12 local brands and shops with perfect Christmas gifts for children

It's December, which means that it's time to start thinking about what Christmas gifts we should get for the little ones in our lives. While it can seem easy to head to the toy store and grab something off the shelves, how about supporting local stores this year?

Many Singaporean brands are creating children products with the little ones' comfort and development in mind. Whether it's cute clothes or toys, there's a brand or shop that offers these products. Keep reading to find out about 11 such ones for your Christmas shopping needs.

Noah's Toys

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/CV-hz8Evp3I/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link[/embed]

Noah's Toys is a Singaporean-run shop that curates wooden toys that are not only fun to play with, but that are safe for babies and young children. Apart from themselves, the site features many other brands from all over the world.

Suitable for open play, they have a range of wooden toys to cater to little ones with different interests. From toys that focus on sensory experiences to colourful, creative puzzles, the toys sold are bound to hold appeal to many age ranges.

They will be at The Bub Fair from Dec 17 - 19, 2021, so if you want to bring the kids down to choose their own presents, that is always an option.

Find out more at their website.

Elizabeth Little

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/CUfKa2YMP_b/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link[/embed]

Looking to get some sustainable clothing for the toddlers in your life? Elizabeth Little, which has its studio in Singapore, sells ethically-and-sustainably-made clothing. Choose between their popular vintage-styled heirloom smocked dresses for girls and smart-looking shirts (without the stiffness in those found for adults) for boys.

They also have colourful rompers available for infants and the sizes are categorised into six months, one year, 18 months, and two years.

To take it a step further, opt for their holiday gift sets, where they sell personalised aprons (you can get them in adult sizes to match!) and bags with mini hair clips.

Find out more at their website or visit them at The Bub Fair from Dec 17 - 19, 2021.

Evercasa

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/CWSryPoPbI_/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link[/embed]

When it comes to the walls of our homes, many children see it as a space for them to practice their creativity with big drawings made with permanent markers that may never come off. Instead of this, Evercasa offers removable and reusable wall decors that will let little ones embrace the designer in them while ensuring that it won't be a pain to remove five years down the road.

From educational stickers such as those of the ABC and days of the week and numbers to more fun ones such as planets and robots, they are great for babies and younger kids.

But of course, since it's Christmas, make sure to check out their Christmas stickers collection for some festive fun.

Find out more from their website or visit them at The Bub Fair from Dec 17 - 19, 2021.

Little Bearnie

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/CVURZy0PPbb/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link[/embed]

All parents know the feeling. One moment you're happily helping your child as they feed themselves and the next, the bowl is on the floor and food is everywhere (either that, or by the time they finish eating, it still ends up as a mess). To combat this, Little Bearnie sells cute and affordable products that will make this process much easier.

Whether it's silicone bowls, bibs, cutleries, or placemats, they have it all in various designs to choose from.

Find out more at their website.

Leia's Playworld

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/CVwfNw4PRl2/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link[/embed]

Sometimes, the best way for children to learn is through play, and Leia's Playworld understands that. With toys that aim to help children learn and understand the world, the products they have range from rainbow learning sets and counting palettes to castle felt mats and Christmas painting sets.

If you don't know what would be suitable for the little one you're thinking of, they allow you to shop by age group to make your experience fuss-free.

Find out more on their website.

Kit+Un

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/CNKUDBvHSfn/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link[/embed]

Kit+Un is a local shop that sells a bit of everything when it comes to children. However, their selection for kid's room decor is particularly interesting. Their products include growth charts, cushions, adorable and simply prints, storage bags to store all those toys, and many more. They also offer crib sheets made from 100 per cent organic cotton poplin for maximum comfort for babies.

Right now, they are also selling their limited edition cotton pillowcases for toddlers. Coming in three designs, all the cases are hand-sewn in Singapore with organic fabric.

Find out more on their website.

ALSO READ: Get Merry Ready: Christmas gifts for your BFFs at different stages of your life

Hatchery Cribs

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/CT7HTrhrWyp/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link[/embed]

Apart from just cribs, Hatchery Cribs is a shop whose Doomoo Cocoon is one of their most popular products. For those trying to transition children to sleeping alone, this product helps to give the impression that they are still safe in mommy's arms while getting them used to sleeping without their parents. It's suitable for infants to eight-month-olds and can be brought out to give children security on the go.

They also offer adorable blankets and hooded towels to bundle little babies in and make sure they are all warm and (not too) toasty. For blankets, pick between their 100 per cent cotton bunny blankets that come in three colours, their 'Just Hatched Blanket' made with 100 per cent cotton and a poly-filled inside, and their 'Dream: Ultra Soft Organic Cotton Blanket', made out of 95 per cent cotton and 5 per cent elastane and lined with soft polyester fibre.

Their towels are all made with absorbent French terry material that is suitable for children and infants.

Find out more on their website.

Natventure Books

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/CWlG_Btv1eg/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link[/embed]

Natventure Books is a Singapore-led online and physical store that brings in books that aim to connect us and nature. They have books for all ages, ranging from babies to adults, though they cater more towards kids. For children, they have five categories based on their age, so that is an easy way to narrow your Christmas gift search.

Of course, if they are advanced readers for their ages, or they have particular animals they are interested in, you can easily search the shop for suitable books.

Find out more on their website or visit their store at 65 Syed Alwi Rd, 01-01, Singapore 207644.

Busy Mat

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/tv/CWgGgC8vWvs/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link[/embed]

Colouring is an activity children love, and sometimes they want to colour the same things more than once (and maybe even more than that). Busy Mat solves this problem with their reusable mats and special markers. All you have to do is wash it after use and the little one will have a brand new canvas to work on again.

You can choose between a large placement mat and a travel-friendly size mat for on-the-go entertainment. There are many designs available, including their whimsical woods and fruits options. They also have a collaboration with Pororo, so those are great for lovers of the blue penguin.

Find out more from their website.

hello little chompers

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/CWvTOlWvwz2/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link[/embed]

Know a toddler going through their teething phase? If so, hello little chompers specialises in and has all kinds of teethers to choose from. Whether you are looking for teething mittens, wooden teethers, ring teethers etc, there's probably one that will pique your interest (you will be the one buying it, after all).

Better yet, all items sold in December 2021 will see one dollar donated towards helping children from lower-income families to have an early childhood experience that matches that of their peers.

Find out more on their website.

The Tiny Trove

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/CWm04fyKOpz/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link[/embed]

Play dough is one of those things that many people buy from the usual brands at big toy stores around the country. However, those produced by The Tiny Trove are soft, long-lasting, non-sticky, and non-oily, making them great options to provide children with second-to-none sensory experiences.

They also come in many different colours and shades to encourage creativity in children. Let's not forget their special play doughs such as the pastel glitter sets and the current Christmas specials. Of course, they also have tools for some more difficult shapes such as gingerbread men or ice cream shape cutters.

(The best part? The play dough is made from edible ingredients and is non-toxic. Of course, that doesn't mean little ones should eat them.)

Apart from play dough, they also offer a bunch of other sensory-play items such as water beads, colourful rice, texture pads, and more.

Find out more on their website.

Tiny Dots Wonder

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/CS0aNIsglEm/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link[/embed]

More a gift for parents and parents-to-be than the kids, but definitely something the whole family will love, Tiny Dots Wonder is a new, design-oriented local online boutique inspired by founder Dawn Wong's own experience as a mum.

Looking to buy eco-conscious yet stylish and practical pieces for kids, Wong set up Tiny Dots Wonder and created their signature high-chair covers and full cover-ups for kids, designed to keep meal time (and play time) mess to a minimum. They're easy to clean and great for taking out when eating out. They also stock some lovely, British-inspired footwear for young walkers made of vegan leather.

Check out their site here. Or visit them at The Bub Fair Dec 17 - 19.

ALSO READ: 10 best Christmas home gift ideas in this age of Covid-19

This article was first published in The Singapore Women's Weekly.