Tried and Tested Gift Ideas for Your One-Year-Old Baby

Don’t know what to say when someone asks you what your Baby would like for her first birthday?  I felt exactly the same way so I created this list.  My twins’ birthday is shortly after Christmas, so these toys are perfect for both occasions.

They’ve been testing them for the past 5 months, so now I can safely say that these are hands-down my 1-year-old twins’ favorite toys.

gift ideas for 1 year old

Why don’t we start with Mommy’s personal favorite…

Fisher-Price Go Baby Go Poppity-Pop Musical Dino

I could play with this cute little Dino (by myself!) for hours and the babies love it too.  You roll the ball down the tail and it goes through a revolving gate and into the Dino’s “tummy.”  Then the motion detector feels that a ball is in there and starts the popping.  The balls keep popping up until they land in the tube and roll out of Dino’s mouth.

The babies then chase after the balls, pick them up and the fun starts all over again.  All the while he plays fun music (including their favorite: “If you’re happy and you know it…”) If there are no more balls in the tummy, the popping motion stops automatically and waits until the next time something touches the sensor in the middle.  Our babies not only enjoy using the balls, they also like experimenting with various other objects like socks, hair ties, puzzle pieces and smaller stuffed animals.  Like all things from Fisher-Price, this one is a mega baby magnet!

Hape – Farm Animals Wooden Peg Puzzle

I can see the gears moving in their little brains when they play with this puzzle.  They love using two fingers (like tweezers) to pull on the peg to get the piece out, but getting the piece back in is a whole different ballgame.  I’ve shown then a few times, and I think they understand, but at this stage, they’d rather hold and suck on the pieces and toss the board around on the floor.  But that’s okay, they love it!

Related: THE BEST GIFT IDEAS FOR TWO-YEAR-OLD TODDLER GIRLS

Mega Bloks 80-Piece Big Building Bag, Classic

The bag alone is a baby magnet in itself.  Thea played with it for a half an hour before she even noticed the blocks.  The babies love watching me put the blocks together and then they get to take them apart again.  They haven’t figured out how to put them together yet, but they’re working on it.  There are a lot more blocks in that bag than you think.  (Takes awhile to pick them all up again too!)

Grow-With-Me Wooden Rocking Horse with Removeable Safety Surround on the Seat

I might have waited a while longer to get a rocking horse if it wasn’t for the removable safety surround.  We used it until they were about 15 months old.  Now they can climb on and sort-of rock themselves.  They smile and giggle the whole time they’re riding it.  They’re still figuring out how to rock effectively – and are having fun in the process.

First 100 Words and First 100 Animals by Roger Priddy

The babies use these books a lot!  They’re board books, so they can play with them and they’ll even withstand an occasional sucking session.  We do try to keep sucking on books down to a minimum, but the way I see it, they are the babies’ toys and they should suck on their toys if they want to; and if I can’t handle it, I should put them away and save them for prosperity.

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Hape – Pound & Tap Bench with Slide Out Xylophone

Our Sven (a.k.a. “BamBam”) just can’t get enough of his pound & tap bench.  Beware!  If your baby is like mine, he will find that hammer to be the most amazing thing he’s ever held in his tiny little hand!  And be warned, we’re talking a lot more about “pounding” than “tapping.”  So far Sven has hit himself a few times where he winced but didn’t cry, and he hit his daddy a few times as well – making for some nasty looking bruises.  Needless to say, he only gets to play with his hammer when we’re in the room (but sometimes we aren’t fast enough.)

Thea’s more for tapping the wooden balls through the holes and listening to them roll down the xylophone.  The hammer & xylophone are sometimes used on their own too.  Yes, I deem it a fabulous toy, even if it does require a little parental supervision (at least with our baby boy!)

P.S.  The wooden balls make for serious projectiles, especially if your baby likes to throw things (ours do!)  Sven just beaned me in the forehead with the green one the other day!

Fisher-Price Bright Beginnings Activity Walker

Though we’ve had this one awhile now, I can’t tell you how much the babies are loving it.  It was exciting for them even before they could walk.  They sat on the floor and rolled the big ball in the middle and they especially love the revolving flaps at the bottom.  Just yesterday, Sven started in with the more intricate maneuvering of the spirals (left side).  The walker did its job well in helping them learn to walk and preventing a crash or two.  It also works great on the carpet – moving more slowly so that your baby has enough time to catch up.

My babies still love pushing it around, even now that they’re professional walkers.

I certainly don’t regret buying this one, as it’s been a very helpful developmental toy and doesn’t take up as much space as other walkers do.

Related: THE BEST GIFT IDEAS FOR TWO-YEAR-OLD TODDLER BOYS

More gift ideas for 1-year-olds that I wish we had

1.  Kids Wooden Name Puzzle

2.  Little Tikes First Slide

3.  Dr. Seuss’s Sleep Book – by Dr. Seuss

4.  A Teepee to call your own

5.  Fisher-Price Brilliant Basics Corn Popper

6.  Melissa & Doug Shape Sorting Cube

7.  24 Piece Tegu Magnetic Wooden Block Set

8.  Kiddie Pool

9.  Fun Ballz

10.  Fisher Price Classic Farmer Says See ‘n Say

So those are our tried and tested toys for 1-year olds.  I hope this guide is helpful to you or a mama you know (please do share!)

What are you baby’s favorites?  What toys do you suggest for 18 Months to two years?  Drop me a line in the comments below, I’d really like to know what you recommend.

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Tried and Tested Gift Ideas for Your One-Year-Old Baby