Great Baby Shower Gift List Ideas
Posted: Saturday, November 14, 2009
by Roger Blair
http://www.partyplanningmagic.com
What is the best gift you can give to parents for their tiny person whom they regard as the best gift in the world? Actually many parents create a gift list to let their friends and family know what they really need. However, these lists can be quite long, and if you are the giver, you'll probably try to narrow it to two or three choices. Below are baby shower gift list ideas for both the parents who want to create a list and for givers to consider as appropriate gifts for the newborn.
The best baby shower gifts are those things the baby really needs. These must-haves can be classified under the categories of clothing, feeding, play things, and nursery needs.
Under clothing, you can list undershirts, tie-sides, mittens, booties, and frog suits. As babies grow a little older, heavier sweaters, pants, and shoes are added to their clothing line. For feeding, babies need different sizes of feeding bottles with soft nipples, bibs and wash cloths, and dishwasher-safe training dishes.
Most consider play things to make babies coo and laugh, like safe rattles, dolls, and musical toys, as genuine needs.
To address their most common nursery needs there are the disposable and washable diapers, towels, baby blankets, pillows, and other beddings, all of which make ideal gifts.
Perhaps less essential items on the list are keepsake items like photo albums, picture frames, baby books, and growth charts. You can also go for bathing supplies like baby soap, mild shampoo, hypoallergenic oils and fragrances, and grooming items like a baby brush, comb, toothbrush and nail clipper.
Undoubtedly the parent's gift list will include more expensive things, too. Examples that one might consider buying are a baby crib, dresser, stroller, car seat, baby swing, or even a rocking horse. Sometimes friends or family will join together to buy a more expensive item, like a really nice stroller, sharing the expense so it's not a burden on one individual. Another idea is to pass on used, but well preserved, car seats, cribs, and strollers which have been outgrown by one's own children. Believe me, the parents won't mind that it has been used.
Another great gift option, whether on the gift list or not, would be to give things which parents and children can do together, such as picture or reading books. Child experts agree that reading to or going over picture books with one's baby, not only results in great parent child bonding, but also produces a love for reading in the child, which will help them develop scholastically. They recommend reading to babies long before the child understands the words. The baby will associate it with the parent's love, and thus develop a fondness for books.
Some would say that the very best baby shower gift you could give might be a starter savings account, thereby motivating the young parents to start saving for their child's education. You won't likely find that on the parent's gift list, but you can be sure they will appreciate the gift.
As givers, we tend to look for unique gifts, perhaps things not included on the parent's gift list. That's OK, especially if the gift is something useful, but sometimes we tend to overlook the fact that the best gifts we can give babies are what their parents would like to give them but can't afford. These are the things you'll probably find on their baby shower gift list.
So then, before you buy something for the baby shower, find out if there is a gift list, and if so, what is included on it. Once you know, ask the parents, family and close friends to see what others have given or intend to give so you don't duplicate the gift. Such communication may result in collaborating with a group of friends to buy matching outfits, or this may be the time when several decide to pitch in for one gift of greater value. It may take a little more effort to communicate with others like this, but it will be well worth the effort when you go to the baby shower and you witness how pleased the parents are that the needs of their new bundle of joy has been so well-provided for without cost to them.
Roger Blair is a teacher and party planning enthusiast who delights in teaching others how to create magical parties. His website www.partyplanningmagic.com provides many more great party planning ideas. Also, click the following link for more baby shower gift list ideas.
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