15+ Best Gifts For 1-Year Olds, According To Experts (& Moms Who Approve)

This beautifully made wooden toy features 12 brightly-colored, easy-to grip-shapes that fit into corresponding holes. Melissa & Doug are experts at making award winning toys for 1-year-olds and this one is no different. This cube promotes color and shape recognition plus problem-solving skills for screen-free fun.

Your musician-in-training will love learning notes, instrumental sounds, and songs, thanks to the LeapFrog Learn and Groove Musical Table. It includes tons of interactive elements like a keyboard, storybook, and buttons for hours of educational play.

These “polk-a-dot” (get it?!) style books provide babies and tots (and let’s face it — adults) the same satisfaction as popping bubble wrap, only these plastic dots don’t deflate. Perfectly toddler-sized, once the birthday girl or boy starts poppin’, they’ll be fascinated by the feel and sound, plus adorable animal pictures will keep the pages turning. Not only are we big fans of Melissa & Doug, this 3-pack of books will provide triple the entertainment.

Your little one can explore a dinosaur’s textured “skin” with this board book that offers a new tactile surprise with every page. Despite the title, as your child will learn, it’s actually quite fun to touch dinos. (Also check out Never Touch A Monster and Never Touch A Shark!)

This multifunctional toy encourages kids to explore music while developing hand-eye coordination. Its bright colors capture attention and different ways to play keep it there. The three bright balls can be tapped onto the xylophone for a tinkling serenade, or the instrument can be be removed from its base for kiddos to make up their own tunes. This award-winning wooden toy has a nostalgic look to it, too. 

This colorful book is full of traceable cut-outs of shapes your little one is learning to recognize. Combined with bright hues, adorable illustrations, and raised, touchable shapes, young kiddos will love learning about the colors of the world. 

This walker has over 7,000 5-star reviews on Amazon! Before they’re walking, babies can play with the removable activity panel and discover music, animals, lights, colors, and ABC’s. Attach the panel once kids are ready to practice walking and off they go! This encourages musical creativity, motor skills development, and pretend play.

This activity walker features three chomping alligators that make a soft clacking noise when pushed, encouraging walking and discovery. Non-skid wheels allow kids to walk on smooth surfaces without moving too fast. Plus, you gotta love that classic wood construction!

Tots can take their own little town — well — around town with this plush playset. It includes 9 soft sensory cars that crinkle, squeak, or rattle, plus a mat that’s decorated with a little city center. It folds up and has two carrying handles for easy entertainment and free play anytime, anywhere!

This isn’t your typical stuffed animal — it’s an adorably animated stuffed bunny that’ll excite any playful tot! Press her foot, and Flora sings “Do Your Ears Hang Low?” while wiggling her own floppy pair; the other foot engages Baby with an adorable peek-a-boo game. If bunnies aren’t the birthday girl’s thing, there’s also a clapping monkey, a kiss-blowing penguin, and a flappy-eared elephant that sings the same song as Flora!

There’s so much to explore with this set of plush baby dolls! For starters, it’s a fantastic introduction to diversity since these huggable friends represent several different skin tones. They come with easy on/off outfits that velcro at the shoulders (ideal for little hands just learning coordination), plus hand-sewn features eliminate potential choking hazards because there are no small parts that could fall off. (The hats are also sewn on, so there’s no risk of losing them!) Little ones will love tucking these sweethearts into their basket and toting them around the house, while parents will appreciate that they’re machine-washable. With an impressive 4.9-star rating and over 2,000 reviews, you really can’t go wrong with this unique gift!

This multi-functional play center is a world of wonder for a 1-year-old. Kids can crawl through the archway, sort shapes in the mailbox, look through the movable telescope, and more. It can also be positioned to be fully enclosed in case Mom needs to step out of the room for a minute. A removable take-along panel features a bead tumbler, spinner with mirror, gears, clicking bugs, and a button that plays songs.

Inclement weather doesn’t have to put a stop to playground fun. This Little Tikes Climber is like a mini jungle gym for indoor or outdoor adventures so your youngster can play, rain or shine. In addition to riding down the slide and playing “bus driver,” tots will love the interactive dashboard, which plays music and sounds from buttons, levers, and more.

Right around this time, the honorary 1-year-old is going to need a nice big play mat if they don’t have one already. We’re not talking the tummy time kind used for infant play gyms — we’re talking a roomy foam mat that’ll provide some cushion for an increasingly mobile baby (and it’s perfect for lining the inside of a playpen). But not all mats are created equal, and some cheap versions quickly succumb to wear and tear, which could ultimately be dangerous for Baby. So commemorate Mom and Dad’s first year of parenthood with a quality play mat from Skip Hop that’ll last through the toddler years. Featuring a map and animal explorers on one side and a neutral gray pattern on the other, they’ll appreciate that this one isn’t an eyesore, even when it’s smack-dab in the living room.

Everyone else is showering the little prince or princess with excess clutter, but you? You’re the hero with the gift for storing all that clutter (even if you did fill it with a toy or two … heh, heh …). This bear-shaped rope basket is an adorable storage solution that’ll look cute in any nursery or playroom, plus Mom and Dad will definitely thank you.

The sequel, if you will, to Artifact Uprising’s ever-popular Baby Book is the gorgeous “The Story Of You” memory book that helps parents capture precious moments beyond the first year. This sleek fabric-covered hardcover comes in seven color combos that feature a classic design with metallic foil lettering — you can even have a special message embossed on the inner cover. Inside, parents will find pages that guide them through the process of recording their favorite memories from those toddler years. Each book comes in a box with a pen, photo adhesive stripes, and a voucher for a free set of Everyday Prints to get them started. This is one gift that won’t be outgrown and will be cherished forever.

We know and love Baublebar for their fun jewelry accessories, but new to the market are these super chic (super cozy!) customizable throws. Made with a sweater-like knit material these modern personalized blankets are especially suited for parents who aren’t into decor that screams “baby.” It measures 54 by 36 inches so it’s big enough for wrapping not-as-little ones up from now through their big-kid years. (*Sniff*) There’s also machine-wash friendly, which — as any parent knows — is a big plus.

This thoughtful personalized puzzle is part plaything, part work of art. Customize it with first and last or first and middle names up to 11 letters per line (just note, as the amount of letters increase, so does the price). You can further customize this gift with a color scheme, and you even have the option to add an engraved message on the back (for free!), making it even more special. Since these puzzles are handmade-to-order in Ukraine, be sure to order yours a few weeks ahead of time. P.S. There’s even a listing coupon for an additional 10% off.