Gift Ideas

Overview

Shopping for babies and young children can be a challenge.
The spectrum of gift ideas can be incredibly broad so it’s helpful to ask the parents what they need and if the birthday girl/boy has any specific interests (dinosaurs, horses, tools, trains, dolls, trucks, etc).
Looking for ideas around baby showers? Click here.
Check out our general birthday theme for more ideas around gifts, wrapping and presentation.

On occasion, parents will register at a store for the party (book store, toy store, etc). This can simplify the process significantly so check for a registry first. If that’s not an option, here are some ideas to get you started…
- Gift cards
  - If you’re stuck for ideas or in a hurry, you can’t go wrong with a gift card. Whether it’s for books, toys, furniture or the local ice cream shop, it will always be appreciated.
- Activities
  - Experiences like the zoo or aquarium are a great way to spend time with the birthday boy or girl.
  - The activities don’t have to be pricey. Toddlers will often happily spend hours at the beach, playing in the snow or jumping in the autumn leaves.
- Clothing & accessories
  - It’s best to find out what brands and sizes the child will need before purchasing many of these items
    - Clothing, footwear, outerwear
    - Diapers
    - Blanket
- Toys/educational
  - Books – consider giving one that you remember reading as a kid. If there’s a memory around it that you can share, even better!
  - Stuffed animals
  - Games/puzzles
  - Bath toys
  - Building blocks (eg: Lego Duplo, Mega Bloks)
  - Musical toys (eg: keyboard, “tape recorder” so they can sing)
  - Costumes to play dress up
  - A retro toy that you played with as a kid that’s still around (eg: Mr Potato Head, Barrel of Monkeys, Lincoln Logs, Hot Wheels, Simon Says, Easy Bake Oven, Fisher Price rotary dial phone pull toy, View Master, Lite Brite, Etch a Sketch, See ‘N Say, Glo Worm…). The association with your own childhood can give the gift more meaning, tell a story about your best memory with it.
  - Sporty/outdoor toys – soccer ball, toddler baseball bat, goggles for the pool, tricycle, Big Wheel, balance bicycle…
- Making memories
  - Growth chart to hang on the wall – either home made or purchased
  - Photography session (either through a professional or, if you have the eye for it, offer to take some pictures of the toddler/family yourself)
  - Photo album, scrapbook, picture frame
  - Engraved or monogrammed items, large block letters with the child’s name on them
- Furniture/larger items
  - For these items, it’s always best to find out what is needed and which specific options are preferred before buying anything
  - Toddler bed
  - Toy chest/basket/storage boxes/shelves
  - Play house – these can range from elaborate outdoor options to self-assembled cardboard ones.
- On a budget?
  - Trackdown a large box from a local wholesaler or moving company and let the kid go nuts. We’re always amazed at how excited and imaginative kids get over a big empty box!
You can keep the theme simple and just present gifts around the birthday wishlist or you can incorporate other themes. For instance, have a closer look at the following themes if the toddler has an interest in these general areas:
- Horses
- Animal Lover
- Automotive (trains, trucks)
- Colours (theme your gift around their favourite colour)
- Puzzles
- Sports
- Senses (put together a gift that uses all their senses)
Have a suggestion for an infant or toddler gift we haven’t covered here? Let us know and we’ll try to add it onto the list.

Wrapping

Wrap the gift in a soft blanket
Tie a small stuffed animal or balloons into the ribbon
Put gift cards in some toddler-sized socks
Make the gift an oversized block letter (with letters/numbers on all six sides). You can simply use brown craft paper and draw on it with a marker to keep things simple.
Try wrapping your gift with plain paper and applying pictures of whatever the kid likes (trains, horses, etc) onto the gift, or have your kids decorate the wrapping paper themselves.
For smaller gifts, add a unique touch by making your own box.

Presentation

Infants and toddlers don’t need anything fancy when they get their gifts so you don’t have to do anything elaborate, just make it fun for them. You can ask them to blow bubbles each time they get a gift, or hide the gifts somewhere in the house/yard then ask them to find them first before opening them. A quick online search will give you tonnes of toddler games, find one that you like and roll with it.
Use quotes or phrases that relate to birthdays when you present the gifts or in your card. For example:
- “Today you are You. That is truer than true. There is no one alive who is You-er than You” ~Dr. Suess
- “All your dreams can come true if you have the courage to pursue them” ~Walt Disney
- Use a descriptive word for every letter in the birthday girl/boy’s name. Click here to see an example.