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I have this video on my phone of my niece, holding onto and gnawing at a cooked piece of pumpkin while sitting in a pink Minnie Mouse walker. She was about 6 months old. I still look at that video to this day, even though she’s at school now. It’s just so cute, it was at this age and beyond that she was starting to hold things, feed herself, crawl (or roll) around, and bop to music. It was the best! You could see her personality start to show itself, it’s such an exciting time. The gifts I tend to get at this age either help them enjoy eating, or get them moving, or give them a taste of different activities to see what they like. Here are my favorite gifts for infants 6-12 months old.
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Silicone bibs
Under $25 – I remember the first time I saw a silicone bib, my friend Alana was feeding her son and the avocado just gently slipped from the corner of his mouth to the scoop below. It was genius, I wished I thought of it. I immediately started to put this on my gift list. I tend to give this PandaEar Set of 3 Silicone Baby Bibs, because let’s face it, when it comes to feeding a baby, one would definitely not be enough. I like this one which is more of a neutral color palette; all the toys and things at this age are colorful enough, I quite like that parents don’t have to get an eyeful of fluro when they are trying to get through feeding time.
High chair
Under $200 – you can get a high chair earlier as a gift earlier, but it’ll really come into use when the baby graduates from milks to solids around 6 months old. There are some fancy chairs out there now, I’ve seen the ergonomic Stokke chair that was invented by an industrial designer, but I’m just not sold, especially if you’re giving this as a gift. Keep it simple and practical I say, and the Joovy Nook High Chair, Compact Fold, Swing Open Tray, is easy to assemble, clean and fold-away. It has a removable, swing-open tray with 4 adjustable positions and an adjustable 5-point harness to keep your child safe and snug during meals and snacks.
Crawl toy
Under $25 – crawling is a really exciting milestone in a baby’s first year, and a bit nerve wracking, because you’ll have to start chasing the little bubba around now. The VTech Wiggle and Crawl Ball is a colorful, tactile, toy that is designed to motivate babies to crawl and move around. It’s multi-sensory so it moves to music and sounds, slides and spin, and is decorated with different shapes, numbers and animals, which will also help the baby develop their motor skills.
Rocker
Under $150 – there are times where I buy gifts but then actually recommend different products, this is one such occasion. I have given friends the Baby Bjorn bouncer, and it’s a very well-designed product, but it’s on the expensive-side. By now you know, I like gifts that are well-priced, and/or will get extra use because they are adaptable. That’s why I now prefer giving friends the Fisher-Price Deluxe Infant-to-Toddler Rocker Chair, which is soft, easy to swing either via the baby’s movements or parent’s touch, and it has a calming vibration setting. Best of all, it is a convertible baby seat for feeding, playing or soothing that can be used from infant to toddler size.
Sensory tissue box
Under $25 – anyone who has spent any time with babies knows they have a thing about pulling things out of places – you name it – books off a shelf, socks out of draws, and of course, tissues out of the tissue box. Enter the Eric Carle Tissue Box Sensory Toy, which is designed to address this exact instinct, but is much more entertaining and educational for babies. The box is filled with “tissues” of different colors, patterns and textures, and has characters from a nostalgic childhood favorite, The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
Activity walker
Under $75 – I mentioned my niece’s Minnie Mouse walker in the intro, and as much as I’ll have a soft spot for that walker because it was what my niece had, I actually prefer the Kolcraft Tiny Steps 2-in-1 Infant & Baby Activity Walker because it’s more versatile, and therefore more practical, and you know I love gifts that get more more use. My niece’s walker only let her sit and walk, but this walker converts from a seated activity walker to a walk-behind version, which means it grows and adapts with the baby. So when they get more comfortable walking, they can, and not leave their activity walker in the rear-view mirror.
S.T.E.M learning toy
Under $25 – ok, you’ve patiently waited and here it is, the educational toy! It’s not surprising we have it in the infants gift list because this is an important time in a baby’s development where they are learning hand-eye skills and taking in shapes and colors as information. The Sassy Stacks of Circles Stacking Ring is a very popular gift, with 9 stackable rings with different textures and weights, it is designed to strengthen baby’s motor skills, but the the bright colors and patterns make it a fun toy as well.
If you’re looking for other educational toys for your infant, try our full STEM toy guide.
Hero Gift: Jumping harness
Under $200 – my friend’s son, Felix, had a strong desire to stand and walk when he was a baby. He had these chunky little legs that were just waiting to be put to good use. You know that saying, you need to walk before you can run, well in Felix’s case, you need to bounce before you can step, so we got him a Jolly Jumper. It helped him improve his balance and coordinations, and definitely strengthened his muscles, he looked like a mini Spiderman at times. It comes with a stand, which you can use indoors or out (Felix liked the backyard). I have a whole photo album of Felix using his Jolly Jumper, he absolutely loved it.
