Have you ever been invited to a one-year-old birthday party, because really, the one-year-old birthdays are for the adults anyway? You may find yourself googling, “what to buy a one-year-old?” You want something safe, affordable, and fun. It has been a while since your kids were one-years-old or you haven’t had kids. This is a huge milestone so I’ve rounded up my favorite gifts for a one-year-old; tried and toddler approved.
I have some gifting criteria for a one-year-old
Gifts Must Have Value
A Long Life
Educational Elements
Great Reviews
Range of Pricing
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1//Buggie 2//Basketball Hoop 3//Tunnel 4//My Pal Violet 5//Smart Phone 6//Ball Pit 7//3 in 1 Sports Zone 8//Piano 9//Golf Set 10//Drum Set 11/ Shoes 12//Chairs 13//Blocks 14//Play Dough 15//Bath Time 16//First Books 17//Walker 18//Sand and Water Center 19//Water Table 20//Personalized Puzzle 21//Wagon 22//Activity Cube 23//Stacking Blocks 24//Learning Table 25//Musical Toy 26//Rocker 27//Puppet Set 28//Shape Sorter 29//Books 30//Xylophone 31//Wooden Block Set
One-Year-Old Gift Guide
Push Around Buggie-Our daughter got this buggy in pink from a good friend for her first birthday. She loves it so much; I’ve had to come up with creative ways to push her. I have pushed the buggy back and forth with my feet while brushing my teeth in the bathroom or walked around the house pushing the buggy on a work call. She is obsessed.
She has both hands on the wheels with a huge smile on her face. It teaches her to use a seatbelt before the car can take off. Installation is simple. This buggy is a great gift. We’ve kept the buggy indoors but after reading reviews, it works well outside and can work as a replacement for the stroller. You will probably see one of these at your next farmer’s market.
Little Tikes Basketball Set –Start em young! From experience, it is so fun to watch your kid dunk the ball and work on their athleticism.
Kids Jumbo Polka Dot Development Crawl Play Tunnel-Do you remember making forts as a little kid? This thing is perfect for an active child to crawl through. It’s easy to fold up to a flat circle and even comes with stretch material and knobs to keep it from going into a tunnel again. Then tuck it away in a small round back and viola.
LeapFrog my Pal Violet-This cuddly, interactive puppy is the sweetest gift for a great price. Violet is so easy to personalize with your child’s name and a few things he or she likes effortlessly on your phone.
Violet will teach first words, feelings, emotions, counting, and colors. She plays bedtime music with a lullaby timer and is easy to press her buttons. Violet sings over 40 songs and my husband and I know them all by heart! She has the sweetest voice and is the perfect size for our daughter to carry around the house or snuggle in her crib.
Toddler Smart Phone-she wants to grab mine any chance she gets with the bright lights and noises. Harper holds her phone up to her ear, walking around the house jabbering away. It’s hilarious.
Toddler Ball Pit and Balls-A fun ball pin with 200 crush proof colorful balls. This pit easily holds two or three toddlers comfortably. I love when Harper is playing in her ball pit because she’s not getting into anything else.
Little Tikes 3-in-1 Sports Zone-I don’t know who loves this more; my toddler or my husband. This game teaches kids numbers, colors, shapes and how to follow directions. I love watching my one-year-old slam dunk and get a strike by rolling the bowling ball.
Toddler Piano– This piano is amazing. It enhances hearing ability, exercises hands-eyes coordination, boosts brain memory development. My husband loves doing duets with our one-year-old on this piano. Small, easy to move around, and great quality.
One of my favorite features about it is that it works as a “karaoke” machine too. You can plug it onto your phone or whatever device to hear your favorite tunes and use the cute mini microphone to sing your heart out.
Golf Set-this is THE golf set for inspiring young golfers. My husband is determined to have a golfer and has put these golf clubs in our daughter’s hands and now she walks around with her clubs. She loves them. It promotes physical and mental development and is a gift that both parents and children will love. The lightweight plastic clubs make it easy for Harper to carry around.
Musical Instrument Set-Like I said in the beginning, these gifts are tested and toddler approved and this may be one of my favorites. Fun and durable. This is a great buy.
Shoes-choose a solid color shoe that will fit any outfit, such as moccasins, Toms, or my favorite, Stride Rite Shoes. One-year-olds are just learning to walk and will need their first pair of shoes. These gold shoes for a little girl are perfect to wear with any outfit. Stride Rite is the one company that’s been helping kids run, jump, leap, grow, and playfully express themselves since 1919. The residents from my assisted living community remember wearing stride rite shoes.
Personalized Toddler Rocking Chair or Adirondack Chair– We got both as gifts and use one inside and one outside. Perfect chairs to grow with your child until they are 6 or 7 years old.
Mega Blocks- 80 pieces and a great price. Sturdy, large, and will keep your child entertained for at least 30 minutes!
Play Dough– Shape their little imaginations. I mean this is an easy one guys… It’s PLAYDOUGH! Who doesn’t love play dough? A great staple to bring for restaurants or any indoor activity.
Bathtime Toys-Harper really started enjoying the bath when she was closer to one. Waterproof books, balls, and toys.
First 100 Words and First 100 Animals-Small basic board books with pretty pictures and easy words; perfect for your one-year-old.
First Steps Walker-The best. Our daughter was a late bloomer and didn’t start walking until 14 months old. She used this thing all the time and continues to push and play with it around the house.
Sand and Water Center-Perfect height, hours of imaginative fun. Definitely messy and would highly recommend using outside for hours of enjoyment.
A little less-messy Little Tikes Waterpark Table or
Little Tikes Fish ‘n Splash Water Table- These tables are just the right size for your toddler to enjoy a day of fishing or playing in the water. It’s great inside and outside for one-year-olds and older children. It comes with cute critters to catch to make for an entertaining activity. Just remember, never leave kids unattended when near water. No sand, just as fun.
Personalized Puzzle-Beautifully crafted personal keepsake. What a sweet way for your one-year-old to learn their name!
Radio Flyer Classic Walker Wagon– We use our wagon every night to take Harper and our dog around the block. She loves her Radio Flyer Wagon and claps her hands while we strap her in.
VTech Activity Cube- Five great sides, sliding, spinning blocks promote interaction and fine motor skill development. This cube plays 25 sing-along songs and melodies. Easy to take on a road trip.
First Year Stacking Cups-great add on gift to any present.
Learning Music Table– Purchase this table and really watch your child’s development take off. There are different levels and so many things to do. I love how it teaches her colors and shapes in Spanish too.
Baby Einstein Musical Toy-This toy goes everywhere with us. Easy to store in the diaper bag and perfect for trips in the car.
Rocking Horse/Rockabye Lullaby Rocker-the rockers are designed to last decades. Rockabye makes a lamb, princess carriage, motorcycle, airplane, dragon, and many more.
Hand Puppet Set-Melissa and Doug have the fun, learning, toy thing down. They make thousands of toys designed for kids learning and development. Puppets are a fun and entertaining way for children to use their imaginations.
Shape Sorter-This one by VTech is our favorite. Our one-year-old lights up when she gets the right shape in the hole.
BOOKS-Dear Zoo, Pout-Pout Fish, Brown Bear Brown Bear What do You See, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Chicka Chick Boom Boom, Goodnight Moon, and any Mercer Mayer Books. Buy board books. Toddlers love to rip pages and destroy paperback books.
Xylophone-This one, in particular, comes highly rated and is a great birthday present for a toddler. The quality is outstanding and plays a beautiful melody.
Wooden Block Set-These ABC wood blocks are a favorite, Melissa and Doug really did it again. This wooden block cart includes 30 solid wood blocks featuring pictures, letters, and numbers. Our one-year-old loves sorting and stacking them. She pulls around the wheeled cart from room to room. Parents will appreciate the safe, durable construction.
You can always purchase mommy and me classes, swim lessons, or tickets to the zoo or museum.
Click here to read about Harper’s first birthday party
If this post was helpful, comment below and let me know what you got!
XOXO
Mackenzie