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Let’s be honest, the best presents for newborns and young babies are the ones that make the parents’ lives easier in some way. I say this as someone who had a baby last December and has spent the months since getting to grips with what’s actually useful in the first year of a child’s life.
Blankets and cuddly toys are often go-to presents for little ones, and while they’re lovely gifts, there are lots of alternatives that new parents will be grateful for. This guide features all kinds of toys, books and gifts that I have tried and tested with my baby, as well as expert insights on how these items are beneficial for little ones. I’ve also included practical gifts, such as easy-to-clean playmats and zipped sleepsuits, that make nappy changes less fraught.
How I selected
Since I had my daughter at the end of last year, I’ve been immersed in all things baby. As a new parent, there is so much noise around the products you have to have that sometimes it can be hard to know what you need. Compiling this list, I’ve included books and toys my baby loved during testing, and those that we’ve had a lot of use out of over the past 11 months.
I’ve focused on toys that will help encourage a baby’s development at different stages, as well as being fun for parents and little ones to interact with together. I’ve also selected practical products, such as a pram rocker and a comfortable and easy-to-clean playmat – all things that can save the sanity of the new parent. I also spoke to parentings experts to gain insight into the benefits of different types of toys. Based on this, I’ve offered suggestions for gifts that fit their recommendations.
Items for babies are often used for a short time as they change and develop quickly. If you’re looking for a more affordable or sustainable way to shop, you can find lots of secondhand baby things in great condition at charity shops, on Vinted or in Facebook and WhatsApp groups.
The best toys and gifts for newborns and babies in 2025
Smart sleepsuit
Two-way zip sleepsuit, pack of three
Before I had a baby, my criteria when buying them clothes was: “Is it cute?” Now I know what I should have considered was: “How does it do up?” Given the number of times a baby needs a change of clothes, this is a crucial detail. Buttons are fiddly and poppers are OK, but when it comes to sleepsuits, the best fastener is a two-way zip. You can undo them from the bottom for swift nappy changes, and the ease of the zip makes changing outfits much quicker.
These sleepsuits were a life-saver when my baby was little and became my favourite ones to use. They come in sets of three and are available in neutrals, pinks and blues. In my experience, they come up big, but that means there’s room for babies to grow.
Materials: cotton
Suitable for: newborns to 24 months
Nap saviour
Rockit rocker
I’ve spent hours pounding the pavements to get my daughter to go to sleep – and stay asleep – in her pram. I appreciate the chance to stretch my legs and up my step count, but sometimes you do need to sit down. That’s why the Rockit Rocker has been an essential bit of baby kit for me.
This rocket-shaped portable rocker is attached to the pram with a bracket and vibrates to simulate the sensation of the pram being pushed or rocked. You can adjust the speed of the vibrations, too. Mine favours a gentle rock, and that has given me the chance to finish cups of tea while they’re still hot and eat meals in cafes with two hands.
Materials: plastic
Suitable for: from birth
Mess-free prints
Little Prints imprint kit
Everyone tells you how quickly your baby will grow up, and guess what? It’s true. Give parents the gift of preserving those precious memories with this clever kit from Little Prints. It has everything you need to take an imprint of your baby’s hands and feet but, crucially, is mess-free. You open up the sealed ink pad and place it ink-side down on the imprint card, then put your baby’s feet or hands on top, so that it makes an imprint on the card below without getting any ink on their skin. Available in black, blue, silver and pink, it makes a lovely present for new parents, and it’s straightforward enough to get your head around even in the newborn haze.
Materials: card and ink pad
Suitable for: from birth
Pop-up book
Peekaboo Moon
My daughter loves a book with flaps, but now that she can lift them, she’s started enthusiastically ripping them, leaving me with a pile of sticky-tape repairs. But the books we have from the Peekaboo series, written by Camilla Reid and illustrated by Ingela P Arrhenius, are still intact thanks to the thick board material and the use of sliders rather than paper flaps. Peekaboo Moon is our go-to bedtime book, but there are lots of others in the series. It’s filled with engaging illustrations, sliders on every page and a mirror at the back.
It’s light on text, but that’s a good thing, according to Larissa Hazell, a nanny with 14 years’ experience and the founder of the Childcare Guide, who says: “Books that only have a few words per page support a baby’s language development because it focuses the reader on connecting that word to the picture. It also encourages the reader to talk more about the picture, which is more engaging for the baby.”
Materials: board
Suitable for: from birth
Pram play
Freddie the Firefly activity toy
There are certain items I don’t leave the house without these days – a nappy bag, the pram rain cover and Freddie the Firefly. This clip-on toy packs in a lot of stimulation – there’s a squeaking button, a mirror, a teether and loads of different colours and textures to keep little ones entertained when you’re out. I mostly have it clipped on to the pram, but it’s also good for the car seat. If, like my baby and me, you can’t get enough of this little guy, there’s also a highchair version.
Materials: polyester, ABS, TPR
Suitable for: from birth
Good eggs
Tomy Hide and Squeak bright chicks
I have yet to meet a baby that doesn’t love playing with this toy. A set of six brightly coloured eggs, three of which are shakers and three of which squeak, it comes in a handy box so you can easily tidy them away or take them out with you. As well as shaking and squeaking, the eggs are good for bashing together, and my daughter is equally obsessed with the turquoise egg box they come in.
Materials: plastic
Suitable for: 0-12 months
Sensory set
Newborn sensory box
This sensory set from Priya and Peanut includes 10 different toys designed to encourage a baby’s development from birth to six months. Everything is black, white and red; babies can only see black and white initially, and red is one of the first colours they can distinguish.
“Sensory cards and books are really good because everything is blurry for newborns in the early days, and they can only see in black and white,” says Hazell. “When they have that high contrast between black and white in front of them, they can start to see those shapes and images more clearly. It holds their focus more and strengthens their visual development.”
This set was a hit with my daughter when she was younger – she was engaged in the sensory cards, the decals were a life-saver during nappy change meltdowns, and she loved the sensory foil blanket. You can buy some of the items individually, but the set makes a thoughtful gift.
Materials: paper, cotton, polyester, plastic and beech wood
Suitable for: from birth
Pretty playmat
Totter + Tumble playmat
Given how much time you spend on the floor once you have a baby, a good playmat is well worth having. My daughter and I have put in plenty of hours on our Totter + Tumble playmats. Made from high-quality memory foam, they’re noticeably more comfortable than other mats I’ve tried. My baby loves playing on it, and the fact that it’s padded means it’s ideal for her to move around on as she gets increasingly mobile. They’re also easy to wipe clean, with no awkward dips or ridges.
The tasteful designs will actually look nice in your home, with everything from geometric to botanical prints, as well as a new Persian rug-inspired collection. They’re reversible, so you have the option to switch things up, too. The mats are available in a range of sizes, but I’d recommend going as large as the space will allow – once babies are on the move, bigger is better so that they have room to roam.
Materials: nontoxic PVC sealed memory foam
Suitable for: from birth
Multipurpose cups
Lamaze Pile and Play stacking cups
Stacking cups are one of my daughter’s favourite toys, and I’m a big fan of them too. Julie Pearson, development manager for the Early Years Alliance, says they’re a great “open-ended” toy, meaning “there’s no right or wrong way to play with them. They’ve got lots of uses and support things such as early problem-solving; young babies will like banging them together, while older babies will try to stack them. This builds their confidence as they’re able to explore them in their own way.”
My baby loves bashing them together, knocking down a tower I’ve built with them, or filling them up with water in the bath. Parents will appreciate that they stack together in a compact way, are easy to clean and are ideal for on the go.
Materials: plastic
Suitable for: from six months
Step by step
Heimess baby gym and walking heart bear
Baby gyms can be great in the early months, but they’re less useful once your child is more mobile. Being a baby gym and a walker, this has more longevity, which is ideal when choosing a toy that’s going to take up some space. My daughter loves this, and as a parent, it’s a joy to watch her interact with it. As a tiny baby, she would lie underneath it and try to grab the hanging rings, and now that she’s a bit older, she pulls herself up on to it (as it’s on wheels, I do have to hold it still) and practises her standing and walking. Made from wood, it’s also a cute design that won’t look garish in your living room.
Materials: wood
Suitable for: from birth
Squishy book
Farm Tails book
With bright colours, crinkly pages and textured animal tails to play with, the Jellycat Farm Tails book has lots to keep your baby entertained; my daughter loves pulling on the tails and turning the pages.
“Crinkly books with stuff dangling off them encourage parents or carers to communicate with the child, talking about how the book feels, the sound it’s making, or the colour of it,” says Hazell. “You don’t necessarily need words on the page when there are other things to engage the parent to talk with the child, which allows for more free-flow communication.”. My baby can interact with it independently while sitting in her highchair or pram, but it’s also good for playing with together.
Materials: polyester and cotton
Suitable for: from birth
Water play
Colour-changing bath book
Etta Loves specialises in making products designed to support a baby’s visual and cognitive development; they’re also aesthetically pleasing for adults. Designed in collaboration with the artist Camille Walala, this colour-changing bath book is filled with engaging shapes that go from black and white to bright colours when submerged in water. It’s suitable from birth, but will last well beyond the newborn days – my 10-month-old still has fun splashing about with it, and older babies can enjoy using their fingers or a paintbrush to bring the colours to life.
Materials: made from sponge with a waterproof covering
Suitable for: from birth
Baby ball
Bright Starts Oball
As babies get beyond the newborn stage, they start being able to grasp things – and the Bright Starts Oball is designed with this in mind. My daughter loved it when she was younger and is still a fan now. It’s easy for little hands to grip, helping them develop their fine motor skills. It’s also a wonderful toy for taking out with you, and while it’s suitable for newborns, older babies will enjoy playing with it too.
“The thing that’s nice about these balls is that the space for them to hold on to is really small, so it’s a toy that they can properly grasp from a young age, whereas a lot of other toys are too big,” says Hazell. There are lots of other toys in the range too, including rattles, cars and animals, all with the same easy-to-grip design.
Materials: plastic
Suitable for: from birth
Tummy time toys
Halilit tummy time sensory kit
Many babies really aren’t into tummy time, especially in the early days, so having a toy for them to focus on can be helpful. Suitable from three months old, this set includes a spinning tube, a shaking drum and a double-sided booklet with colourful designs on one side and black-and-white ones on the other. My daughter’s tummy time days are behind her, but she still loves the drum, which is a handy distraction during car journeys.
The booklet can be propped up for babies to look at during tummy time; the toys will draw their attention, and eventually they’ll start reaching for them (shout out to the spinning toy for getting my baby to master rolling).
Materials: plastic and card
Suitable for: from three months
Chasing rainbows
Rainbow sensory ribbon ring
There are loads of ways you can use this simple sensory toy with little ones: hang it over a baby gym, wave it side to side above their face while they’re lying down, or pull it forwards and back in front of them. When my daughter was younger, we used them at baby classes – all the babies loved them. I’ve also had a few passed on to me secondhand, and they’re a great way to entertain your baby at home – just stick on some music and wave the ribbon ring around in front of them.
As well as being a lovely way to play with young babies, a sensory ribbon ring has lots of benefits, including helping them to develop their tracking and motor skills, as well as hand-eye coordination. “If you wave scarves, ribbons and things like that across a baby’s eyeline, they’ll start to reach out and grasp them,” says Pearson. “To begin with, it will need to be quite close to the baby’s face, because they can only see about 30cm ahead when they’re quite tiny.”
Materials: wood and ribbons
Suitable for: from birth
Read all about it
Crinkly newspapers
These baby-friendly newspapers make for a sweet present. Made from soft cloth that makes a scrunching sound, the Nursery Times is filled with bright illustrations and simple bits of text, laid out like a newspaper. You can choose from a range of topics, including safari animals, gardens and – my personal favourite – the Lionesses. My daughter enjoys playing with this and scrunching the pages, and it’s fun to read to her, too.
Materials: polyester
Suitable for: from birth
Hide and seek
Farm plush activity cube
This activity cube is made from soft and tactile fabric, making it suitable from birth, but as babies get older, they’ll find new ways to interact with it. It comes with six soft balls with textures that make different sounds when touched. My daughter likes squishing the balls and taking them out of the box, and it’s a nice thing for us to play with together. “Older babies who can sit up enjoy emptying and filling things, so look for toys that have the opportunity to put something in and take it back out again,” says Pearson.
Materials: polyester
Suitable for: from birth
Roll with it
Oli & Carol orange baby ball
From toys to teethers, Barcelona brand Oli & Carol uses natural rubber to make lovely baby items in fun designs. This ball, made to look like an orange, is small, light and squishy, making it perfect for little kids to play with. My daughter enjoys playing with it on her playmat, but it’s also handy for when she’s in the bouncer, highchair or car seat, as it’s easy for her to hold. Plus, it has no holes in it, so it can be used in the bath without the dreaded risk of mould, and it’s easy to wipe clean. Other fruit- and veg-inspired balls in the same range include a tomato, cabbage and melon.
Materials: natural rubber
Suitable for: from birth
Cute knitwear
Personalised cardigan or jumper
I bought one of these personalised cardigans for my daughter in the early weeks of her life (probably at 3am during a night feed), and it brought me so much joy when it arrived. You can choose between a knitted cardigan or jumper in various colours and sizes, and name personalisation comes as standard. This makes a really lovely gift – I’ve since bought them for friends with new babies.
Materials: acrylic wool
Suitable for: from birth
Wobbly toy
Little Dutch stacking rings
We bought this stacking ring for my daughter when she turned six months, and at almost 11 months old, she has yet to tire of it. It comes with five different-sized rings that stack on a holder that rocks from side to side. My baby is a fan of taking the rings off the holder (not so much putting them back on yet, so that’s my job), and knocking the whole thing over.
It’s ideal for taking on trips or to other people’s houses, and you can hand individual rings to your baby in the car to play with. It comes in two different colourways, both featuring a range of pastel hues.
Materials: plastic
Suitable for: six months-plus
What you need to know
What to buy for a newborn or baby
“Play involves interaction between people, so books and toys that involve being with the people they love the most will be an important part of their early development,” says Pearson. When buying a toy, “try to think about the different things it can do and whether it’s open-ended – things like a soft ball that they can roll and throw, or some soft blocks. This will support babies’ confidence and allow them to explore it in many different ways.”
Pearson also advises making sure that any toys are suitable for the age of the baby, and meet safety standards – look out for the CE or UKCA marks, as well as the British Toy and Hobby Association’s Lion Mark. “Babies will hit themselves with toys and throw them, so it’s important to choose ones that are soft, or don’t have sharp edges if they’re wooden,” adds Hazell. When buying plastic toys, it’s a good idea to look for ones that are BPA- and phthalate-free.
Do babies need toys?
Sensory toys are best for the first few months, says Pearson. “For babies aged zero to three months, think about things that promote sensory exploration. For example, books with bold black-and-white images and soft toys that make a crinkle sound when a baby grips or moves them.” As babies get to three to six months, “they start to reach out and grasp things”, says Pearson. “Think of items that are easy and safe for babies to hold and manipulate.”
Once a baby is six months and older, they will start becoming increasingly mobile and wanting to interact with toys more. “At six to 12 months, they will start being more engaged and controlled with their movements, along with becoming aware of cause and effect,” says Hazell. “They will also begin to use their fine motor skills more, so look for toys they can manipulate – shake, bang, push or pull.”
For more, read the Filter’s pick of the best eco-friendly baby products and parents on the baby gear they wouldn’t go without
Isabelle Aron is a lifestyle and culture journalist. Having become a parent last year, she has spent months getting to grips with which products for little ones are worthwhile (and which will only get used once), from must-have toys to sanity-saving sleep suits
