It can be fun and hard to figure out what are the best gifts for 1 year old. This gift guide has great ideas for every event, from a first birthday to a holiday to just encouraging kids to play make believe. These nice gifts are great for little kids with small hands who are still learning about the world around them. They range from bath toys to favorite stuffed animals.
1. Fat Brain Toys Dimpl Baby Toy
The Fat Brain Toys Dimpl Baby Toy is a sensory-based toy that is meant to keep kids’ attention while they work on important fine motor skills. It’s great for little hands to poke, pop, and explore because it has five bright silicone bubbles set in a strong plastic frame. This small, BPA-free toy encourages exploring different senses, learning about causes and effects, and lots of tactile fun.
Why it’s a Great Choice
- Top Benefits: Portable design, fine motor skill development, and safe, non-toxic materials.
- Features: Vibrant silicone bubbles, durable ABS frame, 100% food-grade materials.
- Ideal for: Babies aged 10 months and older, on-the-go sensory play.
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.8/5 stars from over 21,000 reviews).
2. Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes Musical Toy
The Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes Musical Toy is a fun handheld music toy that plays classical tunes. It’s good for babies’ hearing and sight development. With 10 famous classical pieces and bright lights, it creates a sensory experience that helps kids learn and grow.
Why it’s a Great Choice
- Features: Plays classical music, has vibrant lights, and includes volume control.
- Ideal for: Babies aged 3 months and up; perfect for on-the-go entertainment.
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.8/5 stars from over 53,000 reviews).
- Top Benefits: Compact, interactive, and designed to inspire a lifelong love for music.
3. Fisher-Price Rock-a-Stack Baby Toy
The Fisher-Price Rock-a-Stack Baby Toy is a classic stacking toy with bright rings and a strong, wobbly base that is meant to entertain babies and help them learn. This eco-friendly toy is made from materials that come from plants. It’s a lot of fun and helps kids learn about size differences and how to solve problems.
Why it’s a Great Choice
- Features: Five colorful rings, plant-based materials, wobbling base.
- Ideal for: Babies aged 6 months and up; great for developing fine motor skills.
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.8/5 stars from over 54,000 reviews).
Top Benefits: Durable, environmentally friendly, and promotes sensory play and hand-eye coordination.
4. Manhattan Toy Wee Baby Stella Sleepy Times Doll
The Manhattan Toy Wee Baby Stella Sleepy Times Doll is a cuddly soft baby doll that is made for bedtime and playtime. It has a lavender scent, a magnetic pacifier, and a storybook. It helps kids learn how to be caring and creative.
Why it’s a Great Choice
- Features: Soft fabric, magnetic pacifier and bottle, lavender scent.
- Ideal for: Toddlers aged 1 year and up; promoting empathy and caregiving.
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.8/5 stars from over 5,500 reviews).
Top Benefits: Encourages role play, perfect size for little hands, and includes bedtime accessories for enhanced playtime fun.
5. Green Toys Submarine Bath Toy
Made from 100% recycled plastic milk jugs, the Green Toys Submarine Bath Toy is a water toy that is safe for bath or pool play. It has a wide opening for scooping and pouring water and a spinning propeller in the back, so it will be fun for hours in the bath.
Why it’s a Great Choice
- Features: BPA-free materials, dishwasher-safe, and a flat bottom for stability.
- Ideal for: Toddlers aged 6 months and up; suitable for bath or pool play.
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.7/5 stars from over 7,500 reviews).
- Top Benefits: Safe, easy to clean, promotes imaginative water play, and environmentally friendly.
6. Melissa & Doug Wooden Building Blocks Set
There are 100 long-lasting wooden blocks in four bright colors and nine different shapes in the Melissa & Doug Wooden Building Blocks Set. It’s made so that kids can be creative with it, and it helps them learn to stack, sort, and build while also improving their fine motor skills, ability to recognize colors, and early math skills.
Why it’s a Great Choice
- Features: Solid wood construction, smooth edges, FSC-certified materials.
- Ideal for: Kids aged 2 to 5, screen-free, imaginative play.
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.8/5 stars from over 26,000 reviews).
- Top Benefits: Engaging, eco-friendly, perfect for creative learning and play.
7. Skip Hop Explore & More Follow-Me Bee
The Skip Hop Explore & More Follow-Me Bee is a 3-stage motorized crawl toy with bright lights, buzzing sounds, and fun movement patterns that are meant to get babies to crawl. The toy changes to fit your baby’s stage of development, from not yet crawling to crawling well.
Why it’s a Great Choice
- Features: Colorful lights, buzzing sounds, adjustable crawling patterns.
- Ideal for: Babies aged 5 months to 2 years, especially during tummy time and early crawling stages.
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.6/5 stars from over 12,000 reviews).
- Top Benefits: Encourages movement, enhances sensory skills, and keeps babies entertained for hours.
8. Little Tikes Cozy Coupe
Ride-on toys like the Little Tikes Cozy Coupe have been a family favorite since 1979. With a floorboard that can be taken off, it goes from being parent-pushed to kid-powered with ease. It’s great for pretend play because it has sturdy wheels and useful parts like a working horn, doors that open, and a gas cap.
Why it’s a Great Choice
- Features: Durable tires, removable floorboard, working doors, and realistic details.
- Ideal for: Kids aged 1.5 to 5 years; perfect for outdoor and indoor play.
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.7/5 stars from over 15,000 reviews).
- Top Benefits: Encourages active play, promotes motor skills, and fosters imaginative driving adventures.
9. Usborne “That’s Not My…” Board Book Series
The “That’s Not My…” Board Book Series by Usborne has touch-and-feel books with bright pictures and different textures that are meant to keep young children interested. Each page introduces a new sense, which helps kids learn new words and explore their senses.
Why it’s a Great Choice
- Features: Bold illustrations, touch-and-feel textures, and a recurring mouse to find on every page.
- Ideal for: Babies and toddlers aged 1-3 years; perfect for sensory play and early reading.
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.8/5 stars from over 770 reviews).
- Top Benefits: Develops language skills, encourages sensory engagement, and provides a fun, interactive reading experience.
10. Fat Brain Toys Tobbles Neo
The Fat Brain Toys Tobbles Neo are six bright, heavy spheres that can be stacked, wobbled, and spun to keep little hands and minds busy. It’s meant to help kids explore their senses and improve their fine motor skills, coordination, and spatial reasoning through active play.
Why it’s a Great Choice
- Features: Unique grippable textures, dual-colored spheres, and a wobbling base.
- Ideal for: Babies aged 6 months and up; perfect for sensory exploration and creative stacking.
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.7/5 stars from over 2,300 reviews).
- Top Benefits: Engages curiosity, supports skill development, and offers hours of stacking fun.
Final Thoughts: Perfect Gifts for One-Year-Olds
This list of best gifts for 1 year old is full of great ideas. Each choice is meant to make young kids and their families happy, from favorite stuffed animals to toys that let kids use their imaginations. You’re sure to find something they’ll love and enjoy in their play area among these nice gifts. These toys will be loved playing for hours, whether it’s for a holiday, a first birthday, or just because!
It can be fun to find the perfect best gifts for 1 year old birthday, especially if you look for toys that help build fine motor skills or encourage imaginative play. There’s a great toy for every child, whether they like bath toys or their favorite childhood games. These gifts will make sure they always have something fun and interesting to do, whether it’s for a special occasion or just to make playtime more fun.
FAQs about the Best Gifts for 1 Year Old
What are the best bath toys for a first birthday?
For a first birthday, bath toys like the Green Toys submarine are ideal. They provide a fun way to explore water while promoting imaginative play.
How do toys help build fine motor skills?
Toys like stacking cups or building blocks are great for helping kids build fine motor skills, making them a perfect gift for toddlers developing coordination.
What are some favorite toys for imaginative play?
Soft dolls like the Baby Stella Doll and ride-on options like the Little Tikes Cozy Coupe are favorite toys that spark creativity and imaginative play.
Is there a great toy for a play space?
Yes, the Fat Brain Dimpl is a great toy that fits any play space, offering hours of sensory fun and skill-building activities.
What makes a toy the best gifts for 1 year old?
A perfect gift should engage imaginative play, help build fine motor skills, and be fun, like bath toys or favorite toys that can be enjoyed daily.