Great Gifts for Babies

Babies under 1 year old really do not need that many toys. Really the simplest things will do such as an empty water bottle with some uncooked rice (and a sealed lid!) to shake or even an ordinary shoe box! But, those of us who love them, love to shower them with gifts! So, which gifts are really the most practical and fun for baby? Here are some great ideas for babies under 1 year old:

Babies like toys that they can hold in their hands. Teethers are great for those who are beginning to teethe and who are putting lots of things in their mouths anyway. Washable plush toys also are easy to hold and can be cleaned when they get drooled on too much.

Crib toys are useful in soothing small babies to sleep. The Ocean Wonders Aquarium toy can attach right to the crib and plays aquarium sounds as well as having things for baby to look at as he falls asleep. Another toy that attaches right to the crib is the Kick and Play Piano. This toy works on several modes that allow it to grow with the child. It has a mode where it will simply play through its repertoire of songs along with blinking lights and as baby grows, it has a mode where baby has to kick (or otherwise touch) the piano to activate the sounds and lights. Another great crib toy is the Gloworm. This is a soft and cuddly toy that will light up when squeezed. It is a great pal for babies to have in the dark!

As baby gains the strength to sit up on his own, the Graco Entertainer Exersaucer is a great addition. It allows baby to be in an upright position so he can see a lot more than when he is stuck laying down. It also has a variety of toys and activities attached to it for entertainment as the baby grows to enjoy these things. It has beads on a loop, a musical star, and a steering wheel with beeping horn just to name a few items on this toy.

For young babies laying on the floor an activity gym may be just the right thing for them. Gymini Activity Gym has toys that hang down from an arc that goes over the play mat. It has a mirror for baby to look at himself. And, the mat itself is interesting to look at when the baby is playing on his tummy with some of the detachable toys that come with this gym. Gymfiniti is another activity gym toy. It looks more like a table and baby lays under it to play with the toys that hang down. As baby grows, he can pull himself up using this toy and there are activities he can do on the top of the table as well. This is a great addition to any collection of baby paraphernalia because it can do double duty as an infant and a toddler toy.

As baby grows and can sit on the floor to play with toys there are a group of classic toys that babies will still love. The Rock-a-Stack toy is 5 colorful rings that fit onto a cone shaped stick. The rings themselves are fun for baby to play with and put in his mouth and as baby grows, it is a great learning toy as he learns sizes and putting them in order. The classic Shape Sorter is another great toy that babies can play with. The shapes are the perfect size for baby's small hands. As baby grows, he can also learn the shapes of these toys as he learns to sort them into the proper holes on the top of the container. Nesting action vehicles are also the perfect size for small hands and baby will love playing with them as cars as well as stacking and unstacking these cute vehicles.

A few other classic toys to include on a gift list for a baby might include the classic Chatter Phone. The only place I have been able to find this classic toy is on www.fisher-price.com and their price is a very reasonable $5.00 for this item! The classic corn popper toy is another great Fisher Price toy for when babies start to walk. They love to push the corn popper and hear and see the balls popping around in the plastic bubble.

Overall, I would say that toys that make children think or be creative are the best toys for babies. Toys that encourage sensory development are also good choices. Remember that babies do not need a LOT of toys, a few good quality items will do just fine for now!