Christmas Gift for A Baby
From: grandma
I have a problem that your readers might be able to help me with. My granddaughter will have her first Christmas this year.
Yesterday I found a pink stocking with a cap for half price and it was so cute I couldn’t not buy it. Now I want to put things into it that a one year old would enjoy.
It has been many years since I bought things for a very young child. I am on my own for ideas.
I have only ever bought things for girls once. I could use some help with ideas of what is appropriate. Do your readers have any suggestions? Thanks.
Photo By: Southern Lady’s Vintage
You could try some baby food, or some of those toddler snacks in place of candy. Some large blocks, a plush animal or baby doll, or maybe some rattles, depending on the age of the baby. Hope that helps.
Oohhh – I’ll second the blocks and a add board book or two.
I also liked patterned tights and ‘bloomers’ (those little pantiloon-type diaper/butt covers that come with little girl’s dresses) – we seemed to go through those way fast. I would recommend checking with Mom/Dad first to see if baby wears mostly dresses or pants before buying those those. My daughter always only wore dresses so tights and bloomers were very appropriate for us.
Those large flower hair bands are super cute too and she can wear them for a long time (my 5-year-old still wears hers with her school uniform).
Bubbles are always a huge hit too – even with the older kids. And they bubble blowers for babys – fill up and baby pushes the handle for bubbles. They don’t spill and baby can’t accidentally drink the solution!
Have fun and enjoy your granddaughter!
Lea
I am a day care provider with 20+ years of experience. A child as young as that will not have interest in any one thing for a long amount of time. I find the children love ‘board’ books. I find these at Dollar Tree a lot. They are thick card board books that a child can hold and not tear.
Just be careful of what you buy; make sure it is not too small as to be a chocking hazzard, and check where the item was made, many things made in China have lead paint.
My kids here love a sand bucket with a shovel. No sand needed. The stir it, the pound it like a drumb, the wear the bucket on their head like a hat…they have a great time with a bucket.
Hi Grandma…Congratulations on a baby granddaughter!! What fun!!!… Some things to stuff her stocking…. socks (you can add ribbon flowers to the cuffs of plain white socks-sew them on tight), bibs, pull apart beads (look like giant beads-plastic), a rag doll (if you can sew, you can customize it to look like her and add some personalization. They even sell small recordable gizmos that go inside stuffed dolls/toys…You could tell her how much you love her in YOUR voice and sew it into the doll). My mother once bought (25cents)a homemade Raggedy Ann at a garage sale for our daughter. It’s dress had an embroidered patch inside that said it was from “Grandma”. It broke my heart to think they would sell such a thing, and not save it…I kept it for a long time even after my daughter was done with it, and finally donated it, hoping another little girl would give it the love it deserved…. Pacifiers, little barrettes, tub/chew toys, are some more ideas. Please be very careful with the dollar stores when it comes to children’s items-most are from China, and they really don’t care what goes into (lead, cadmium, etc) the stuff we give our children (not just infants). And since infants/toddlers put EVERYTHING into their mouths, better SAFE than SORRY!! Try to buy a NAME brand (Playskool, Fisher Price, Disney etc)…. Also, to check if something is a CHOKE HAZARD, keep an empty toilet paper roll with you…if it fits into the roll-FORGET IT!!…Enjoy the blessings a baby brings….they grow up waaaay toooo fast(ours turns 17 this year!)!!!
One idea I am going to make is a set of alphabet letters. With lots of Q’s Chinese use Q;s a lot.
I am going to use that closed foam for sleeping on when camping it is about 1/2 an inch thick and it doesn’t absorb moisture.
I used to make them in wood but for a child under 2 I think the foam will be better. Also lighter so it isn’t so expensive to mail or to pack in a suitcase.
I want to have a few things for them to take back for Christmas when they are here this summer.
I also found the other day something that looks like a soother with a net instead of a nipple. You put fruit in it and the child can chew on it to get the juice but can’t choke on the fruit pieces. You can also put frozen stuff in it for help with teething. Where were these gadgets when I needed them?
I am looking for a soft bodied baby doll that I can knit or sew a wardrobe for. Doll for Christmas outfits during the year for birthdays and stuff. The gift that keeps on giving sort of idea. When she gets old it will barbie things.
My son keeps telling me things he wants to get her next christmas and I tell him to make sure the boxes and wrapping paper are left for her to explore. Little ones enjoy that more than the gift most times.
They are also very careful with toys and things given to Anqi from family and friends. If it doesn’t look safe due to bright colours they hang it on the wall.
better safe than sorry.
I just wanted to add a bit about the lead paint in Chinese toys. There was a HUGE recall of Chinese toys back in 2007. After that whole ordeal there were stricter rules on import that was agreed to and Mattel (the main toy company involved) paid 2.3 million dollars in fines. http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2009/06/08/steep-fine-for-mattel-over-lead-paint-in-chinese-made-toys/ I would say at this point I would feel safer getting Chinese toys because this was made such a deal and there has been an agreement making sure it will not continue to happen that was reached 4 years ago and a fine paid for this 2 years ago. I just want to make sure to correct this misconception as I do not think it is fair to boycott a company for an issue they discovered and took action to correct years ago.
Another idea I came up with is cloth books. But personalized ones.
I am going through the computer for pictures of the cousins and pets and things we do and I am going to use the paper you use for printing on t shirts.
Put them onto squares of material and sew them up in book form with a small story about each picture.
It will get her used to us from a distance so as she grows older and comes to visit she will have an idea of who we are.
Grandma I also had a picture of me and my grandchild (you could do one of you or put 2 pictures together etc. ) and you can buy those snow globes which you can put the picture into. My grandkids still love theirs even though they are older now.
Another tip not for you at the moment since your grand baby is far away but for other grandmothers is when our toddlers first started have to sit still in church or some place like that I made up a mini photo album with pictures of them and family members kind of like a story book for them to look through just at those times to help entertain them.
my sister used to give her kids their “special” bible story books .. they had 2 sets .. one for when they went to church to “read” (look at the pics) and one for home… and when they got older they were given a small pad and pencil to “take notes” .. to keep them entertained ..
That baby (girl or boy) will be teething for a long time so an assortment of teething toys is a great gift for baby and parents. I have elevn grands so I do know a bit about them. One of the old fashioned favorites is a bunch or small rubber beads strung on elastic and they are avaiable about everywhere. They don’t drop it as much as there is plenty of space to hold on while the other side is in her mouth. A long skinny teether is good for them once it is back teeth coming in. Now days there are clips made that clip onto a pacifier on one end and onto the baby’s clothing on the other end. It has a short ribbon between which is not long enough to get around a childs neck and choke. A teething baby gets so cross when she drops her “binky”. I reccomend the bubble teethers filled w/liquid that can be refrigerated or frozen. They give a lot of relief until they get teeth and then they bite through them but until then they are so cooling to a feverish baby. For every teething toy put in a bib as they slobber something awful. They sometimes even get a sore chin from being wet so much and if the bib is there the grown up can use the it for a quick wipe. Finally, grab an assortment of teething gels and other pain relievers. They can make a very trying time so much easier. Even something special for the other end is useful. For some reason teething makes little bottoms break out something awful. Once the new tooth comes through their diaper area clears right up until the next tooth flares up. I have given this gift for first birthdays as well as first Christmas and have always been thanked later when the goodies are being most useful. The parents love it as much as the little one. God bless your darling little one.