Practical or developmental gifts for 4 month old

[MintSource]

Friends and family kindly want to buy Christmas presents for DS who will be four months.

Can anyone recommend any practical items or developmental toys that are not too expensive but your LOs have found useful?

We had a gym and bouncer passed on from friends and have a nice basic chair and a play mat.

Small things here- an O ball, Usborne Touchy Feely books, Lamaze toys that have rattles, flaps and crinkly bits on them all, and more recently (6 months) her own set of wooden kitchen implements to whack about when she's in her highchair.

The Jumperoo is a godsend too but came into its own from when she was about 5/6 months (and it's expensive!).

4 month old really don't need much so I would ask for things which will be good from 6 moths to a year that you'll appreciate having later in the year. Try - board books, soft bricks, stacking cups, a baby mirror, soft ball. Or how about Xmas themed books or a wooden advent calendar which can be used for future Xmas. Or ask for nice plastic or melamine plates and bowls you can use for weaning. And bibs. Millions of bibs! The ones with sleeves are best if you're planning on baby led weaning.

Box of tissues and a whisk to play in the bath?

Nice wooden blocks (ours are still played with by my soon to be 8 year old), stacking cups, nice sets of plates and bowls, books, nice artwork for the bedroom wall (illustrations from classic books etc will last years or check out the animal and dinosaur world maps on notonthehighstreet, dd loves her dinosaur map and I think will have it for many years on her wall).

Otherwise if people want to spend more (as grandparents often do) I'd encourage them to buy a few books or something and give you the rest to begin building up a savings account for him.

Stacking cups, books etc are great ideas. Anything with buttons to press for a few months time. The Tomy Hide and Squeak eggs were loved by DD, and all of her friends who had them. Don't forget you can always ask for stuff that your DS will grow into in 6 months time. Bringing out new toys is always a massive hit, and will save you having to get it later (we did this a lot for DD as her birthday is January). Kids that age don't really need much, so again we did what someone else suggested above and asked grandparents to give money for her ISA. This year she's almost 2 and will be moving into a new room soon, so we've asked for money towards her new bedding/furniture as she has plenty of toys, and will be more than happy with a few little bits and pieces.

Another thought, when mine were little my parents were quite happy to buy a new car seat or something at Christmas/birthday. I know your will have a fair bit of space left in his infant carrier but if you were thinking long term about a good extended rear facing seat then contributions towards that could be useful.

A lovely book - maybe one of the children's classics - best think you can do is read

Thing not think - damn phone

Thanks all. Really helpful.

I looked at Bumbos but they seem to be out of favour with experts.

Books are a great idea as he loves me reading to him already. I shall look up all the other things mentioned.

Thanks again.

Books are a great suggestion.

Maybe something like Julia Donaldson or Dr Seuss that have a good rythmn and will be enjoyed for years to come. We've already had 4 years out of a Dr Seuss box set and expect another 4 once DD can read them herself.

Would there be people who could club together for a jumperoo? They are indeed a godsend from about 5months. We had DS in his a bit earlier as he was so tall.

Likewise a highchair. We had a silvercross doodle that subsequently turned into a toddler table so, although expensive, it lot loads of use.

Otherwise picture books, you are about to need a million so you don't get bored.

I wouldn't bother with the bumbo as apart from the question marks about safety, it's something that will be fairly shortlived in use and you can easily do without by using cushions on the floor or your bouncy chair for some sitting up time. You could get one of those inflatable baby 'nest' things to help with sitting up if you want something along those lines but again usefulness is quite shortlived.

We got an inflatable play nest for our 3 month old. Galt do a farmyard themed one. Lots of sensory fabrics and you can prop/lay the baby in various ways as they grow, to safely exercise new muscular development.

My DS is 4 months this christmas but as he has a lot of Lamaze squishy crinkly stuff hanging from them toys already I'm solely getting him and asking for things for next year. We got him a rocking elephant for from 9 months and some blocks, some books etc. He plays with the same 3 toys in rotation at the moment so I don't want to bother buying anything more to use now. I have the Galt playnest but it doesn't really prop him up loads yet. I don't want to bother with a Bumbo type seat though, i'll just prop with pillows until he can sit unaided.