Tired of adding to the mountain of toys that get forgotten in a week? The most memorable gifts aren’t always things you can wrap. This holiday season, give your loved ones the gift of connection, learning, and adventure. Experience-based gifts create lasting memories and support a child’s development without adding clutter. From animal encounters to creative classes, we’ve created this Baltimore Gift Guide that keeps on giving long after the holidays.

The Gift of Discovery & Learning (Memberships)

Discovery and learning memberships provide unlimited adventures for a full year! This gives the recipient a constant, easy option for a fun day out.

Maryland Zoo in Baltimore: The ultimate gift for any animal lover. Bonus: you don’t have to purchase tickets only to leave because baby decides it’s nap time! Enjoy both short visits to see a favorite animal or a full day of exploration.

Port Discovery Children’s Museum: Designed for kids 0-10, with dedicated areas like the Tot Trail for crawlers and toddlers. A membership offers a full year of play and learning at this Baltimore family favorite.

National Aquarium: An obvious choice with a world-class experience that excites children (and adults) of all ages. The underwater experience is excellent screen-free stimulation for a baby’s developing brain!

Maryland Science Center: Amazing for curious toddlers! This one features hands-on exhibits, and IMAX theater and a dedicated kids’ room on the third floor for the littlest scientists. NOTE: the kids’ room does close earlier than the rest of the center!

The Gift of Movement & Play (Classes)

Movement and Play are very serious business when it comes to children. As Fred Rogers once said, “Play is a child’s most important means of communication.” Classes that facilitate movement and exploration through play help develop motor skills, social intelligence, and confidence in a structured, fun environment.

Gymnastics Classes: Find a gym like Rebounders Gymnastics that offers parent/child classes for babies and gymnastics/activities for toddlers. Gymnastics builds strength and coordination and parent/child classes help build connections (and memories!).

Infant & Toddler Swim Lessons: Swimming is not just a super fun experience for children, it’s a lifesaving skill. Find a swim school like Nemo , British Swim School or Fossil Swim School. These operate at different pools across the area.

Music Classes: Classes that focus on parental engagement like Music with Anne offer a fun way for caregivers to connect with children while introducing rhythm, sounds, and group participation.

The Gift of Making Memories (Experiences & Services)

Creative gifts help to create a love of creating in children and can also capture a sweet moment in time. The crafts and art that comes from these experiences are often treasured items kept for generations to come.

A Family Photo Session: Gift a session with a local family photographer. We love our community partners Heartlove Photography, Angela Singleton Photography, and Casi Denton Photography. Baltimore has almost too many beautiful locations to choose from but we love Federal Hill Park, Druid Hill Park, or the Rawlings Conservatory.

Tickets to a Live Show: Get tickets for a family-friendly performance with the Charm City Players or one of the Music Box Series interactive shows at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.

Shifting away from mindless consumerism is a trend that we can get behind but during the holiday season it can be confusing for extended family to know what to get that isn’t a toy. These gifts are about more than an afternoon out, they’re about supporting a child’s growth, family connection, and giving the gift of quality time. A membership or class is a gift the whole family can enjoy together.

Did we forget your favorite experiences in this Baltimore Gift Guide? Share your favorites for little ones in the comments!

Welcoming a new baby is a profound change in your life. The first part of our mission at Doulas of Baltimore is to make sure that change isn’t stressful, overwhelming or full of uncertainty. The second part is serving our community. This Giving Tuesday, we wanted to highlight three local nonprofits that we love. They are doing this same work–making sure new parents are supported and have the resources they need.

The Family Tree

The Family Tree’s is for all children to be safe and supported, and is the leading authority in Maryland for the prevention of child abuse. In 1997, Parents Anonymous® of Maryland and the Child Abuse Prevention Center merge to form The Family Tree. They have served 300,000 families in Maryland. Their services include counseling and parenting classes, a 24/7 help line, community outreach, and policy and advocacy work. Our last in-person event in February 2020, Mead the Doulas with Charm City Meadworks, was a fundraiser for The Family Tree. 

Our Mead the Doulas event to benefit The Family Tree.

Every holiday season, they also offer a free holiday shop to parents. They are currently accepting donations until December 3rd of new, unwrapped toys and presents for children ages 0-18. You can learn more here. They also accept monetary donations any time of year, and have volunteer opportunities. 

ShareBaby

We all know how important diapers and essentials are when baby arrives. We also know that you go through a lot of diapers, and it can be a big expense. ShareBaby is a Baltimore nonprofit that provides diapers and essential items to new parents. They write that this helps “reduce stress, depression, and barriers to work for families,” and provides peace of mind for the families in need. In the past, we’ve done diaper drives for ShareBaby and plan to do more in the future. Together with their partners, they deliver 200,000 diapers a month to more than 15,000 children across Baltimore. 

This GivingTuesday, they are also collecting coats for babies and children, which can be purchased online and shipped to the warehouse or dropped off directly. You can find out more here. 

Rainbow Families

Rainbow Families is a DC-and Baltimore-area nonprofit that educates, connects, and supports LGBTQ+ families and parents-to-be. They offer virtual support programs for new parents, as well as families going through the processes of adoption or assisted conception. Their “Maybe Baby” course offers a chance for people to explore questions of parenthood and building a family. They also provide opportunities for parents to connect in the Washington, DC and Baltimore regions through events, a camp weekend, and get-togethers. We provide ongoing support to Rainbow Families and are part of their directory of service providers. 

We hope you consider supporting these nonprofits this Giving Tuesday. 

What do I NEED to bring to the hospital?

You’ve probably pondered this exact question many times the closer you get to your due month. You’re getting great prenatal care, you’ve decked out the nursery in the perfect theme. You’ve attended your childbirth education classes (right?), you’ve installed the car seat. You’re prepared in every way – and yet the hospital bag still stymies even the most well-read first time parents. What do you really need to bring?

The answer is – “It varies.” Clear as mud right? The truth is, what you choose to bring with you to a hospital birth can differ as widely as the personalities of those becoming parents to begin with. What could be a must-have item for one mom, may make absolutely no sense to another. So what to do, right?

First, assess what your goals are for this birth experience. Do you know you’ll be having a scheduled induction or cesarean? Are you planning an unmedicated birth? Are you leaving an epidural on the table? Once you’ve processed what your hopes are for this birth, you will better be able to plan what you’ll want to bring to make that a reality. Limit yourself to items you can comfortably fit into an overnight bag.

After supporting thousands of Baltimore parents over the last decade, we’ve narrowed down our favorite must-haves for the hospital bag – plus a few things to leave at home!

BRING IT:

• Your own clothes. Dress how you want to feel in labor. You are not required to wear a hospital gown if you don’t want to. So wear what you want! Make sure to have extra clothes on hand for any messes, as well as a going home outfit in a comfortable style and size. You will still be about the size you were at 20-24 weeks pregnant when heading home. A robe you won’t mind ditching if it gets stained is a welcome help and flip flops for shower use are always a great idea!
• A phone charging cord and/or charge bank. We’ve noticed often there aren’t outlets in hospitals within easy reach of your bed, so having an extra-long charging cord or a portable cord bank is a great idea. You’ll want your phone charged up to take family photos and videos, update your loved ones, or even listen to your favorite playlists in labor.
• Toiletries. Yes, the hospital may provide some. There’s nothing like having your own toothbrush and the comforting scent of your own bath products right? You will likely have the opportunity to shower at some point before discharge and having your own things along can make this a really refreshing experience. Don’t forget a hairbrush and if needed, a styling agent and some cosmetics. Again, this is YOUR birth- if you don’t want makeup, don’t wear it. Some families feel more confident to receive guests and have pictures taken if they are able to do a light touch up now and then.
• Hair ties or headbands. There’s nothing quite like trying to focus during contractions and being distracted by hair you can’t keep out of your face!
• Chapstick and mints. Labor means lots of intense breathing, and lots of intense breathing can mean cracked lips and bad breath – for you OR your birth partner.
• Snacks. All area hospitals and providers have different policies on eating and drinking in labor, but one thing is certain. You’ll want something to eat as soon as you feel up to it after delivery! So bring those snacks. While you may not want a pastrami sandwich smelling up your delivery room, having a variety of small treats can be great. Granola bars, fruit cups, honey sticks, fruit leather, crackers, etc. An electrolyte beverage like coconut water is also a great idea! These can tide you over until you can order a real meal from the kitchen or have someone bring one to you.

CONSIDER IT:

• A swim top for you and suit or trunks for birthing partner. If you plan to labor in water at any point, these are a must.
• Massage oil. We recommend something unscented. Smells you love now may be unappealing when you’re in labor.
• A picture from home. If you have a meaningful vacation or nature picture, you might want to bring this along as a point of focus and to make the room more your own.
• A strand of Christmas lights or some battery candles. Dim, dark rooms are great for labor but can make it difficult to navigate around, such as to and from the bathroom. A few battery candles or a strand of lights hung behind your bed or near the bathroom can fix this and create a great atmosphere!
• Comfort tools. If you’ve taken our Comfort & Communication class, you probably already have some great ideas! If you’ve got a favorite massage roller, etc, toss it in!
• Eye mask & ear plugs. It can be hard to drown out the sounds of a busy hospital when trying to rest or focus.

FOR BABY:

• A going home outfit (or two!). Especially if you’re unsure of baby’s size, consider two options – a newborn and a 0-3m. 
• A car seat to take baby home in. Be sure to have your car seat securely installed by 37 weeks.

LEAVE IT:

• Your skinny jeans. It’s all about comfort right now, we promise!
• Advanced hair styling tools.  Keep it simple and don’t worry about the flat irons and curlers for a couple days.
• Your breast pump. If you need a pump for the limited time you’re in the hospital, the lactation staff will be able to provide you with a hospital grade pump.
• Jewelry & valuables. It’s better to leave these treasures at home than find you need to take them off for one reason or another and worrying about theft or loss.

In the end, don’t cause yourself undue emotional stress over making sure you have everything. You already HAVE what your baby needs – YOU! Everything else is replaceable or able to be snagged at a local store without much trouble.

Still need more advice? Take one of our fantastic childbirth education classes where we cover this topic (and so many others!) in great detail, or schedule a private, one-on-one consultation with one of our pregnancy & newborn experts.