With Christmas approaching, it can be hard to know what gifts to give babies under 1. After all, this might be the only Christmas where they can’t tell you what they actually want. They have probably been given lots of baby clothes for their birth and they might be moving into a stage where they can actually start to appreciate and enjoy toys.

Here are some great gifts for babies under 1.

1. Squeakaboo Toys

These are gorgeous baby rattles that are designed for small hands to grasp. They are brightly coloured and have protruding parts which are easy for babies to bite and chew on. If you squeeze the handle, they squeak and if you shake it, they rattle. Some of the fabric has crinkle material underneath to give an extra sensation. These baby rattles are machine washable and would make a fab gift for a baby under 1. I stock the dog, duck and bee.

2. Baby Plui

This is a mini rainmaker rattle that is the perfect size for little hands. The ends are wooden. As the small beads move from being shaken, they make a lovely noise. Baby will enjoy watching the beads move up and down too. Suitable for babies aged 3 months and over.

3. Fair Trade Crocheted Toys

I stock a selection of fair trade crocheted rattles from a company called Pebble. They are beautifully made and they each have a happy, smiley face on them. This one is the Octopus. Baby will enjoy looking at the stripy legs and biting down on them.

4. A Fabric Book

These soft fabric books are made by Galt. They have a plastic teether built into them and each page has something new to discover. This is the farm one and I also stock a dinosaur one.

5. A Handprint Kit

Let’s face it, those little hands don’t stay small for long and it can be hard to remember back to how small they once were. This baby handprint kit allows you to mould one handprint and one footprint using baby friendly clay. It comes in a gorgeous keepsake case.

6. A Wooden Teething Ring

I have a few to choose from. The one pictured above is called Baby Fishy and it has a silicone fish for the baby to bite on when teething. I stock a similar one called Baby Bobi which has silicone rings and a wooden owl. Both of these are made by Djeco and if you are looking to pair them with something, they go really well with the mini rainmaker rattle featured above. I also stock Heimess Touch Rings for babies.

7. Ambi Toys – Activity Case

This Activity Case has lots of buttons and activities for your child to discover and play with. It’s suitable for babies aged 6 months and older.

If you would like to know what age (by month) toys should be given to babies and toddlers, you might enjoy my blog Developmental Toys for Babies and Toddlers.