The 31 Best Gifts for 1-Year-Olds

I introduced My First Signs: American Sign Language (Baby Signing) to my then-4-month-old during the early days of “I’ll try anything to keep you entertained for more than 2 minutes.” The sturdy board book soon proved to be tummy-time gold. Illustrated with pictures of sweetly rounded babies and their props, this book demonstrates the signs for 43 words, including eat, sleep, and drink, as well as for the more-complex I love you, on the last page. While lying there, my son would carefully study each baby’s expression, eventually picking up several signs (with some coaching, of course). Now that he’s older, we still enjoy looking at the pictures, and he continues to use the signs for please, help, and owie, which never fails to melt my heart.

—Kerry Davis McGuinness

Shape-sorting toys give babies and toddlers an early introduction to puzzles by helping them work on their problem-solving skills. The Oombee Cube was recommended by museum educator Heather Singh. The shapes are attached with thick strings, so you won’t be constantly hunting under the couch for the missing triangle, and this toy is easy to take along in the stroller. Sure, most 1-year-olds will simply put those rubbery, textured shapes directly into their mouths. But that’s fine—the teething-friendly Oombee is made from food-grade silicone, and it’s simple to clean with soap and water or in the dishwasher.

—Caitlin Giddings

Think of these 10 plastic Snap-n-Learn Counting Cows as two-piece, Lego-like heifers, with heads and hindquarters that snap together with a satisfying click. The pieces are interchangeable, but they can also be matched by counting the dots on each piece’s rear end and finding the front half with the corresponding number. At age 1, my son was entertained simply by taking the cows apart and putting them back together in any combination, a fine-motor-skills exercise that took a few attempts to master. At age 2, he liked to pair the pieces by color and arrange them in a make-believe cow lineup. Soon enough, I think he’ll understand that the dots on the sides correlate to actual numbers and take this counting toy to a whole new level.

—Kerry Davis McGuinness

Even though we live a half-day’s drive from the nearest beach, during our daughter’s early toddlerhood, we toted the Melissa & Doug Seaside Sidekicks Funnel almost everywhere we went. It was our secret weapon for keeping her entertained in a city full of restaurants and breweries with outdoor patio seating and crushed-gravel floors. Anytime we wanted to enjoy an adult conversation over dinner, we brought this funnel with us. Our daughter and her new toddler friends from surrounding tables would busy themselves by crouching on the ground and pouring tiny rocks and sand through the contraption, over and over again. This toy is made of sturdy plastic, and it has a handle so it’s easy to carry anywhere—whether that’s to a restaurant, to a park, or to the actual seaside.

—Caitlin Giddings

We’ve owned the Yiosion Push and Go Friction Powered Vehicles for over two years, and we still play with them regularly. The four vehicles—a tractor-trailer, a backhoe, a dump truck, and a concrete truck—are a great size for little hands. They’re also easy to push and can roll farther than you’d think. These little trucks have moveable parts (the tractor-trailer’s tailgate opens and closes), and they come in bright colors that look like a 1980s color-blocking homage. Plus, these trucks are the perfect size for traveling. We’ve even taken them camping, where our toddler lives out his dream by endlessly scooping up tiny rocks and sticks.

—Kerry Davis McGuinness

In my house, bath time has always involved a fair amount of toddler drama. My daughter traditionally refused to get into the tub; now the meltdowns are reserved for when it’s time to get out. Her bath-time turnaround happened when we leveled up our bath toys with (among other things) Boon Pipes Building Bath Toys. It’s easy for kids to suction them to a tub’s wall, and they can be connected to create a twisted path for water. (We also recommend the Boon 13-Piece Building Bath Toy Set in our guide to the best bath toys.) In addition to giving little ones a reason to look forward to bath time, these pipes are also a great sensory learning tool to help them explore cause and effect.

—Caitlin Giddings

Building blocks are a rite of passage for most children, and when it was time to get some for my baby, I was drawn to the colorful, multi-shape Melissa & Doug Wooden Building Blocks Set. The 100 wooden blocks include nine shapes, in a mix of red, blue, yellow, and green. The ways my son uses these blocks have changed as his skills have advanced. At age 1, we’d build simple stacks that he loved to knock down. As a toddler, he liked to sort them by shapes and colors. By preschool, he was designing and building mazes and structures.

—Amy Miller Kravetz

Many toddlers go through a period of ball obsession, but given their still-developing fine motor skills, 1-year-olds can get frustrated when trying to grip and catch regular soccer or playground balls. When they were first learning to grip and throw a ball, my kids loved colorful, nubby, grippy balls, similar to the Edushape Sensory Ball. Another hit with my boys: the visiting friends who would patiently roll or throw a ball back and forth with them dozens of times.

—Kalee Thompson

There are endless varieties of these types of block-on-stick stackers. Over the years, the Melissa & Doug Geometric Stacker—a sort of deluxe wooden incarnation of the classic Fisher-Price baby toy—has provided tons of engagement for many kids in my family. At age 1, kids may like to sort by color or shape, and the different-shaped towers offer more of a challenge as babies become toddlers. And there are just enough blocks here that bigger kids can stay engaged, stacking and building at will.

—Kalee Thompson

Eggs are popular in our house. We talk about them, we cook them, and when my son was 2, he started playing with the TOMY Toomies Hide & Squeak Eggs daily. The six colorful eggs each have a differently shaped base that fits into a corresponding divot in the carton. My kid couldn’t get enough of matching up the shapes, fitting the shells together, and hiding them everywhere. When he popped them into a pot on his play kitchen’s stove and exclaimed, “Eggs!” I felt like our breakfast future was in good hands, too.

—Ingrid Skjong

When I was expecting my first child, a friend bequeathed me a garbage bag full of used baby gear, and this unassuming little piece of plastic was in the jumbled mix. Despite that humble introduction, the Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes Musical Toy would prove irresistible to my son and, later, his little sister. It plays an array of classical tunes, like Rossini’s William Tell Overture and Mozart’s Serenade No. 13, as colorful lights flash along. I suspect the appeal lies in the generously sized, tempting center push-button (which activates the melodies), the easy-to-grasp beaded handle (my toddler daughter would clutch it in one hand while cruising around as if she were wielding a tiny boombox), and (perhaps most important) its tolerable sound level. With two civilized volume settings, this thing is just chirpy enough to stimulate tots—but without driving caregivers batty in the process. Because the best musical toy is the one that doesn’t end up “accidentally” buried in the diaper pail.

—Ingela Ratledge Amundson

When my son had surgery, he seemed much more relaxed about medical tools, including a stethoscope, after he’d played with the Fisher-Price Medical Kit. This cute little doctor bag holds six green, blue, and red medical tools, including a spinning blood-pressure cuff, a bracelet-like reusable bandage, and a syringe with an easy spring motion (for painless pretend shots). Bonus: Unlike the five other toy medical kits we played with before deciding this was the best option, this kit comes with a forehead-scanning thermometer instead of an oral one. So hopefully kids will be less tempted to constantly stick it in their mouths during play.

—Kerry Davis McGuinness

There are a few toys at the Toybrary Austin, our local toy-lending library in Texas, that are so enticing and beloved that they’re always checked out. This wooden playboard with six types of latches, each of which opens a set of hinged doors and reveals an animal picture, counts itself among that group. Toybrary owner Liza Wilson said 1-year-olds become engrossed in figuring out how to hook, snap, click, or slide each latch. “The best baby toys are sensory, like this,” Wilson said. “They love lots of little grabby things and parts they can turn.”

—Caitlin Giddings

The Playskool Busy Poppin’ Pals toy is a classic baby plaything that never gets old (at least not for its pint-size fans). Tiny hands can pull a lever, twist a key, flip a switch, or press a button to pop up a cute animal—a great intro to cause and effect. There are numbers, too, and bright, inviting colors. (This toy is also featured as a pick in our guide to first toys for kids with disabilities.) Wirecutter senior editor Courtney Schley put the Poppin’ Pals back in her kids’ toy rotation after a brief retirement, and both her 6-month-old and 3-year-old couldn’t get enough of it.

—Ingrid Skjong

For the littlest kids, an especially soft and cuddly stuffed friend will make a sweet gift. Gund versions are popular, but many Wirecutter kids are partial to London-based Jellycat’s stuffed toys. This company makes soft, pellet-filled stuffed animals in several sizes, but the small version is particularly easy for a 1-year-old to tote around. When we took away our daughter’s pacifier at 14 months, we gave her the Jellycat Bashful Bunny Stuffed Animal, which comes in seven sizes and over two dozen colors. The exchange was shockingly successful: Bun Bun became a constant companion in bed, at the park, on our bike commute, and at her day care (where Bun Bun replaced the word rabbit for the entire class). We eventually had three of them in rotation (lest one go missing even momentarily), and all were worn to the point of looking like they just completed a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. Fortunately, they’re easy to wash and restore to their former sweet, plush selves.

—Caitlin Giddings

I was introduced to the I See Me! My Very Own Name Classic Cover Edition Personalized Book 17 years ago, when it was given to my nephew, and it’s been my go-to baby gift ever since. The story follows a group of animals, led by the wise owl, as they each contribute a letter to the child’s name. The ordering process is simple, and the base price for the 9-by-11-inch soft-cover book includes a child’s birthday and first and last names. For an extra $5, you can add a middle name, and for another $5, you can upgrade to a hardcover version. My son loved looking at the colorful animal pictures and hearing the rhyming story, and as he grew older, the book helped him learn to spell his name. The company also offers a My Very Own Fairy Tale version, as well as dozens of other personalized books.

—Amy Miller Kravetz

I love how much kids love bubbles. Something about those floating circles of soap immediately gets little ones laughing and trying to pop them. My children are no exception, but constantly blowing bubbles can get tiring fast for an adult. The Kidwill Rechargeable Rotating Bubble Machine lets parents sit back and enjoy the magic, too. It rotates 90, 180, or 360 degrees, has three speeds (we found level one strong enough), and has a good-size mouth to pour bubble mix into without spilling, taking any outdoor activity to a whole new level.

—Amy Miller Kravetz

It’s been fun watching my son grow alongside the Topanifarm Nest and Stack Blocks Set, a toy he originally received for his first birthday. The six multicolored cardboard blocks have cutout doors and windows, so they can also act as homes for six animal figurines (including a pig and a dog). Early on, my son focused hard on balancing and stacking the boxes and animals (hello, fine motor skills). At age 2, as imaginative play took over, the blocks doubled as garages for small cars or homes for some of his other figurine characters. And though my son hasn’t yet made the connection, each box has a number on the side that corresponds to the number of objects—like flowers and birds—illustrated on it. When he does make the connection, I know it will add another layer of dimension to the play.

—Kerry Davis McGuinness

In our house, Magna-Tiles once went by the name “Meltdown-Tiles” because they were constantly collapsing and infuriating my fumble-fingered toddler. Blockaroo Magnetic Foam Builders—which fall into a similar category of magnetic STEM building toys—were more her speed. The blocks are made of soft, durable foam that’s floatable (so you can use these as bath toys), and they easily click together to make rockets, helicopters, ant-like critters, and more. They’re simpler for small hands to grip, and they’re fun to sort, stack, and connect in creative new configurations that won’t cave in on a frustrated young builder.

—Caitlin Giddings

When you have little ones in tow, a good distraction is always needed for checkups or restaurant outings. The Teytoy Zoo Series Alphabet Cards do the trick. The set comes with 26 colorful cards and a cloth carrying bag with a soft handle and snaps (so it’s easy for small hands to tote with confidence). It also inspires motor-skills development and letter recognition. When my kids were 1 and 3, our younger one would excitedly grab each card out of the cloth carrying case, and our older one would call out each letter and color—earning a high-five for successfully naming the animal on the back.

—Courtney Ivey

Like many young kids, my son has always loved to look at photographs of himself, his favorite people, and his favorite things. But at the age of 1, he was also rough with his belongings, especially books, and prone to sticking things in his mouth. Pinhole Press—which lets you customize board books with your own photos—uses thick, glossy paper (better for small hands). The ABC Board Book is one of around three-dozen templates; others include All About My Sister, Grandpa & Me, and Count With Me. True, this gift takes considerable effort—you have to select and upload your photographs—but it makes a nice, durable keepsake that a child can enjoy for years.

—Ellen Lee

Baby dolls can make wonderful toys and companions for 1-year-olds because they allow kids this age to see some of their own needs (bottle, diaper, blankie) reflected back at them. Compared with a hard vinyl doll, Manhattan Toy’s plush Wee Baby Stella Doll is a great first friend (and also a pick in our guide to the best dolls). This line offers a range of accessories that encourage early imaginative play, and the doll itself is soft and squishy enough for naps and cuddles. Baby Stella comes with a magnetic pacifier that has a thick handle, which is great for kids who are working on their pincer grasp and fine motor skills. (And the magnet is plenty strong to keep the pacifier from falling off during play.) All Wee Baby Stella dolls—including a more-toddler-like version with pigtails—are available in peach, beige, and brown skin tones.

—Julie Kim

This company makes beautifully crafted wooden stacking and puzzle toys that are as pleasing to look at as they are fun to play with. My niece loves to see the Grimm’s Spiel und Holz Small Rainbow stacker in its fully assembled form, and she has endless fun taking it apart and imagining new uses for the individual pieces. So far we’ve used the pieces as a belt, a phone, a hat, and a headband, and I have no doubt that we’ll continue to add to the list (the rainbow is also available in a majestic supersize version). When playtime is over, you won’t mind seeing the rainbow stacker on a shelf. It’s such a lovely, cheery object that you may even opt to keep it there long after your child has outgrown stacking toys.

—Erin Price

We were given a Popclox Owl Pendulum Clock when my first child was born. And with its cheery colors, charming design, and gentle tick-tock, it’s been a fixture in the kids’ bedroom ever since. (At one point, the clock’s pendulum stopped swinging, and the company sent us a replacement movement for free, returning the clock to tick-tock order.) Popclox offers dozens of designs, including a menagerie of plants and animals, things that go, and more off-the-wall options (like a skeleton).

—Courtney Schley

If your baby fights against riding in a stroller during family walks, consider the Radio Flyer 4-in-1 Stroll ’N Trike instead. (It’s the top pick in our guide to the best tricycles.) This trike offers kids four ways to ride. Stage 1, or infant trike mode, features a sturdy safety harness that holds little ones in place, while footrests and lockable pedals keep parents in control of the steering. At 15 months old, my daughter loved riding in the Stroll ’N Trike because she felt in control; I loved pushing her because she was strapped in tightly enough that she couldn’t escape. As your child grows, remove the parent push handle, canopy, headrest, footrest, and other stroller components and voilà—a traditional trike your big kid can ride independently.

—Jenni Gritters

A climbing triangle—also known as a Pikler Triangle—looks like an oversize drying rack. It’s designed so that a baby or toddler can pull up on it and begin to climb when they’re ready—a boon for a little one’s brain and body awareness. Made of a hefty hardwood, the Goodevas 2in1 Montessori Climbing Set has become a key component in keeping my kid moving and happy during indoor-weather days. The ladder’s angle is adjustable, and there’s a slide that hooks onto the triangle and can be flipped over, for an additional climbing option. When we first got the set, my then-1-year-old needed constant, hands-on spotting anytime he went near it. A year into using it, however, he loves scrambling up the structure solo or racing toy cars down the slide. Keep in mind that this is not a small toy. It’s close to 2 feet wide and 6½ feet long with the slide attached at the medium slope. And since it’s almost 30 pounds, it can be a pain to move around the house. Currently, shipping is included within the continental US.

—Kerry Davis McGuinness

The Crate & Kids Large Dino Kids Lounge Nod Chair is a soft yet sturdy armchair that’s perfectly sized to fit toddlers. My son received one as a gift for his first birthday, and it proved useful when he was practicing sitting down and standing up. Since he’s mastered these things, the chair has been a nice place for him to cozy up with a book (though sometimes he uses the chair as a step stool to reach things he’s not supposed to). Despite any unauthorized use of the chair, I appreciate that its size makes it feel like something special for my son. I also like that he can use the sewn-on fabric handle to drag it to a spot of his choosing. And you can personalize this chair for a specific child: It also comes in size small, as well as in dozens of different designs. And you can opt to get the child’s name embroidered on the back.

—Erica Ogg

When we received the Damhorst Toys and Puzzles Step ’N Store Name Stool as a baby gift, we were charmed to pieces to see our son’s name in big, bold letters. At first, the stool was simply a welcome decorative element in his play space. As he grew bigger, he used it to support himself while he learned to stand. He sat adorably on the bench while “reading.” And, eventually, he used it to reach his top dresser drawer. He loved playing with the puzzle (and maybe subconsciously learning to spell his name), as well as incorporating the wooden letters into his building-block masterpieces. It wasn’t until our son turned 10 that we scrubbed off the stickers and gave the stool away—to my sister’s neighbor, who had a new baby boy with the same name.

—Joanne Chen

Woom’s concept is fairly simple: Start kids on a bike that’s beautifully made and thoughtfully designed just for them, and they’ll fall in love with riding bikes. It’s pretty cool to see it actually work with the little ones in my world. The Woom 1 is the line’s entry point, designed for kids ranging in age from 18 months to 3½, or 31 to 40 inches tall. (This bike is the upgrade pick in our guide to the best balance bikes.) The Woom 1 offers advanced features, such as a super-lightweight frame and mountain-bike-style handlebars. The ultra-low step-through frame is easy to mount and dismount without snagging a leg, something my dress-wearing child appreciates. It also has a hand brake—not all balance bikes do—that helps kids better transition to higher-end pedal bikes. Is it on the pricey side? You betcha. But when your child outgrows theirs, you’ll likely have options for reselling. (One Wirecutter contributor was able to resell her son’s Woom bike on Craigslist—after two years of regular use—for close to its original purchase price.)

Note: In July 2023, Woom bikes announced a recall following 77 incidents of handlebar stems malfunctioning, causing cuts, bruising, and abrasions. New Woom bikes, and those made after 2021, are not affected. Do not use an older bike until you’ve checked to see whether it was part of the recall. If so, it can be repaired with a free kit provided by Woom.

—Caitlin Giddings

When I had my second baby, I resolved to take a less-is-more approach to toys. I was desperate to avoid accruing another towering heap of tacky, light-up plastic monstrosities—or “Baby Vegas,” as we used to call it. So we sprang for a subscription to Lovevery’s Play Kits, vowing that its curated selections would be the only items we’d buy. Amazingly, the plan has actually worked. Every few months, a just-right assortment of toys and activities arrives. Designed by child-development experts, the Montessori-inspired goodies are intended to complement tots’ interests as they move through various milestones. (One shipment, called The Babbler, for ages 13 months to 15 months, included a rudimentary coin bank, to help hone fine motor skills. It also contained a spiral thingy that offers lessons in object permanence as a ball shoots down a slide and disappears into a box.)

An enclosed booklet provides surprisingly helpful tips on how to get the most out of the kit’s contents—because, yes, apparently there is an optimal way to play hide-and-seek using miniature bunnies. Not every item has been an instant hit with my daughter. But we leave them out for her to explore, and she always warms to them eventually. And since the toys are unusually attractive and made from high-grade materials—many are solid wood—I barely wince at the sight of them scattered across the floor.

—Ingela Ratledge Amundson

When my sons were toddlers, we spent many, many hours at The Huntington’s Botanical Gardens, in San Marino, California (just outside of Pasadena); a membership pays for itself in about three visits. The Huntington’s lovely Children’s Garden, in particular, was the site of countless playdates, both planned and impromptu. Membership to a natural history or children’s museum is also a thoughtful gift for families with kids of a wide age range, but membership to a botanical garden is especially nice for families with 1-year-olds. It offers a pleasant place to stroll while your little one naps, and a botanical garden is a picturesque spot for babies to toddle around. It can also be an ideal meet-up destination for adults who are mostly interested in chatting while the kids roll around in the grass or splash in fountains (the ones at The Huntington are especially cool).

—Kalee Thompson

Additional reporting by Julie Kim. This article was edited by Ellen Lee and Kalee Thompson.