Holiday Gift Guide for Infants 2024!
As a pediatric physical therapist I am passionate about supporting the development of babies and children! Many parents ask me what toys or equipment I recommend, so I complied a few of my favorite things for those of you starting your holiday shopping! These recommendations can also be great for anyone building a baby registry or shopping for gifts year round. And remember, there are many types of toys out there and we each have our own preferences, budget, and space in our homes. These are just some ideas and I encourage you to choose what works best for your unique family!
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Gifts for 0-3 month olds
In the first few months of life baby is learning how to move and coordinate their muscles against gravity. They are starting to track or follow objects with their eyes, and starting to grasp objects. They are often interested in faces and high contract images (like black on white.) By the end of this age range we want to see baby starting to hold their head in the middle when laying on their back, and also bringing their hands together at the middle of their chest or their mouth! I recommend toys that allow baby to explore new sensory experiences like touch and sound in a low stimulation way, lightweight toys that are easy to hold, and equipment that can make tummy time easier against gravity as they move towards more tummy time play on the floor!
Gifts for 4-6 month olds
Starting around 4 months baby is becoming more alert, playful, and active! We start to see bigger, more coordinated movements and babies are working on skills like rolling, pushing up on their tummy, and sitting! If you have not yet set up a large soft rug or play-mat for your baby this can be a great age to do so as it allows them a large, safe area to explore movements. Many babies can tolerate more sensory stimulation so if you want to add in toys with music this can be a great age to do so. I like to include some bigger toys that baby can use to practice prop sitting (using their hands on the toy for balance) if they are working on this skill. Many babies start to show signs of teething at this age so I have included a few of my favorite teether toys as well!
Gifts for 6-12 month olds
In this age baby is becoming mobile! From pivoting on their tummy the crawling and standing, we want to encourage baby to be active and explore their world! Some families like to add a play pen or baby gate to give baby a safe but contained place to play. Many babies are becoming more interested in books, cause and effect style toys, and putting toys out and in of containers. I love introducing climbing play on soft components or a play couch, to build strength and coordination. If baby is practicing standing on their own I like to offer light toys that they can hold in their hand and balance. And of course toys that encourage standing or stepping with support like a push toy or shopping cart!
The information provided in this blog post is for educational purposes only and not intended to be medical advice. Consult a medical professional or healthcare provide for diagnosis and treatment.