2023 gift guide for babies, toddlers, and mamas
We know the holiday season can be overwhelming, especially with so much noise about what you “should” buy and the unending number of options available.
We DO want to offer thoughtful suggestions you can feel good about while also reducing the pressure to buy more than you need. We hope you’ll view these recommendations as just that - recommendations!
Because we are speech-language pathologists, people often ask us for gifts that help encourage talking and language development. The truth is, no specific toy gets toddlers talking — it’s the things parents do at home during everyday activities that helps. And that’s exactly what we teach you in our TalkToddler Course. Educating yourself is priceless.
If you’re looking for something educational for your toddler, we recommend our Songs+Stories membership (it’s honestly great for all kids!). It’s intentional, slow-paced content that engages kids without overstimulating them. It’s perfect for parents who are intentional about what their kids learn, listen to, and watch.
That being said, we’ve put together a list of our favorite items for babies, toddlers, and mamas too. We hope you’ll enjoy!
Gifts for babies
Your baby will love to roll this adorable cat car back and forth.
The sweetest dolls you ever did see.
The most beautiful high-contrast book for babies! You can flip through it like a normal book, OR pull it out accordion style. Perfect for tummy time.
A great way to prevent slipping while practicing pulling to stand and taking first steps! Super cozy.
Click the link, and you’ll see. It’s precious.
Have a little one who’s starting solids? Then you NEED GOOtensils in your life (or at least in your kitchen). They promote self-feeding skills from an early age.
A wonderful way to work on imitation skills. Music is such a gateway to language!
All the info+tips about how to give your baby an excellent start to their communication development. Plus 15 songs+rhymes to sing together! Gift certificates available.
Tubby Todd Body Wash and Lotion
Once you’ve used Tubby Todd, it’s hard to use anything else! These products look and smell amazing, and they’re a huge help for babies with sensitive skin.
Katie didn’t start using wearable blankets with her babies until her fourth baby, and she REALLY wishes she would have started sooner!
We love this sweet, hooded rabbit towel in particular because it’s a great size—they can grow into it as they reach toddlerhood. Plus, nothing is cuter than a freshly bathed babe! 😭 😍
Throw it down for a picnic, put it under the high chair to catch the mess, use it as a safe place to lay your baby down. You will have so many reasons to use it!
Have you seen a more beautiful book for a baby?!
Parade Jammies with 2-Way Zipper
You need 2-way zippers in your life #IYKYK. These pajamas are sooo good!
Stacking cups are one of our favorite toys for babies and they can grow with your baby as they grow and develop. As an added bonus, they look cute on a shelf!
Social-emotional development starts right from birth. The wisdom of Slumberkins’ books and products will benefit you and your baby greatly.
GIFTS FOR TODDLERS
Ahh, the play kitchen. Our #1 go-to toy for speech therapy and our own kids! In short: we’re here for all of it! The IKEA kitchen is awesome because it’s super simple. No buttons to push or unnecessary bells and whistles. Your toddler gets to do the talking and exploring.
Want to love painting with your toddler, but truth be told, it kind of makes your skin crawl? You NEED these paint dotters. Lots of paint, minimal mess
Active play + creative play?! We’re sold. Plus, these are just the most darling little stepping stones we’ve ever seen 🥰
At Katie’s house, this rocketship has been through four kids (and survived)! It’s so good for developing pretend play + so many language opportunities!
We LOVE toddler standers for helping little ones participate in the day-to-day tasks in the kitchen. This stander is aesthetically pleasing, so well made, and even folds up when you want to tuck it away. It’s a beauty.
A pricier gift, but your couch cushions will surely thank you. Play couches offer so many open-ended play opportunities. It’s pretty neat to see their imaginations run wild.
Taking something off your plate and finding high-quality, engaging screen time for when you need a few minutes to yourself is TRULY the gift that will keep on giving! With a Songs + Stories membership, your family can access a huge library of storytimes and songs and rhymes classes every month, all led by speech therapists. It’s something they will love, and you can feel really good about. Gift cards here.
Balance bikes are a great way to help your little one be a successful, early bike rider! You can start around 18 months. The linked blog post is super helpful in deciding which balance bike might be best for your toddler.
Our Little Adventures Book Set
We are obsessed with this sweet book set. Written and illustrated by our friend and fellow SLP, we cannot say enough good things about these books. Your toddler will LOVE them.
Maybe it’s just us, but we wish the world looked a little more like the Happy Folk Hotel. Toddlers LOVE putting things in and taking them out. The play opportunities with these adorable wooden people are endless.
Toddlers LOVE putting things and taking them back out. This little wooden house of locks takes the challenge+curiosity up a notch.
Chunky puzzle pieces are perfect for little hands. These are great for introducing your toddler to puzzles.
There’s just something about the cuteness of a toddler backpack! This one is ready to be filled to the brim with only the most “necessary” items (random rock, pipe cleaner from the craft box, a piece of trash you wish they hadn’t picked up, and bouncy ball)
Is there a sweeter cup?! A great way to get in that open cup practice.
These are not cheap, but we are not lying when we say it is SO WORTH it. Katie has had the same set of Magna-Tiles for nine years and they’re stillllllllllll going! And they grow with your child. When they’re 12 months, they can just explore how they stick together, and by three years old, they’re building magnificent creations!
We love that musical instruments offer LOTS of imitation opportunities–a foundational skill that comes before kids learn how to talk. The egg shaker will always be our fav.
Gifts for moms
Or the special woman in your life — grandmas, aunts, friends, teachers, etc. — all that care for kids!
So cozy and the colors are 👌. Treat yourself!
We just can’t ditch the pen and paper. Love this notebook/journal.
The cactus fruit scent is heavenly. It’s a great styling cream!
Their candles are hand poured in Virginia. Smells soooo good and we love the double cotton wick.
Everyone needs a cozy, long-sleeve staple in their closet. This one fits the bill.
The most perfect mug.
The colors are all really great, but we’re partial to vanilla beige.
Who knew a keychain could be so simple and beautiful at the same time?!
Cute tennis shoes are basically essential. These are fun!
With little kids at home, a shower—which used to be a humble daily necessity—feels like a mini getaway some days! And these products definitely up the vibe. In particular, we love the cleansing oil, plumping serum, deodorant, and the baby line.
Where have belt bags been our whole lives?! We started using them almost 3 years and haven’t looked back. They are a game changer when you have a busy toddler and need both hands.
This one-line-a-day journal is a simple, beautiful way to record some of those everyday moments that you’ll love to look back on later. And because it’s just one line a day, it won’t feel like work or another big to-do. Get 10% off with the code WEETALKERS10
This one from Supercrush makes a great stocking stuffer. Love their dry shampoo and scrunchies, too.
It has a COVERED straw! Or you can choose not to drink from the straw and drink out of the spout. The world is your oyster. Their kid-size water bottles are fantastic as well.
We’re hoping this one ends up under our tree this year 🎄.
Obsessed with Caraway’s pans–non-toxic and non-stick!
Merit Day Glow Highlighting Balm
For a dewey, natural look. We really love the simplicity of Merit makeup! The minimalist complexion stick is also a solid recommendation.
Happy, Happy Holidays!
xo, Carly & Katie
We put this list together just for fun. There are a few affiliate links in this post, which means that we may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links.