If you’re searching for a gift for an upcoming baby shower, you may have a problem deciding which gift to buy. According to What to Expect, 75% of expectant parents post a baby registry, which may give you some specific ideas for your gift choice. While might be charmed by one cute gift, consider finding something educational to pair it with! Here are six ideas.
1. Choose Blocks and Stacking Toys
As babies grasp and build with blocks and stacking toys, they learn how to use their brains creatively. Although young infants enjoy blocks for their colors and shapes, older infants will use blocks to gain the abilities of sorting and stacking. Those skills will later develop into math abilities and the basics of organization. Babies will also learn it’s fun to knock the blocks down and start stacking them again.
2. Select Books for Language Development
Babies won’t be able to read books, but books are still popular and practical baby gifts. Parents can bond with their younger babies during story time, and the same books will be around when the babies grow old enough to learn how to read. Technology has provided the option of “talking” books, which introduce babies to the alphabet and to the sounds of words. When the baby hears their favorite stories, again and again, they’ll learn to associate the letters on the page with their enjoyable meanings.
3. Develop their Fine Motor Skills
When infants move their hands to manipulate a squeeze toy or push buttons to produce noises and lights, they will develop fine motor skills. Babies’ motor skills are rudimentary, but those skills become the foundation for future motor skill development. According to the Cleveland Clinic, it takes about three years for babies’ fine motor skills to fully emerge. Babies will use fine motor skills in their everyday activities, like dressing and grooming, but also for writing and using tools.
4. Inspire Their Inner Musician
Kids enjoy finding ways to make noises, so take advantage of that by choosing toy instruments or toys with musical features. Musical toys won’t just sound great; they can imprint organizational skills as children unconsciously absorb lessons about rhythm and time signatures. Letting your children discover they can recreate the songs they hear with their toy instruments will be an invaluable gift. In fact, according to Your Modern Family, 15 months of musical training during early childhood can produce beneficial structural brain changes!
5. Put Safety First
Read the labels of the baby gifts you are considering to give you a guide to age-appropriate gifts. Infants should not be given toys that contain small parts that could become choking hazards. A baby’s toys should always be washable since babies often place toys in their mouths. Avoid toys with sharp edges or points that can painfully poke.
6. Look for Toys that Encourage Participation
Babies will grow into children, and children must learn to cooperate with their peers. Look for toys that encourage family participation, like a play mat where a parent or sibling can join the baby in their play. A pretend tea set will enable them to “prepare a meal” and share it with parents or friends. A pretend telephone can prepare them for future conversations.
Consider these educational gifts to pair with an adorable onesie, blanket, or other cuddly item. The new parents in your life will love them!
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