Having a little kid comes along with so much stuff. I remember hauling registry items into our two-bedroom apartment thinking, where are we supposed to put everything? So, our bar for gifts is high—we want things (and experiences) that are genuinely useful and totally joy inducing. We never want to add to clutter. A great gift gets used and loved…and becomes, eventually, essential. We spend a lot of time with toys, gear, and new products. Here’s what we’re excited to gift (and receive!) this holiday season.
There’s nothing like a sweet, soft toy to get you excited for baby’s arrival. Ultra-plush Sylvi toy is the perfect pal for growing with baby and soothing through the years with heartbeat sounds, vibrations, lights & nature-themed lullabies.
If you think a chic diaper bag is an oxymoron, think again. These sleek, stylish backpacks and totes are smartly designed to fit a whole bunch of essentials for babies and their caregivers without feeling bulky. We love the gender-neutral design, and they’re easy to wash.
SwaddleMe by Ingenuity Original Swaddle
They’ll be prepared to keep baby calm and comforted with this swaddle, which makes it easy to burrito baby with thanks to this swaddle's convenient wings. This soft, adjustable swaddle blanket wraps around baby for a perfect fit, creating a womb-like feeling for your little one and helping them sleep longer and better.
Everything a new mom needs to heal and recover, from ice maxi padsicle pads to super soft, latex free disposable boy short briefs. I was advised to raid my hospital room for supplies, but how much nicer is it to have luxe versions waiting for you at home? A thoughtful gift for a mom to be.
Ingenuity Calm Springs Soothing Essentials Gift Set
A sweet set to get ready to soothe newborns at home and on the go. The bundle includes a musical plush toy, Van the elephant teething mitt, a sun mirror, and 2 BPA-free teethers . Bonus: alluring, soft colors and ultra-cute designs complement nursery décor.
Bright Starts Roll & Glow Monkey
This small toy delivers loads of fun. With just a tap on the head, the Roll & Glow Monkey is off — sending you and baby on a wild monkey chase! Follow your wobbly crawler as she races after her silly animal friend.
We love Lalo for bringing gorgeous design to the baby space. This set of bath time essentials gets parents and their babies through all bath stages with ease and style. It includes a multi-stage tub, toys, and linens that keep your little one—and you—clean, dry, and comfy.
This is for parents, of course. After bedtime, my husband and I love to pour ourselves a glass of something delicious, and we love to try new wines. This is a great gift, as a subscription will keep on giving and help your giftee expand their palate and discover new favorites.
Baby Einstein Ocean Explorers Go Opus Go
The best toys grow with your baby. The Baby Einstein Go Opus Go stays fun from baby to preschool with four modes of learning and fun to inspire musical exploration, number and shape learning, sensory discovery, and movement. Dance Mode brings the party to all ages as Opus teaches opposites and plays music. Parenting pro tip: music and dancing make everything better, on great days and hard ones.
My baby was so dribbly we gave him the nickname “Juice.” Teething babies drool a lot—and when you dress your little one in cute, comfortable outfits, you don't want their clothes to soak through every few hours! These bibs are cute, effective, and convenient, with adjustable snaps on the back so you don’t have to fuss.
Baby Einstein and Hape Magic Touch Piano
My daughter received this as a baby gift, and she still loves it as an almost four-year-old big girl. The wooden piano magically makes music with just a touch. There’s volume control, which makes my noise sensitive husband happy. Two modes of play give your little one the ability to make her own music or play along with classic melodies.
Luxuriously soft and ridiculously cute, these pajamas make an awesome gift. Coconut Pops was founded by Courtney and her husband, Erik, who take inspiration from their daughter. We love the playful, unexpected patterns, like cinnamon rolls and oranges.
Baby Einstein - Music All Around Sound Book
When I’m in doubt, I give books. My toddler cannot get enough of this classic music-themed book, which features melodies by Bach, Beethoven, Handel, Mozart, and Puccini. Interactive text invites little ones to sing, clap, and play along with the music.
The genius play couch is infinitely configurable: it’s designed with four foam and covered in a washable fabric cover in the color of your choice, from mellow surfside blue-grey to my daughter’s favorite bright purple. Assembled in North Carlina, this will be a welcome addition to any place space.
There is nothing more precious to parents than sleep. This makes naptimes, bedtimes, and nighttimes a little more joyful for everyone, which is a giant win. You can set up a light and sound combination to let your early riser know when it's time to rise, plus pair light and sounds to build consistent habits and cue your little one for bedtime. For bigger kids, its Time-to-Rise signal lets them know when it's okay to get out of bed for the day.
The Toniebox is a screen-free digital audio player for children. The cloud-based system combines songs and stories with a unique element of play in an intuitive and durable format—a soft, squishy box. The Toniebox comes to life when paired with Tonies, hand-painted characters that make ideal gifts, They have hours of stories to tell, worlds to explore, and songs to sing along with. Each collectible character magnetically attaches to the Toniebox, making it simple for little hands to change stories.
Happy giving, and happy holidays from all of us at ParentCo.!
As a family law attorney, I know that the families who thrive post-divorce are the ones that make compromises and think creatively about solving problems.
Hannah Howard
Author