The baby section of the Target website is very handy. You can shop for gifts by gender, personality, and price. I chose only Shop for Boy Baby and found tons of great ideas. For safety reasons, I’m very interested in the Little Playzone with Sounds and Lights. If I have something I have to do, my littlest son ends up in his playpen; to be able to put him in a larger area that he can crawl around in would be much more ideal. The only downside I can see is that it is not attractive in the least. I’m not big on the gaudy colors for something that would take up so much space somewhere in my home. However, it can be used to keep baby safe in and outside, could keep little ones from touching their older siblings’ baby inappropriate toys, and will feel much less restrictive to baby than a playpen.

At $99, it is rather expensive, but the lights and sounds included for baby’s enjoyment probably increase the cost. Find it at Target.com, along with a ton of other interesting baby gear that I haven’t seen in stores.

My nearly one-year-old loves the Sing and Sounds Peek A Block barn by Fisher-Price. He is very interested in putting things inside of other things so being able to put the blocks inside the barn, see lights flash, and hear songs is very rewarding for him. Not only that, but the blocks have farm animals inside of them, many that move, and things that rattle. I think it makes his senses happy without overwhelming him. Find it at amazon.com for $29.99. It’ll make an excellent birthday gift for any one-year-old.

It’s common knowledge that many babies love the sounds of ordinary household appliances: the vacuum cleaner, fan, perhaps even the dishwasher. Niko Chainopoulos of Babysounds has come up with an ingenious idea: record these sounds and put them onto a CD especially for babies. Called “Sweet Dreams: Soothing Sounds for Babies,” this CD has nine tracks consisting of about seven minutes each of sounds of appliances including the vacuum cleaner, hairdryer, dishwasher, washing machine, breast pump, running shower, and fan. The concept behind this CD is that while in the womb, babies hear these sounds on a daily basis. Therefore, these sounds tend to calm fussy babies, it is said, since they are used to hearing them before birth. I’m not sure if this really works or not, but it is a unique idea. If you’d like to try it yourself, you can purchase the CD for $14.97 or download the MP3 for $9.99 at CDBaby.com.

The name Radio Flyer evokes happy thoughts for many parents, memories of summer days spent on a tricycle or bicycle or winter fun on a sled. Now your child can experience the same kind of fun on this Classic Lights & Sounds Tricycle by Radio Flyer. A perfect Christmas gift, this tricycle is made from strong steel and comes in the classic Radio Flyer red, with a bell, so that everyone can see and hear your child coming.

This tricycle has been updated from the old days, as it has an electronic dashboard that makes turn signal noises, plays music, and honks the horn. There is also a useful storage compartment under the tricycle’s seat.

Recommended for ages 18 months to 3 years, this tricycle does require adult assembly. Be prepared to put it together before Christmas morning so your son or daughter will have a wonderful surprise awaiting them under the tree. You can purchase it at ToysRUs.com, where it sells for just $39.99.