19 Perfect Gift Ideas For Your Baby’s 1st Birthday

Happy 1st birthday! 🎁 🎈

The second questions you ask yourself (right after the “OMG! how is it possible that he/she is already one year old??????” 😯) is – what can I get as a gift for a 1st birthday?

Whether you are the parent, the grandparent, the aunty or a family friend, you want to buy a gift that the cute baby will enjoy for a while, that will be fun and if possible also educational, useful or helping in the baby’s development in some way.

Luckily, you found the right place to find the best gift for that little 1 year old sweetie!

1. Books

Because… now your baby is catching word quickly and that’s exactly the time to teach new words to help him develop verbal skills. As a 1st birthday gift it’s best to get board books, soft books for the bath or activity books.

2. Shape sorting / matching toys

Because… they promote colour and shape recognition, fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. whether it’s a shape sorting cube, a colour and shape matching eggs or a stack and sort board, they all help in making your baby more observant and focused.

3. CDs

Because… babies love music and it’s a great way to calm them down too. Having baby CDs will be useful at home and will also keep them calm and occupied in the car.

4. Ride-on toys

Because… babies love them so much! And now that they start walking, ride-on toys will help strengthen their little muscles. Ride-on toys also build coordination, balance and large motor skills.

5. Duplo or Mega blocks

Because… 1 year old babies are already big enough to build basic towers and this toy will stay useful for a few years since older kids enjoy playing with Duplo too. You can always add more pieces to make it more interesting once the kids grow up a bit and are able to build more complicated designs.

6. Dinnerware set

Because… it’s very useful. A dinnerware set is a great 1st birthday gift that will make meal time more fun. There are so many options to choose from – suction bowls, divided plates or complete sets with a plate, a bowl, a cup, a spoon and a fork. A bamboo set is a perfect choice that is both beautiful, safe and eco friendly.

7. Puzzles

Because… they teach your baby new colours, shapes and different subjects as well as improve hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. There are many kinds of puzzles in the market and for a 1 year old a wooden puzzle is the perfect option.

8. A doll stroller or pull along toys

Because… they encourage the babies to walk. (and even for smaller babies, pull along toys are a great choice if you want something that will encourage them to crawl).

9. Wind up or pull back vehicles

Because… babies enjoy looking at moving objects and what’s better than to get them colourful cars that stimulate their imagination? Another plus is that wind up or pull back vehicles don’t need batteries which makes them more environmental friendly.

10. Kitchen toys

Because… they are perfect for pretend play. a kitchen toy set will allow your baby to copy the adults’ behavior and pretend to cook a meal, cut ingredients, mix and put in the plate. you can find metal kitchen sets that look very realistic and colourful wooden fruit and vegetable that every baby will love.

11. Stacking cups

Because… besides strengthening hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills, stacking cups offer your baby more than one way to play. They can stack the cups up, fit them together and turn them over to hide things underneath.

12. Stacking rings

Because… it helps your baby understand the concept of sizes and just like the stacking cups, they strengthens hand-eye coordination as well as fine motor skills.

13. Puppets

Because… you can easily use them to make your baby laugh, they are perfect for storytelling and role play, and they are very easy to pack so you can take it with you on long trip and keep the little ones entertained.

14. Ball pit

Because… besides being fun, it helps stimulate your babies’ imagination, teaches them color perception, and cultivates their independent thinking skills as they navigate throughout the pit.

15. Tent

Because… a small play tent is such a fun gift that every baby would love to have. It can keep the little ones occupied for a while – they enjoy hiding inside and play peek a boo, sitting inside to play with their toys or even going in for a nap!

16. Magnetic toys

Because… little ones simply LOVE them. you can find all kinds of magnetic toys from magnets tiles to magnetic animals and magnetic puzzles. Just make sure to choose magnetic toys that are big enough and will be safe for a little 1 year old.

17. A rocking horse

Because… it’s the best substitute for a swing on days that going out to the park is not an option. Babies have lots of fun rocking and as a bonus it helps with their balance and adds a nice touch to the room.

18. Musical instruments

Because… they enhance the baby’s learning and development in a fun way. It’s better not to get the ones with batteries as they often make too much noise and are generally less safe (not to mention they are mostly plastic so not good for the environment), so it’s best to go for wooden ones or fabric ones which have softer sounds and are eco friendly. you can also get a musical mat they can dance on which is super fun.

19. wooden activity cube

Because… it gives babies an educational and sensory experience – from zig zagging beads up and down to spinning blocks and opening and closing doors, this toy encourages them to explore everything and keeps them interested and focused for a while.

🎁 And what did you get as a gift for your baby’s 1st birthday? 🎁