Our favorite gifts for baby’s first birthday
Your toddler’s first birthday is a great time to celebrate how much they’ve grown — from a tiny baby, brand new in the world, to the charming little person you’ve gotten to know over the last 12 months 🙂
Your 1-year-old will never remember how many gifts they received for their first birthday, and there are countless other ways to celebrate. Mostly, they just want to be with you ❤️ If you do choose to mark this occasion with a special gift (or gifts) for your toddler, or if someone close to you is looking for ideas, this list has everything from paint brushes to our Play Tunnel.
Here are our 15 favorite gift ideas for the 1-year-old in your life:
Art supplies
Chunky crayons, sidewalk chalk, and paint brushes are great tools for developing fine motor skills as your toddler’s coloring evolves from their first faint marks to bolder, circular scribbles.
Bubble machine
Bubbles create a special kind of magic for babies and toddlers, who love to chase and try to catch them. A bubble machine always makes a great addition to a party, but an afternoon outside can be the right occasion too.
Memberships to local attractions
Zoos, children’s museums, and indoor playgrounds are a lot of fun, but they can be expensive—especially if you have to cut out early for one reason or another 🙃 Having a membership means you can stay for as long (or as not-so-long) as you like, without feeling like you wasted a day pass.
Learning tower
Your 1-year-old loves to see what you’re up to in the kitchen, and may even be ready to start helping. Bring them up to counter-height and give them real tools like measuring cups, whisks, and wooden spoons to explore.
Ten Little shoes
No matter how your 1-year-old is getting around at this stage, their shoes should be comfortable, lightweight, and flexible.
Push toys
Once they figure out how to stand up and move, 1-year-olds love to go, go, go 🙂 Practicing with a wagon or play stroller might even be just the thing to get them walking on their own, if they aren’t doing it quite yet. A favorite stuffy or Baby Doll can add some extra weight for stability.
Riding toys
If it isn’t clear by now, movement is the name of the game for your 1-year-old. Riding toys are great for scooting around indoors and out, and can be loved year round.
The Organic Cotton Play Tunnel
Your 1-year-old will love crawling through this colorful tunnel, developing gross motor skills that support walking in the process. While they explore inside, you can stick your face at the opening at either end for a game of peek-a-boo ❤️
Water table
Sensory play is so good for your toddler’s developing brain, but it can get messy 🙃 A water table keeps materials like water, sand, and even mud in basins you can remove for easy cleaning.
Education fund
Whether used for preschool, college, or something in between, an investment in your child’s education is a gift that will benefit them well beyond their first birthday
Foam playmat
Foam playmats like these from Little Nomad provide firm support for playing, are easy to clean, and come in a wide variety of styles to blend in with your home’s decor.
Play table & chairs
Child-sized furniture is a favorite with Montessori experts, who recommend it to cultivate independence and self-confidence. The mix-and-match play table and chairs from Lalo are easy to wipe down and just right for everything from coloring to eating a snack ❤️
Pikler triangle
A Pikler triangle provides just the right amount of challenge as your child learns to walk, run, and climb. You can even add on accessories to turn the triangle into an indoor slide or give your toddler a change to practice rock climbing.
Nugget
The soft-but-sturdy cushions of an indoor activity set are ideal for creating forts and obstacle courses. Rearrange them to give your growing toddler new and challenging ways to build their gross motor skills. Link the cushions together with the Pikler triangle or Lovevery Play Tunnel for even more fun.
Instruments
Toddlers love having an impact on their environment—especially a noisy one 🙃 A musical instrument capitalizes on this new fascination with cause and effect, and supports fine motor and cognitive development at the same time.
In this post
The Organic Cotton Play Tunnel
The Organic Cotton Play Tunnel is perfect for playing hide and seek.
Learn more
The Buddy Stroller
Made with sustainably forested wood and cheery organic cotton, the Buddy Stroller is balanced for easy playing – and built at the perfect height for your toddler’s arms and hands.
Learn more
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