Non-Toy Gift Guide: The Best Personalized Gifts for Babies & Kids

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Welcome! We’re thrilled you’ve found our Unrivaled Guide to Non‐Toy Gifts For Kids Of All Ages. Not to toot our own horn or anything, but when it comes to presents that aren’t toys, this is the biggest, most extensive and foolproof gift guide on the Internet (toot toot).

In this section of our Non‐Toy Gift Guide we’re bringing you unique ideas for personalized gifts for your kids – from babies, to toddlers, to tweens and beyond.

You can monogram just about anything these days, but the items we’ve selected are not only customizable, but useful and meaningful as well. These are gifts that will be kept as mementos and keepsakes long after your child has outgrown them – and perhaps even passed down to future generations.

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BEST PERSONALIZED GIFTS FOR KIDS

Memento Box: Give your child a special keepsake box where they can keep their most special memories and treasures, including their hospital bracelet, first lock of hair and first tooth. We recommend the beautifully handcrafted wooden baby keepsake boxes from Sophia Victoria Joy (we’re especially fond of the rocket and word designs), which can be fully customized with your child’s birth information, and are available in a variety of different sizes. Alternatively, add a little color and whimsy to their room with this beautiful laser-cut design from Kerri Lee.

Patchwork Memory Bear: Send a few special pieces of your child’s outgrown clothing or baby blankets to The Patchwork Bear, and they’ll turn them in to a one-of-a-kind custom stuffed animal. All those itty-bitty baby clothes that your child once wore can be transformed into a beautiful keepsake that they can treasure for the rest of their life. Choose between a bear, bunny or puppy. Keep in mind that these are handmade and take 3-4 weeks to create, so order early. If you don’t have time on your side, they also have a Patchwork Kit that can be given as the gift which includes a box so that the child can choose the clothes they want to send themselves.

Custom Photo Learning Books: These gifts take a little extra effort to upload your own photos, but we promise they will be well worth it. The Custom Board Book of Names & Faces from Pinhole Press is one of our all-time favorites. It has thick glossy pages to withstand rough handling, and helps your child learn the most important people in their life. The text and photos are completely customizable so you could even add other items like their favorite toys or pets as well.

We also love their ABC Board Book where your child can learn the alphabet by seeing photos of familiar people, places and things.

3D Wooden Name Sign:Walk into a room with one of these incredible 3D wooden name signs from Mod Wood Co and you’re sure to say, “wow”. Every sign is handcrafted, and with a multitude of designs available, you’re sure to find the perfect o ne for your child. They are beautiful for a baby nursery, but also sophisticated enough for a tween or teen. And you can customize the font, paint color and stain choice. Take a peek at their Freestanding Name Cutouts too – a stunning way for your child to claim their territory!

Growth Chart: Your kids will love tracking their height on their very own growth chart. Customize these beautiful designs from Jolie Prints with your child’s name and mark their height every couple of months. Or go with a more classic one that they won’t mind having on their wall for the long haul, like this cut-out name in bold colors from Pottery Barn Kids, or these gorgeous rustic pine “rulers” from Keepsake Rulers that are handmade from 100% thick pine (no veneers here), come in different stains/colors, and can also be personalized. It will serve as a literal reminder of how far they’ve come.

Personalized Lego Tray: If you’ve got a LEGO lover at home, these personalized LEGO Trays from Modern Silo are the perfect gift. You can customize the base plate color, and they come in 2 different sizes. They are great for travel (hello, road trip life safer!) but are also fun for working on custom builds, displaying finished works and lining up mini-figures.

Personalized Puzzles:Puzzles are great learning tools for kids to develop spatial awareness and hand-eye coordination, and when they’re personalized your kiddos are all the more likely to want to do it over and over again.

For a first-puzzle, these wooden name puzzles from Busy Puzzle are fantastic. We love that they come with easy-to-hold pegs so they’re easy to place in and out, and they’re a great way for kids to learn the letters in their name. They’re also so pretty to display in their room.

For toddlers and beyond, you can’t beat the selection from TinyMe, particularly the reversible designs (like getting 2 for 1!) where you can customize the colors and the difficulty of the puzzle – from beginner (6 large pieces) to advanced (48 pieces). They also include a personalized storage box, have sturdy thick pieces and are made with non-toxic materials.

Kid-Sized Chair: Give your child a comfy place to rest, relax or read in their very own, perfectly proportioned chair. Our kids all have the Anywhere Chair from Pottery Barn Kids, and they get used every day. They are incredibly light‐weight so can be moved anywhere (hence the name) they want – into a book nook for reading, in front of the TV for movie night, or turned over and made into a fun “slide” (editor’s note: my kids put theirs together upside down and make super fun obstacle courses!).

They come in a rainbow of colors, patterns, and materials, so you can customize it to your child’s preferences – plus, of course, add their name. This is a wonderful gift for babies (who will grow into them), toddlers, and grade‐schoolers. For an older child, try one of the equally awesome Anywhere Bean Bags.

Personalized Books: Imagine reading your child a bedtime story and it being all about them – their name, family, friends and favorite things. It would make them feel SO special – like the book was written just for them. Browse the selection from our 2 favorite companies that make personalized storybooks, I See Me and Wonderbly, and there’s no doubt you’ll find the perfect one for your child.

We highly recommend “My Very Own Name” and “The Little Boy Who Lost His Name”, (also available in a Girl version) which spell out your child’s name with beautiful illustration and rhyme. Another fun one is “Where Are You…?”which is a customized Where’s Waldo type book that will get your child searching for hours!

Custom Comic Book: Kids love to imagine that they’re super heroes…but what if they were actually turned into one?! With the personalized children’s comic books from Your Comic Story, you can transform your child into the superhero they’ve always dreamed of becoming. The comic book is 15 pages of full-color images that includes your child’s likeness and superhero name, in an entertaining story about their imagination saving the world. The book is beautifully made with bright glossy pages, and also includes a personal message from you to your child.

Personalized Jewelry: Tweens and teens are notoriously difficult to shop for, as their interests change and they transition away from toys. We have had amazing success with gifting this age group trendy, personalized jewelry. We love the quality and selection from Grace Personalized – they have everything from rings to bracelets and necklaces, which can all by customized with their name, nickname or initials. Many of them you can also select from different fonts, and choose to have it crafted from Sterling Silver, 18k gold plated or rose gold.

Grace Personalized also offers handwriting jewelry where your actual handwriting can be engraved or sculpted into the piece. We love the idea of giving them a piece of you to carry with them wherever they might go…like off to college!!

Jewelry Box: When looking for the perfect jewelry box for your little girl, you’ll want to choose one that’s well‐made and can last them into their teenage years. We love the Abigail selection at Pottery Barn Kids which offers solid construction and classic details like a turn‐key closure and miniature ballerinas which can be wound‐up to “dance” to music from Swan Lake.

This collection comes in a variety of sizes and can be personalized with your child’s name with a variety of colors and fonts from which to choose.

Sports Jersey: If your child has a favorite sports team they support, why not put them in the game with their very own custom sports jersey? Fanatics can personalize the youth or toddler-sized sports jersey of your choice (they have all the teams from the NHL, NBA, NFL and MLB) with your child’s name and number on the back. These are officially licensed jerseys that will be a major home run for any super fan.

PERSONALIZED STOCKING STUFFERS

These personalized gifts may be smaller in size, but will still pack a meaningful punch. Pop them in your child’s stocking to wow them right from the start.

(1) Paci Clips + Teethers: Pacifiers and teethers have never looked better then with a Mile High Teething Copersonalized pacifier clip or silicone teething rattle – perfect for keeping pacis clean and gums feeling good.

(2) Apron and Mitt Set: For your budding chef, these apron and mitt sets are just the right size, and come in a variety of whimsical prints. The apron has a leather plate that can be embossed with their name.

(3) Bag Tags: Got a vacation coming up? Customize your child’s very own bag tag with these adorable designs from TinyMe.

(4) Names & Faces Photo Puzzle: Another winner from Pinhole Press, this Names and Faces Photo Puzzle will teach your child to recognize names and associate them with family members.

(5) Name Crayons: Let your kids self-expression soar with these beautiful custom crayon art pieces from Art 2 The Extreme.

(6) Stationery: In today’s age of computers and tablets, it’s refreshing to encourage your child to put pen to paper with their very own personalized stationery. Minted has the best selection, with designs that will suit kids from elementary school to college. Make sure you get them some of their Thank You notes too – they’re perfect for them to use to thank YOU for their gift.

(7) Personalized Games: Create your very own custom Domino or Memory game using photos of your child’s favorite people – so fun!

(8) Name Train: These custom train cars from Maple Landmark make for great room décor, and fun toys too! They are compatible with all brand-name wooden tracks and trains.

(9) Name Stamp: These fun, self-inking stamps are perfect for creating their own stationary and can be customized with their name in different fonts + colors and graphics.

(10) Superhero Capes: Customize these handmade Superhero Capes with your child’s initial or full name to make them feel like a real-life superhero.We hope this guide helped you find the perfect personalized gift. If you found it helpful, make sure you check out our other Non-Toy Gift Guides:

And don’t miss out on downloading our awesome coupon book (from our Making Memories guide) – these are always a kid favorite!

But wait, there’s more! If you love the idea of non-toy gifts, but would still like to give something that IS a toy, you’ll want to head over to The Ultimate TOY Gift Guide For Kids. We’ve given our top recommendations based on extensive testing for functionality, longevity and fun (all based on your child’s current obsession!)

And we’re always working on more guides (coming soon: The Best STEAM Gifts)

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