Building Your Values-Based Baby Registry: Play & Activity
Here are some of my personal suggestions on items that you might want to consider to keep your baby entertained. I’d encourage you to talk to your friends, read some books/articles and opt for the items that feel good to you. Also, do not feel bad about being clear with what you want for your child!
Baby Bouncer
BABYBJÖRN Bouncer Balance Soft $209
I was recommended this and thought, dang, that seems like a lot for a bouncer! And it is. But this is probably one of our top 3 favorite items. This gave us the freedom we needed and at times was the only thing that would calm our little one. It was nice looking, washed easily, and packs flat so it was simple to bring with along with us if we were visiting friends/family. The only downside in my mind is that, although it says it’s for kids up to 29lbs we stopped using it as soon as our daughter could sit up on her own. That ends up being a pretty short window for the price tag.
Infant Lounger
Snuggle Me Organic Infant Lounger + Cover Bundle $136
The bassinet we bought had the option to include a “Moses Pod” lounger so we did that. It looks almost identical to this one. These are nice to kind of “hug” your little ones when you need to set them down, but they aren’t intended to sleep in them.
This particular lounger is organic, sustainable and ethically made in the US.
Play Gym
Lovevery is the chefs kiss* of baby/toddler-focused developmental toys. This play gym is no exception. At 13 months, my daughter still finds way to have fun in hers. Every element is so thoughtful from the black and white high-contrast cards, to the bright “zones” you can open or close. It’s definitely a well-thought out piece. They have a monthly subscription service which seems amazing, although I didn’t do it. I have purchased many of their items second-hand and I’ve been impressed with every one.
Outdoor Blanket
Little Unicorn Outdoor Blanket 5 x 7ft $55
A waterproof outdoor blanket is a must. Before our daughter was walking we would just put the blanket out in the yard (in the shade) and lounge with her, enjoying the fresh air and the sounds of nature. She absolutely loved it. This particular blanket is big enough for the three of us (and our dog) comfortably and it has a handle that makes it easy to bring along.
Play Mat
Toki Mats Standard Padded Play Mat (w/ Organic Insert) $215
I severely underestimated the amount of time I would spend on the floor as a new mom. I also underestimated the amount of laying on the floor my baby would do. I was recommended these mats and I didn’t end up getting one. I still regret that. I ended up just using a quilt on a rug but it’s still pretty hard on our wood floors. If you have a “baby zone” on hard wood floors, I’d highly recommend a mat of some kind. The Toki brand is organic and has a removable cover that can be washed (or swapped out) which makes it really nice. Lots of nice designs as well.
Teether
Aeiou Silicone & Wood Multi-Ring Teether $17
Babies will definitely have their preferences on teethers. We tried to be mindful of what they were made out of. Luckily there are so many silicone and rubber options out there now. Our daughter really liked her wooden teether and rattles… until they were chewed up by our dog…
Crinkle Paper
Etsy, SimplyPineCreation Baby Crinkle Paper Teether $10
Crinkle paper was the MVP toy for our daughters first few months. As she slowly learned to grab, she just loved these things. There are a lot of beautiful options on Etsy. These ones with the little wood ring seem particularly nice because you could opt to swap the ring out for a binky, if you wanted to.
High Contrast Cards
Wee Gallery Art Cards for Baby $14
I didn’t really know that babies are super drawn to black-and-white designs when they are young. These are perfect to show them when they are teeny tiny. Since they are so beautifully designed, they are also great to use as your baby ages to point out parts of the body (“Nose” “ears” “legs”) and later to use for animal recognition.
Note: This would also be a super affordable way to hang an art “series” in your nursery. Just frame your favorite set!
Shakers
These lil’ eggies were verrry popular in the infant room at daycare. They aren’t super loud or annoying and the kids were always playing with these. These are made of sustainable sourced beechwood in Germany and use 100% non-toxic stains.
Stacking Cups
I can only imagine some of my family reading this list and laughing because we really haven’t had that many toys for my daughter. We did (and do, still!) have stacking cups though. I wish I had these instead of the classic plastic ones we have because these are made with plant-plastic, a non-toxic recyclable material without PVC and hormone disruptors like BPA.
Stacking Rings
This was a HIT in our house. (Still is!) Made from 100% BPA and phthalate free plastic, these are both safe AND beautiful. They are designed and manufactured in Denmark and are part of mushie’s “Danish Hygge” collection. (We <3 other mushie products as well!)
Blocks
Uncle Goose Women Who Dared Blocks $66
Uncle Goose blocks feel like heritage pieces. They are made locally in West Michigan from sustainable Midwest basswood and have so many amazing designs. I adore the Women Who Dared set and love the idea that right now, they are just blocks to my daughter, but as she gets older they will also be a conversation piece. They are truly beautiful and also very functional.
Books
Cali’s Books Bedtime With Mozart and Other Greats $34
There are so. many. amazing kids books out there. When your baby is super little they will just be happy to hear your voice. As they get older they’ll likely begin to have favorites that they point at or grab off the shelf. Bedtime with Mozart is one of those for our daughter. It really helped soothe her before bedtime.
Note: Batteries are sold separately but you’ll get a little code with the book to order them. (So you actually just end up paying for shipping.)
Some other things to consider:
Swings - We had a couple friends give us their used swings and we probably used them <5 times total. Some parents love them. The Montessori philosophy, as well as the development style our daycare follows, is not big on “containers” like swings/walkers/bouncers/etc. so we decided to follow their lead and skip them. No judgement, just don’t have any info to share.
