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Dec 8, 2017 - Baby's Holiday Symphony is the 2008 album by Disney Baby Einstein. It is a Christmas disc made specifically for babies/infants, almost used as. Baby Einstein is a line of multimedia products and toys that specialize in interactive activities for children aged 1 month to 5 years old. Subjects music, art, language, science, and mathematics are prominently explored. These products used to be made by a division of the Walt Disney Company.
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Using interviews with specialists, online reviews and personal experience, TODAY editors, writers and experts take care to recommend items we really like and hope you’ll enjoy! TODAY does have affiliate relationships with various online retailers. So, while every product is independently selected, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the revenue.
Babies might not look like they’re doing much besides eating and sleeping, but the first year of life is full of seismic shifts in development. And even before they can hold a toy, babies are ready to play.
If you're looking for the best baby gifts, the best baby toys stimulate their senses, focusing on the contrast they are able to see or the sounds and movements they can make themselves.
“Infants are really learning about their place in the world, so the best toys give them some sense of feedback,” said Tovah Klein, director of the Barnard College Center for Toddler Development and author of “How Toddlers Thrive,” citing the classic baby rattle. “'I hit this and it moves’ is the beginning of having 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 to a tiny tongue. And keep it simple.
“We tend to shy away from toys that are technological or lighting up and flashing, just because of the overstimulation that they provide,” said Marie Conti, the head of the The Wetherill School in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, and a board member of the American Montessori Society.
These are the best baby girl gifts and baby boy gifts, according to child development experts.
When we release our 2018 gift guides, we make sure all prices are current. But, prices change frequently (yay, deals!), so there’s a chance the prices are now different than they were the day of publication.
Best toys for babies
- 1. Edushape Sensory Balls, $14, Amazon
These are easy to grab, in bright colors and spiky shapes that feel great on the hands or tongue.
- 2. Manhattan Toy Skwish Classic Rattle, $13, Amazon
Also available at Buy Buy Baby and Target.
This rattle is easy to hold, responds to baby’s movement and uses the primary colors they see best.
- 3. Oball Rollin' Rainstick Rattle, $10, Amazon
Also available at Walmart.
The holes in this rattle make it easy for tiny hands to grab.
- 4. Taggies Little Leaf Elephant Lovey Soft Toy, $18 (usually $20), Amazon
Also available at Walmart and Jet.
Babies and toddlers love to feel different textures, so “taggies” toys or blankets with tags sewn around them are perfect, Conti said.
- 5. Munchkin Mozart Magic Cube, $25, Amazon
Also available for $25 at Target.
Baby can make all the sounds of a symphony by hitting a few buttons.
- 6. SmartNoggin NogginStik Developmental Light-up Rattle, $27, Amazon
Also available at Walmart and Barnes & Noble.
This rattle responds to baby’s movements by lighting up in three different colors.
- 7. HABA Ring Around Wooden Clutching Toy, $12, Amazon
This simple wood toy is a rattle and teether, in Baby's favorite bright colors.
- 8. Sophie La Giraffe Teething Toy, $25, Nordstrom
Also available for $25 at Target.
Sophie is pliant, she squeaks and she’s easy to wash. She’s also universally delicious to babies.
- 9. Skip Hop Bandana Buddies Stroller Toy, $15, Target
Also available at Walmart.
Crinkly textures and teething spots were made for tiny gums.
- 10. Wee Gallery Art Cards for Baby, $16, Amazon
Infant eyes are best at seeing contrast and love symmetry (like the human face), so black-and-white patterns are great for stimulating their senses.
- 11. Grimm's Rainbow Stacker, $67, Amazon
Bright colors are also great for baby eyes, and easy stacking toys help develop motor skills.
Related
- 12. Infantino Discover And Play Activity Mirror, $15 (usually $20), Amazon
Also available at Buy Buy Baby and Walmart.
At around 6 months, babies love to look at themselves, even though they don’t know who it is in the mirror. A baby-safe mirror is a fun way to explore.
- 13. Manhattan Toy Wimmer-Ferguson Infant Stim Mobile, $27 (usually $30), Amazon
Also available at Bed Bath & Beyond.
This mobile uses black and white patterns and is designed to be seen from below, unlike many mobiles that look great from the side.
- 14. Green Toys My First Stacker, $10 (usually $15), Amazon
Also available at Walmart.
These stacking toys work whether they are in the “right” order or not.
- 15. Tiny Love Into The Forest Classic Mobile, $36, Amazon
Also available at Target.
This mobile takes the black and white pattern and adds movement and music, which older babies especially appreciate, said educational toys expert Lauren Leisk.
- 16. Skip Hop Farmstand Activity Gym, $73, Amazon
Also available at Target.
Baby’s ready to hit the gym, with little toys that she can kick, pull and rattle herself.
- 17. Fisher-Price Kick & Play Piano, $16 (usually $25), Walmart
Also available at Target.
Tie this to the side of the crib and let baby tickle the ivories with his toes.
- 18. Baby Tree Blocks, $25, Amazon
Also available at Fat Brain Toys.
Conti loves these baby versions of the tree blocks older kids use in Montessori school.
Best books for babies
- 1. “The I Love You Book” by Todd Parr, $7, Amazon
Also available at Walmart and Barnes & Noble.
“Babies are still developing their color sight, so pictures with really high contrast and even black and white are really helpful,” said Nina Lindsay, president of the Association for Library Service to Children.
- 2. 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar,' Eric Carle, $16, Amazon
The beloved children's classic celebrates 50 years with a special edition.
- 3. 'Sometimes You Fly,' by Katherine Applegate, $13 (originally $18), Amazon
The pages aren't drool-proof, but the simple, empowering message about persistence gives plenty for a parent and baby to chew on.
- 4. 'But Not the Armadillo,' by Sandra Boynton, $6, Amazon
Sandra Boynton, the queen of board books, is back with a long-awaited follow-up to 'But Not the Hippopotamus' about going your own way.
- 5. 'Global Baby Bedtimes' by Maya Ajmera, $7, Amazon
Also available for at Walmart and Barnes & Noble.
“Babies love looking at faces of other babies,” said Lindsay, adding that it’s particularly important to look for diverse faces because kids learn bias from a very young age. “It’s really important for all children to see children like themselves and different from themselves in books on a regular basis.”
- 6. 'Princesses Save the World' by Savannah G. and Allison Oppenheim, $18, NBC Store
There's no such thing as too young to learn about the power of girls and women!
Finding the perfect present can be a challenge, but Shop TODAY's up to the task. No matter who you're looking for, we've got gift guides for everyone on your list, including:
Lisa Tolin is head of special projects for TODAY Digital.
The Dreidel Song is a Christmas / Hanukkah song. Baby’s Holiday Symphony
Lyrics
I have a little dreidel
I made it out of clay
And when it’s dry and ready
Then dreidel I shall play
Oh, dreidel, dreidel, dreidel
I made it out of clay
Oh, dreidel, dreidel, dreidel
Now dreidel I shall play
It has a lovely body
With legs so short and thin
And when it gets all tired
It drops and then I win
Oh, dreidel, dreidel, dreidel
I made it out of clay
Oh, dreidel, dreidel, dreidel
Now dreidel I shall play
My dreidel is so playful
It loves to dance and spin
A happy game of dreidel
Come play now, let’s begin
Oh, dreidel, dreidel, dreidel
I made it out of clay
Oh, dreidel, dreidel, dreidel
Now dreidel we shall play
I made it out of clay
And when it’s dry and ready
Then dreidel I shall play
Oh, dreidel, dreidel, dreidel
I made it out of clay
Oh, dreidel, dreidel, dreidel
Now dreidel I shall play
It has a lovely body
With legs so short and thin
And when it gets all tired
It drops and then I win
Oh, dreidel, dreidel, dreidel
I made it out of clay
Oh, dreidel, dreidel, dreidel
Now dreidel I shall play
My dreidel is so playful
It loves to dance and spin
A happy game of dreidel
Come play now, let’s begin
Oh, dreidel, dreidel, dreidel
I made it out of clay
Oh, dreidel, dreidel, dreidel
Now dreidel we shall play
Appearences in Christmas specials
- 'Gift of the Dinos'