To the people that matter most, the ones who supported you and helped you along the way, the ones who continue to love you unconditionally….that’s right, today we’re rounding up the best gifts and gift ideas for parents!
Whether you’re competing with your siblings for the best gifts for your folks or searching for special ideas for the new parents in the friend group, we’ve found unique and thoughtful gift ideas for everyone on your list. Let’s get into it!
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How to Choose The Best Gifts for Parents
Before you start adding anything to your cart, here are few ideas to help you choose the best gifts for all the parents on your list!
- Choose gifts based on what stage of parenthood they’re currently in. Are they new parents? Empty nesters? Toddler wranglers? While there are some gifts and ideas that all parents will love, the best presents are the ones that feel personal to their current parenting needs (and wants).
- Opt for practical gifts that simplify their lives. They might not be able to justify buying a robot vacuum cleaner for themselves, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t dying to own one! While practical gifts may seem boring, they’re usually some of the most exciting and useful ideas for busy parents.
- Think about their hobbies. It’s common for parents to focus all their energy on their kids, and that’s why we love gift ideas that help them reclaim a bit of “me” time. Whether it’s gardening, painting, cooking, or any other passion, choose a gift that reflects their favorite activities.
The Best Places to Buy The Most Thoughtful and Unique Gifts for Parents
So…where do you find these amazing gifts? To get you started, here are the top three best places to buy the most thoughtful gift ideas for all types of parents!
- Etsy: Consider this your one-stop shop for the best unique gift ideas for parents! When it comes to personalized and thoughtful gifts that you can’t find anywhere else, it doesn’t get better than Etsy. From custom artwork to sentimental keepsakes, they truly have something for everyone!
- Uncommon Goods: Similar to Etsy, Uncommon Goods has some of the best personalized gift ideas for parents, all created by local artists and small businesses. Whether you’re shopping for expecting parents or empty nesters, this is where you’ll find unique gifts they’re guaranteed to love.
- Williams Sonoma: Kitchen essentials are some of the most fool-proof gift ideas for parents at every stage, and Williams Sonoma has the best of the best. From sleek waffle makers for parents of toddlers, to luxury cheese crates for older parents, this is a no-brainer for all the food lovers on your list!
Scroll on for all the best gift ideas for everyone on your list, from expecting parents to empty nesters, and everyone in between!
Best Gifts for Expecting Parents
For expecting parents, the best gift ideas are the ones that help them celebrate all the little moments until the big moment. After all, there’s nothing more exciting than the countdown to welcoming your new baby to the world, and we’ve found the perfect gifts for the occasion!
From thoughtful keepsakes to mark this milestone, to funny ideas they can use once the baby arrives, keep scrolling for the best gift ideas for parents who currently have a bun in the oven!
1. The Best Holiday Gift for Expecting Parents: This Cute Stork Ornament
How cute is this little ornament?! For the parents who are expecting a special delivery this year, this gift is such a sweet way to mark the occasion.
Each felt ornament is handmade and features a tiny red heart hidden inside the cloth hanging from the stork’s beak. Parents will love pulling it out year after year as they decorate their tree and reminisce on this special time!
2. The Best Gift for Expecting Parents Who Love Coffee: These Cute Retro Mugs
Help expecting parents celebrate their new titles in style with this cute gift box idea! With a rad retro design that proudly displays the words “mama” and “daddy,” these mugs are the perfect addition to their coffee bar.
And if you really want to surprise expecting parents, you also have the option to add a personalized onesie to this gift box. Get it customized with a name and date for an extra special touch.
3. The Best Gift for Expecting Parents Who Love a Nightcap: This Unique Mocktail Recipe Guide
Make the countdown to parenthood a little more fun with this plant-based mocktail recipe book! Not only is it the best gift for expecting parents who love a nightcap, but each recipe is also designed specifically with pregnant people in mind.
Instead of martinis and margaritas, it features nutritious non-alcoholic drinks with ingredients that target common pregnancy symptoms, like nausea and swelling. All of the mocktails are also super easy to prepare and were developed by registered dietitians. Now let’s get this party started!
4. The Best Funny Gift for Expecting Parents: This Cute Scented Candle
Expecting parents have a whole lotta bad smells in their future — but this gift is here to take the edge off! Funny AND practical, this scented candle will help them enjoy some sweet-smelling moments, in between all the diaper changes.
Plus, this gift is non-toxic, made with all-natural soy wax, and features 8 different scent options. All of which smell like the opposite of dirty diapers!
5. The Best Gift for Expecting Parents Who Love Sports: This Unique Parenting Playbook
For expecting parents who think about everything in terms of sports analogies, this is the best gift idea to help them make their first moves in parenthood!
Featuring more than 100 quotes from the greatest sports coaches of all time, this playbook doubles as a professional pep talk. It delivers all the guidance, motivation, and leadership that new parents need to make the ultimate parenting home runs!
6. The Best Practical Gift for Expecting Parents: This Newborn Bodycare Gift Set
It’s never too early to start prepping for when the baby is born, and this is the best gift to help expecting parents do just that. This newborn gift set is packed with six essential products for brand new babies, from hair and body wash to sweet cheeks diaper paste.
With all clean and gentle ingredients, these products are a lifesaver for sensitive newborn skin (and the brand is a fave amongst new parents). New parents will be thanking you during bath time, nap time, diaper changes, and everything in between!
7. The Best Gift for Expecting Parents Who Need Some R&R: This Postpartum Skincare Box
Because new mamas deserve some pampering, too! With this postpartum gift box, new parents can enjoy the ultimate R&R as they recover from labor. It’s filled to the brim with natural skincare products, including organic belly butter, lavender epsom salts, and herbal recovery spray.
With such luxurious goodies, it’s the best gift to help expecting parents feel more excited for their post-baby “me” time. Plus, this gift box also includes a few products for newborns, such as coconut oat milk bath and a muslin burp cloth. A must for new mamas and new babies!
8. The Best Sentimental Gift for Expecting Parents: This Luxury Baby Journal
Once the baby comes, it’s easy to get swept up in the constant feeding, cleaning, and diaper changing. Enter: this luxury book! Inside, you’ll find guided prompts and space to record special memories (such as the first step, first words, and first birthday), all wrapped up in one gorgeous linen-bound keepsake.
The ultimate time capsule, it’s the best gift to help new parents slow down and appreciate all the small, magical moments along the way.
Best Gifts for New Parents
Once the baby comes, it’s go time — but these gifts are here to help new parents slow down, embrace every moment, and kick parenthood’s butt.
To help you choose the perfect present, we’ve rounded up the must-have baby gadgets, the must-have gadgets, and a few sentimental keepsakes for proud parents. Scroll on for all the best gift ideas for the new parents on your list!
9. The Best Gift Idea for Sleep-Deprived New Parents: This Baby Sleep Machine
Give new parents the gift of a full night’s sleep with this all-in-one baby sleep machine. With different white noise settings, it’s designed to help babies nod off and sleep through the night. And for those late-night feedings, it also features a soft light that can be controlled and customized from your phone.
Plus, this gift is made to grow with the baby! As they get older, they can enjoy fun wind-down stories, guided rest exercises, and a handy time-to-rise function. Consistent bedtime routines just got a whole lot easier!
10. The Best Small Gift for New Parents: This Silk Sleep Mask
Speaking of a good night’s sleep, this is one of the best gift ideas to help new parents make the most out of every second! Made with ultra-soft silk, this sleep mask will add a touch of luxury to every REM cycle — even it’s just a quick 10-minute nap.
And as a bonus, this mask also features a lightweight layer of cushioning around the eyes for extra comfort, plus a curved design that blocks out all light. Trust us, this gift is a NEED, not a want.
11. The Best Personalized Gift for New Parents: This Unique Birth Announcement Pillow
Parenthood is all about the little things, and this gift understands that. With a fully customizable design, this pillow showcases all the tiny statistics that mark a baby’s first moments in the world.
Get it personalized with the baby’s full name, birth date, size, weight, and time of birth — plus the colors of the nursery. It’s one of the best unique and sentimental gift ideas to help new parents remember those little details forever!
12. The Best Gift for New Parents Who Love Cocktails: These Custom Cocktail Glasses
The new parents of the friend group will love these fun personalized gift ideas! Make a toast to parenthood with a “mom” wine glass and “dad” whiskey glass, complete with custom year etchings.
Paired with a bottle of their favorite booze, this glass set is the perfect gift to help them enjoy a little alone time once the baby’s (finally) asleep. We’ll cheers to that!
13. The Best Gift for New Parents Who Need a Quick Pick-Me-Up: This Keurig Coffee Maker
As all new parents know, raising a baby can be exhausting — but this gift delivers the best quick pick-me-up!
With this Keurig coffee maker, busy parents can get their caffeine fix in the time it takes to boil some water. Just fill it up, pop in a K-cup, and enjoy a fresh brew in minutes! Now all that’s missing is a box of delicious coffee pods to help them break it in.
14. The Best Cozy Gift for New Parents: This Cute “Mama” Sweatshirt
For new parents who can’t wait to shout their “mama” status from the rooftops, this gift is a must! Featuring a trendy embossed design, it’ll help them feel cute AND cozy as they do everything from run errands to catch up on sleep.
Plus, you can get this crewneck personalized with their baby’s name and a heart on the left sleeve — so sweet!
15. The Best Gift Idea for Stylish New Parents: This Chic “Mama” Necklace
Or if jewelry is more their style, we also love this chic “mama” necklace! Made with hypoallergenic, tarnish-resistant, and conflict-free stainless steel, it’s the perfect addition to their everyday jewelry collection.
And while this necklace is especially sentimental for new parents, it’s also one of the best gift ideas for mamas of any stage! Choose between gold, rose gold, and silver for a meaningful gift that matches their personal style.
16. The Best Gift for Indecisive New Parents: These Engraved Decision Coins
Help new parents avoid any 3 am spats thanks to this fun gift! Simple, but super effective, this decision coin lets fate decide who has to handle the diaper change, and who gets an extra 10 minutes of sleep. There’s no arguing with that!
You can even get the coin custom engraved with the new parents’ names for an extra fun finishing touch. We’re obsessed!
17. The Best Keepsake Gift for New Parents: This Baby “Library”
Another one of the best keepsake gift ideas for new parents, this baby “library” is designed to hold small objects that double as precious memories. From hospital name bracelets to favorite binkies to lost teeth, it’ll keep all these rare “first edition” collectibles safely stored in one place.
And with this box’s illustrated labels, acid-free drawers, vertical files, and tiny envelopes, parents will never have to worry about losing these special memories.
18. The Best Gift for Homebodies: This Luxury Full-Length Robe
New parents spend A LOT of time at home, and this gift idea is here to make that time feel a little more luxurious. Made with an ultra-fuzzy material, this full-length robe from UGG is about as cozy as it gets. As one reviewer said, it feels like you’re wrapped up in a soft, dreamy cloud. Say no more!
Pair this gift with these cozy matching pants for the ultimate loungewear set for new parents. They’ll never want to leave the house again!
Best Gifts for Parents of Toddlers and Young Kids
When it comes to the best gifts for parents of toddlers and young kids, practical ideas reign supreme. These are the years of busy schedules and endless energy, so focus on gifts that make their day-to-day lives a little easier.
From kitchen essentials to cleaning life-savers, here are the best useful (and still fun!) gift ideas for parents of young kids!
19. The Best Gift for Parents Who Love to Cook: The Perfect Pot
When you’re cooking for the whole fam, you need cookware that can keep up. And that’s where this all-in-one pot comes in!
Aptly named the “Perfect Pot,” this cookware combines everything you could want in a single pot. It can boil, bake, fry, roast, braise, strain, and serve, all in one non-stick and non-toxic pot. Designed for one-pot family meals, it’s the best gift idea for busy parents of toddlers or young kids!
Pair this gift with this this no-fuss cookbook for parents who love to cook, but don’t have time for a super elaborate recipe.
20. The Best Gift for Parents With Artistic Toddlers: These Changeable Picture Frames
For parents of toddlers who have hundreds of their kids’ drawings but nowhere to put them, this gift is a total game changer! Instead of tucking them into a drawer, they can display them loud and proud with these unique picture frames, which are designed specifically to hold children’s artwork.
With a simple magnetic opening, these frames make it easy for parents to change and store drawings whenever they receive a new masterpiece. We see a future artist in the family!
21. The Best Practical Gift for Parents of Young Kids: This Stylish Toy Organizer
Let’s face it: parents love practical gift ideas. And this is one of the best! Help their lives feel a little more organized with these stackable storage containers, which make it easy to store their toddlers’ endless toys while also adding a chic touch to any room.
We love that they open from the top and the front, so kids won’t have to struggle to grab their favorite toys. Plus, they easily fold away when not in use — perfect for adding a little calm to the chaos!
22. The Best Gift for Early Risers: This Luxury Espresso Machine
Being a parent of toddlers and young kids means a lot of early mornings, and this gift is here to make those wake-up calls a little easier.
A huge upgrade to a classic coffee maker, this Breville espresso machine is like a personal barista for your kitchen. It grinds the coffee beans before brewing and delivers a fully customized espresso drink in under one minute. For busy parents, you can’t put a price on that kind of joy!
23. The Best Gift for Parents On the Go: This Insulated Coffee Cup
Another one of the best gift ideas for coffee-loving parents, this insulated mug will help them get their caffeine fix on the go.
Made with triple-insulated stainless steel and featuring a leak-resistant lid, it keeps drinks hot for up to three hours — perfect whether they’re running errands, doing chores, or wrangling the kids for breakfast. Plus, it comes in tons of different colors and patterns, so there’s a stylish option for everyone!
24. The Best Gift for Quick and Easy Family Meals: An Instant Pot
For parents of toddlers and young kids who don’t already own an Instant Pot, this gift is a MUST for their kitchen counter. The ultimate cooking assistant, this 7-in-1 cooker can make one-pot meals 70% faster than traditional cooking methods. That means more quality family time after work and school!
And with so many different settings, an Instant Pot can help parents whip up almost any meal, from ribs to soups to desserts and more. It also has over 10 safety features, so they can get the entire family involved in the cooking process!
25. The Best Gift for Parents of Messy Toddlers: The Roomba Robot Vacuum
Parents of toddlers deal with a lot of messes (and we mean A LOT), and this is the best gift to take the stress out of clean-up. Give them a literal cleaning robot with a Roomba vacuum, which features intelligent sensors that guide it under and around furniture to thoroughly clean carpets and hard floors.
And as a bonus, you can connect this vacuum to Wi-Fi and schedule cleaning from anywhere using the iRobot app. It even works with Alexa! Welcome to the future.
26. The Best Useful Gift for Parents of Young Kids: This Stylish Backpack
They may have aged out of diapers, but a chic diaper bag is still one of the best gift ideas for parents of messy toddlers and young kids who are always on the go.
This one takes the classic diaper bag look and gives it a serious makeover, with a vegan leather design that you can wear as a backpack, crossbody, or purse. It also features 10 different pockets, a 100% wipe-clean interior and exterior, and a user-friendly front flap. Chic and stylish, no one will know it’s full of toys and snacks!
Best Gifts for Parents of Teens
They grow up so fast! For parents who are currently dealing with the teenage years, these are the best gift ideas to help them stay close, have some fun, and reclaim a little “me” time.
You may not be able to give them a time machine, but you can give them a pizza oven that makes their teens want to stay home for dinner! And that’s priceless.
27. The Best Food Related Gift for Parents of Teens: This Personal Pizza Oven
Help them earn the coolest parent award with this rad gift! They can make every night pizza night (without the delivery costs) thanks to this personal pizza oven, which can cook delicious homemade pizzas in 60 seconds flat.
Parents will love using this gift to try out new recipes with their kids and throw fun backyard dinner parties with the entire fam. And if they want to take a pizza break, it can also help you cook steaks, chicken wings, roast vegetables, and so much more!
28. The Best Gift for Lifelong Learners: A MasterClass Subscription
A gift that makes learning fun? Say less! For parents who are always trying out a new hobby with their family, a MasterClass subscription is THE best gift. It comes with dozens of unique courses taught by the top experts in their field, from Gordon Ramsey to Anna Wintour.
Even teens will love learning about makeup from Bobbi Brown or skateboarding from Tony Hawk! Such a rad way to bond the whole family together.
29. The Best Gift for Parents of Teens: This Air Fryer Oven
Convincing teens to hang out with their parents for family dinner can be a struggle, but this gift is here to change all that. With a 4-in-1 functionality that can fry, broil, roast, and reheat, this Instant Pot Air Fryer will help make meals more fun — without sacrificing nutrition.
Parents can easily whip up teenage favorites like wings, fries, cookies, and more, all using less oil and less cooking time. Pair it with this fun air fryer cookbook for a gift that parents AND teens will thank you for.
31. The Best Gift for Parents Who Need Some “Me” Time: This Bathtub Wine Holder
For parents of teens, bathtime now means “me” time — and this is the best gift to celebrate that achievement! Help them enjoy every second of alone time with this bathtub wine holder, which easily suctions to the tub’s wall for easy sipping from the comfort of their bubbles.
Plus, this gift also comes with a BPA-free plastic wine glass, because glass and baths don’t mix. Now all that’s missing is a bottle of their favorite blend!
32. The Best Gift for Literature Lovers: A Kindle E-Reader
Speaking of alone time, a Kindle is one of the best gift ideas for parents who love to use every spare second to catch up on their to-be-read pile. Help them lighten their load with this handy e-reader, which is the lightest and most compact Kindle available.
It makes reading a breeze with a glare-free, paper-like display, an adjustable dark mode, and storage for thousands of books. Perfect for devouring a few pages as they wait in the pick-up line, sit on the bleachers, or unwind before bed!
33. The Best Gift for Parents Who Deserve a Date Night: These Gourmet French Meal Kits
Give busy parents the gift of a romantic date night (or better yet: three date nights!) with these luxury meal delivery kits. When the kids are busy at practice or with friends, they can easily pull out these hand-prepared French entrées for a candlelit dinner at home.
And the best part? This gift requires zero effort. Get these meal kits shipped directly to their front door, so all they have to do is pop them in the oven or microwave and enjoy. And if French food isn’t their forte, Williams Sonoma also offers tons of other drool-worthy options!
34. The Best Gift for Fashionable Parents of Teens: This Luxury Wool Sweater
This sweater gives you a chic and sophisticated look in the seconds it takes to throw it on over your head. In other words, it’s one of the best gift ideas for parents who are always getting dressed in a rush!
And made with a super soft and lightweight wool blend, it’s also SO comfy. Perfect for layering, lounging, or dressing up — it’s called the “Everday Sweater” for a reason!
Best Gifts for Older Parents + Empty Nesters
Help older parents and empty nesters celebrate their newfound freedom with these unique gift ideas! Whether you’re shopping for your folks or for parents who recently sent their kids off to college, these gifts are guaranteed to earn you The Best Gift Giver award.
From new hobbies to fun keepsakes to cute ways to stay in touch with their kids, scroll on for all the best gift ideas for older parents!
35. The Best Present for Older Parents Who Love Wine: This Unique Wine Cork Display
Like a great bottle of wine, the parents on your gift list just keep getting better with age. Help them celebrate their passing years with this unique keepsake, which doubles as a rad art piece!
Perfect for parents who mark each milestone with a bottle of fine wine, this gift idea allows them to display their sentimental corks in a stylish way, rather than throwing them in a drawer. You can also get it customized with any state or Canadian province for a meaningful and personal design!
36. The Best Gift Idea for Empty Nesters Who Love to Garden: This Countertop Herb Garden
This is one of the best gift ideas for parents who love gardening but can’t get up and down in the soil like they used to. With a convenient countertop design and an LED grow light, this indoor garden allows them to grow their favorite herbs, veggies, or flowers year-round from anywhere in their house.
Plus, this gift also comes with an herb seed pod kit and plant-grow food, so plant-loving parents can get started right away!
37. The Best Tech Gift Idea for Older Parents: An Aura Digital Frame
For older parents who aren’t exactly tech-savvy, this is one of the best gift ideas to help them keep up with their entire family — without downloading Instagram.
With the Aura digital frame, relatives and friends can easily upload photos or videos from anywhere in the world using the free accompanying app. Once uploaded, the photos will instantly cycle through on the HD screen, no tapping or scrolling required.
Plus, the Aura frame automatically turns off at night and back on in the morning, so all parents have to do is sit back and enjoy the view!
38. The Best Gift for Nostalgic Empty Nesters: This Instant Photo Printer
If the parents on your gift list are a bit more tech-savvy, this is another great way to keep them tuned in to the family. Bring back the days of physical photos with this small printer, which instantly prints fingerprint-proof and water-resistant 4×6 photos.
Just dock your phone on the top of the printer (which also doubles as a phone charger!) or connect through bluetooth to choose which photos to print. It’s the perfect gift for parents who love flipping through physical photo albums or displaying family photos on the refrigerator door!
39. The Best Gift for Empty Nesters Who Can’t Wait to Travel: An Away Carry-On Suitcase
For parents who are recently retired or empty nesters, help them kick off their new chapter with this luxury gift idea! They finally have time to go on all those adventures they’ve been dreaming about for years, and this Away suitcase is the perfect travel companion for the job.
Lightweight and durable, this carry-on suitcase is designed to maximize packing space, while still fitting in the overhead bins. It also features TSA-approved locks, an easy-grip handle, and smooth-gliding wheels. What can we say — it’s a cult favorite for a reason!
40. The Best Gift Idea for Empty Nesters Who Need a New Hobby: This Air Dry Clay Pottery Kit
If you know parents who are struggling to keep busy now that their kids have left the nest, this pottery gift set is the perfect way to introduce them to a new hobby. It comes with everything they need to sculpt, carve, paint, and varnish their own air-dry clay creations, from plant pots to trinket dishes.
It even includes a step-by-step pottery guide, so everyone from beginners to pros can create a masterpiece. For the parents who always say “I don’t need anything,” this is the best unique gift to add to their arsenal!
42. The Best Gift for Empty Nesters Who Love to Stay Active: This Pickleball Bag
For the parents who were way ahead of the pickleball craze, this rally bag is the best gift to level up their game time. Designed to hold two paddles, two water bottles, a laptop, and other small essentials, it’ll help them hit the courts whenever the mood strikes.
And if they don’t already have their own paddles, this build-your-own pickleball set also makes a great gift for parents of any age!
43. The Best Gift for Empty Nesters Who Deserve Some R&R: This Infrared Sauna Blanket
You may not be able to get your parents a full-sized sauna this year, but this gift is the next best thing! Like their own personal sauna, this infrared blanket provides all the benefits of a great sweat session from the comfort of their own home.
All they have to do is plug it in, choose a setting, and enjoy the ultimate spa day! It’s even machine washable and portable, so they can detox anywhere and everywhere. It’s the gift they didn’t even know they needed!
44. The Best Gift for Empty Nesters Who Love to Puzzle: This Gradient Jigsaw Puzzle
For older parents who go through puzzles like they’re going out of style, this gift will keep them busy — at least for a couple of hours! With a stylish gradient design, this 1000-piece puzzle is the perfect balance of fun and challenging. Plus, it’ll look so chic on their dining room table!
And for parents who are avid puzzlers, this roll-up mat is another one of the best gift ideas to take their hobby to the next level.
Snag The Best Gifts for Everyone On Your List
Now that you’ve checked off the parents on your list, let’s jump into some of our other unique gift ideas for everyone else!
For the people who just moved into a new home, don’t miss our list of rad housewarming gifts, from small keepsakes to household essentials.
And speaking of big milestones, we also created the ultimate engagement gift guide for love birds, plus this round-up of unique wedding gifts.
Are you the one tying the knot? Then definitely check out this list of the best bridesmaid gifts and groomsmen gifts that your crew will love!
Did we miss any of the best gift ideas for parents — or anyone else on your list? Let us know in the comments below!