First off, handmade wooden toys. I love the classic look of wooden toys and they’re perfect for your own kids or for gifting at baby showers. They are the kind of toys I don’t mind staring at on my coffee table or floor when they’re left out ;) My youngest daughter Adaline loves the Circle Stacker (1) and Toy Truck (2) from Bannor Toys, a shop based out of Iowa run by husband & wife team Jesse and Stacey. They also have State Rattles which I love, teethers of every sort and Limited Edition toys that are released each month and only available for a short time. You can personalize everything with names, initials or short messages which just makes gifting that much more special.
Another go-to shop for gifting is Chewable Charm. I love their modern teething necklaces (3) and beautiful teething rings (13) — especially when tied with string on the outside of a baby gift. I love being able to wear necklaces that dress my “mom look” up a bit while not having to worry about my girls breaking them. They are the perfect way to treat yourself or to gift a new Mama!
Of course, every single item from Fin & Vince’s Summer collection is swoon-worthy, but one of my favorites is the Knot Dress (4), which comes in 4 colors and has the most darling little pockets perfect for adventures all Summer long. Della has the Flax Stripe and I melt every time I see her in it.
Another Summer wardrobe staple in our home are the Alice + Ames Sunsuits (5). Just put one on a little girl and you’ll see why we love them so much with their playful criss-cross back and darling ruffles. Available in 6 colors; the Lemon Stripe, Blue Stripe & Mint Gingham are my favorites!
When it’s time to get cozy this Summer, whether outside for a picnic or movies before bed, I love BlaBla Kids’ pillows and blankets. The Sun Pillow (6) is perfect for birthday party gifting this Summer as it’s both functional wherever you take it and beautiful in a child’s room. We also love their oversized rattles (7) for baby showers.
Our girls love going to the park and because we usually spend the whole day there, I pack lunches for them and we picnic on our Gathre mat (15). If you don’t yet own a Gathre mat, order one now (seriously!!). We ues our mats inside and outside and we take them everywhere we go. They come in so many gorgeous colors and patterns and I’m loving the new “Sail” one that was released in collaboration with Rylee & Cru this Spring! For picnics, I love brightly colored bamboo divided plates (8) for throwing in my cooler or diaper bag so my girls can eat when we’re out and about. Available in 3 colors, as a set or individually, from Bitte Shop.
Every little one needs a brimmed bonnet to keep the sunny blue skies out of their eyes and Briar Handmade is our go-to bonnet shop. Their Natural Stripe bonnet (9) is my very favorite since it’s gender neutral and pairs nicely with every outfit, but they have lots to choose from in other patterns and colors too!
If you know me or my love for children’s books, no gift guide would be complete without them! Our favorite board book series is “Mrs. Peanuckles Alphabet Books” and includes 6 titles by theme. The recently released Tree Alphabet (10) and Bug Alphabet (11) are perfect for 1st Birthday Party gifts or bringing along on nature walks. Our girls love their bright and fun illustrations and learn so many new things each time we read them!
My oldest daughter, Olivia, turned 5 this month so another source of inspiration for this gift guide was gifts we were giving to her for her birthday. Her very favorite toys to play with are Maileg Mice, from one of my favorite online boutiques, My Sweet Muffin. They are perfect for imaginative, pretend play and an ideal “quiet time” activity. She asked for a “beach set” (12) for her birthday to add to her collection.
Every little one needs a pair of shoes for Summertime exploring and our favorites come from Adelisa & Co, a shop based out of Canada that works hand in hand with artisans in Nicaragua to make the most beautiful sandals and boots for children and Moms. Our girls each have a pair of the Estrella sandals (14) and they live in them. I love that I am supporting families in Nicaragua by shopping from Adelisa & Co and that my girls get to run around in sandals that not only look lovely but keep their feet comfortable all day long!
Last but not least, our favorite bows ever from Wunderkin Co. I’m loving their new “Tea” bows (15) for Olivia & Penelope, which come is the prettiest selection of colors and have the loveliest old-fashioned look. All Wunderkin bows are handmade by Moms all over the country, designed for adventuring and have a lifetime guarantee.
What are you gifting this Summer?? If you have any favorite Summertime gifts — for your own kids or for parties & showers — I’d love to hear them below! Find me over at @blessednestblog on instagram to follow along with all our Summer adventures!!
XO
