Four of the best newborn and baby gifts for 2024

Fisher-Price's new range ticks every box for newborn gifting, from encouraging sensory stimulation, to the use of more responsible materials

If you're looking for a lovely newborn gift, a present for your own baby, or something for a friend's baby shower, then Fisher-Price’s new Planet Friends range is ideal.

Planet Friends is a brand new range of newborn and baby toys from the brand that is synonymous with childhood and playing.

There are four products each inspired by animals spotlighted by the World Wildlife Fund and made using 80% to 95% post-consumer recycled plastics.

Which animals are in the Planet Friends range?

There are four animals in the range – an elephant, sea turtle, snow leopard and panda. While each is a different type of toy, they are all perfectly designed for exploration by tiny fingers (and mouths) and have gorgeous tactile finishes that will encourage sensory play through different fabrics and textures. 

All Ears Lovey

Made from 90 per cent post-consumer recycled plastics, this gorgeous plush toy elephant is perfect for little ones from three months plus.

It has lots of features to encourage sensory and learning play, as well as just feeling comforting and gorgeous to touch with its over-sized ears, and lots of sticky-out bits (trunk, arms, legs) for tiny fingers to explore, stroke and suck (because what doesn’t go straight in their mouth?)

The All Ear Lovey elephant

Sea Me Bounce Turtle

The Sea Me Bounce Turtle is a gorgeous pram or stroller toy (or car seat, baby change bag or anywhere you want to attach it, really) that will keep little ones entertained and comforted on the go.

Suitable for babies from birth up, it also makes a great gift for a friend's newborn.

With myriad sensory and stimulating parts in a variety of colourful fabrics, as well as jingly sounds and bouncing action, the turtle will be irresistible to tiny hands and helps foster sensory development. The shell-shaped handle doubles as a BPA-free teether, made with plant-based materials.

Sea Me Bounce turtle

Spotting Fun Snow Leopard

This cute plush toy will not only become your baby's best friend, it will also help develop their fine motor skills.

Suitable for babies aged three months up, it has lots of different textures and movable parts for curious hands to explore, including crinkly bits for sound and texture, bright colours to really engage little ones’ senses and pull though legs and a sliding arm ring.

Like the All Ears Lovey elephant, the Snow Leopard is machine washable, too.

Spotting Fun Snow Leopard

Roly-Poly Panda playmat 

A great gift for a baby shower or for your own newborn, the Roly-Poly Panda 3-in-1 playmat will get so much use .

Suitable for lay and play, tummy time and travel, it has lots of component parts for baby to enjoy, including crinkly bits to feel and grab and loops to attach a supplied teether/exploratory toy too. The paws prop up the panda's tummy time face panel, so babies can strengthen their neck and core while looking in the self-discovery mirror.

Despite being a larger playmat, the panda rolls up nice and small, so it's ideal when you're travelling, or visiting friends, and want to have a soft, safe place to lay the baby down 

Just like the rest of the Planet Friends range, it is made from responsible materials - in this case, fabric made from 90 per cent post-consumer recycled plastics, and the attachable toy from 95 per cent ISCC certified plastic.

And in case you are wondering – yes, you can put it in the washing machine!

Roly-poly Panda playmat

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