Age Appropriate Birthday Gifts for a One Year Old

You see the small envelope sitting in your mailbox and you know it’s either a Thank You card or an invitation. You think to yourself, “Hmm, I haven’t done anything worth being thanked for lately, so it must be an invite!” Upon opening the invitation, you’re greeted with primary colors, festive font and the hideous face of a popular cartoon icon; the dreaded first birthday invitation. You’ve probably been invited because you’re related to the pre-toddler, or it’s the friend of one of your children, so obligation dictates that you will be attending this party. If you’re unsure as to what gift to bring to a one-year old’s birthday party, then you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading.

If you want to get your money’s worth out of this gift, look for an item that will grow with the child as he or she grows and reaches various milestones. The Playskool Step Start Walk ‘N Ride by Hasbro is a perfect example. First, it’s a walker that will help babies learn to stand and walk, at which point it converts to a ride on top toy. You can find this item at toysrus.com for $27.99.

Another item that the child will get your money’s worth out of is the Fisher Price Newborn to Toddler Portable Rocker. It’s available at many stores, but is the least expensive at walmart.com for $42.96. As the baby grows from infant to toddler the seat converts from a rocker to a stationary seat. It folds easily, is easy to keep clean and holds up to 40 pounds.

One year olds are typically learning the value of cause and effect (even though they might not realize it!) A great toy to reinforce this concept is the Musical Stack and Play by Tiny Love. This item is available at target.com for $24.99. The child can drop the ball into the cone and be greeted with flashing lights and musical sounds. As the balls come rolling out, the child can crawl to chase them and drop them in the cone again. The child can also sit and stack the included plush rings over the cone, which will come together to look like a colorful elephant!

Books are appropriate for children of all ages. At babyage.com you’ll find a $15.99 Tiny Love 3-D Activity Book. It has different textures and activities that are designed to entertain and develop motor skills. The fun features include a pop up 3D worm, rings to pull and teethe, pages that crinkle and peek a boo activities. It encourages hand eye coordination with a spinning pinwheel mirror and beads to touch and play with. The soft toy is also great for the senses as it has appeals to the senses of hearing, touch and sight.

For the musical child, visit babyearth.com and check out the Oval Xylophone by Plan Toys for $17.10. This toy also encourages hand eye coordination and appeals to sense of sight and sound. The child will use the mallet to hit the colorful bars and be greeted with sounds. A bonus with this toy is that it’s a green company; their toys are made from recycled rubberwood that is non-chemically treated so you know it’s safe for your gift recipient.

And finally, if you really want to be a hero, you’ll show up with the toy voted “Best Toy of the Year” by both Child Magazine and Parents Magazine. For $39.99 (at amazon.com) you can purchase the Flip ‘n Play Table, which is a 2 in 1 table top. Activities abound with this toy; one side features a train and track while the other side has all sorts of engaging items. Some of these items include a sphere, a phone, a dial, shapes to sort, a book, a clock, and buttons to create bell sounds. It must keep a child engaged; otherwise parents wouldn’t have placed it at the top of their list!

You may have been dreading shopping for a birthday gift for a one year old, but you won’t go wrong with any of the above items. Be careful though, you might get a reputation for being a great gift giver…which means you might see more of those dreaded little envelopes in your mailbox!