It is this special time of year when parents, grand-parents, aunties, uncles, and friends are looking for the “perfect” present for the baby. Should it be something very special, something unique that is worth keeping until the baby is old enough; or maybe it should be something that gives him the instant urge to play?

Then we may look at the parents: what do they like? What kind of things do they do? Do they love outdoor activities? Do they love to shop? Are they somehow actively engaged in our post-modern, young professional-just-turned-parent lifestyle? Whoever the parents are, their child is part of their lifestyle, and gifts need be chosen accordingly.

Nowadays, there are millions of presents available to buy for our little ones. It is like a needle in a haystack. How can we possibly make it easier for ourselves?

The problem is that a baby present always reflects our emotional choice, because we want to show how much we care, no matter what our relationship is to the child. The perfect present has to be cute, handy, playful, clever, engaging, funny, soft, and so much more. This obviously doesn’t make it any easier! However, there are simple steps to take in order to find the right present for our precious little ones.

Safety First

The first thing to consider is of course health and safety. The manufacturers and the retailers have to comply with strict regulations i.e. they don’t allow loose items hanging from a doll that is made for babies 1year , so this aspect of toy safety is under control.

Yet, there may be parents who are conscious about their offspring’s health when baby takes everything into his mouth. What was the toy treated with? Are there any residues? Here the manufacturers say that all toys are safe to play with. Toy manufacturers have to comply with the EU regulations.

Go Organic

If you are still anxious about the safety of the toys your children are exposed to, you should consider buying only woode toys. The manufacturing process is more natural and the substances used are more child friendly. In addition, wooden toys last longer! This is very important if a little toddler becomes particularly attached to a certain toy. It is also nice for parents can keep a toy around for when they have grand children, or simply to show their child what he or she used to play with.

Did you know that toys are not the only way a parent can go organic? We know that the clothes we buy in shops in the UK are safe to buy but what do we know about their production? You know the answer: nothing!

Babies suck their clothes, bedding, toys etc. and about 60% of what is put on their skin will be absorbed. Therefore, if textiles contain chemicals, through their skin, their sucking, higher breathing rate and high metabolism, they take in many chemicals. In addition, their detoxification system is not fully developed so the chemicals are likely to stay in their system causing long term damage which are yet to be proven.

Not knowing how we spend our money is one thing but not knowing what the babies play with is certainly another. We learn more and more about what we actually buy because the consumer has a right to. We now know that about ¼ of all global insecticides and 10% of pesticides are used in the conventional cultivation of cotton. Throughout the textile chain, from raw material to the finished product, no less than 8,000 different chemicals are used.

Organic is no eco-modern term anymore. It is exactly what we are and what we want our kids to be. So what shall we look out for when buying a baby present? First of all, what is best for the baby; and secondly, what we like. It does not matter if it is cute or educational; the best present is the one that makes everybody happy.

Find your perfect gift for baby here!