The Best Gifts for One-Year-Olds, According to Parents

KiwiCo’s Magnetic car set is an outstanding choice for fostering fine motor skills in toddlers. With its easy-grasp wooden components, the cars encourage little ones to pick up, move and connect pieces, providing excellent practice for gripping and manipulating objects. This hands-on play is essential for developing the small muscles in their hands and fingers. The magnetic feature adds an extra layer of fun, allowing for creative exploration while reinforcing important developmental skills.

Our product tester Aliez used this toy with her toddler, and told us “My child really enjoyed this toy. He started playing with it like a train, then he separated them and used them individually.” She told us her son quickly learned to put the included coins in and out of the slots, providing even more fine motor activities for little hands. “He knew to drive the cars like a train and easily noticed each car had a different function!”

Age range: 12+ months | Batteries required: N

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Little one starting to walk? The Disney Kiddieland Mickey Mouse Ride-on Airplane toy is both a great first birthday gift idea and a perfect fun option to develop your emerging toddler’s gross motor skills. We love that this toy doubles as a ride-on toy and a push toy, encouraging baby to strengthen those little legs, as well as improve balance and coordination.

Jessica*, a mom of one, says that her son, “loves pressing buttons or levers, etc and getting any sort of sound, light or movement response and this toy does all of that. It is also on wheels and large so he can push it or ride on it.” She raves about how her son enjoyed independent play with this toy, while facilitating his developmental milestones. With this fun airplane with flashing lights, a spinning propeller and Mickey as pilot, what baby wouldn’t be thrilled to move around and explore?

Age range: 12+ months | Batteries required: Y

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Need a comforting toy for a one-year-old that’s soft, huggable and adorable? Jellycat is known for their high-quality plush toys, and Peanut Penguin is a vintage-inspired cuddly character our team selected as the best calming toy for one-year-olds. Huggable toys are must-haves in your little one’s toybox, and we love that this cute plush Penguin creates a sense of calm for your emerging toddler and promotes gentleness.

Betty*, a mom of one, agrees that because of this sweet toy, her baby learned critical skills like “showing affection and being gentle.” Peanut Penguin entertains her baby, making her smile and laugh, and keeps her content long enough to fall asleep, reinforcing that this sweet little snuggly is the ultimate in calming your little one. Of course it’s important to note that while the AAP encourages the use of a soft toy for comfort, their safe sleep guidelines prohibit having any toys or blankets in the bed before 12 months of age.

Age range: 0+ months | Batteries required: N

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The Melissa & Doug Match and Roll Shape Sorter is a standout when it comes to promoting independent play for one-year-olds. This classic baby toy’s bold colors and fun shapes are perfect for grabbing baby’s attention, keeping them engaged and encouraging focus. It might look like a simple toy, but as a mom who has been gifted many shape toys for my boys, I can confidently say that not all shape sorters are created equal! While pushing the correct shape into its corresponding slot challenges your little one’s critical thinking, we love that this one is designed to roll, reinforcing other emerging skills like cause and effect.

The combination of color and shape recognition helps develop essential early skills in a playful and intuitive way, giving your little one a chance to engage with the toy at their own pace. – As a mom of two, I love this type of open-ended toy that grows with them, making it a fantastic choice for independent play (and learning, too!)

Age range: 12+ months | Batteries required: N

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It can be a challenge to find that one great bath toy for your little one. I am always conscious of toys that hold water and can therefore grow mold, and I’ve noticed that most squirter bath or water play toys I’ve tried do in fact eventually breed mildew, but not Loulou Lollipop Bath Toy Set. Each of the toys in this adorable, pastel-colored, textured silicone set breaks apart into two pieces to dry completely after bath play, making it a safe, sensory buffet for baby!

Our product tester Kiersten says that her daughter really enjoyed this toy. “I try to find things that aren’t overstimulating for play, and these are awesome! She enjoyed splashing them in the water and once I showed her that when you squeeze them water squirts out, she thought that was so cool.”

Age range: 12+ months | Batteries required: N

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This giftable toy includes 10 cars made in soft rubber and a roadway play mat that folds up with velcro into a carrying bag with handles. We love the portability of this toy and the rubber cars that make imaginative playtime a safe time. Complete with a police car, school bus, fire truck and two little characters, your one-year-old will begin to explore the full range of their creativity through imaginative play.

The Bump survey respondent Laura noted that her little one could play for hours and loved the variety of toys available in this set. We love how easily baby can maneuver the cars on any flat surface!

Age range: 12+ months | Batteries required: N

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Fisher-Price DJ Bouncin’ Beats gets baby moving, and when they follow along with the toy’s motions, they improve motor skills and coordination, all while learning to focus on their actions. The toy’s interactive music, lights, and sounds engage their senses and introduce basic concepts like numbers and letters.

Aishlyn, a mom of one, says; “My daughter loves the songs, and dancing when [the] DJ bounces.” Our team loves how this toy boosts attention span and makes learning feel like play, keeping toddlers entertained and helping them grow! Aishlyn also notes that her little one loves the microphone button where children can record and play back their voice (with remix effects!)

Age range: 9+ months | Batteries required: Y

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Why have one set of Fisher-Price Mega Bloks when you can have three? We keep two sets at our house, and one at my parents, and they’re a go-to favorite with both my boys! We love that these jumbo blocks are perfectly sized for babies to grasp, stack and fit together, helping them build early fine motor skills. At this stage, your little one is learning how to manipulate objects, and this set of colorful oversized blocks will make it easy and fun for them to practice connecting the blocks with less frustration.

These toys are perfect for helping little ones explore spatial relationships; as your child builds with Mega Bloks, they begin to grasp concepts like structure and balance, all while learning how objects fit together in space. Meredith*, a mom of one, agrees, and loves the “unlimited options to build/create” with this beloved set.

Age range: 12+ months | Batteries required: N

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Your growing baby craves playtime that offers a sensory-rich and tactile experience. Edushape’s Original Sensory Ball for Baby Mega Pack might look like simple toys, but this four pack of the brand’s best-selling sensory balls features different sizes, colors and textures, appealing to baby’s tactile development. (One ball even comes with colorful confetti inside!)

Tactile play is so important for baby at this stage, as your little one is on the move and craves hands-on exploration. Our product tester Evelyn, a mom of twins, raves about how her children loved the texture of these sensory balls; “They have so much fun touching the different surfaces, especially the spiky balls, ” she notes. “[They’re] able to play with these independently, but also love playing with each other. They play away and they enjoy exploring the different textures.”

Age range: 6+ months | Batteries required: N

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Lovevery subscriptions offer kits that are carefully tailored to your baby's evolving developmental milestones. We are big fans of monthly delivery services that provide age-appropriate toys and activities that support each stage of growth. The Lovevery Babbler Kit is specifically designed for children just past the one-year mark, and comes complete with nine different toys that encourage fine motor skills, further develop cause and effect and cultivate a level of comfort with routines. Slide and Seek Ball run is a cute toy that teaches object permanence, there’s a wooden stacking set, a coin bank set, and so much more in this thoughtfully curated kit.

Mom of one Carolyn M. is a fan of the Babbler kit and two items particularly impressed her: The Slide & Seek Ball Run and Flexible Wooden Stacker. “The toys get played with multiple times a day, every day,” she told us. “Both toys are also super durable; we've thrown the wooden stacker in our diaper bag to take it on the go, and the ball run has been knocked over countless times with no wear.” The kit also comes with a helpful guide that makes it easy for parents to create meaningful and engaging playtime experiences with their children.

Age range: 13 to 15 months | Batteries required: N

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Musical toys are always a big hit in my house, and our team at The Bump loves this one for its heirloom-quality and the different ways it lets little maestros make music. Hape Pound & Tap Bench with Slide Out Xylophone offers two engaging play options: baby can drop the balls into the holes to make the keys sound, or take out the xylophone and use the mallet to create their own melodies. Both activities are engaging and fun, helping to enhance your child’s hand-eye coordination and creativity.

Anahí, a mom of one, described it as “the most fun and versatile toy,” raving that her toddler loves putting other items through the holes and making them slide down as well as using it to make music. We love how the Pound & Tap Bench promotes precise hand movements that strengthen and boost dexterity.

Age range: 12+ months | Batteries required: N

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“Allooooo,” my little guy says as he holds the Fisher-Price Toddler Pull Toy Chatter Telephone to his ear. While a rotary phone might be far from baby’s world in 2024, this classic phone toy has been in Fisher-Price’s toybox since 1961 and continues to be a hit! This is yet another toy that has been beloved by both my little boys, and one that I purchased for them because it was a toy I enjoyed over thirty years ago! They love the sound the rotary makes when “dialing” (though at one year old, I had to help my son with this feature), and how the eyes move when the phone is tugged across the floor by the pull string: both features are an excellent way to teach baby cause- and-effect.

Age range: 12+ months | Batteries required: N

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My son received this balance bike as a first birthday gift, and while it took my son a bit of practice, he was able to push the bike as a walker and work up to riding it shortly after he began walking (at 13 months old). Now at 17 months, I’m amazed at how much this little bike has developed and improved his balance. He is able to get on and off the bike by himself by squatting down (and without falling!), and even push the bike while walking alongside it. We love the mini bike’s scratch-resistant wheels that ensure stability and therefore the ultimate in safety. However, Mona Amin, MD, a pediatrician based in Miami, Florida reminds parents to remember to have your child wear a helmet while using a balance bike to protect their head.

Age range: 12+ months | Batteries required: N

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As your little one transitions into toddlerhood, their need for more engaging and interactive toys grows as well. Enter Manhattan Toy Musical Llama Wooden Instrument for Toddlers. This engaging wooden toy is more than just a cute addition to your one-year-old’s room. Featuring a 5-bar xylophone, washboard, removable maraca tail, clacking saddle blankets and wooden mallets (that fit right into llama’s head for easy storage), this early musical toy is a complete ensemble for your budding musician.

“It's sturdy, beautifully painted and offers plenty of interactive ways for tots to play,” says Ashlee, mom of two and content director for The Bump. “It's also pretty compact, so I don't feel guilty handing parents a massive toy that'll take up space. Highly recommend!” Packed with auditory cause-and-effect learning and motor skill-building activities, nontoxic finishes and Montessori-friendly materials really put this toy over the top!

Age range: 12+ months | Batteries required: N

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Need a playset to keep your one-year-old active and entertained, all while they develop muscle strength? Look no further than ECR4Kids SoftZone Climb and Crawl Playset.This durable foam set is perfect for your emerging toddler to climb, crawl and explore, helping them build strength in their legs, arms, and core. We love that little ones can navigate the soft different shaped blocks, developing essential muscle strength all while having fun! Crawling and climbing over the foam shapes encourages them to engage their muscles for balance and coordination.

Mom of twins Kathy can attest to this: “It provides a really great way for them to practice using different muscles while climbing on and off, but keeps them low enough to the ground to avoid being hurt if they fall. It also gives them opportunities for more gross motor skills as they grow.” My little boys are extremely active, and we might just have to put this playset on their Santa list!

Age range: 12+ months | Batteries required: N

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Some young toddlers may feel nervous around people outside of their immediate family bubble. But a plush toy, doll or lovey can help kids self-soothe if they begin to feel a little anxious in new social situations. We think this gangly octopus would make the perfect comfort item, thanks to the long tactile tentacles that are the right size for toddler hands to grip. And, like all Jellycat stuffed animals, this little critter is insanely soft and snuggly.

Age range: 0+ months | Batteries required: N

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Toddlers delight in repetitive tasks. Why? They help kids to learn about the world around them, understand cause and effect and refine motor skills. The Inny Binny is a simple yet ingenious toy that draws on this love of repetition. It comes with six textured blocks (in various shapes and sizes) and a large cube container. Kids can easily push the shapes through the elastic bands of the cube, for a frustration-free game that’ll keep them occupied for longer than you think. “This is a toy that not only helps them develop their fine motor skills but also helps them learn problem solving skills,” says Anahí. Another community member reports that this toy suffered “no damage despite rough play,” but she wishes it was easier to wipe clean as the elastic “ropes” have become stained over time and the nooks and crannies tend to trap dirt. Despite this bugbear, she told us that this toy was a big hit with her 18-month-old.

Age range: 6+ months | Batteries required: N

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It’s no secret that 12-month-olds are big fans of play that incorporates movement. At this age, your child is pulling themselves up to stand or cruising all by themselves, giving them a newfound sense of independence, says Amin. This makes climbing sets—like this Best of The Bump-winning toy by Avenlur—top-notch toys for one-year-old kids. The three-piece set includes a climbing triangle, an arched ramp and a wooden slide that doubles as a rockwall. Simply adjust the height and position of the climbing triangle to keep your tot engaged all the way up to 5 years old.

Age range: 1 to 5 years | Batteries required: N

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One-year-olds are just starting to make their mark, so to speak. Encourage your toddler’s artistic side with a set of natural wax crayons. The crayons are made from New Zealand beeswax and food-grade colors, so they’re completely non-toxic and safe for your child. Designed for early grip development the chubby shape makes them easy to use but hard to break—a hallmark of the best gifts for one-year-olds!

Age range: 1+ years | Batteries required: N

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