Baby photo albums help keep memories from the first years of life in one place where families can revisit them often. A photo album created with the baby in mind makes a great baby shower gift for new parents.
Gender Neutral Albums
Photo albums with unique cover materials and diverse color schemes work for baby boys and girls. Whether you don't know your baby's gender during pregnancy or you're a modern parent looking to avoid gender stereotypes, a gender-neutral option is your best bet.
Nickel Plated Album
If you want a keepsake to last throughout your baby's life, the Engraveable Nickel-Plated Silver Album for baby is for you. The tarnish-proof silver cover features an adorable baby animal and flower motif with a space to engrave baby's name in the center. One hundred double-sided photo pockets sit inside the album where you can display one photo per page. For around $20, you can give your baby's pictures an elegant, personalized album to serve as a memento. While it's small in size, the timeless look of this unique album makes a big impression. The compact nature makes it easy to share photos with others at home or on the go and it looks beautiful sitting on your shelf.
Recordable Album
Hallmark's When You Were Born Press and Play Recordable Memory Book offers the unique option of recording a brief message to go along with each photo page. For under $20 the book comes with eight paperboard pages, each with a brief, continuous story, room to write notes, and a unique button to record and play recordings. This one-of-a-kind style album is great for military parents, grandparents or family members sending a gift from far away, or mom's seeking a way to comfort baby while out of sight. Even though there's only room for a few pictures, you'll have the chance to capture memories in a multidimensional way.
Wooden Album
Embrace the joy of bringing a new baby home with the Welcome Home Baby Album for under $50. This unique album features a hand-painted birch plywood front and back cover in the shape of a small house. These adorable albums say "Welcome Home Baby" on the front cover and come in either pink or ivory, both with a mint roof. The hinged cover opens to reveal ten slide-in photo pages which hold 4 x 6 pictures. An album like this is great for adoptive parents to share with new children entering their home for the first time or to house all those pictures of your first days at home with your little one. An original album like this stands out because it's like nothing you've ever seen before and the durable materials can withstand frequent use.
Gender Specific Albums
If you already know your baby is a boy or a girl, you might want a photo album that embraces this distinction. If you've been blessed with twins or multiples, you might have a harder time finding specialized albums since these occurrences are rarer. While there are ways to customize any generic album, these suggestions offer unique features to display baby pictures.
Album for Boys
The Blue Baby Collage Frame Cover lets you show off your little guy right on the cover which, unlike other albums, can hold five separate photos. Cover photo options include two vertical, two horizontal, and one square opening. Since the word 'baby' is embossed into the leatherette cover, you may want to insert a nameplate with the boy's name into one of the photo openings. This large album holds up to 240 pictures, each up to a 4 x 6 size.
On the inside, black pages hold five photos each, with two vertical slots on the left side of each page and three horizontal slots on the right. For around $25 you'll get this traditional style album which is great for those looking for something with an artistic flair. Seventy-five percent of over 150 customers give this album 5 out of 5 stars because of the unique cover display and page layouts. Reviewers rave the photo album makes a great display piece, and if you love this style it is also available in a black cover family version and pink cover baby girl version.
Album for Girls
If sweet and sentimental is what you're after for the baby girl in your life, the Our Baby Girl Memory Book is perfect. Both the front and back covers are cloaked in a soft pink and white gingham print. The front cover features a cut out for a photo of the baby. The 64 pages each feature Bible scriptures. It's a nice piece of memorabilia from baby's early years. It sells for under $20.
Album for Twins
For multiples, specifically twins, this handmade Twins Album showcases both babies equally. Made from cut maple and colored leather, you can have two names carved into the wooden cover. Opt for a solid color leather or a different color to go under each name on the cover. Choices include black, blue, green, pink, red, white and purple. To further customize, you can choose between 30 double-sided photo pages or 30 double-sided scrapbook pages. For $80, you get these personalization options and extension posts so you'll be able to add extra pages later on. Customers rave this Etsy seller is easy to work with, works hard to customize your order, and creates exemplary work. Use this style album to give each child, twins or siblings of different ages, some individuality as you share their photos in one easy-to-share book.
Digitally Created DIY Albums
For the modern family with more pictures on their phone than in print, a creating your photo album digitally (then printing it) might be the way to go. Pregnant moms can start by making one of these albums for their sonogram pictures then capture different stages of life in individual books. For those looking at gift ideas, albums like these work well for your first visit with the new baby and his parents after they get home from delivery. As an original twist, gather social media posts from the new parents and their friends and family to include in the album.
Soft Cover Album
If you're more of a modern, digital type of parent try a Baby Keepsake Soft Cover Mini Photo Book. Upload 17 photos to include on the right-hand page of each book and type in personalized text to feature on a solid colored page on the left side of these spiral bound books. At just over $15, you can choose from pastel or bright colors. This modern album is great for showcasing pictures taken on your phone. Create personalized books for each member of the family to show off their special relationship with the baby or make it a brag book you can carry in your purse without fear of destroying pictures. Reviewers love the quality and portability.
Accordion Fold Brag Book
Need a small, portable photo album option? Look no further than the Brag Book. These unique accordion-fold books with fabric covers and ribbon closure are easy to take wherever you go or send in the mail. For around $25 you choose between 12 fabric covers including leather, each with a fun coordinating color pattern on the inside covers. Pick eight of your favorite photos to display in the 3 x 5 size. Thanks to the original design, the book lies nearly flat when closed and opens up to stand as a display. You can use the photo album as a room decoration, like a picture frame, or tuck it in your diaper bag to have on hand at all times.
Baby's First Album
While it may take time for your baby to truly appreciate the value of photos, you can help her get started early with an album made with her in mind. These cloth options allow your baby to handle the album and explore family member photos or pictures of herself.
My First Photo Album
Genius Baby's My First Photo Album features 15 cloth pages that each holds a 4 x 6 photo. The vinyl cover and pages are easy to clean with a damp cloth. On the final page, baby gets a good look at himself in the attached mirror. The cover features a cartoon image of a baby and teddy bear with the words "My Friends and Family." The edges of all pages have a black and white contrasting stitching. Slide pictures in the see-through pages and let your baby play away. At just over $10, this photo album lets baby get in on the fun of exploring memories and familiar faces. Parents will love that the baby can chew and slobber all over the book without ruining photos and babies will love the unique visual story made just for them.
Look Book Photo Album
Who loves baby? That's the question posed on the bright colored cover of the Who Loves Baby? Look Book Photo Album by Sassy. A black and white handle holds together this soft fabric book full of bright colors and a variety of black/white patterned frames. This style only holds six 4 x 6 photos, but it's easy for baby to handle and provides visual interest with the colors and patterns. When 100 percent of customers would recommend this to a friend, you know it's a great product for baby. If you don't have photo prints to insert yet, it still makes a fun toy for baby in the meantime.
Tips for Personalizing
Some photo albums can be personalized with engraving options where you opt to add in baby's name or initials. However, there are other ways to customize an infant photo book.
- Include baby pictures in the album before you give it as a gift. If the baby hasn't been born yet, include screenshots of baby-related posts from the parents-to-be, sonogram pictures, or baby pictures of each parent.
- Attach embellishments to the front cover to match the nursery theme or baby's favorite things. Use glue on hardcover books or sew on extras for fabric-covered books. Permanent markers can be used on many surfaces to write or draw on the front and back covers.
- Slide personal notes, words of encouragement, and advice into photo slots to be enjoyed while waiting for prints of your baby to add in.
- Attach a large envelope to the photo album for keepsakes. Glue the envelope inside the back cover or use a three-hole punch to add it at the end of the photo pages in a binder.
A Home for Memories
Keep precious memories safe in a photo album filled with protective photo pages. Photo albums make great gifts for baby showers, grandparents, or housing pictures of family for those who live far away and want the baby to see their familiar faces.
