We’ve always been of the opinion that gift giving is more of an art than a skill. And when it comes to baby shower gift ideas, there are way too many predictable options. In our experience, you’ve got to take at least a little risk with your gifts if you want them to be memorable. So here are 19 truly unique baby shower gift ideas to get your creative mind working.
Think of each baby shower gift as an opportunity. It’s a chance to show your expecting friend or relative how well you know them. And how much you hope this next chapter of their life will be full of fun, excitement, and surprise!
Below is a round-up of some of our favorite unique baby shower gift ideas. We scoured the internet to find thoughtful, handmade and creative items ranging from clothes to toys to jewelry that are just perfect for new moms and/or their new arrival. Everything on the list is delightfully creative and is sure to stand out at your next baby shower.
We hope you find just the right gift for the mom-to-be.
The List: Unique Baby Shower Gift Ideas!
1. Foreign Language Blocks
[easyazon_link keywords=”Uncle Goose” locale=”US” tag=”thet081-20″]Uncle Goose[/easyazon_link] makes some truly beautiful wooden blocks. The crisp graphics will appeal to design savvy new parents, while the bold colors and textured sides will keep baby entertained. New moms and dads might even be okay with these blocks being left out on the playroom floor! The foreign language block sets are particularly unique and charming, and are available in 23 different languages. They’re a great way to get kids on a bilingual path as soon as possible!
Most popular foreign languages: [easyazon_link identifier=”B01CRLHWKA” locale=”US” tag=”thet081-20″]Spanish[/easyazon_link], [easyazon_link identifier=”B01CRLHT4Y” locale=”US” tag=”thet081-20″]Korean[/easyazon_link], [easyazon_link identifier=”B01CRLHXRC” locale=”US” tag=”thet081-20″]Chinese[/easyazon_link], [easyazon_link identifier=”B01CRLHSHM” locale=”US” tag=”thet081-20″]Japanese[/easyazon_link], [easyazon_link identifier=”B01CRLHZK2″ locale=”US” tag=”thet081-20″]French[/easyazon_link], [easyazon_link identifier=”B01CRLI09C” locale=”US” tag=”thet081-20″]German[/easyazon_link], [easyazon_link identifier=”B01CRLI1PA” locale=”US” tag=”thet081-20″]Hebrew[/easyazon_link], [easyazon_link identifier=”B00V5I5SUI” locale=”US” tag=”thet081-20″]Hindi[/easyazon_link], [easyazon_link identifier=”B01CRLHRS2″ locale=”US” tag=”thet081-20″]Italian[/easyazon_link], [easyazon_link identifier=”B01CRLHVUG” locale=”US” tag=”thet081-20″]Russian[/easyazon_link], [easyazon_link identifier=”B01CRLHX54″ locale=”US” tag=”thet081-20″]Arabic[/easyazon_link], [easyazon_link identifier=”B01CRLHUG6″ locale=”US” tag=”thet081-20″]Polish[/easyazon_link], [easyazon_link identifier=”B01CRLHYYO” locale=”US” tag=”thet081-20″]Dutch[/easyazon_link], [easyazon_link identifier=”B01CRLHYBM” locale=”US” tag=”thet081-20″]Danish[/easyazon_link], [easyazon_link identifier=”B01CRLI0UG” locale=”US” tag=”thet081-20″]Greek[/easyazon_link], and [easyazon_link identifier=”B01CRLHV6A” locale=”US” tag=”thet081-20″]Braille[/easyazon_link] too!
- Price: $30 – 50.00
- Order Online: Amazon
- Maker: Uncle Goose handcrafts every set of blocks in their Grand Rapids, Michigan factory. They use choice materials from around the Great Lakes including non-toxic, child-safe inks. They have lots of other wood block baby shower gift ideas including Lowercase ABC Blocks, Nautical Blocks, and our personal favorite, the Antics Ant Blocks!
- Review Highlights: Blocks are premium-quality, well made, easy for small hands to pick up, perfect for bilingual families and cultural immersion, some blocks have sharp edges so no throwing please!
2. Mason Jar Solar Nightlights
These handmade terrarium-like mason jar lights are hands down our favorite night lights. They’re cute and oh-so useful for late night feedings and diaper changes. The solar powered LED light magically turns on by itself when the room darkens so you won’t stub your toe or step on a Lego. There are several charming design options to choose from to perfectly match most nursery themes. Kerri Lee makes an entire range of cute vintage inspired baby accessories in her studio in Long Eddy, New York, so poke around her site a bit before settling on something!
- Price: $38.00 per night light
- Order Online: Tree By Kerrilee
- Maker: Tree by Kerri Lee began when Kerri started creating unique gifts at her kitchen table and selling them at local craft fairs. Her sweet goods are now retailed at hundreds of stores around the US. All of her goods are made with sustainably sourced wood and child safe paints.
- Review Highlights: Perfectly sized night light, conveniently turns on when the lights go out, be sure to set jars in windowsill to pick up direct sunlight for a strong charge.
3. State Baby Rattle
Bannor Toys is an independent Etsy shop that makes heirloom quality wooden toys. Their line of U.S. state shaped baby rattles would make a great gift from a loved one in another part of the country. Gifting your home state to the new baby will be a constant reinforcement of your love. We especially like the option for custom laser engraving, so you can further customize this thoughtful gift.
- Retail price: $18.00 and up depending on customization
- Where to buy: Bannor Toys
- Maker: Bannor Toys owners Jesse and Stacey Bannor started off hand making toys for their own children and those in their daycare. Soon others were requesting custom toys and the rest is history!
- More Reviews: Great design and craftsmanship. My baby’s favorite toy, loves chewing on the edges. Cute and very well made, a lovely gift to give.
4. Book: The Wonderful Things You Will Be
[easyazon_image align=”none” height=”160″ identifier=”0385376715″ locale=”US” class=”aligncenter” src=”https://cdn.thegiftler.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/15052129/thewonderfulthingsyouwillbe.jpg” alt=”Unique Baby Shower Gift Ideas – The Wonderful Things You Will Be” tag=”thet081-20″ width=”268″ height=”282″]
A lovely book about all the possibilities for the new baby. Author/illustrator Emily Winfield Martin does a beautiful job capturing the excitement and love that parents see in their children. The illustrations are cute and whimsical as are the words that accompany them. This is a very modern book that’s gender neutral, showing for example, a boy at a sewing machine and a girl as rock star. Since the book just came out in August 2015, this is a soon-to-be classic addition to new baby book collections.
- Retail list price: $16.99
- Where to buy: [easyazon_link identifier=”0385376715″ locale=”US” tag=”thet081-20″]Amazon[/easyazon_link]
- Author: Emily Winfield Martin
- More Reviews: The words create a great poetic rhythm that is a joy to read aloud. The kids portrayed are ethnically diverse. The story is less about professions and more about personality, overall a great message.
5. Book: Last Stop on Market Street
This book is a must have for anyone who lives in the city. The wonderful story follows a boy and his grandmother as they ride the bus, and all the colorful characters they see along the way. The grandmother teaches her grandson that while they may not be rich with money, they are rich emotionally. The fun geometric illustrations perfectly compliment the urban tale of seeing the beauty in everyday life.
- Retail list price: $17.99
- Where to buy: [easyazon_link identifier=”0399257748″ locale=”US” tag=”thet081-20″]Amazon[/easyazon_link]
- Author: Matt De La Peña, Christian Robinson (Illustrator)
- More Reviews: This book is a great way to teach children that material things are not the most important things in life. This is a great book for grandparents to read to their grandchildren. The story celebrates the diversity of all the folks you’ll find while traveling through the city.
6. Book: Baby Love
The words to this simple story form a cute song to sing to your baby: “Rosy cheeks. Button nose. Little fingers. Tiny toes” and so on. The song celebrates everything precious and lovely about babies while the images show a family of three going through their daily routine. Children will love looking at the illustrations of the family dog, the garden, the bath, and other places around the house that they know.
- Retail list price: $17.99
- Where to buy: [easyazon_link identifier=”1442433922″ locale=”US” tag=”thet081-20″]Amazon[/easyazon_link]
- Author: Angela DiTerlizzi, Brooke Boynton Hughes (Illustrator)
- More Reviews: This is a very sweet book that turns interactive, its a great way to bond with your new baby. Everything there is to love about a cuddly baby is encapsulated by this book.
7. Letters to My Baby
This beautifully designed paper time capsule delivers a unique baby shower gift that is personal, priceless, and sure to be treasured forever. The innovative letter/envelope format is more fun than a blank diary and the topics are thoughtful and sincere. With a set of twelve creative letter writing prompts and envelopes, its easy to share words of wisdom, favorite memories, and high hopes for your little one.
- Retail price: $14.25
- Where to buy: [easyazon_link identifier=”145213295X” locale=”US” tag=”thet081-20″]Amazon[/easyazon_link]
- Maker: Leafcutter Designs & Chronicle Books
- More Reviews: Love the clever design and the thoughtful prompts that make the letter writing so easy. This is so meaningful for the mother now, and will make a great graduation gift to the child when they are older. A great time capsule for the new parents to freeze this moment in time. A great gift that I have on hand for new parents.
Little Animal Lover Memory Book
The problem with most memory books is that the sleep deprived new parents never have the energy to fill them out. Blank pages can be so daunting (and sometimes guilt-inducing). This beautifully designed and illustrated memory book solves that problem in a great way. Parents can quickly and easily record those first years with help from prompts and spaces to write short ideas and memories. The website even has a blog with helpful tips and tricks for filling the memory book’s pages.
- Retail price: $34.99
- Where to buy: Lucy Darling
- Maker: Lucy Darling began when Haily Meyers, a graphic design artist became pregnant with her first child. She was initially inspired to design baby stickers and opened her first online shop with 3 sticker sets. Now her company offers a variety of baby accessories created and printed locally in the USA.
- More Reviews: Most baby books are pink and blue and outdated looking, this one is fresh and modern. The book is simple to fill out, and has plenty of room to document exactly what you want to.
Dreamcatcher Modern Baby Book
This is another great take on the baby book for the modern age. Each book is made of 50 pages with the option to add or subtract pages. The makers at Mushy Books wanted to provide parents with a simple and sleek memory book that could be personalized and adorned exactly to personal taste level.
- Retail price: $62.00
- Where to buy: Mushy Books
- Maker: Etsy shop Mushybooks was created by Lesley Hobbs after she had 3 babies in 3 years and 3 ugly baby books. After realizing that other moms hated the design of most baby books on the market, she designed her own to give parents an option that wasn’t pink and blue.
- More Reviews: The book is well made and the paper feels high quality. This book is nice and simple, lets me personalize it exactly how I like. The design is modern, not cheesy like most books out on the market.
Glass Locket
Lockets are always a classic gift, especially for baby’s first photo. These glass lockets are a beautiful new take on a timeless idea. They come simple as shown, or the seller can add the baby’s name, birthdate, birthstone, and more on a coordinating charm to create a one of a kind piece of jewelry.
- Retail price: $74.00+ depending on customization
- Where to buy: You Can Quote Me on That
- Maker: Vicki Casillas opened her shop YouCanQuoteMeOnThat as a way to work from home after the birth of her first child. Vicki has since opened 2 other etsy shops and acts as the Owner, Designer, Manager, Buyer, Marketing, Shipping, Accounts Payable/Receivable for all 3 businesses.
- More Reviews: High quality item from a great seller. The seller is very easy to work with to create the perfect custom piece. These are very beautiful necklaces and can’t wait to show it off.
Sterling Silver Teething Necklace
These made in the USA sterling silver necklaces were created by a mother who was tired of picking up her child’s teether off the ground. She decided to start wearing a plastic teether around her neck to solve that problem until she remembered that baby accessories used to be made in sterling silver for generations. Momma’s Jewels necklaces are long enough that baby won’t tug and stylish enough that they can be worn “off duty”.
- Retail price: $179.00+ depending on the style
- Where to buy: Mommas Jewels
- Maker: Stacy Rosenthal, founder of Momma’s Jewels
- More Reviews: Tasteful, practical jewelry when you have a little one who tugs on necklaces. I love wearing sterling instead of the silicone that other teething jewelry is made of. This is a nice gift that is as much for mom as it is for baby.
New Mommy Trade Tokens
Here is another unique product that we make by hand here at Leafcutter. These 1.5” wooden tokens are to be used as infinitely reusable coupons. This New Mommy bag is a set of 6 tokens that you can give to your favorite new mom to cash in when she needs some support. Tokens include: Good for one hug / Good for one pep talk / Good for babysitting / Good for one lunch on the town / Good for one diaper change / Good for some home cookin’
- Retail price: $6.95 per set
- Where to buy: Leafcutter Designs
- Maker: Leafcutter Designs
- More Reviews: These are great and carry very personal feel as a gift. Once you hand one out, you are starting a chain of love that can continue to spread.
Felt Taco Booties
These super cute handmade felt booties will keep those new toes cozy! We love the bright colors and imagination of these Taco Booties, but Gulnara also stitches Triceratops, Elephants, and Whales, and these whacky Sweet Corn Booties, among many other cute food and animal designs.
Not only are these functional and handmade, but their purchase supports a good cause, giving women in Kyrgyzstan steady jobs and income while preserving their national craft. These are exclusive to Uncommon Goods so you can’t get them anywhere else!
- Price: $25.00
- Order Online: Uncommon Goods
- Maker: Gulnara Kydyrmyshova became passionate about reviving local crafts in 1991 when Kyrgyzstan gained independence. Her work helps to relieve her nation of poverty through the trade of handmade felted goods.
- Review Highlights: Original, hilarious, well made, big enough to last until 6-9 months or so, soft material, not at all irritating to the skin, entertaining, eco-friendly, handmade, natural wool.
Tortilla Baby Swaddle Blanket
Learning to swaddle baby up like a burrito is a common source of pride among new parents. Make sure baby looks the part with this hilariously creative tortilla printed swaddling set. The blanket is cool and breathable so baby won’t overheat and there’s even a 4-step “Burrito Roll” recipe included. Most intriguingly, this is a 40″ round swaddle blanket, just like a really huge tortilla. Wild!
- Retail price: $47.99 for Swaddle Blanket and Knot Hat Set
- Order Online: Bon Vivant Baby
- Maker: Katherine Harlan Owens created Bon Vivant Baby from her home in San Francisco. Inspiration came from attending dozens of baby showers for her friends and family and watching the same boring gifts appear over and over. So she now designs standout gifts for people with great taste and a sense of humor. And they’re all made here in the USA. Also be sure to check out Bon Vivant Baby’s Lil’ Eggroll and Lil’ Sushi swaddle sets.
- More Reviews: Adorable, huge hit at the baby shower, super-fast shipping, hat matches the wrap so well, super soft fabric and looks so warm, my child still uses the blanket even though he outgrew the swaddle, one of my go to baby shower gift ideas, useful and unique.
Stay On Baby Booties
Some babies just kick and kick until they’re rid of their shoes. These custom made booties are a perfectly adorable solution to that problem. These handmade baby booties feature an elastic bootie with a snap cuff to keep them solidly attached to those chubby little legs. And if you’re handy with a sewing machine, you can instead opt to buy the original pattern for only $5.00 and whip up a pair or two yourself.
- Price: $20.00 (or $5.00 for the pattern)
- Order Online: A Tale of Two Threads
- Maker: The pattern was created by Kate of Beautiful Pie Shop. She was inspired to create the pattern after her baby girl kept kicking off her shoes. After lots of folks asked where she bought those booties, she opened her Etsy shop and posted the sewing pattern. Kate’s friend Cori runs A Tale Of Two Threads and offers the finished shoes in a variety of fabrics and colors.
- Review Highlights: Adorable, easy pattern with clear instructions, pattern is good for beginners too, super cute, easy to make, everyone asks where I got them, they really don’t budge from my baby’s feet, great for warm feet this fall/winter, easy to get on and won’t come off.
Organic Cotton Long Sleeve Onesie
There’s clearly no shortage of clothing choices for newborns, but the fact is that onesies are always in demand. This is one of the best options we’ve seen. With long sleeves for chilly evenings and plenty of well placed snaps for easy on/off and diaper changes, baby will be both comfy and stylish. It’s also made from soft organic cotton and the feather is embroidered, not printed. We’re sure no one else will give her a onesie quite like this one!
Finn + Emma use only eco-friendly dyes and there are lots of trendy prints and color options to choose from. We think everything about these well crafted onesies is a breath of fresh air compared to the standard white cotton variety.
- Price: $23.00
- Order Online: Finn + Emma
- Maker: Finn + Emma was founded on the mission that baby clothing should be sustainable and stylish. All of their garments are produced in fair trade settings that encourage social and economic independence for their workers.
- Review Highlights: So soft, stylish, great for baby’s sensitive skin.
More Unique Baby Shower Gift Ideas
Tiny Packages
To round out our list is an item from our World’s Smallest Post Service. We offer several designs that are great for congratulating new parents. Since our packages are fully customizable, you can really choose any of our tiny objects along with a heartfelt message to send to the soon-to-be or brand new parents.
- Retail price: $11.00
- Where to buy: Leafcutter Designs
- Maker: Leafcutter Designs
- More Reviews: These are perfect for brightening someone’s day and making someone smile.
