Finding the best gifts for a 1 year old can be difficult, especially if you don’t have kids of your own.
Prior to becoming a mom, I would always buy clothes for gifts- whether it be for Christmas, a birthday or a baby shower. I love buying clothes for myself, so shopping for baby clothes was easy and fun.
Now that I’m a mom, I understand why all the new moms I’ve given clothes as gifts were more excited about the box of diapers they received than my cute baby zara outfit.
If you’re new to my blog, I’ve been sharing baby items that we’ve been loving every 3 months for the past year. If you’re looking for gift ideas for babies that havn’t turned one yet, you can check out those posts below!
–Baby Necessities For The First 3 Months
–Baby Must Haves Fro Months 3-6
–Baby Must Have Items: Months 6-9
–Baby Must Have Items: Months 9-12
If you’re looking for gifts for a 1 year old, I have put together this list of items that Sebastian loves since turning 1, and items I’m so thankful for getting. Here are the best gifts for a 1 year old that you should get.
Best Gifts For A 1 Year Old
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links which means that I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you
Diapers
If you are unsure of what the best gift for a 1 year old is, you can’t go wrong with diapers. I know from experience that I never got annoyed at anyone for giving me a box of diapers instead of a toy for my child! This gift isn’t only for baby, but for mom too. One less box for mom to buy! You’re gift is guaranteed to be appreciated and used (just make sure you don’t get either the right size or a size bigger).
Portable High Chair
I’ve mentioned this item in almost all my posts related to baby items. This portable high chair is incredible. We were gifted for our baby shower, but since then I’ve given it to 2 friends on their baby’s first birthday. Kids love to sit in it because they feel like they’re part of the table. Parents love this because it makes dining out so much easier, and kids tend to make less of a mess while sitting in this. This high chair is lightweight and it’s super convenient for traveling.
A Busy Board
The is the best thing ever especially when we’re trying to juggle working from home and watching our babies. You can either make a busy board yourself or buy one from Amazon. You can also get custom ones from Etsy but they’ll be a little pricier. 1 year olds are curious and want to play with everything. Instead of letting them roam around the house, this board allows them to play with laces, a fake outlet, locks, door bells, wheels, dead bolts and everything else you can think of around the house. Moms can finally put away the laundry or clean the kitchen while her child plays with this board for a while.
Toddler Car Seat
Car seats are expensive, and most parents need to buy two if they each have a car. When we had to transition from an infant seat to a toddler car seat around Sebastian’s first birthday, we only bought 1 for 1 car. Being that we are in a pandemic and I wasn’t driving anywhere, we thought one would be enough for right now. There were a few days that the carseat was in dad’s car while he was at work and I needed to run out with the baby last minute. I ended up having to use our infant car seat and although Sebastian still fit in it, it wasn’t comfortable.
I was planning on getting the second car seat anyway, but ended up getting one as a gift right before I did. If you can afford to spend a little more on a gift, a car seat will be extremely appreciated! I’m so thankful to have gotten our second one especially at a time like this.
An adorable puzzle to help kids with not only their fine motor skills, but helps them learn their name. You can get it customized with their names and can be with primary colors or pastel colors. I love this puzzle because the letters are thick making it easy for Sebastian to grab, it’s made with non toxic paint and it’s made with smooth real wood so they can’t get splinters. This is a great gift for a 1 year old.
Doona Trike
A little pricey but honestly worth it. We use this trike everyday now that the weather is hot. I’ve mentioned this in my 9-12 months must haves post since we got it for Sebastian when he turned 10 months old. If you have the budget for it, this is the best gift to give to a 1 year old.
Toddlers love it and feel independent in it- it gives them the “bike riding” feel without actually riding a bike and parents love it because it folds up and is easy to travel with.
Touch & Feel Flashcards
These are a great way to teach toddlers words! These thick large cards are easy for child to hold but strong enough so they can’t rip/bend them. The front of each card has the object with a tactile element, and the back has the way it’s pronounce in other languages. You can find different versions of these flash cards like animals, numbers, farm items, colors & shapes and things that go. If you’re looking to give an education toy to a 1 year old, this is a great option!
Bubble Lawn Mower
This is perfect for those kids who can stand unassisted but are not comfortable with taking steps on their own. Sebastian loves playing with bubbles and didn’t want to walk by himself so this was a must. In order to see bubbles, you need to walk with the lawn mower. Such a fun and great way to get toddlers to walk by themselves!
Indoor Canvas Swing
Since I first saw this swing I’ve been obsessed- its so much cuter than those old school plastic swings! This swing is such a great gift because it can be use indoor or outdoor, so perfect for those who have a backyard or live in an apartment (would look so cute in the nursery!). Assembly is super easy for this swing and it’s made of durable and sturdy wood. You can get this swing in 4 different colors.
Remote Control Car
Sebastian got this as a gift for his first birthday and although this is his favorite gift he’s every gotten, it was a little inconvenient for us being that we live in a small apartment. If you are gifting this to someone who lives in an apartment or somewhere where there isn’t that much storage, I don’t recommend it. But if it’s a gift for someone who lives in a house and you have the budget for, this is the best gift to give a 1 year old! Baby can ride in this car as mom or dad uses the remote to steer it, or when he’s older and knows how to control it himself. It plays a bunch of different tunes from its “radio” and even has a horn! There are so many different car models on Amazon, we were gifted a white mercedes.
Gift Cards
Last on the list is gift cards! 1 year olds don’t really understand the concept of getting gifts for their birthday, so now is the best time to give them money or gift cards without them getting annoyed it’s not a toy. Gift cards are a great gift for a first birthday because it allows mom to buy what she needs for baby when she needs it. As everyone get her child toys and clothes for his first birthday, she can use that money to buy the necessities like diapers and wipes.
That’s it for my list of gifts for a 1 year old. I hope this gift guide is helpful to you or a mama you know (please do share!) What are some of you baby’s favorite gifts? Let me know if there are any others I’m missing! xoxo
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