Looking for a great gift for the little ones at tiny prices? Here are a few ideas:

Baby’s First Book (RMB 48)
Prepare some space in your bookshelf! This storybook shows cute animals and numbers over ten pages. Your child will not only know animal names, but also start counting them at your next visit to the zoo.

Lego Police Motorcycle (RMB 59)
Buying for a boy? Well, no worries with this one. All parents know that it’s not just a stereotype: boys really do start dreaming of cars and motorcycles as soon as they are on the drive home from the hospital. And if it’s a police bike, that’s even cooler!

Cat Steps (RMB 78)
Get on the catwalk! Children can make cat steps on these fun toys that improve their balance while offering tons of fun at the same time.

Plastic Rattle (RMB 79)
This light and and easy-to-grasp rattle includes parts made of soft plastic that give teething relief. The frog also has a rotating transparent sphere with twinkling balls inside.

Stroller Toys (RMB 95)
The next time you hit the road, your child will take some new friends to the streets of Beijing. These cute toys will keep your child entertained, so don’t be surprised when they refuse to leave the stroller!

Teething Toy (RMB 66)
The first teeth are coming? Then go for this one (whatever you give them, they will put in their mouth). The Bite and Play enables babies to quickly forget their teething troubles.

Wooden Rattle (RMB 38)
Every parents hope their child will be the next great pianist. But let’s aim a bit more realistic for now. This rattle is all wood and also helps to develop first motor activity.

Toy Plane (RMB 58)
The openings in this chunky blue plane are perfect for pushing along or soaring high in the sky. The shape makes the toy easy to grab for small children.

Soft Keys (RMB 29)
Have you ever looked for the car keys, only to find that your kids have taken them to play with and have forgotten where they are now? Well, better give them their own set until they’re old enough to get a driver’s license.

Ice Cream Set (RMB 38)
Planning a Chinese New Year trip to the beaches of Malaysia? Then take this ice cream set with you. We all know that Mom and Dad prefer watching the blue sea and nipping cocktails, but your kids will be delighted to prepare a great selection of Italian gelato for you.

Nils van Doorn is the co-founder of baby international, a one-stop shopping haven for families living in China. With locations in Beijing, Shanghai, and Haikou, baby international features a recently redesigned website that makes online shopping simpler than ever.

Looking for more ideas? Check out 10 suggestions under RMB 100 from Johanna Selth (BabyGro).

Guest blogger and baby international founder Nils van Doorn offers his Top 10 gift suggestions for the holidays.

1. Wishbone Bike 3-in-1 Apple Limited Edition (pictured above)

Isn’t this one just gorgeous? This is certainly the coolest Christmas gift! The Wishbone Bike is pure joy to ride. Start at 12 months on three wheels, learn to balance on two wheels, then flip the frame to fit your growing 5-year old for off-road rides. This limited edition comes with a cool design that is all about wholesome living for active and healthy kids.

2. Wooden Spaceship

Who says that high quality wooden toys can’t be sci-fi and exciting? This wooden space station will not only allow your kids to blast off to space, but also turn daddies into Han Solos playing alongside young Luke Skywalkers. This spaceship and rocket provide the fuel for imaginative explorations as they prepare, launch or arrive at their destination somewhere in the galaxy.

3. Gourmet Chef Kitchen

Young chefs who watch mom and dad prepare the Christmas meal will adore this wooden, child-sized gourmet kitchen to create their own treats. Big orange knobs can turn the burners "on" or "off" and the sink is ready to receive dishes. The simple classic design and natural colors offer loads of possibilities for playtime. Peek into the oven window to check on dinner or pretend cake.

4. Bugaboo Missoni Fabric Set

This is a chance for all the fashionable mommies out there to pimp out their Bugaboo stroller and increase their husband’s knowledge of hip fashion brands. Each Bugaboo + Missoni set includes a knit blanket made in Italy, with the signature luxury and premium quality both Bugaboo and Missoni are known for. The set also includes an apron and a sun canopy.

5. Wishbone Flip Toy

It’s a rocker. It’s a push-toy. It’s a scoot toy. The Wishbone Flip is a 3-in-1 toy for kids 1-5 years of age. With its innovative flipping mechanism, it transforms from rocker to scoot toy in seconds without tools. The Wishbone Flip brings together contemporary form and super-functionality in a timeless toy your whole family will enjoy.

6. Organic Plush Toys

This one’s a classic and always a safe bet for young kids. The plush toys are made of organic material, so you can rest easy knowing there’s nothing harmful in them. The sustainable and eco-friendly products teach your kids about environmental value and responsibility, all while touching children’s hearts with their imagination and whimsy.

7. Lego Toys

This is another classic toy that hasn’t lost its luster with age. Legos help children think creatively, foster logical reasoning, and develop their imagination through free play. The toy bricks come in various shapes and are made for a variety of ages, so there’s something for everyone. Kids can imagine themselves as a police officer, a fireman, a pilot, or anything in between.

8. Organic Kids’ Clothes

Sweet, simple style with a little edge: this Christmas, go for some stylish, earth-friendly apparel for your kids. The organic clothes are made from sustainable fabrics and made according to responsible production methods. Inspired by observations of children in action, during play and everyday activities, organic clothes are not only a natural choice but also perfect to dress in for all holiday activities.

9. Leander Baby Cradle

Imagine this next to your Christmas tree! The Leander baby cradle is classic Scandinavian craftsmanship that will make your child feel safe while stimulating the senses. Design and functionality come together to create an aesthetic and practical piece of furniture that can be used with a stand or hung from the ceiling. The perfect gift for expecting mothers that will make a lasting impression.

10. Customized Gift Box

Have you looked at the last nine gift ideas, but you’re still not sure which one is right for you? Why not go with an individual gift basket containing several items? Know what the best part is? The gift packaging is done for you, so you don’t have to worry about it.

Buying a car seat is one of the most important choices any parents can make, since it‘s all about your child’s safety on the road. To put this in a local context, anyone who has ever traveled on Chinese roads knows that they aren’t known for having the safest and most attentive drivers one could wish for. Choosing the right car seat is a difficult choice, especially since parents are faced with a variety of brands and models that are categorized by weight.

The four most widely-used seat classes are divided by age range:

• Group 0+: for babies up to 13kg/29lb (roughly from birth to 12-15 months)
• Group 1: for children weighing 9-18kg/20-40lb (roughly 9 months-4 years)
• Group 2/3: for children weighing 15-36kg/33-79lb (roughly 4-12 years)

To complicated things, there are also the following features to consider:

• Combo models that stretch over two age groups
• Different ways of installing a car seat (e.g. through the car’s seatbelts or Isofix/Latch)
• Different ways to secure a child (e.g. through a five-point harness or an “impact cushion“)
• Direction of installation (forward or rear-facing)

Newborn car seats

These must allow the child to lie flat. They’re installed in a rear-facing direction, which allows the body to be better supported by the shell. Choose an infant carrier-style car seat that can carry up to 13kg. The window of use might be limited, but keep in mind all the developments that your baby goes through in the first year of life.

Infant carriers are lightweight, so you can carry your baby in it or pair it with a stroller. They work as an altternative to stroller bassinets for baby to sleep in when you’re outdoors. Make sure to buy a stroller and car seat model that work together. Many stroller manufacturers provide special adapters, but these tend to be brand-specific.

A few brands also have combination car seats for Group 0+ and 1 that can carry up to 18kg. These are initially rear-facing and give children 9kg and over the option to lie flat. You can face the seat forward when the child is able to sit upright.

Group 1 car seats

Once your child outgrows the first car seat and can sit unassisted, you can switch to Group 1 seats. At this point, the child can be secured using a five-point-harness. Car seats grow with the child, so make sure the car’s seatbelts are flat at shoulder height. By changing slots or adjusting the seatbelts through the headrest, you adjust the car seat to your child’s height.

Group 2/3 car seats

Kids can use Group 2/3 car seats around the age of 4. The child is now using the car’s seatbelts; they can be adjusted to go over the child’s shoulders rather than the neck. If you use a backless booster seat (essentially a raised seat), keep in mind that the seatbelt cannot be adjusted and your child has no extra side protection. In Europe, kids are required to use a booster seat until they reach 1.50m in height.

The pros and cons of different car seats

The biggest change over the last few years has been the introduction of the Isofix installation method. Isofix attaches the car seat via two metal hooks directly to the chassis of the car. This simplifies the process and avoids a false installation. New car seats are often equipped with Isofix anchorage points. To find out if your car is equipped with Isofix, check your car’s user manual. In the US, a similar system called Latch is widely used.

The idea behind the development of Isofix was to avoid an incorrect installation. That doesn’t mean conventional car seats aren’t safe, but Isofix has clear advantages from an installation point of view. Group 1 and Group 2/3 car seats can be directly equipped with Isofix. For Group 0+ seats, you can buy an Isofix base, which can also often be used for Group 1 seats.

The safety of two other systems has been widely-discussed: impact cushions and rear-facing car seats (commonly used in Scandinavia). Compared to a convential harness, an impact cushion secured to the front of the child will spread the impact over a wider area. This system was proven to be very safe in independent crash test, but it’s best to check if the child will be comfortable, since this method provides less space to move.

Rear-facing car seats are becoming more popular outside of Scandinavia. In an accident, the burden on the neck is up to five times lower than that of forward-facing car seats. However, the car seat takes up more space and becomes more complicated to install. Using Isofix can simplify the installation, but the advantages of a rear-facing seat are lost in the event of a rear-end collision.

The final say

The truth is, there‘s no perfect solution to finding the right car seat. However, the following steps can help you come to a more informed decision:

• Visit a retailer whose competence you trust
• Review the results of independent product tests
• Consider the different options and ask yourself which model best fits your needs and taste
• Most importantly, determine which car seat your child feel most comfortable in

Buying a car seat is like buying life insurance for your child, so it‘s worth investing both time and money into finding the right model.

baby international was founded by an international parents to provide high-quality products to Chinese and expat families. With shops in both Shanghai and Beijing, as well as an online store, the author can be reached for questions at nils@baby-international.com.