10 Gift Ideas for Baby Boy's First Birthday / Christmas - Need Help?

Do YOU need some help finding good gift ideas for a baby boy's first birthday or Christmas? 

I've had the same problem so let me help you with 10 Gift Ideas that I know are appropriate and good.

Well our granddaughter is coming up to her first birthday and I was working on a blog post based on thinking about a gift for her so then I thought I really should have done this when our grandson Matthew was coming 1 as well.

So I thought I would do it now and of course these will work for Christmas as well.

Click the pictures and names of toys below to find out more about each one.

Click the Numbered Titles below to see a range of examples.



1.  Train Engine.

You need one that is not too small and has good wheels because he will just love to push it along and it doesn't have to make a sound as he will do that himself pretty soon.

This one is by "Melissa & Doug" which I think is an excellent make both for quality and for design.

Melissa & Doug Stacking Train Toy (18 pcs)

2.  Tractor and trailer.

This is what our oldest son bought Matthew for his first birthday and he still plays with it yet.
At first it was big enough for him to sit in the trailer and be pulled along.
Then later he was riding it and now it is instrumental in carrying the sand from the sand pit to wherever else he decides it has to go in the back garden.

Falk 1012B Child's Tractor with Trailer

3.  Wooden Educational Jigsaws.

It is never too early to start them on simple pull out jigsaw puzzles because first they are learning to lift the pieces out and then they learn to place them back again.  Great for dexterity of little hands and fingers to begin with and then for hand eye co-ordination later.

Playcrate-Pack-Wooden-Learning-Puzzles

4.  Wooden Building Blocks.

When has a boy not been happy to build something.  Again good for dexterity but also good for the imagination before they reach their second birthday.

Melissa & Doug Wooden Building Blocks Set of 100

5.  Shape Sorter.


Our kids had a simple round tub with a lid which had 3 shapes cut out and then there were 4 sets (different colours) of the three objects that would fit in through the different holes.  They never tired of this for the first few years.  Such joy and clapping when they could put each piece in correctly.

Now they have them in all different forms.  Like the Noah's Ark sorter that we got Matthew one day when we saw it cheap in Lidl.

Or this one

Fisher-Price Baby's First Blocks 

Need ideas for a Baby Boy's first Christmas? Just check here!

6.  Road Map Mat.


Lots of places sell these mats including IKEA where we got one for Matthew to have at nanny's house.


His mum and dad got him one which is bigger

Extra Large 79" x 40"! Kids Carpet Playmat Rug 

7.  Xylophone.


This really should be the wooden based type because it is much stronger and durable and also because it just sounds better.

We hunted for weeks to try to find one for Matthew coming up to his first birthday because we are a musical family and even long before then Matthew had taken a love for banging on his granda's drums in his study and wanted to dance to any music we made.  Matthew started walking at 9 months and would go from one foot to the other trying to dance as he approached his birthday.

Finally I tried on the internet and managed to get one there

Tobar 8 note Xylophone

but it wouldn't arrive in time for his birthday but that was just as well because his auntie in Canada had the same idea and sent him one in time for his birthday.   We got ours anyway for Christmas time and it stays in our house with the other instruments we have.

Need ideas for a Baby Boy's first birthday? Just check here!

8.  Bath Toy.


Kids like lots of little things to play with in the bath but as they get more independent because of finding their feet as we say, they really do enjoy a more intricate bath toy which can spurt out water and soak them and whoever is bathing them.

Matthew has adored playing with a certain toy that sticks to the side of the bath.

He fills it with water and loves to have it dump the water back out again.

I can't find the one he has but this one looks like a good choice.

Toddler Bath Toy Boats Set, 2 Pack Bath Boats for Kids

9.  A Child's Bible.


Never too soon to start reading to your child.  They just adore to look along as first you turn each page and then they try to turn them.  Of course they like to turn back the pages too which is rather infuriating for someone like me who wants to read the story when it is the first time they  have seen the book.

Lots of good books out there and for Suzie's baby shower before Matthew was born everyone brought a book as a gift so there was no shortage of books to stir up his interest.

Also never too soon to get a child's Bible.  Even though at that age even the simple bibles may seem too much for them just simplify the story even more as you turn those pages and reveal the pictures.

At the shower our gift was the Jesus Story Book Bible by  Sally Lloyd Jones.

The Jesus Storybook Bible Deluxe Edition: With CDs

This version has a set of CDs along with it.  The book is well written and well illustrated and Matthew loves to go grab it each night to have his Bible Story (+a few other books) read before bed.

There are other versions of it too which are cheaper.




10.  Piano.

When we couldn't get the Xylophone a nice shop assistant in "The Entertainer" shop suggested we might like to see a piano and we smiled at each other but then said this is a gift for a first birthday but he said it wasn't out on the shelf yet and he would bring it out and we could just take a look.

Melissa & Doug Learn-to-Play Piano With 25 Keys

We were hooked.

Fred loves to play the keyboard as well as the guitar and this small wooden piano was so cute (just like a miniature real upright piano), colourful and in tune.  You could really play it and the keys were great.

We just said "we'll take it" and then to each other we said "if it's too much for him now he'll have it for later".

No fear of that - it was a hit on his birthday and ever since.

In fact little sister Ruby who is now just about to celebrate the big first birthday loves to crawl over to it and sit back and tap the keys and turn to laugh at us now.

Disclaimer:
I am NOT an Amazon affiliate & I am not compensated in any way for these recommendations

10 Gift Ideas for a Guitar Fanatic - Need Help?

Well ok my husband is not a guitar fanatic!

But my husband does love to play the guitar and to go to music shops to look at guitars and try out new ones.

Years ago he would be tempted by many a nice-sounding guitar and for a while we had several (and I really do mean several) guitars in our house.  Well you always need a 12 string as well as a 6 string acoustic and of course you need an electric and you can't forget about a bass as well.  Then even when you have a really good guitar that you love, you also need to have another semi-acoustic to always be sitting near at hand to pick up and play or teach someone else the basics on.

As it is coming up to his next birthday Fred chose to get another guitar

Now I know there are many people who often find it hard to buy gifts for people especially guys.
So if the person you are thinking of is a guitar lover then hang on in here and see a few ideas for gifts  for them and if not a guitar lover then you might find some helpful ideas for some "hard to buy for males" over at 10 Gift Ideas for Brothers etc.



If you want some more info on any of these ideas just click on the titles of the item or on the pictures.



#1   Guitar Racks

To help store his guitars I suggested to Fred many years ago that he get a guitar rack which he eventually did but even then there were others sitting around in different rooms because he had so many.  Now he has sold some & given some away so most can go on the rack.


This is also a gift that everyone else in the house can appreciate because it helps to keep the home tidy.

I think this is the one he got

Kuyal Guitar Stand,Multi-Guitar Display Rack

#2   Guitar Stands


Playing the guitar is actually a nice hobby to have and I like to hear Fred sit and play and enjoy seeing him play & lead worship in church which he has done for most of the time I have known him (and that's a very long time).

For anyone playing outside the home then they need to have a good stand to rest the guitar on in between sets (oh listen to me with my music language!!) and Fred has a few of these folding A Frame stands for use in church and elsewhere  -  notice the folding bit of the description because they are then so easy to transport.

He likes the ones that will suit all types of guitars like this one below.

NEUMA Guitar Stand Folding Universal A frame Stand for All Guitars

#3   Guitar Picks  &  Strings


He started learning to play the guitar when he was 14 and even though I had started to learn when I was also 14 years old from the time I met him I knew I could never play as well as he could; possibly because I can not play by ear and also because my fingers are short but those were really only two excuses because although I liked the guitar I didn't love it as he did.

So you can imagine that Fred has used many, many guitar picks over all the years he has been playing.  Having just got this new guitar he started to think of what he might need to go along with it and he even thought of picks - his choice is shown here below.

Dunlop 44P.73 Nylon Standard

Yes he does have picks in cases of guitars and sitting around near his guitars and in his pockets but he will always say you can never have too many of them.   If the guitarist has a sense of humour maybe some fun picks would be nice like these





Any serious guitar player will know the importance of changing the strings on the guitar regularly (depending on how much you play it of course) so that you always get the best sound.


However over time each guitar lover will settle on the type of strings he really likes for each type of guitar so it might be best to make sure you know the type they normally get or ask them what they would like before you buy.

Or have a look inside the guitar case because many of them keep a packet there.

Need Help? 10 Gift Ideas for the Guitar Fanatic.

#4   Capos


When I saw him looking around for a new capo to have for this new guitar I was tempted to say "another one?"  but then I realised that he probably likes to keep a capo on the end of each guitar or like the picks, near each guitar (and yes I have even known him to have one in his pocket).

He saw this one and thought the colour would tone in with the new guitar but it is available in more than one colour.

Premium Deluxe Guitar Capo for Acoustic and Electric Guitars 

#5   Strap Locks


The new guitar arrived this afternoon.

Out it came straight away - I admired the nice case it came with and then admired the guitar as well - but there was something missing which I assumed was on all guitars until Fred explained that I was wrong.

Apparently the metal thing to which the guitar strap attaches (a strap lock) sometimes has to be bought separately so that was another thing he was looking for today not sure what his choice for the new guitar is going to be but he does have one like this on another guitar.

MusicNomad Acousti-Lok Strap Lock 

#6   Straps 


Of course a new guitar merits a new strap too.

I tend to favour a patterned strap especially in blue because that's my favourite colour

 but Fred has always liked a reasonably dark plain leather straps so that was another thing to start looking for and of course he has one all picked out now.

#7   Guitar Leads


One thing I know for certain we are not short of in this house is a lead for anything (the boxes of them are the proof of this) but although Fred does not need one for his new guitar he did suggest that other people would and so he recommended one with "a silent plug" for those times when our favourite guitarist is on stage and doesn't want to make a horrible noise when they detach their guitar lead.

#8   Guitar Tuners


Some guys are really good at tuning their guitars because they have such a good ear but even those guys will probably want a tuner to get the job done quicker.


As well as buying tuners to keep in their guitar case nowadays they can buy apps for their phones that will act as tuners.

As far as I can see from Fred, Korg is a pretty good make to go with.

Korg TM60BK Tuner Metronome

#9   Wall Hooks


When our second son was a teenager he was very keen on the guitar and wanted to keep one in his bedroom to play there.  His bedroom was the smallest room in the house so we came up with the idea of hanging the guitar from the wall and that was a great success and he thought it rather "cool" at the time.

So for anyone short of space to store guitars why not get them a wall hook - if it's what the retailers use then why not us.

This would be my choice - I like the idea of the wood.

Plus who couldn't resist the idea of the way they have incorporated the guitar shape into it.

Guitar Wall Mount Hanger Auto Lock

#10   Kids Guitars


One of the nicest things someone can do for others is to pass on their knowledge and expertise and love for a musical instrument.

If a guitarist has a son or daughter they should be encouraged to instil a love for the guitar in them as well so some ideas for helping the kids become guitar fanatics are my last suggestion.

Many years ago we bought a 1/2 or 3/4 sized guitar so that Fred could teach our 3 kids to play and now even though they are all in their 30's they each enjoy music of all types and play the guitar.


This would be one example here which actually has the guitar and practically everything else you would need.

Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar 3/4 Junior Size 36 inch Kids Guitar for Beginners 6 Nylon Strings Guitar Starter Kits with Waterproof Bag Guitar Clip Tuner Strap Capo Picks Wipe

Above are examples of some of these items that can be bought on Amazon but there are also many music websites to order from or shops to buy from.

In fact part of the gift could actually be taking some time to go with your guy to some music shops for him to choose his gift (and have a wee play at some guitars while he's there).



Just one word of advice

Take a book or Ipad or something to do with you 

because I remember the times I would go to music shops with Fred 

and I was glad I had taken my book to read!!!

Disclaimer:
I am not an Amazon affiliate and do not get any compensation for my suggestions here.