BIRTH GIFTS: WHAT GIFT TO GIVE TO A NEWBORN IN 2021?

The best baby gifts stimulate their senses ?. Babies may not seem to do much besides eat and sleep, but the first year of life is full of important developmental changes. And before they can even hold a toy, babies are already ready to play!

Babies are really learning about their place in the world , so the best toys give them some sense of feedback. For example, a classic baby rattle is a good example. “I hit it and it moves and makes noise.” This is the beginning of a sense of their place in the world.

Babies also explore with their mouths, so look for toys that aren't choking hazards (obviously) and might be interesting for a little tongue. We recommend avoiding too many toys that are technological or light up and flash ?, simply because they're too stimulating.

Don't forget to browse the collections on our site to find the ideal soft toy or comforter for each of your youngest loved ones!

1) What is a Gift Voucher for a Newborn?

Finding the perfect gift for a newborn can be a little overwhelming. Luckily, we're here to help you make the right choice! The best newborn gifts stimulate their senses and can handle a good layer of drool or help their parents.

You can opt for something sentimental, like a timeless keepsake , a beautiful baby book or a soft and cozy personalized blanket or you can choose more fun and educational toys ?. Many people also like to give practical items to new parents, like baby clothes that they can use right away.

Between midnight diaper changes and around-the-clock feedings, it's easy to forget to record special memories from baby's first year. These thoughtful newborn gifts help new parents make the most of the fleeting moments after a child's birth.

Discover our selection of 19 gifts to give for a baby's first birthday :

2) Educational Games

A- A Balance Bike to Learn Balance

Balance bikes with 2 or 4 wheels (depending on the age and ability of the baby) allow children to learn balance from a very young age and later, to ride a bike without training wheels much more quickly and easily! With balance bikes , in addition to learning balance, children have fun.

There are all kinds of balance bikes ?; wooden ones with two wheels… and they can support quite heavy weights, to provide even more safety , but are still not suitable for dads or older brothers/sisters!

B- Baby Play Mats and Gyms

Considered a must-have by many, play mats are veritable baby gyms . This worthy game is often composed of several development zones to promote the baby's brain and motor skills. On some of these mats, parents can modify the features of the playset. The mat is often made of a unique polyester material that is designed to withstand machine washing at home.

C- A Bead Maze, a Gift for Newborn

Here's another gift we probably all played with in waiting rooms as kids. This colorful toy is a great gift for one-year-olds because it packs so much early learning (colors, shapes, movement, and more!) into a compact space, with no cleanup required.

D- A Touch or Fabric Book for Baby

There are a multitude of books ? that babies can play with on their own. Cloth books are ideal for reading to the newborn and then letting them play with them on their own. Babies love these little books, their fabric composition allows for serious handling and presents no risk.

Touch and feel books are best for older newborns or with an adult nearby to hold them the right way up, read the text and guide your baby's hand to the things to touch ! Touch and feel books can be found on many different topics to help introduce them to new things like animals and their fur.

E- A Shape Box

A great classic but always interesting, shape boxes are a great gift idea for a first birthday. With them, babies learn shapes ⭐ and colors early on and improve their motor skills.

F- Musical Toys

A more artistic and musical gift to develop baby's hand-eye coordination. A musical toy like a small instrument will help develop the newborn's musical ear and motor skills while having fun pushing balls, shaking maracas or hitting a xylophone with a stick.

G- A Story to Read in the Evening

Many parents read a story to their baby at night before bed, and it's a good idea. It's important for social and language development . Reading books aloud repeatedly helps toddlers understand anticipation and practice prediction, and gives them the opportunity to develop their vocabulary and language skills.

Bedtime stories ? are something that new parents will cherish forever. They will fondly remember reading special books to their little ones before bed each night. So help the parents-to-be by gifting them baby books . Plus, books are a surefire gift for children of all ages.

For a toddler's attention span, choose baby books that are fairly simple, with bright, bold pictures and interactive elements (like cutouts for little fingers to slide through, touch-and-feel pages, or finger puppets).

2) A Cuddly Plush Friend

A- A Doudou

A symbolically strong gift that the newborn will keep with him and in his heart for a long time. In our childhood, almost all of us had THE comforter with which we slept and we know how important it was. Whether it was to hold it tightly in our arms to comfort and reassure us or to play with it in fascinating stories during the day, a comforter is a good gift for a first birthday !

B- A Giant Plush

At almost twice the size of a baby, a giant stuffed animal ? is a great gift. Imagine having a stuffed animal bigger than you to sit on and play with, a baby can only have fun, laugh and cuddle its ultra-soft fur. Be careful though to never leave a baby alone with it so that he does not get stuck under the stuffed animal or get hurt. At night and during the day when he is not playing with it, the giant stuffed animal can be used as a decoration in his room.

3) Personalized Gifts for a First Birthday

A- A Personalized Poster

Time flies by so quickly, even if for a new parent who can't sleep more than an hour at a time at night, time can seem a little longer. So immortalize the newborn's first year with a framed portrait or a personalized poster to frame and hang on the wall. It's up to you to let your imagination run wild for the perfect portrait to frame.

B- Wooden Cubes with his First Name on it

Creative, thoughtful and customizable, wooden cubes ? with a first name written on them are perfect as a gift for a baby. Always to work on motor skills by moving them, catching them and later organizing them in the right direction to form his first name, the wooden cubes can even be used as decoration in his room.

C- A Personalized Birthday Book

Offer a personalized book with bright and attractive images. What could be better than offering a birthday book for a birthday ? Adapted to the age of the baby to whom you are offering this book, you can read it to him and then take it out again a few years later. So discover the personalized birthday book  at our partner Wonderbly and benefit from a €10 reduction by going through our link.

D- A Personalized Photo Album for his 1st birthday

If you have photos and stories to tell, then a personalized photo album will make a very thoughtful gift  ? for a 1 year old baby. At least, you will be sure that ten years later, this gift will still be useful and interesting to look at!

E- A Photo Session for the Baby and the Parents

Parents love photos , especially to look at them later and see how much time has passed and how their child has grown! A photo session with a baby and a professional photographer specializing in newborn photos is therefore a great gift idea.

4) Useful Gifts for a Newborn

A- A Rattle or Teething Toy to Chew

When teeth come in, it works the gums! At some point, babies often have sore jaws and gums when the first teeth ? start to come out. A necklace or a rattle to chew on is a very good gift that will make these moments sweeter for newborns and parents alike.

B- A Push Tricycle

A very useful gift for parents of a 1-year-old is a push tricycle for fun rides ! This allows parents to take their baby more easily and playfully on walks and it motivates older children to come along because they often enjoy walking the little ones and especially pushing the tricycle.

C- A Baby Bouncer

A baby moves everywhere and when discovering the world around him, he quickly gets into mischief and can hurt himself. So, a baby bouncer is a great gift for a one-year-old child and will bring a calm and relaxing moment ? for his parents! A portable baby bouncer is an even better idea that will be able to be used to transport the baby more comfortably. You can also discover 10 other useful birth gifts .

5) An Original and Magical Gift for a First Birthday

A- Gift Idea for Babies: Zoo Membership

We may have mixed feelings about zoos, but there is no denying that kids love them . Zoos are just plain fun and when you are racking your brains over where to go to get out of the house, it is always a hit. Plus, it can introduce your baby to new animals, new sounds, and lots of interesting things.

B- A Gift Voucher for Newborns: Aquarium Membership

Fish ? are calming and a really nice place to relax on a rainy day. Giving parents an aquarium membership will allow them to take the time to go there more often and keep their kids busy!

Here is a wide range of gifts to offer for a first birthday! If you have other interesting ideas, tell us in the comments at the bottom of this article. I hope you now know what to offer a 1 year old baby, otherwise I advise you to look at other gift ideas on the Internet or browse the collections on our site to find the cuddly toy you need!