The arrival of a new baby is always an occasion for gift giving by friends and relatives who wish to express their joy about your good fortune. Most gifts are items specifically used by the baby such as clothes and strollers; some gifts, often with tongue in cheek are given to lighten the parents load or provide a little humor; and others are given with an eye to the baby’s future. A few proven gift giving ideas are given below.
- Gifts for Use by the Baby
Toys
Kids of all ages love toys. For babies, toys are more than fun. They are learning tools that help to develop coordination and muscle control. Brightly colored objects help with the development of good eyesight, and chewable toys help to keep baby occupied while safely enjoying the experience of putting everything into her mouth.
A Support Pillow
Babies need support when they are first endeavoring to sit up. These support pillows which are designed in an embracing curve help to provide this support. Mothers love them because they make it easier to prop up the baby while breast feeding. Babies enjoy the soft snuggly safe feeling.
A Bouncy Seat
Babies can’t stay still. They are born to wiggle and explore. A good bouncy seat lets the baby wiggle around safely without getting himself into a jam. The seat is usually a simple construction: a stretchable fabric seat that can is stretched over a solid frame. Some of these seats come with a battery operated motor to initiate and encourage the baby to bounce. It’s great exercise for the baby, and frees mom for a while to attend to simple chores around the house.
A Baby Workout Gym
Babies are too young to sign up at the local gym, but they usually have enough energy to become active members. A great gift that helps babies to direct that seemingly inexhaustible energy is an activity gym. The gyms are made in several different configurations. Essentially, they consist of a platform or seat equipped with permanently mounted toys, mirrors, noisemakers, and other items that attract the baby’s attention, entertain him, and help him to develop timing, color recognition, and motor skills. They are lightweight and can be easily taken with you when you travel.
- Gifts with a Future
Savings and Investments
Babies eventually grow up. Maybe it’s too soon for most parents. When they do, they’ll be incurring expenses for college, marriage, and career. Having a little money in the bank won’t hurt at all. Savings bonds make a great gift. Many grandparents and relatives give savings bonds as a birth gift, and continue to give them on birthdays and special occasions. Gifts of this type, over time, can add up to a considerable nest egg. Opening a mutual fund with a yearly contribution is another great investment in the child’s future. It’s the gift, as they say, that keeps on giving.
Books to Grow with
Children’s books are great gifts, but they are necessarily age specific. A good investment in a child’s intellectual growth, in the form of a set of children’s classics, is a great gift. When the children are very young, parents can read to them from the wide selection of stories. As the children grow, they can enjoy reading these classics on their own. It’s a gift that will help them through to adulthood, and one for which you will always be remembered.
A Personalized Children’s Book
There is undoubtedly a book that you enjoyed as a child; a favorite book that stays in your memory. Find a new copy of the book and personalize it as a gift. Inscribe your feelings about the book on the inside front cover. Tell the child how much the story has meant to you, and that you hope he or she will find as much joy in the story as you did.
- Gifts Enjoyed by Mom and Dad
Advice from the Zodiac
There are not too many people who take horoscopes seriously anymore. Astrology has simply become fun. Parents will get a kick out of having a horoscope reading made specifically for their baby. It’ll most probably be framed and hung in the baby’s nursery or made a permanent part of the baby book.
Tot Travel Tools
Traveling with baby can be a challenge, because babies get bored easily when they are riding in a car without anything to engage their attention. There are undoubtedly baby travel kits available on the market, but you can assemble your own custom gift yourself by selecting items that you know the baby and the parents will enjoy. Soft toys, baby wipes, bibs, rattles, and other such common items can make a long car trip with the baby much more pleasant. When parents take babies out for traveling, a stroller might be helpful. When my sister had her first baby, I sent her little treasure the First Years Wave Stroller as a gift so that she could walk him out when traveling outside.
Amy Brown, a stay-at-home mom, now is an editor of Livesnet, a site offering baby gear reviews and tips on problems parents encounter in daily life. She’s surely willing to share her own experience and tips. Please visit Livesnet and read hot article on Britax Frontier 85 Reviews.