2015 Holiday Gift Guide: Baby and Toddler
by Janssen Bradshaw
Baby gifts can be tricky. Tiny tots frequently enjoy the ribbon on their present more than the present itself. On the other hand, the holidays are a great excuse to buy a few books or toys that you’ve been wanting to add to their collection.
These holiday gifts are unique, inventive, and fun to give. And who knows? Little ones may even like them more than the box they came in!
Heading out to do some holiday shopping? You can download a printable version of the gift guide below.
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Bed Time
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Goodnight Moon
This is such a classic that no baby’s library should be without it. Perfect for any new parent or brand-new baby, plus a great gift to start off a new grandparent’s book collection.
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The Very Hungry Caterpillar Mobile
Every baby I’ve known loves that munchy little caterpillar, and I love the child-friendly art style and bright colors. This mobile is just right for hanging in a nursery or in a boring corner of a playroom that could use brightening up!
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Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site
If you know a little vehicle lover, you can’t go wrong with this book that sweetly wishes each construction vehicle good night.
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LED Night LightCute and clever, this night light changes color and will last up to 25,000 hours with its LED bulb.
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Free Fall
This wordless book works for the tiniest of babies because you can zip through the pages, but as they grow older, there are endless details and clever things to look at on every page. Baby or toddler, girl or boy, I can’t think of anyone who won’t be fascinated by this book.
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Nursery Book Caddy
I love making books easy for little ones to get to on their own — it’s hard to encourage a love of books if they have to rely on you to always make them available! This cute caddy keeps books organized and comes in a slew of colors to fit any decor.
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Animals, Animals, Animals
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Life-Size Zoo: From Tiny Rodents to Gigantic Elephants, An Actual-Size Animal Encyclopedia
Nothing can replace a trip to a real zoo, but since that probably isn’t going to happen every afternoon, this book is the next best thing. You can see how big various animals really are (that giraffe tongue is so long!), plus learn all sorts of interesting facts. You’ll want your recipient to be a bit older so they don’t tear the pages, but once they’re past that destructive phase, this book is a winner for every child.
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Animal Bingo
My in-laws gave us this game a few years ago and not only has it been a huge favorite in our house, it still looks brand-new after hundreds of games. It’s not for babies, but it’s perfect for a 2-year-old.
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National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry: 200 Poems with Photographs That Squeak, Soar, and Roar!
Available from:I can’t decide whether I like the stunning photos in this book or the enormous collection of classic and new poems better. It’s just such an amazing book and I’ve loved owning our own copy — my 2-year-old loves paging through it and my kindergartner loves to hear the poems read aloud. This is for an older toddler who loves animals (but don’t be surprised if the adults in the house snag it too).
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Elephant RockerIt’s a jungle in here! Little ones can embark on their own safari with this soft and cozy elephant rocker.
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Good Night, Gorilla
Available from:Definitely one of our all-time favorite animal books, plus when you’re trying to get your baby into bed in a hurry, this book is a nice quick read. The board book is the perfect size for chubby little hands.
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Curious George and Giraffe Bodysuit
I can’t get over how cute this little bodysuit is. Pair it with a Curious George book for a perfect and easy baby gift for their first holiday season!
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The Classics
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Jane Eyre: A BabyLit® Counting Primer
These BabyLit books are some of my favorites — I won’t admit to just how big my collection is now! It’s perfect for a new baby and for the English-major parent.
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The Little Prince Bodysuit
The Little Prince strikes me as one of those unusual classics where the illustrations are as iconic or even more so than the story itself. This little bodysuit is a fun nod to one of the great French stories for children.
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Cozy Classics: War and Peace
In these fun spins on the classics — with all the illustrations done out of yarn (!) — each page only has one word. Snag one or two of these for the new parent who relied heavily on CliffsNotes or the hip grandma who loves both knitting and great works of literature.
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Moby Dick Puzzle
These are perfect for when your baby starts aging out of puzzles where the pieces fit into cut holes and into jigsaws. Both of my daughters started being interested in these types of puzzles right around age two, and never seem to get tired of doing them.
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2B or Not 2B Bib
No parents has ever said, “I just have too many bibs.” This cheeky Shakespeare-inspired bib is just right for finishing off a stack of books you’re planning on giving as a gift.
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ABC! 123!
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LMNO Peas
The bright colors in this catch the attention of little ones, and as they grow older, they can practice their letters, plus look for the ladybug hidden on each page (my 2-year-old LOVED this one).
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ABC Puzzle
I love a good puzzle not only for learning the alphabet, but also for practicing hand-eye coordination. Try this out for your 1- or 2-year-old.
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Little Owl’s 1-2-3
Available from:Little Owl flies through the night, visiting his other nocturnal forest friends, counting from one to ten. From the tiniest baby to a young toddler just figuring out counting, this is a great way to practice numbers together.
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Uncle Goose Language BlocksThese colorful and beautifully crafted blocks not only feature the Spanish alphabet but animals, numbers, and math symbols as well.
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Backseat A-B-See
This was absolutely my daughter’s favorite ABC book — we read it dozens of times! The street signs really pop against the shiny black pages and it’s great to be able to point out the signs when you’re walking or driving around town. You don’t have to be a vehicle lover to appreciate this one, but those who are will be extra enamored with this spin on the classic alphabet book.
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ABC Farmers’ Market Flash Cards
I’m not a fan of pushing flash cards on young children, but I do think they can make brilliant play toys that help teach in a very low-key way. They’re usually best suited for children over 18 months who won’t chew them up and can start to identify letters or foods.
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Once Upon an Alphabet: Short Stories for All the Letters
Available from:Definitely a picture book for the older end of the toddler spectrum — there are 26 short stories in this book, one for each letter of the alphabet. They’re exactly what you’d expect from Oliver Jeffers: inventive, unusual, and hilarious.
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San Francisco: A Book of Numbers
Available from:I loved these beautiful books the moment I laid eyes on them, with each book dedicated to a city around the world and teaching a different concept (numbers, colors, opposites, and shapes). They’re great for teaching toddlers, but they’re also the perfect baby shower gift or item to display in a nursery. I won’t lie — they’re on MY Christmas list!
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