The realization that I’m about to be mother to a one year old is… amazing, exciting, scary, a little heart breaking — all the emotions. In just two short weeks I’ll no longer have a baby, but a full blown toddler.
As I prepped for Leo’s first birthday, I got lots of questions about what presents he’d like. And while I really just wanted to tell everyone diapers and a Target gift card, I knew that wasn’t gonna fly. So I did a bunch of research on toys for one year olds and I think I came up with a pretty damn good list.
When it comes to baby and toddler toys, my preference is sticking to simple toys that encourage open-ended play rather than battery operated toys. So you’ll see that this list reflects that. But no shame if you like the musical, singing toys! I just know my baby likes blocks and books more than anything else.
Climb-through Tunnel:
Any toys that promote gross motor skills are great for a one year old. This caterpillar tunnel from Melissa and Doug is super fun because it has doors on both ends of the tunnel that are perfect for hide and seek and peek-a-boo. Leo likes to steal the dog’s toy and then hide in his tunnel like it’s his safe spot.
Water Table:
Around one years old is the perfect age to get babies a water table. After looking around on Amazon, they all seem pretty much the same, but this one stood out to me because of the umbrella and sturdier legs (because I’ve read that most water tables have flimsy legs that can bend after filled with water).
Shape Sorter:
Shape sorters are a classic toy for a reason, right? Even for a 12 month old who may not understand the sorting aspect just yet, they’ll enjoy dumping and filling the sorter over and over again. Then it’ll grow with baby for a few years as they get better with all the shapes.
Cars & Trucks:
My favorite brand of cars and trucks for young toddlers is Green Toys because they’re super durable, don’t have any small parts that can fall off, and are made of 100% recycled materials. The dump truck is Leo’s favorite, but he also has the car carrier set and plays with it for a few minutes before bed each night.
Cuddle & Kind Doll:
These make such a special gift for first birthdays or baby showers because you know they’ll be cherished for the rest of that baby’s childhood. I’ll definitely be getting one for Leo, but I’m torn between getting Noah the Dog or Hudson the Polar Bear.
Balance Bike:
What a better gift than to be the one to get a child their first bike? Mini balance bikes like these have gotten super popular recently (or they’ve always been popular and I was out of the loop) and are super cute. Leo’s a big baby, so I worry that he may be too tall for this bike, but we’ll see!
Wood Puzzles:
Puzzles are a great way to help with fine motor skills and developing language — and plus they’re just fun! Again, Melissa and Doug is my go-to brand for toddler puzzles. Their knob puzzles are much easier for a one year old, but their chunky puzzles are also great.
Bath Toys:
I don’t know any babies who aren’t obsessed with bath time, so bath toys are a guaranteed hit. Basically anything that floats will be good enough for a one year old, but some tried and true favorites of ours are Munchkin boats, this pull-and-go submarine monkey, and these foam letters and numbers.
Baby Doll:
I believe baby dolls make great toys for all toddlers — doesn’t matter if its a boy or girl. I’ll be getting Leo a boy Baby Stella doll from Manhattan Toys when he’s around 18 months old. They of course also have girl Baby Stella dolls.
Anywhere Chair:
Pottery Barn has amazing little arm chairs for toddlers called the Anywhere Chair. I got Leo one with an embroidered L on it for Christmas and he loves to sit in it and climb all over it. They come in so many different colors and fabrics and even a few different sizes that can all be personalized with your baby’s name or initials.
Toddler Swing:
A swing is at the top of my list of things I’m most excited to get for Leo. Along with the trike and water table, there’s so many fun things you can get for outdoor play for one year olds. They have this blue and red swing and then a pink one if you’d rather get that. You probably even had the same version growing up!
Instruments:
Anything you can shake, bang or clash to make music will be a hit. We have the Melissa and Doug Band in a Box which is great, but I also found this set on Amazon that has way more instruments and comes with a cute backpack to keep them in!
Interactive Books:
Whether it be lift flap books, books with sounds, the poke-a-dot books, touch and feel books, or a book with a mirror, one year olds will love short stories that they get to be a part of.
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