baby that well, so you may not know the stage of weaning or how the parents are handling meals, or what type of skin products they use, so don’t be shy about asking if you’re buying for another family.

Hope this Baby’s First Christmas Gift Guide has given you some ideas! Let me know in the comments if I’ve missed something you’d highly recommend to others.