Before you choose

A baby's first Christmas is mostly about the grown-ups, but a few good presents get used every day afterwards. These ten are all marked from birth by Mamas & Papas: something to lie on, something to look at, and several things to grab, shake and chew, including toys that clip to the pushchair for the walks between visits.

What a baby does with a present in the first year

A newborn mostly looks, so a gift for a December baby is something to lie under and gaze at: hanging toys, a mirror, bold patterns. By three or four months most babies bat at things and start to hold a light rattle. By six months many sit with support and put everything in their mouths, which is when soft books with teething rings come into their own.

That makes the age of the baby on Christmas Day the best guide. For a baby born in the autumn, choose the playmat or something to look at. For a baby nearing their first birthday, choose things to hold, shake and explore, and things that travel.

A main present: somewhere to play

For a single bigger present, a playmat and gym gives a baby a padded place to lie with toys hanging overhead. The Welcome to the World Elephant playmat has a faux-fur base, a musical hanging toy, four more hanging toys, a mirror and a tummy time toy. Mamas & Papas says to take the arches off once a baby starts to push up on hands and knees.

A tummy time pad is a smaller alternative for the same job. The elephant Snugglerug has a grabber that rattles, and Mamas & Papas warns not to put it inside a cot.

Smaller gifts to grab, shake and chew

Most of these ideas are hand-sized: a lion grabber with a hidden rattle, two soft activity books with teething rings, and a large hippo with a rattle, a chime and a squeaky ladybird to find. Each is marked from birth, and each gives a baby something new to feel or hear.

For visits and car journeys

Christmas means time in the car and the pushchair. The mini activity cube clips on with a C-ring, the grey duck has a loop and a hidden chime, the jangly lion attaches to the pushchair, and the black-and-white linkie keeps toys within reach on its adjustable fastenings.

Pushchair toys work best when a baby can reach them without stretching. Clip them at the side rather than high overhead, check the fastening each time you set out, and take them off before the pushchair is folded.

Before you wrap it

Read the box for the age marking and any warnings, and remove tags and packaging before a baby plays. Toys for a baby are for awake, supervised play: keep them out of the cot at night.

None of these ideas is a soft toy or comforter. We left those off on purpose, because a first-Christmas list is better focused on toys for daytime play.

How these ideas were chosen

All ten are Mamas & Papas' own designs from the TopTenToys catalogue the owner approved. We read each one's age marking, contents and warnings on mamasandpapas.com on 6 October 2026. They are listed in the order we found most useful for a first Christmas, and this is not a TopTenToys ranking. This list shows no prices; check the retailer's page for the current price.

For year-round ideas, including a teether and more black-and-white toys, see our guide to toys for babies.

Manufacturer-checked facts

Product details

Ten ideas from Mamas & Papas, all marked from birth: a playmat, a tummy time pad, soft books, rattles and pushchair toys. Read each warning on the box before use.

Image supplied by Mamas & Papas through the Awin product feed.

Baby / playmat and gym

Mamas & Papas Playmat & Gym – Welcome to the World Elephant

In the box: A padded playmat with a faux-fur base, toy arches with a musical hanging toy and 4 hanging toys, a teething toy, a tummy time soft toy, crinkles, a baby-safe mirror and a rattle

Mamas & Papas says to remove the toy arches as soon as your child starts to push up on hands and knees.

Age guidance
0 months+
Brand
Mamas & Papas
Model / item
7736XT302
Facts checked
Back to the shortlist
Image supplied by Mamas & Papas through the Awin product feed.

Baby / tummy time

Mamas & Papas Tummy Time Snugglerug - Elephant

In the box: A soft cushioned elephant pad with a grabber toy that doubles as a rattle

Mamas & Papas warns not to place it inside a cot, where a child could use it as a foothold to climb out.

Age guidance
0 months+
Brand
Mamas & Papas
Model / item
743746801
Facts checked
Back to the shortlist
Image supplied by Mamas & Papas through the Awin product feed.

Baby / activity cube

Mamas & Papas Mini Activity Cube

In the box: A small soft activity cube with jangly and crinkly sounds, 3D elements, taggies, a teether and a C-ring for clipping to a pram or carrycot

Age guidance
0 months+
Brand
Mamas & Papas
Model / item
75811BW00
Facts checked
Back to the shortlist
Image supplied by Mamas & Papas through the Awin product feed.

Baby / activity toy

Mamas & Papas Activity Toy - Henry Hippo

In the box: A soft hippo activity toy about 31 cm tall with a rattle, taggies, a chime and a squeaky ladybird

Age guidance
0 months+
Brand
Mamas & Papas
Model / item
76091BW02
Facts checked
Back to the shortlist
Image supplied by Mamas & Papas through the Awin product feed.

Baby / soft book

Grateful Garden Interactive Activity Book

In the box: A soft Grateful Garden activity book with crinkles, textures and a teething ring; attaches to a pushchair or carrycot; machine washable

Age guidance
0 months+
Brand
Mamas & Papas
Model / item
75682B101
Facts checked
Back to the shortlist
Image supplied by Mamas & Papas through the Awin product feed.

Baby / soft book

Wildly Adventures Activity Book & Toy

In the box: A soft Wildly Adventures activity book, about 15 x 18 cm, with sounds, textures, a teething ring and a toy

Age guidance
0 months+
Brand
Mamas & Papas
Model / item
7558WIL03
Facts checked
Back to the shortlist
Image supplied by Mamas & Papas through the Awin product feed.

Baby / travel toy

Mamas & Papas Welcome to the World Chime Duck Travel Toy - Grey

In the box: A soft grey duck about 33 cm long with a hidden chime bell and a loop for attaching to a pushchair

Age guidance
0 months+
Brand
Mamas & Papas
Model / item
7609HG401
Facts checked
Back to the shortlist
Image supplied by Mamas & Papas through the Awin product feed.

Baby / rattle

Mamas & Papas Grabber Educational Toy - Lion

In the box: A soft lion grabber about 17 cm long with a hidden rattle and contrasting textures; machine washable

Age guidance
0 months+
Brand
Mamas & Papas
Model / item
760953702
Facts checked
Back to the shortlist
Image supplied by Mamas & Papas through the Awin product feed.

Baby / activity toy

Mamas & Papas Wildly Adventures Educational Toy - Jangly Lion

In the box: A Wildly Adventures lion activity toy about 40 cm long with sounds, textures and a ring that doubles as a teether; attaches to a pushchair

Age guidance
0 months+
Brand
Mamas & Papas
Model / item
7609WIL01
Facts checked
Back to the shortlist
Image supplied by Mamas & Papas through the Awin product feed.

Baby / high-contrast toy

Mamas & Papas x Another Fox Linkie Toy

In the box: A black-and-white Another Fox linkie with adjustable fastenings for keeping toys within reach on a pushchair or carrycot

Age guidance
0 months+
Brand
Mamas & Papas
Model / item
7586VT800
Facts checked
Back to the shortlist

Questions

Common questions

What is a good first Christmas present for a baby?
A playmat and gym makes a main present that gets used every day, such as the Welcome to the World Elephant playmat in this list, marked from birth. For smaller gifts, a soft activity book or a rattle suits a stocking.
What is a good Christmas gift for a 10-month-old?
By ten months most babies sit up, grab, pass toys from hand to hand and chew everything. Every gift here is marked from birth, so all of them suit a ten-month-old; the ones with the most to do are the Mini Activity Cube, with sounds, taggies and a teether, the Henry Hippo activity toy and the two soft activity books, which have teething rings and attach to a pushchair.
Are these gifts suitable for a newborn?
Mamas & Papas marks all ten from birth (0m+). Follow each warning, such as removing the playmat arches when a baby starts to push up on hands and knees.
Why are there no soft toys on this list?
We left soft toys and comforters off on purpose and kept to toys for awake, supervised play. Keep a baby's cot clear at night.

Research

Sources checked

We use official safety guidance and manufacturer sources for specific product claims. Retailer popularity can inform discovery but does not replace these checks.

Each pick's identity, age marking and contents were checked on its maker's own page: