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Listed below are some of my top toys to buy for a 1-year-old. So, if you are looking for some inspiration for a present for an upcoming first birthday, then hopefully you will find a gift from my guide that you think will be a worthy purchase.
Admittedly, Little Bee turned 1 at the beginning of the year but I don’t think it’s ever too late to make a 1st birthday gift list. Personally, I am a fan of presents that children can grow into and that have some longevity. But I also appreciate that it depends on each child, and you have to find the one that will suit them. The list is obviously not exhaustive and there are many present ideas out there (my little ones are incredibly content with some tins of beans and some wooden spoons - if only it were appropriate to gift those!), but these have been favourites in our household.
Spinning gears stacking rings - Little Bee was actually given this at Christmas last year, which is only a few days before his birthday. It has been a popular toy and gets used regularly by both Big and Little Bee (I may also have a sneaky play now and again), and it has been enjoyed by their older cousins too. I particularly love watching Little Bee's face when he plays with it and the level of concentration that is involved. You can encourage them to stack the rings based on size or colour.
Activity cube shape sorter - You can either purchase an activity cube which includes a shape sorter, or a stand alone shape sorter. They are perfect for developing a whole range of skills - hand-eye coordination, problem-solving and fine motor. You can also discuss shapes and colours to help develop their vocabulary.
Kitchen - We bought an IKEA DUKTIG kitchen for Big Bee when she turned 1 and then I spruced it up. I thought that it would be more affordable in the long run, but it turns out that I got a little carried away with the personal touches and let’s just say I conveniently lost track of the costings (sorry darling!). But, firstly Big Bee got a unique kitchen that her mother painstakingly sweated over, and most importantly she has, and continues to have, hours of fun with it. Little Bee is also a huge fan of the kitchen and has been since approx. 13 months old. I would say that to date it is the most played with ‘toy’ we have. Now, I'm not saying that you need to do the same as me (I just clearly had a 'moment') because there are lots of amazing kitchen's out there to chose from - you just need to find one that ticks the boxes for you. You can buy soft fabric fruits, pastries and vegetable from IKEA also.
Big Bee's before and after IKEA kitchen
Vtech vehicles - These are great and I dare you to not try and get the songs stuck in your head...“I’m a friendly bus, driving all around. Picking up passengers and dropping them in town’. There are many to choose from including a taxi to a helicopter.
Little Brian paint sticks - These have been a fantastic addition to our household. What could be more enticing that painting without the usual mess or time spent cleaning all the paint brushes afterwards?
Toy hoover - Little Bee was bought this hoover from JL by his Godmother and it’s brilliant. There is regular competition over it, and they love to copy me when I’m hoovering and give a helping hand (I just wish it actually worked for real!). The lights, moving beads and the realistic whirring sound are fun touches and you can change the blue stem for a longer version.
Halilit musical instruments - There are different kits available, but you can purchase ‘The Baby’s First Birthday Band’ set that comes with a wave drum, bells, rattle, shaker and maracas. A wonderful gift to encourage creativity, and early music and sensory skills.
Bath toys - There are so many different types of bath toys out there that it can be a little overwhelming when coming to pick something (or so I find!). But my favourites have to be this John Lewis bath time slide, any sort of bath mirrors, floating animal squirters (that usually come with a little net), bath books and Munchkin falls cups. The foam bath shapes that stick onto the side of the bath are great too, but maybe something for them to grow into.
Baby Einstein musical instruments - We have the piano, drums and guitar, and the guitar seems to be the front runner in our house. Whatever your preference is, the Baby Einstein brand is a well made brand and you can’t go wrong with any of the instruments in my humble opinion.
Melissa and Doug sound puzzle - A puzzle with a difference - an opportunity to work on both matching and listening skills. From farm animal sounds to musical instruments, the sounds play when you successfully match the correct piece to its hole.
Balance Bike/Tricycle - A first birthday gift guide would not be complete if it didn't have either of these on it. Big Bee was bought a Beehive Toys balance bike and a Scuttlebug Beetle. Little Bee was bought the Little Tikes 4-in-1 My First Trike which has made for some fun trips out and about.
Usborne sound book - These have been Little Bee's go to bedtime story book for a long while, and when he picks them I am always rather pleased because they are such wonderful books to read. They bring the different settings to life, with little peep holes, finger trails to explore and simple text to read. We have the jungle and bird sounds books, but there are lots to pick from such as; zoo, seashore, woodland and wild animal sounds.
Hanging height chart - We started recording both Bee's height from their first birthday and my mum and dad gave them a personalised one each for their first birthdays. It is a lovely keepsake for them, and something a bit different. They are so beautiful that you can either leave them out hanging up and turn it into a decoration, or store away for when you next want to do a measurement.
Train track Brio - Another investment gift for when they are older. Big Bee and Little Bee started their train collection on their respective first birthday's. We are slowly building up quite the set for them to enjoy over the years, and with supervision (currently) we enjoy building the track and creating different storylines.
Pull-a-long toys - Hape do lots of different varieties from a snail to a dog. As do Brio with a bumblebee, sausage dog and giraffe to name a few. If you have a larger budget and want something a little different and more personal, then My 1st Years have this beautiful wooden pull-a-long train.
Final note:
If you’re wondering why I haven’t mentioned walkers on here, it’s because when researching first birthday presents for Big Bee I did some on walkers too. There was overwhelming evidence (see references below) to suggest that they can be harmful to a child's safety and development, whereby they lose opportunities to learn important motor and perceptual skills. Therefore, we asked family to steer clear of them. This was obviously our choice, and I recommend you do your own research in order to make an informed decision as to whether you want one for your child or not.
References:
https://www.shb.scot.nhs.uk/departments/physiotherapy/Myths_About_BabyWalkers.pdf
Garrett, M., McElroy, A. And Staines, A (2002) Locomotor milestones and babywalkers: Cross sectional study British Medical Journal
Siegel, A. And Burton, R (1999) Effects of Baby Walkers on Motor and Mental Development in Human Infants Journal of Developmental and Behavioural Pediatrics
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