Don’t know what to put on your baby’s first Christmas list? Looking for the perfect present for a one-year-old baby? Whether it’s for Christmas, their 1st birthday, Easter or some other occasion, this gift guide will help you find what you’re looking for.
How do I know what one-year-old babies like? My boy-girl twin babies have tried & tested all of these items. They were on their wish lists for Christmas and their 1st birthday. All of these toys turned out to be very popular and many of them are still being used daily now that they’re almost two.
So let’s get to it!
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Basic Toys Every One-Year-Old Will Love
1. Pound ‘n Tap Bench: A “controversial” toy. Do my kids love it? OH YES! Have we been hit in the heads by flying wooden balls? Yes. Has our flat screen TV been smashed with a hammer and had to be replaced? Yes – twice – and both times under close parental supervision (don’t judge me – I’ve been punished enough!)
I would recommend this to any awesome parent who has already taught their one-year-old not to throw heavy objects and only to use hammers on wooden balls and xylophones.
2. Wooden Puzzle: Introduce the farm to your child through this sturdy collection of lovable animals. My kids didn’t start using it as a puzzle until they were 18 months old. Before then they had fun learning how to say “cow,” “horse,” and “sheep” and making the coordinating sounds.
3. Activity Cube: I know it seems expensive at first. But this is another one of those toys that grows with its user. This activity cube is great even for babies who are just learning to sit up. They love batting at the abacus and the letters. And when they get older, they have fun identifying the pictures and letters as well as running the colored beads along their tracks.
My Twin Babies’ Absolute Favorite Toy
4. Stacking Blocks: Don’t expect these blocks to have the same quality as Lego blocks. They are relatively loose fitting so that the tiniest hands can take them apart. The bag it comes in is also quite popular. They like to put it over their heads and peak out the transparent window in the front. Don’t worry – the bag is made of a permeable fabric and is very durable. As a mom, I love the fact that my kids are entertained for at least a half an hour with these blocks. What I don’t love is having to pick up all of those 80 blocks when playtime is over. This bag of blocks only comes out once every two weeks at our house. But that’s what makes it even more special!
A Must-Have on the First Christmas List
5. A Rocking Horse: This is what we got our babies for their one BIG Christmas present. A rocking horse gives hours of imaginative exercise while developing basic balance and coordination skills. My kids still love riding it.
Classic Baby Toys – because they’re awesome!
6. Fisher-Price Corn Popper that makes your baby want to push it around for hours and hours (yes, it does make noise.) It’s a classic toy that’s been entertaining small babies and children for generations!
7. The Fisher-Price Snoopy Toy: Your little one will love how the tail and ears move and the wheels make noise when he’s pulled. Unfortunately, the design has changed over the years, but I think the fun factor is still there.
8. See ‘n Say: This version of Fisher Prices’ Farmer Says See ‘n Say is a step up on the old version of my childhood. It grows with your baby. She can start out learning animal names and sounds, and when she’s older, move on to singing along to “Old McDonald” and “Farmer in the Dell.” It also has quiz games.
9. Classic Chatter Phone: Another great favorite from Fisher Price! My son loves to chat on the phone and my daughter loves to tow it around behind her. The eyes move up and down and the dial rings. It gets taken off the shelf every day.
Noisy Toys That Will Probably Drive You Nuts – First Christmas List Favorites
10. Musical Instruments: This set has all kinds of baby appropriate instruments. Are kids are still playing with them 3 years later.
11. VTech Magic Star Activity Table: Is fantastic for when your baby is just learning to stand. She can stable herself with it and have fun playing with the activities on the table at the same time. This activity table has 6 fun activities in English and Spanish that encourage your child to explore and learn.
12. Poppity-Pop Musical Dino: Can you see I’m obsessed with Fisher-Price? This one is my personal favorite! Even I enjoy rolling the balls down the dino’s tail and into his tummy. Then I watch them pop around until they roll out of his mouth. Then the fun can start all over again.
13. Click ‘n Learn Remote: Some parents say that giving their baby a remote teaches them that it’s okay for them to play with remote controls. Some parents will argue that if their baby has their own remote, they don’t find the real remotes as interesting – they get it “out of their system.” Every child is different, so that’s a call each parent needs to make individually. I found that the fisher price remote didn’t look enough like a “real” remote so my kids didn’t even connect the two – and they love this toy.
Related:
Tried & Tested Gift Ideas for One-Year-Olds
