The best practical and fun gifts to buy for your next baby shower
There's so much to choose from!
Are you struggling to find the perfect gift for an upcoming baby shower? Look no further! We’ve worked with Baby Village to compile a list of the best practical and fun gifts that are sure to be loved by any new parent.
From must-have items like a baby carrier and sound machine, to unique finds like a keepsake ink pad, there’s something for every budget and taste.
These gifts not only serve a purpose, but they also add a touch of fun to the everyday tasks of parenting.
Say goodbye to boring, generic gifts and hello to thoughtful, useful presents that will be cherished for years to come.
Baby swaddle
Swaddles have changed the way babies settle and sleep (and their parents too!), so this is a terrific gift for an expectant parent.
The early days and weeks, and depending on the climate and what time of year the baby is born, swaddles are a great way to soothe a baby so they feel cosy and secure when they sleep.
Love to Dream – Swaddle UP is an award-winning zip-up swaddle with a patented ‘arms up’ design that allows Baby to sleep in their comfortable and natural arms up position without getting cold.
Love to Dream also feature a ‘hip healthy’ design which allows baby’s legs to rest in a natural position.
Swaddles come in various tog (like doonas) so think about the time of year/season when the baby is due to be born.
Baby monitor
Baby monitors reassure parents and carers that infants are safe and sound, even when they’re not in the same room, and are invaluable as a baby shower present.
As well as freestanding baby monitors with or without screens, wearable options can be extremely valuable to new parents.
Owlet Smart Sock 3 combines a comfortable, wearable sock that tracks baby’s heart rate, oxygen level and sleep trends and is suitable for newborns up to age five.
Connecting the free Owlet App to a phone means parents are alerted if Baby wakes up or needs them, or if the levels are a cause for concern.
Sleep helper! A soft toy with Bluetooth and smart sensors
Santi the Sloth is an adorable, programmable soft toy designed to help new babies settle to sleep.
As well as being lovely to cuddle, the plush sloth has a Bluetooth speaker, variable night light, and smart sensors. Santi also has a chewable teething ring and is robust enough for toddler play.
Baby carrier
Baby carrying is a wonderful way to cuddle a little one – hands-free – as well as soothing them and making it easy to get out and about.
Ergobaby Omni Breeze Carrier is perfect from newborn and doesn’t need a special infant insert, and can be used up to the toddler years.
The mesh fabric ensures excellent airflow and all four positions ensure that baby’s hips are always in the healthy M position.
The Omni Breeze features extra lumbar support, a privacy hood for breastfeeding and sun protection and it’s easily adjusted as a baby grows.
The plus here, is that if you are a close friend or family member, you might get to carry the baby too!
High chair that grows with bub
If you’re looking for a longer-term investment as a baby shower gift, a Stokke Tripp Trapp Chair Bundle is a terrific present that can see a baby through to adulthood.
The bundle includes a newborn baby set, complete with five-point harness, and a feeding tray. which allow the chair to be used from birth, and the chair itself comes with a seven-year warranty.
It’s versatile, stylish and easy to clean plus comes in a wide range of colours to suits all decors. Additional accessories include padded seats and storage, and the chair can hold up to 136kg.
Sound soother
Helping a new baby transition into the world is easier with the use of soothing sounds, and this cheeky monkey makes a great baby shower gift. A portable sound soother can be clipped onto a baby’s cot or set down nearby.
VTech Safe&Sound Myla the monkey is a portable soother that plays five gentle lullabies and five soothing sounds to create a restful place for baby to settle.
It has a soft-glow light, volume control and an auto-off timer, all of which makes things a bit easier for new parents.
Hooded towels
Perfect for bathtime or swimming a little later on, a cute hooded towel makes a lovely baby shower gift. These 100% organic terry cotton Leander Hooded Towel comes in a variety of modern colours.
Mobiles
Babies see in black and white and shades of grey up until about four months of age, so this gorgeous monochrome Tina Matthews Black and White Mobile makes a terrific baby shower gift.
The patterns face down towards the baby to provide stimulation with black and white faces, repeat patterns, stripes, circles and triangles.
Baby loungers
New parents need a safe place to rest their baby at various times, and a nest such as Done By Deer Cozy Lounger with Activity Arch makes a terrific baby shower present. The shape is designed to make baby feel comfortable and secure, and the nest is breathable air permeable.
Activity gyms
Another, more playful, baby shower present that will last a long time, is a cute activity gym like this Skip Hop Activity Gym Vibrant Village. A great place for stimulation and gentle play, this activity mat has 17 developmental activities set in high contrast artwork to entertain and stimulate a baby. It’s perfect for tummy time – on the shaped dog cushion – and gross motor development with crinkle fabric, squeakers, ribbons, mirrors and more.
Soft toys
A simple soft toy can bring a lifetime of joy, as this popular Jellycat Bashful Pug shows. Suitable from birth, this adorably soft bunny is likely to become one of Baby’s best friends.
Night lights
Standing on Lego isn’t a hazard for the parents-to-be yet (it’s in their future!) but they need to be able to see when it’s dark and Bub is sleeping.
Tommee Tippee Gro Egg 2 Digital Nursery Thermometer provide a gentle light in different colours with four brightness levels, it also makes it simple check the room temperature is ideal for bub.
Big ticket items
Cots and strollers are very personal choices for parents to be, so unless you know exactly what they want, you could give a gift voucher so they can put it towards their big ticket items.
There’s a wide range of cots available to suit every budget – some have one level, some have two (including a bassinet level), while others convert into toddler beds. The shapes vary too – from the traditional rectangle to oval ones.
Budget, space and style are the main considerations when choosing a cot.
The Boori Natty Cot is a modern baby bed with an adjustable base that you can have higher up when your baby is small, and lower when they become more mobile.
This beech wood converts to toddler bed so it’s an investment that could reasonably last for several years.
