Angel tree gift help for a 9 month old - coats and toys

[Anonymous]

Hello! We received our Angel Tree tags and one child is a 9 month old boy. My kids are teens so my memory has faded about buying for little ones.

Could you give me any toy suggestions? They listed toys but didn’t give any specifics. What would your 9 month - 1 year old like? We will also be buying clothes, shoes and a coat if you have any particular suggestions. I was going to let my kids pick out the outfits. TIA

[Anonymous]

Umbrella stroller and a few cheap toys and fabric book

I’d focus on clothing.

[Anonymous]

And diapers and wipes

[Anonymous]

Sorting game, hammer game, music set could all be nice toys for the baby! Very kind of you to do this OP.

[Anonymous]

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Happkid-Stacking-Cups-with-Castle-Stacker-for-Toddler-Stacking-and-Sorting-Nesting-Toys-Game-for-Kids-from-12-Months-18-PCS/598395622

Someone here recommended it and my kid loves it. Versatile, stores nicely. Says it is for 12 months plus but there are no small parts.

[Anonymous]

For a kid that young, I would get a coat that covers the legs, too.

For toys, I would shoot a little older, but avoid small parts. If kid is on an Angel tree, he likely won’t get a lot of toys until next Christmas. Love a shape sorter, blocks, a ball, an 8” Squishmallow ( my 18 mo is obsessed with his).

You could also do Melissa and Doug chunky puzzles with the idea that the pieces work both as manipulatives and as a puzzle. For example, a cars puzzle would allow him to have cars w/o the choking hazard.

[Anonymous]

Former teacher. I used to visit a needy student’s house. I was shocked at how few toys she had. The academic profile of the student suggested that she hadn’t had a lot of stimulation young. Absolutely get a coat, but don’t skip a toy. This kid had only whatever other families gave away for free. So she had big, bulky things like a shopping cart, but nothing educational, like blocks. Think of your top ten must-have toys, and assume the kid has maybe two or three of them.

[Anonymous]

Stacking cups, blocks, shape sorter, small baby doll, toddler maracas, chunky puzzle, little people toys, a board book.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Former teacher. I used to visit a needy student’s house. I was shocked at how few toys she had. The academic profile of the student suggested that she hadn’t had a lot of stimulation young. Absolutely get a coat, but don’t skip a toy. This kid had only whatever other families gave away for free. So she had big, bulky things like a shopping cart, but nothing educational, like blocks. Think of your top ten must-have toys, and assume the kid has maybe two or three of them.

Also, a board book that encourages counting. Public libraries in Fairfax aren’t circulating board books right now, so a lot of families likely aren’t reading to their kids AT ALL. I like this one by DK, but there are lots to choose from. You might find one in English and Spanish if you don’t know the kid’s ethnicity.

https://www.amazon.com/DK-Braille-Counting/dp/1465436138

[Anonymous]

Definitely board books. All the DK publishing are great for encouraging learning and language. A set of blocks, such as alphabet blocks. A ball (I like Oball bc it’s easy to grasp and doesn’t lose it’s shape). A shape-sorter in bucket form so they can use the bucket for other projects. A truck (I love the dump truck from Greentoys). Chunky puzzles.


For clothes, lots of footie pajamas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Definitely board books. All the DK publishing are great for encouraging learning and language. A set of blocks, such as alphabet blocks. A ball (I like Oball bc it’s easy to grasp and doesn’t lose it’s shape). A shape-sorter in bucket form so they can use the bucket for other projects. A truck (I love the dump truck from Greentoys). Chunky puzzles.


For clothes, lots of footie pajamas.

Check Carter’s for door busters. The fleece footie pajamas often go on sale around this time. I would prioritize the coat and the toys, though, if you have a strict budget. Free clothing is easy to get, as long as the mom overlooks aesthetics.

[Anonymous]

On the other hand, if you are wealthy and budget is not a problem, you can create a mix and match wardrobe that the mom would appreciate.

Choose a three piece outfit with a vest, then get a pack of bodysuits that match the vest, and some pull on jeans. Throw in matching socks, and baby has ten outfits.

For example, this outfit:
https://www.carters.com/carters-baby-boy-sets/V_1J440010.html

Plus these bodysuits:

https://www.carters.com/carters-baby-boy-bodysuits/V_1I720110.html

Plus bottoms:
https://www.carters.com/carters-cobranded-baby-girl-new-arrivals/CARBUNNEUTRAL4PKPANT2.html

Or

https://www.carters.com/carters-baby-boy-pants/V_1J091010.html

Plus socks:
https://www.carters.com/carters-baby-boy-socks/V_1H798710.html

The vest makes the clothing cute and warmer, but you can still take it out to get baby into the coat. Again, much more expensive, but you didn’t mention if you were on a budget or not.

[Anonymous]

I'd include some warm and cozy sleepers in the bundle. No need to go expensive, but even maybe a Christmas one. It's this baby's first Christmas!

In terms of toys, definitely some board books, a shape sorter or stacking rings, and a pack of big blocks (the package I'm thinking about is 10 rubbery/plastic blocks that are great for tiny hands).

[Anonymous]

This is OP. Thank you so much for all of these suggestions. As I said, my kids are older now and the baby days seem so long ago.

We will definitely buy a few toys, board books (which I completely forgot about), clothes and footie pjs. We usually spend around $100-150 on each child we sponsor. I loved the Carter’s door busters when mine were little. I will look!

What do you think about shoes? They gave me a size. My children were not walking at 9 months. What type is best?

[Anonymous]

Op go to the store and just browse the section for under 3 and you can't go wrong.