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Christmas Shopping for Baby - Guide To Finding The Best Deals

by Katlyn Joy
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Struggling to find a balance between the wish list and the family budget this Christmas? Many families are, and this year seems particularly difficult for most households. However, there are strategies you can use to help stretch your dollars and still provide that magical morning for your little one.

Of course, Black Friday, or the day after Thanksgiving, remains one of the cornerstones of the frugal Christmas shoppers methods. The key to making Black Friday work for you is planning ahead. Go to websites of the stores you want to shop at and study the ads ahead of time, making note of any special requirements for purchases, time limits on the sale prices, and quantities that are limited. Have a plan of attack. Which stores have the most in demand items when? Having a partner to divide and conquer the stores sometimes works best. Just dont show up last minute and without doing homework, because the only thing youll be assured of coming home with is a headache. We have included several links on these baby christmas pages to black friday and Christmas savings offers.

Closely related to Black Friday, is Cyber Monday. This is the Monday following Thanksgiving, and an event retailers concocted to keep sales brisk following the big Friday business. By focusing on the online market, they figured they could target everyone who is back at work but still motivated to get a dent in that Christmas shopping list.

For the tighter budget or more frugal shopper, dont forget your local thrift stores. While it might take more time to search the shelves and racks for the right present, very often baby items and toys can be found that are practically brand new or sometimes even still in the box! While it may be more work, the savings can be tremendous for a tight budget. Just make certain that you check the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission website for recalls on baby equipment especially. http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prerel.html

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Now for the actual wish list for baby. Consider making a list of gifts that will address the various developmental needs of babies. In that way, youll provide a balance of toys that will be fun, and still help baby grow.

Fine Motor Skills Classic choices here include blocks, stackers, toys with strings to pull, toys with gears, buttons, and slots.

Gross Motor Skills Balls, toys where babies get to jump, stretch, ride one, or push.
Language Gifts here include books, toys that teach words, letters, and phonics for the youngest learners. Toys that help children label objects in their world are helpful.
Imaginative Play Pretend toys here encompass a range of things from play kitchenware, to dolls and puppets, playsets that replicate homes, garages, airports, and so on. Also toys that let children mimic adult world, like vacuums, mowers, and such.

Music and Art There are all kinds of musical toys for tots, and many combine the skills of fine motor action with the reward of sound. Art products are not as plentiful for the littlest learners, but there are some age appropriate markers and crayons and variations on them for the toddler set. Just be sure to only buy products that are listed for your childs age, and be certain they are not toxic.

Cuddly Things Of course the appeal of a soft doll or stuffed animal cannot be overlooked. Again, just be certain that there are no small parts, or any detachable elements that could pose a choking hazard. Worry about allergies? Try to find something you can easily launder yourself, or that truly can wipe clean.

Bath time Fun Bath toys should be easy to clean, and dry, and meant for use by babies, not just older kids. Never underestimate the power of a loved bath toy to make shampoo time bearable. Look for things that wont clutter the bathroom or make too much of a mess so that youll end up regretting the purchase.

With all toys, consider the replay value. Many toys have a great wow factor right out of the box, but a week or two down the road may seemed all played out. Maybe spend some time at a local toy store or the retail stores toy section and let baby experiment a bit to see what is most appealing. Babies can be finicky creatures, and just because the children in the commercials seem intrigued by a toy, doesnt mean itll impress your little one.
Katlyn Joy is a freelance writer, and just graduated with a Masters of Arts in Creative Writing. She is mom to seven children, and lives in Denver, Colorado.

Christmas Shopping for Baby - Guide To Finding The Best Deals

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