Do You Need That Last Minute Gift to Make a Toddler or Baby Happy?
Do you still need a last minute gift to make that special toddler or baby in your life happy, but you’re not sure what to buy? Maybe it’s a Christmas gift, a Kwanzaa gift ,or even a belated Hanukkah gift. Well, don’t stress because in this post, you’ll learn about the ideal gift to give them!
Many parents and other important adults in your toddler or baby’s life often have a hard time buying a gift for them. Certainly you want to give them a gift that is useful, worthwhile, and will make them happy.
You also don’t want to waste money on something that won’t engage them. So keep reading and I’ll share with you a gift you can give them that is worthwhile, engaging, and will make them happy.
Of course, it’s not difficult to go out and buy them cute little clothes. But, you know what? They grow out of them way too fast!
There’s also no shortage of plastic and electronic toys to buy either. But, honestly it doesn’t take those things long to end up at the bottom of the toy chest.
So, what gift can you give your baby or toddler to make them happy?
It’s so simple: give them books!
Books Are the Perfect Gift for Babies and Toddlers
Now, the list of reasons to give a baby or toddler books is extensive. But for now, I’m going to give you the short list. Reading aloud to little ones, even newborns:
- Stimulates language development
- Develops cognitive skills
- Enhances their memory
- Teaches communication
If you’d like to find out more information about this, check out my blog post about why reading aloud to babies is so important
But, of all the reasons to give a baby or toddler the gift of a book, this one may be the most important.
When a parent reads a book out loud to their child, they are becoming lifelong learners together. They are also developing a deeper relationship with each other as they spend time together reading.
So, not only have you given your child a tangible gift but you have also given them and yourself the gift of spending time together. Frankly, in my mind, that gift is priceless!
So, I have some suggestions for holiday gift books to give to your special toddler or baby that will make them happy.
Make That Special Baby or Toddler Happy with a Hanukkah Holiday Gift Book
First, let’s start with the Hanukkah holiday board books. In case you need a belated gift, the first book on the list is
Happy Hanukkah, Corduroy by Don Freeman
That little bear, Corduroy, has been a favorite for three generations. This book has a simple text and colorful pictures that are just right for little ones. It’s also a particularly good book for introducing non-Jewish children to Hanukkah.
Happy Hanukkah, Curious George by H.A. and Margaret Rey
Curious George has been a favorite for three generations as well. In the story, George attends a Hanukkah party where he plays dreidl and ‘Follow the Leader”. He also eats jelly donuts and helps make latkes. George watches the Man in the Yellow Hat light the Menorah. Then, he takes part in the cleanup after the party. He also wraps up one of the treats to give to a sick friend. I think George truly learns about the spirit of Hanukkah and so will you and your little one!
Where Is Baby’s Dreidl? by Karen Katz
If you’re not familiar with Karen Katz, she is the master of “lift-the-flap” books. This gift book will make your baby or toddler so excited and happy to explore and find the dreidl on each page. It’s also a good introduction to words, ideas, and activities involved in the Hanukkah holiday.
Bright Baby Touch and Feel Hanukkah
The book is perfect for very young babies. The text is simple with one word per page about the Festival of Lights. The pictures are attractive and colorful. It also has various textures for babies to touch. It’s an excellent first board book about the Hanukkah holiday.
Baby’s First Hanukkah published by Dorling Kindersley Books (or DK books for short)
If you’re not familiar with DK books, now is a good time to explore their book lists DK Books specialize in creating books using real-life photographs and simple language. Your baby will learn about the miracle of the oil and the lighting of the Menorah with real pictures of them. Yes, the jelly donuts, fried latkes, dried games, gelt, songs, and gifts are all in there, too! This holiday board book brings alive the spirit and warmth of Hanukkah the Festival of Lights for you and your baby.
A Christmas Holiday Gift Book Will Make Little Ones Happy!
Next, let’s move on to Christmas holiday board books. You still have time to find these.
The Nutcracker and Christmas Carol are by Jennifer Adams. These two books are from the Baby Lit series. Certain characters and details from these classic stories are intermingled with teaching concepts such as, counting, colors, and shapes.
Biscuit’s Pet and Play Christmas by Alyssa Satin Capucilli. This one is a personal favorite of mine. In case you’re not familiar. Biscuit is an adorable little puppy character. I don’t mind confessing to you that Biscuit has been a favorite of mine since my kids were little. This gift book is particularly fun because it will make your toddler or baby so happy to touch all the different textures in the book.
Snow Dream by Eric Carle. This book is pure Eric Carle. The art is enchanting and the story is engaging. I believe it will quickly become one of your favorites!
My First Christmas by Tommy de Paola. Tommy de Paola has been another favorite since my kids were little. He has a distinct way of communicating how children think. He is an expert at portraying, on the page, how they feel.
Llama Llama Jingle Bells and Llama Llama Holiday Drama by Anna Dudney. Anna Dudney wrote 37 books in in her Llama Llama series. Sadly, she died in 2016.
But, these two Christmas books are staples in holiday gift board books for a toddler or baby. In the first one, babies are introduced to the sights, sounds, and smells of Christmas.
In the second book, Little Llama is suffering from the same “holiday drama” that all kids experience this time of year.
Dudney fills his character with anticipation and impatience for the big day to come. But, his mother reminds him that loving each other is the most important gift of all. Which is always a useful lesson for all of us!
A Kwanzaa Holiday Gift Book Is Perfect for Happy Toddlers and Babies!
Last, but not least, here are some Kwanzaa holiday gift books for you and your little one to enjoy.
My First Kwanzaa by Karen Katz. This is another one of her “lift-the-flap” books. Katz uses simple words and colorful folklore pictures to create an engaging story about the Kwanzaa holiday.
The book repesents the different traditions of the holiday and how they are celebrated. It also explains the principles and symbols of Kwanzaa.
In addition, the sidebar provides information to help parents teach more about celebrating Kwanzaa. This is a wonderful board book to introduce Kwanzaa to your baby.
It’s Kwanzaa Time: A Lift-the-Flap Story by Synthia St. James. Synthia St James uses vibrant colors and bold shapes to introduce the seven principles of Kwanzaa. She also uses just one or two sentences to describe each principle.
St James gives the definition and proper pronunciation of each principle to help out parents. Then children can lift the flaps to find out how each principal is celebrated.
But, Kwanzaa is not just celebrated. Children are encouraged to live out the principles and create a better world for everyone.
K is for Kwanzaa: A Kwanzaa Alphabet Book by Juwanda G. Ford. Now, this is not a board book, but it’s still a good addition to a Kwanzaa collection. Ford begins the book with a brief history of Kwanzaa.
Then, she gives short definitions of its seven principles. Pronunciation of African words are provided throughout the book. Also, each letter of the alphabet teaches about Kwanzaa foods, customs, costumes, and languages.
The illustrations are simple, brightly-colored shapes outlined in black that show cheerful, festive scenes of people. This book is a very accessible introduction to Kwanzaa.
My First Kwanzaa ABC Picture Book by MadgGaviette Publishing. This book is especially designed for babies and toddlers who are just beginning to learn about Kwanzaa. The book has a colorful page for each letter of the alphabet, A through Z.
There are full color pages with cute Kwanzaa and Black culture illustrations. Each page is an opportunity for family sharing and learning with your little one. This book is a fun Kwanzaa gift that is perfect for every baby’s nursery.
Holiday Stories Develop Character and Ability
I chose this list of holiday stories because they help develop character and ability. All of these holiday books are fun and educational. However, they hold a deeper meaning as well.
The stories they tell help to develop your child’s character and their abilities. The heart of teaching philosophy of Dr. Shinichi Suzuki was always that children develop fine character from what they learn.
“Character First, Ability Second”
Then, if they have fine character, they will be open to learning and developing their abilities. Dr. Suzuki said, “Character first, ability second”.
My holiday wish is that these stories will help that baby or toddler in your life to develop fine character. May they also help to develop the abilities of parents and their child.
Developing literacy skills, life skills, and musical skills are very important parts of “Your Musical Baby” Class. I’d like to give you and your baby the opportunity to experience beauty, become lifelong learners together, and develop a deeper relationship with each other through musical activities.
So, I invite you and your baby to observe an online “Your Musical Baby” Class for FREE on any Saturday morning. Now I know that you are a busy parent. So I’ve made it super easy for you to attend the class.
Simply use this Busy Parent Link to sign up. Then, you will receive the details and a zoom link to the class in an email.
You and your baby can begin your “Beautiful Heart Musical Journey” together. I do wish you all a wonderful holiday season filled with books, music, and love!
On the “Beautiful Heart Musical Journey” with you,
Susan
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