Let the holiday shopping begin, friends! I’m kicking off my annual gift guides with the wee ones. Even if they have no idea what’s going on or honestly, why they’re even getting presents for that matter, there’s nothing sweeter than giving a baby their own special gifts. Whether it’s their first holiday or if they’re not quite a full-blown toddler, these will be sure to keep them occupied in 2022. All of my picks this year are bright, fun, well-made, and support a ton of great milestone skills while baby grows. I’m sharing some quick info on each item below and just a head’s up that more gift guides are coming soon for toddlers, big kids, guys and girls, too!
Also just a quick PSA for anyone who is expecting their first, third or tenth baby – be sure to set up an Amazon baby registry if you haven’t already! The benefits to their program are SO worth it; they’ll send a welcome box filled with stuff you’ll actually need, you can add products for other non-Amazon sites, and you get a completion discount to use after your due date. Oh – AND they even offer 20% off diapers for baby’s first year soooo, winner winner. I made one for each of my babies and it was GOLDEN. Check it out to get all the details!
Okay – now, let’s get to the goodies…
1. Nesting Boxes / Babies can learn letters, numbers, and more with this one. It’s a big hit with my twins and I swear they literally giggle their faces off whenever I build something up just so they can knock it down.
2. Hide-and-Peek Pop Up Toy / This is a great toy for improving fine motor skills and looks super cute with real wood and soft fabric accents.
3. Activity Center / I especially love this activity center because it grows with baby and turns into a toddler table set (these cutie little chairs sold separately) once they’re bigger. I can honestly say we’ve used this non-stop for the last 13-ish months!
4. Peek-a-Boo Forest / All four of my kids have loved this book; it’s lasted 7 years in our house so you know it’s good.
5. Toy Car Set / I’m loving these wooden toy cars by Hearth & Hand. The vintage look totally screams wintertime and the holidays.
6. Play Gym / This is THE play gym that has so much that baby can learn from and play with. Not to mention all of the options for them to see hanging toys, feel textures, and it even offers a canopy, too. Literally has all the things so look no further! Only complaint is that it wasn’t around when my younger two were babies.
7. Rest + Sound Machine / Hatch has an awesome and affordable sound machine that can be controlled by your smartphone and has a bunch of soothing sound options and colored lights for nighttime visits into the nursery. It’s Alexa enabled, has a backup battery, and is toddler-proof so nobody will play with buttons and change your settings.
8. Lamb Plush / Anything from Jellycat is super soft, adorable to look at, and (in my experience) loved by littles. My kids each have their own bunny plush but this lamb is TOO STINKIN’ CUTE.
9. Musical Wobbler / This little penguin wobbles around but doesn’t get too wild and roll away. Comes with a gentle bell jingle that keeps baby’s attention.
10. Wooden Stacking Toy / I really like the way that this toy mixes colors, textures and sizes and even makes a little noise.
11. Drop Box Toy / Baby can become a little problem solver with this cute drop box while they figure out where the ball went and how to get it free.
12. Cotton Muslin Swaddle Set / Aden + Anais muslin swaddles are the go-to for all newborns and infants. My older kids still have theirs so tbh, they last forever and stay super soft. This set features one of their newest prints and is so sweet and gender-neutral.
13. Teether / Lots of great options out there to help with teething (which seems to last for-ev-er for some reason) but Fridababy makes theirs freezable but also with a covered handle so baby’s hands don’t get too cold.
14. Silicone Rainbow / This rainbow toy is made of soft silicone which means it’s chew-proof and at the same time, ready for stacking, rocking, and develops balance and hand-eye coordination.