There are few types of people more fun than a one-year old. There are also few types of people for whom it’s harder to find the perfect gift. What does a one-year old like? What is a one-year old capable of playing with? Is a developmental toy better than a toy that’s purely fun? If you’re stuck on a gift idea for a one-year old, we’ve got you covered! We purposely chose toys that are both fun and educational, and which can grow with kids through their second year of life and beyond. Keep scrolling for 30 great creative gifts for a 1-year old!
Quutopia Bath Toys — Jelly Fish
$9.99
Bath time has never been more fun than with these Quutopia jelly fish. Designed by an award-winning Belgian toy company, these jelly fish are perfect for encouraging imagination and fine motor skills while also having fun in the bath tub. The jelly fish are made from BPA-free soft foam, and have no phthalates or latex.
Pantone: Box of Color
$12.95
Prepare your favorite one-year old for learning colors by gifting him or her the Pantone: Box of Color. The box consists of six thick board books, each of which is dedicated to a color of the rainbow. Children can observe lighter and darker shades of the color, and begin to associate everyday objects with these colors.
Wooden Touch and Feel Puzzle Peek-a-Boo Pets
$12.99
We love this four-piece wooden touch and feel puzzle from Melissa & Doug! Including a bird, bunny, kitten, and puppy, this puzzle helps a one-year old to develop fine motor, emotional, and social skills. Plus, it’s bright colors and bold patterns make this an attractive addition to any bookshelf or playroom.
Dress Up Bear Soft Activity Book
$12.99
One-year olds will have a blast playing with the skill-building Dress Up Bear Soft Activity Book from Melissa & Doug. The book, which folds open and closed, includes panels to fold, a large button to fasten, and a zipper to zip, among other fun activities.
Personalized Name Puzzle
From $14.95
Puzzles in any shape and form are great for toddlers, but this personalized name puzzle from J and P Wood Products comes with the added bonus of familiarizing children with their name. This puzzle is a handmade wood product, and comes in the buyer’s choice of primary or pastel colors.
Pop Blocs Farm Animals Learning Toy
$16.99
Melissa & Doug’s Pop Blocs Farm Animals Learning Toy is a selection of soft plastic toys that pop together and apart. The 10 linkable pieces connect to make a horse, cow, sheep, pig, and chicken. The blocs are lightweight and ideal for little fingers to manipulate.
Zag Tower with Four Rolling Pieces
$16.99
Popular educational toy brand Melissa & Doug makes the Zag Tower, a great creative gift idea for a one-year old. Toddlers can practice their fine motor skills by picking up the safari animal-themed pieces and placing them on the zig-zag track. The bright colors and different shapes also provide an opportunity to practice color and shape identification.
Wooden Egg Shakers
$18.00
One-year olds love making noise. They also love shaking things, which makes these wooden egg shakers by BabyNoise an ideal gift for a toddler. Made of natural wood and embellished with non-toxic paint, the shakers are perfectly sized for little hands. This toy encourages creativity, and helps to develop hand-eye coordination.
Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn My Smart Purse
$19.99
One-year olds will love “being like mom” and playing with this Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn My Smart Purse. Children will find lots of ways to interact with the purse and play, from the 50+ songs and phrases, to the zipper that really zips. The purse even introduces phrases in Spanish! My Smart Purse includes five play accessories to promote imaginative play: a rattle phone, mirror, credit card, keys, and a bead bracelet.
Le Toy Van Petilou Four-Piece Sensory Tray
$24.95
The Petilou 4-Piece Sensory Tray from Le Toy Van provides the perfect opportunity to stimulate the senses and practice important skills relating to sight, sound, touch, and dexterity. Each of the tray’s four pieces is made with high-quality, solid rubberwood.
Hungry Pelican Learning Toy
$24.99
The cute little Hungry Pelican Learning Toy from Melissa & Doug is great for helping kids develop fine and gross motor skills — all while having fun! Children 9+ months can open the pelican’s bill and drop in four little animals: an octopus that squeaks, a crinkly shrimp, and a rattling fish and crab. Once the little animals have dropped into the pelican’s belly, the child can simply reach in and play again.
Wooden Animal Jigsaw Puzzles
$24.99
These chunky puzzles are perfectly sized for little, one-year old hands. Their bright colors and bold patterns are eye catching and inviting, and little ones will have a blast practicing their motor skills and hand-eye coordination to put them together. Four puzzles are included in the set. A similar vehicle-themed puzzle set is also available.
Shark Cage Bathtub Ball
$25.00
The Shark Cage Bathtub Ball from Begin Again Toys is a fun way to make bath time extra fun. This innovative and imaginative toy consists of a round shark cage, a bright red diver, an octopus, and of course, a couple sharks. In addition to promoting imagination, this adorable toy helps one-year olds develop their hand-eye coordination and motor skills.
Red Nesting Bowl Set
$30.00
Stacking objects and placing one object inside another is an important skill for babies around age one. With the Red Nesting Bowl Set, one-year olds can practice these skills, plus perfect things like grip and begin to understand bigger concepts like cause and effect. These 100% felt nesting bowls are handmade in Nepal.
Janod Confetti Musical Instrument Set
$34.99
One-year olds love music, and you can encourage this beautiful interest by gifting them the Janod Confetti Musical Instrument Set. Designed in France, this set includes seven different pieces with which children can play and hear. This is also a gift that will grow with the child; while a one-year old will be most drawn to a select few pieces, other pieces will become more interesting as the child ages.
Janod Giant Multicolored Train
$35.00
A one-year old learning to walk is sure to get a kick out of the Janod Giant Multicolored Train. The locomotive — which includes a rabbit, a duck, and a chicken — consists of blocks in various colors, shapes, and sizes. When the child is ready for more than just pulling the train around, he or she can have fun disassembling and reassembling the blocks.
Personalized My Very Own Name Book
$35.00
At one-year old, children aren’t likely to be writing or spelling their own name. But because they can recognize their name, and spelling is right around the corner, this personalized My Very Own name book from Uncommon Goods makes a great gift. This adorable book features classic illustrations, and teaches children to recognize the letters of their own name.
Balance Board
$35.00
Not only is a balance board a fun addition to imaginative play, it is also important for child development. The board is as simple as it seems: a child stands atop the board and attempts to balance. This particular balance board is from Clover & Birch, and is handmade in the U.S.A.
Animal Matching Game
$49.00
This adorable animal matching game from Crate & Kids serves multiple purposes. First, one-year olds can practice categorizing the animals into groups (for example, all of the blue giraffes together). Secondly, they can fit each animal cutout into its appropriate box. Finally, one-year olds can practice their motor skills by lifting each box’s “roof” to retrieve the animals and play again. Did we mention the game is adorable?
Wooden Rocking Horse
$49.99
Rocking horses are the perfect ride-along toy for a one-year old, and we especially love this one by Lebebe. The solid wood horse is made of natural materials, and is small enough for one-year olds to climb aboard and rock comfortably. Should you or the child wish, the horse can even be customized, as the pure white background is ideal for painting over.
Cuddle & Kind Doll
From $55
One-year olds will love cuddling up with a Cuddle & Kind doll! These adorable (and popular!) dolls are hand knit in Peru from premium 100% cotton yarn. They’re made for durability and softness, and are considered heirloom type toys. Choose from a variety of different characters in two sizes. As an added bonus, each purchase of a Cuddle & Kind doll provides 10 meals for children in need.
Maileg Maxi Mouse
$58.00
Danish toy company Maileg is well-known for its beautiful and thoughtfully designed critter toys. A maileg maxi mouse is the perfect gift for a one-year old who enjoys stuffed toys. Mouse options range from a princess mouse to a circus mouse, and each one will spark imagination and grow with the child. As the child ages, smaller Maileg mice are also available.
Radio Flyer 4-in-1 Stroll ’N Trike
$89.99
Over the generations, Radio Flyer has practically become synonymous with childhood. This Radio Flyer 4-in-1 Stroll ’N Trike is a great grow-with-them gift. Indeed, there are four ways to ride the trike, including with the footrest and adult steer for one-year olds.
Myers Natural Wooden Rainbow
$95.00
Wooden rainbows like the Myers Natural Wooden Rainbow are all the rage at the moment. Unlike typical puzzles, these rainbows are open ended, and therefore can be reimagined as many different ways as a child can come up with. In addition to being stacked in a rainbow, they can be stacked to balance, stacked into a tower, built into a tunnel for trains, flipped over to become boats for animal figurines, and much, much more.
PlanToys Water Play Set
$100.00
Imaginations will run wild with the PlanToys Water Play Set. Perfect for some sensory play on a hot day, this fun developmental toy includes a rubber tray, two different boats, two figures, three fish, and various other accessories. Children can splash with the toys, or use them to act out scenes.
Anywhere Chair
$119.00
All kids need their own place to sit, and the Anywhere Chair from Pottery Barn Kids is the perfect option. This comfy arm chair is perfectly sized for a one-year old to grow into. It includes a slipcover for easy cleaning, and is lightweight enough to move from room to room. It can even be personalized!
Baby Activity Walker
$120.00
Tender Leaf Toys’ Baby Activity Walker does double duty as a walking aid and a play center. One-year olds just learning to walk will love the thrill that comes with pushing this toy from room to room. When they’re tired of walking, they can play and learn with the various activities included.
Baghera Red Racer
$125.00
Baghera is a world-renowned maker of children’s metal cars, and this Red Racer makes a particularly wonderful gift for a one-year old. Designed in France, this durable car is perfect for the newly mobile child to ride. It’s the ideal size for a one-year old, and provides opportunities for the child to enhance their motor and balance skills. The car is made entirely of metal, and has durable rubber tires suitable for play indoors or out.
Olli Ella Strolley
$135.00
It’s well known that toddlers love playing with babies and baby things. That’s why the Olli Ella Strolley is an ideal gift for any one-year old. This beautiful doll stroller is made from hand-woven rattan, and can turn from a pram to a shopping trolley just by lowering the canopy. Perfect for transporting everything from dolls to play food, this is the perfect gift that can grow with a child into the “pretend play” stage.
Grey Buffalo Check Teepee
From $159.00
Provide your favorite one-year old with a space that’s just for them by gifting them this adorable grey buffalo check teepee from Crate & Kids. Topped with a classic plaid pattern, this indoor play tent is both durable and adorable. It can even be personalized with the child’s name.
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