March 11th, 2010
A baby is a gift unwrapped, which should only be opened with love. But when we buy baby gifts out of love, especially in the form of clothing, why do we buy baby grows in blue for a boy and pink for a girl?
Even the paper we choose to wrap our baby gifts is selected by gender. Are we driven by evolutionary instinct? Theorists believe that females prefer reds and pinks as they are associated with their hunter gatherer days. Whilst men hunted, women gathered fruits and vegetables; therefore, females became attuned to the blush of ripe fruits. They were also aware of their children’s ruddy faces which were associated with illness. Men prefer blues as they signified good weather and a good water source. This provided information on feeding and watering grounds where animals could be hunted.
So, the next time you look for newborn baby gifts, will you be influenced by your evolutionary instincts? Or will you opt out of the great colour divide and buy clothes in greens or yellows?
Whenever we choose to buy childrens toys or clothing, it is easy to spot the gender difference. Are we boxing our children into set standards? Research shows that colours are important for youngsters as it helps them to establish their sex. As they become older, freedom of choice releases the constraints of the pink/blue barrier and does not cause any long term gender issues in later life.
Tags: Baby Gifts, childrens toys, newborn baby gifts, toddler toys
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March 10th, 2010
A brother or sister shares the memories of childhood and grown-up dreams, but how do we teach our toddler to accept a new baby into the fold?
Whilst it may be easy for parents to adjust to the role change, your toddler may have some serious difficulties coping with someone new stealing the limelight when you bring your baby home.
Include your child in as many of the preparations as possible. One good way to do this is to encourage him/her to buy some baby gifts for their little brother or sister. This is a great way to help your youngster form a mental bond with baby.
There are many wonderful ideas on the market right now. Let your child hand pick baby gifts that they would personally like to give. They do not have to be elaborate, just simple things such as small teddies or rattles.
Whilst your little one is pondering over which gift to lavish upon baby, it may even be a nice gesture to look at baby and toddler toys. Whenever you buy something for the pending arrival, you should always remember to buy a little something for your other child, too. One good idea is a book which could gently explain how things will be when baby arrives home. The range is vast and toddler toys fluctuate from puzzle games through to riding on playthings.
Children learn by example. By highlighting all of the good reasons to having a new addition in the family, your child will gently adapt to sharing life with another and equally enjoy the benefits.
Tags: baby and toddler toys, Baby Gifts, newborn baby gifts, toddler toys
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March 9th, 2010
Your child’s first birthday party is a special occasion, and definitely one that should be captured on camera and cherished forever.
Make the day happy and fun and hold it in a place where your little one feels comfortable. The same goes for guests; invite familiar faces that your son or daughter is used to seeing. These are the people who have got to know your toddler throughout the past twelve months and will provide baby gifts which suit your baby’s personality.
Grandparents, Godparents, Aunties and Uncles usually ponder for weeks on end, trying to come up with innovative first birthday gift ideas. They will be waiting to see how your toddler reacts.
Play it safe and ensure that your gift will be an instant success and not one which will go down in history as the present that ruined a little boy or girl’s day because they were so scared of the bouncing clown!
Toddler toys need to be sturdy and secure as one year olds tend to put everything into their mouths. Also, look for toys which will help with development or are soft and cuddly. Look for plush toys which look strong enough to cope with being chewed, loved to pieces and dragged around the floor.
Every child loves a rocking horse as it emanates feelings of how they were gently rocked whilst in the womb.
By following some of the tips above you can provide toddler toys which are more fun to play with than the wrapping paper they came in. Plus you keep little one in your good books for a long, long time.
Tags: Baby Gifts, first birthday gift ideas, plush toys, toddler toys
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March 4th, 2010
Every day we are making deposits into the memory bank of our baby’s lives, from our smile through to the baby gifts that we give to amuse, educate and stimulate. However, are there disadvantages to toys which are simply used for pleasure and advantages to those which have an educational slant?
No baby should be without a rattle or a teddy, but a baby’s brain is like a sponge which is constantly soaking up knowledge. Whilst teddy bears make wonderful presents for a girl, when the paws are chewed and the eye is hanging, there is very little left in the form of educational value to stimulate the senses.
Educational baby toys do not have to be serious and rigid. Learning should be fun. Make the most out of these early years and shape your baby’s future from the moment he/she arrives home.
Until a child reaches six months, their vision will be fuzzy, hearing weak and grip feeble. Brightly coloured building blocks make great educational toys as they help young eyes to differentiate between shades and encourage sharper vision and visual intelligence. They also help refine motor skills.
Help your little one to respond to sound by hanging crib mobiles above the cot. These make perfect newborn baby gifts. Play hammers go down well; especially if they make a squeaking sound every time that they hit something. Toys such as these will intrigue young minds.
However, there will always be one favourite toy which money cannot buy, and that is you. Bring out your best and worst facial expressions, play peek a boo or just do a silly walk or dance and your baby will be chuckling for hours!
Tags: Baby Gifts, educational baby toys, educational toys, newborn baby gifts
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March 2nd, 2010
The name that you choose for your baby will become his/her prime identity for life, which is why parents spend a lot of time deliberating over the name of their baby. The following points should be considered when pinning a lifelong label on your newborn.
Unusual names – Family and friends are always keen to know a baby’s name so they can go out and buy those personalised newborn baby gifts. However, parents need to choose a name with prudence. After all, it is the child who has to carry around this title for a lifetime. Most children find it hard to fit in, so giving a child a weird and wacky name could have a detrimental effect on self image, confidence and future development. It could even encourage teasing.
Religious names – Some people believe that a religious name carries spiritual and religious meanings and will bestow great blessings over the individual. Parents who give their child a religious name are optimistic that their baby will be protected throughout life and will be bestowed with many blessings. Buying personalised christening gifts is also easier as many are embossed with familiar names from the bible such as Matthew, Simon, Bethany and Mary.
Naming your child is one of the most precious new born baby gifts that you can give, so choose it with care and love. It is also important to ensure that when combined with the surname, both titles make a total name; one which sounds influentially acceptable when combined with the first name.
Here at Born Gifted, we supply a range of baby gifts suitable for any gender or personal preference.
Tags: Baby Gifts, Christening Gifts, new born baby gifts, newborn baby gifts
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February 24th, 2010
Traditionally Christening gifts were not required from friends and family but these days it has become the norm to take a gift for the newly christened baby. The grandparents, godparents and other close family members will want to give something that will be remembered and cherished so often a personalised gift is chosen. In addition to this parents often buy godparent gifts to show their thanks for them taking on this important role. A lovely idea is to give an engraved picture frame showing the baby’s name as a beautiful keepsake.
Most Christening gifts will be given on the day of the event as there is generally a reception following the service where everyone can get together. However you may have bought a gift that you’d like to be used on the day itself such as booties. Be careful that you have the permission of the parents in this situation to avoid any misunderstandings and provide the gift well in advance.
The most popular gifts are in the form of keepsakes such as photo albums, picture frames, blankets and figurines. Another popular choice is a commemorative gift such as a silver cup or an engraved bracelet.
Family members may choose to give something with a religious theme such as a stuffed toy lamb or a bible. Others may pass on family heirlooms such as baby quilts.
At Born Gifted, we have an extensive range of Christening gifts and godparents’ gifts so you need never run out of wonderful ideas for that special present.
Tags: Baby Gifts, baby toys, Christening Gifts, Godparent Gifts
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February 23rd, 2010
Your baby’s first birthday is an important milestone. In the first year of a baby’s life there are so many changes and developments that take place. By the time a baby has turned one year old they have learnt already so much about their sense through touch, taste, smell, sound and sight. Babies are also becoming mobile and are likely to be taking their first tentative steps. Within the 12 to 18 month age bracket they will be enjoying their new found sense of freedom and will delight in exploring their growing world and the people in it. They become more independent but keep a beady eye on those close to them to stay safe.
Baby toys that will appeal at this age are those that appeal to the new stages of development. Pull along baby toys are a good idea as they take their first wobbly steps. Musical toys will also be a firm favourite as at this stage babies start to enjoy moving and dancing to music. Toys that allow them to support themselves whilst walking are also a good choice. Push walkers will help a babies legs to grow stronger but offer that all important support to avoid any tumbles.
At this stage, blocks are a great idea as babies will enjoy stacking blocks and filling up containers with them. Their attention span tends to be very short at this stage so you want items that offer different activities that they can keep coming back to.
Here at Born Gifted we have a great selection of baby toys for first birthday gifts.
Tags: Baby Gifts, baby toys, First Birthday Gifts, First Birthday Toys
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February 18th, 2010
Choosing the godparents for your baby’s christening day is an important step regardless of whether you choose to have a traditional religious event or a simple naming ceremony. You are asking the chosen godparents to take on board an important responsibility and provide guidance and support to your baby as he or she grows up into adulthood. To show your thanks for them taking on this pivotal role, it is a lovely touch to provide godparent gifts when considering your Christening gifts purchases.
As a beautiful keepsake, why not give the godparents a silver trinket box or heart token. These can be made unique with your own inscription. Another idea is to give a silver frame with a photo of the baby to commemorate the day. Again you can celebrate the occasion by getting the babies’ name and the godparent’s name engraved on its surface.
Tokens can also be given in glass and a verse or poem that is special to the day used to keep it unique. Cups are also a lovely idea and can be kept for years to come.
All these items are inexpensive, but can provide a wealth of sentimental value to your chosen godparents.
No matter what you choose make it extra special by personalising the gift. Inscriptions such as ‘to a special godmother’ and the date of the christening or naming ceremony will provide a much loved memento of the occasion as well as showing your appreciation.
At Born Gifted we have some wonderful gifts for showing appreciation to your chosen godparents. during the
Tags: Christening Gifts, gifts for Godparents, Godparent Gifts, Godparent presents
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February 17th, 2010
In the first year there are some key baby toys that are guaranteed to delight little babies and help them to learn as well as entertain and amuse them. A growing trend is for toys that combine a series of activities to stimulate a baby’s development. They will include features that appeal to a baby’s developing senses. Textures, colours, shapes and sounds are all intensely interesting to a curious baby explorer. Here are some ideas for the types of activity baby toys available.
Activity tables will be appropriate to babies as they head into their ninth month. At this stage they are becoming very curious about the world as they develop their ability to move and crawl, climb and stand up. All things that they find of interest will be tasted, banged, thrown and felt. An activity table will entertain a baby for long periods of time which will be greatly appreciated by many busy mums. These baby toys play songs, have flashing lights, new sounds and different textures to explore.
From birth onwards, activity mats and play gyms will be a favourite place of exploration and fun for new babies. From birth a baby can be lay down on its back to look at dangling toys and shapes or propped up on his tummy to develop important back muscles. As the baby gets older they will start to reach out and grasp toys and feel the different textures. Some play music and make sounds in response to touch and kicking.
At Born Gifted you will find a wide variety of activity baby toys to choose from.
Tags: baby and toddler toys, Baby Gifts, baby toy ideas, baby toys
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February 16th, 2010
There are so many baby toys available these days it can seem an overwhelming task to choose baby gifts that will be loved and cherished by the baby and its parents. As a first step think about the age of the baby as all good quality toys will have a recommended age range. This will help you to narrow down the field of choice. If there still seems a lot to choose from, and here are more ideas for baby toys that are firm favourites in the first year.
Rattles are an all time classic and a baby can never have enough rattles! They combine to important functions – shaking and creating noise and also providing a much needed teething ring for aching gums. Babies are automatically drawn to the bright colours and wonderful noises that rattles make. They will enjoy the fact that through their own movements they make the rattle make a noise. Babies explore with their mouths so choose rattles that can be easily chewed. You can even get varieties that can be cooled in the fridge to soothe sore gums, acting as multi-functional baby toys.
As babies grow, parents try desperately to remember old nursery rhymes and songs to sing to their little ones. It is an important part of baby’s development and helps even at this early stage for babies to learn how to communicate. Baby CDs provide lots of ideas for songs and rhymes to delight and entertain babies. You can also get some wonderful lullaby CDs to help soothe a baby into slumber.
Born Gifted has baby toys to suit all occasions and stages in development.
Tags: baby and toddler toys, Baby Gifts, baby toy ideas, baby toys
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