Three newborn gifts that keep giving

Three newborn gifts that keep giving

People love to buy baby gifts. Clothes, toys, the newest gadgets – they are all favorites of the savvy shopper. But a newborn quickly outgrows many of the gifts he receives. Some gifts, however, can keep on giving. Books, music, and infant massage or baby yoga classes are three newborn gifts that continue giving long after baby grows up.

Books of all shapes, sizes, and topics make the perfect gift to encourage a lifelong love affair with the written word. The joy of reading is learned early. When you read to your child regularly, you nurture a love of books. There is no better time to begin, than when your baby is born. Story time with your newborn is more about sharing a special bond than reading, but this positive early experience may help your child develop a thirst for knowledge and a healthy attitude toward learning.

>From gentle lullabies to classical compositions, early exposure to music may become another gift of a lifetime. When you play music for your baby, he learns the beauty of sound. Variety is important here. The more types of music your child hears, the more he learns to enjoy. Vocal and instrumental selections expose your baby to different qualities of music, as does playing a variety of musical genres – classical to calm, jazz to uplift, and so on. Who knows, your baby may even grow up to be a famous singer or musician someday.

Infant massage and baby yoga classes give the gifts of healthy touch and movement. The classes provide a superb bonding opportunity for you and your baby, but they may also do a lot more. What people experience as young children goes a long way toward establishing who they become as adults. Infant massage may help babies learn about their bodies and healthy touch. It also facilitates a strong parent-child bond, which may improve your ability to maintain open communication with your child as he grows.

Likewise, baby yoga classes encourage healthy movement. When you learn to enjoy movement as a child, you carry that into adulthood. Your baby may learn healthier attitudes toward self-care, such as exercise and relaxation, as you model and share these experiences with him in class.

Whether you choose books, music, or infant massage and baby yoga classes, the best gifts for baby are gifts that provide a foundation for healthy growth and development. Not only are they fun to give, they give a little something back as you enjoy watching their benefits unfold in a child’s life.