1st Birthday Gift Ideas
Unique 1st birthday gift ideas: When selecting 1st birthday gifts for girls and boys, it's a good idea to choose items that are safe, age-appropriate, and that can contribute to the baby's development.
Find the perfect gift for the birthday kid. Baby's first birthday and its first birthday party sure are a big event both for baby as well as for the parents.
What to know first: 1st Birthday Milestones
In order to select a 1st birthday gift, let's first look at the developmental steps and stages a baby will have gone through. By the age of 1, most little ones can sit and walk with adult help or even alone. They start to show an interest in pictures and books and like to push, pull and dump items as well as to open cabinet doors and to close them again. Babies now also start to 'dance' to music and like to take objects out of containers and to place them back in again. And most babies will probably identify themselves in a mirror. Around the age of 12 months, they also begin to explore their surroundings and start hand-eye coordination.
Make this 1st birthday milestone even more fun for baby by giving the right gift for this stage. I have pre-selected some great 1st birthday gift ideas for you: parents, relatives, godmothers, godfathers or friends will surely find the perfect present for their birthday baby here.
First Birthday Gift Ideas
Green Toys Vehicles: Fire Truck, Recycling Truck, Dump Truck
All vehicles by Green Toys are built in the USA from 100% recycled plastic milk containers that saves energy and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. These toys are absolutely safe and do not contain any BPA, PVC, phthalates or external coatings. They are tough and durable and kids and parents love them alike. Suitable for 12 months & up - thus, a really great gift for a little birthday boy!
Want something as cool as this for a 1 year old birthday girl? Green Toys also offer a Pink Dump Truck or a yellow school bus!
Big Bobby Car Or Other Ride On Toys
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This is one of the classic 1st birthday gifts given in Europe. The BIG Bobby Car can be used both inside and outside, it is very durable and will bring fun for years to come - and also for more kids to come. |
1st Birthday Diaper Cake
A one year old will still need a lot of diapers, so a diaper cake is a good gift idea, also for a first birthday and not only at baby's birth. Instead of including things for a newborn baby like baby lotions and powder, add one large or several little cuddly toys or also educational toys. Here I took a 1st birthday candle, a baby stroller book and a roaring lion toy and placed everything in a box with stacked diapers. Best ask for baby's diaper size before you start your project. Learn how to make a diaper cake.
Shape Sorting Toys
Around the first birthday, a little one is able to start training of fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination and it will be able to differ between basic shapes and colors. A shape sorter will be a fascinating toy for baby around the age of 12 months to around 3 years. Shape sorters come in many forms and materials, from soft cloths sorters, wooden sorters, plastic sorters to sorter houses, cubes, egg boxes, balls, pull-along sorters and with or without making noises, etc.
Here's a little birthday poem for a first birthday girl or boy. Customize with the name.
One little candle, placed on the cake
- one first birthday wish to make!
Baby's First Phone
Baby's 1st smart phone is a practical 1st birthday gift idea since it helps you to keep your own phone safe and sound!
Around the age of one, baby's can pretty much reflect what grown-ups do: being on the phone and chatting away for hours... ;-) Now, they want to participate and imitate. If you want to give them your own, expensive smart phone, then do. But chances that they break it, are high! Therefore you better get them some nice little toy phone so they can press buttons, make it ring, play with icons, talk and interact without you having to worry. As with most baby toys of that kind, there are many models from various manufacturers on offer.
Little People Toys By Fisher Price
Meet the Little People friends and have hours of fun with their Wheelies, Places to Explore, Things that Go and Things to Build. These toys will entertain kids over a long period of time, even my 4 year old still likes to play with them on a regular basis and my two older kids will join her frequently, too! A Little People toy is a great 1st birthday gift idea, discover the world of Little People by Fisher Price here.
More 1st Birthday Gift Ideas
Little People Books / Fisher Price Books / Book Gift Basket
A baby book is an ideal 1st birthday gift idea since by around that age babies will become interested in looking at pictures, in pointing out things, in opening flaps and in turning the book's pages. So let's hear stories about the Little People and their friends. For example, visit the dentist together with Little People Michael and open lots of flaps with him. Or discover the world of (#ad) Fisher Price Books for babies, which are designed for ages newborn to 3.
Another cute idea is to make a book gift basket for 1 year olds. Basically this works the same as a baby book gift basket, just select more advanced books from the 1 year old and up category and also add a cuddly pillow or cuddly pal to make story time really cozy!
Playmobil 1-2-3 Toys
Playmobil is one of the best-known and most popular toy companies worldwide. Formerly, Playmobil manufactured great play sets for kids of 4 years and up only. But a few years ago they introduced their new line called Playmobil 123 for 18 months and up. These great toddler toys are basic play sets around various themes such as: playground, family house, race car, zoo, Noah's Ark, farm life, truck with garage, princess & knight, etc.
A one year old does not fully understand yet what's going on at its birthday. So baby won't mind having to wait 6 more months until being able to really play with these cute and educating sets. Moreover, under close supervision and together with mom or dad, a one year old can already handle most of these toys. Playmobil toys are made in Europe (Malta), they are color fast, easily washable, safe and fun to play with.
Even More 1st Birthday Gift Ideas
Rody Horse
The Rody horse is a real delight for all little hoppers! Of course baby can also just sit on it. You can bounce on Rody indoors as well as outdoors. This hopping horse is about 12 inches in height, it is inflatable and grows with the child as you just add more air. This cute toy is made from soft, super strong, latex-free and phthalate-free vinyl, and comes in 13 colors, so you will find a favorite for everyone! Rody strengthens the muscles of the back, abdomen and legs, because riding on Rody exercises a good posture, balance, body coordination and body control. Be assured, Rody will stay a 'a friend' and favorite toy over years, some mum even stated on amazon Rody to be the best toy bought so far!
Play Tents
Kids love role play and to build dens. And small kids like to play peek-a-boo. Play tents are great for role play and pretending and they can be used both indoors and outdoors. Pop up play tents come in many forms and sizes, some are especially for girls such as fairy princess castles or Disney Princess tents or for boys like knight's castles, pirate tents, fire engine play tents, etc. But there are also plenty of play tents suitable for both girls and boys such as for example ladybug tents, colorful play huts and playhouse cottages. Some play tents even come with a tunnel which is even more fun to crawl through. A pop up play tent is set up in a minute and is also neatly stored away in nearly the same time so you do not have a bulky toy clogging the nursery all the time. Even if a one year old will not do role play in a play tent yet, it will have fun just sitting in the tent and playing peek-a-boo with its parents or siblings. A pop up play hut is a great gift for a one year old that will bring fun and laughter for years!
Radio Flyer Car / Radio Flyer Wagon / Kids Wagon
Radio Flyer is a true American classic and is famous for its safe, quality toys that inspire active play and spark imagination. Their range comprises wagons, tricycles, scooters, and other ride-ons and you are bound to find the perfect 'vehicle' for your little one(s). A Radio Flyer toy brings smiles to babies, toddlers, kids and the whole family and creates memories that last a whole lifetime. Indeed an awesome 1st birthday gift idea. Find and choose your perfect Radio Flyer car or horse here, and your Radio Flyer wagon here.
There's also vintage ride on toys - not real vintage but designed to look like vintage ride on cars - which are great fun and also a nice piece of decoration for a baby's nursery.
Rocking Horse / Rocking Toys
Who said, it always has to be a classical rocking horse? Even though an antique rocking horse sure has a lot of charm, the more modern rocking animals such as dinosaurs, puppies, zebras etc. will bring baby a lot of rocking and fun, too! Make up your own mind on whether it should to be a wooden quality rocking toy, a plush rocking animal, a rocking toy made of synthetic material, or a Radio Flyer Horse - the choice is vast and there are models for any budget and taste, and some even come with sound - in any case baby will love to rock and ride for years to come!
Haba Soft Dolls
A HABA soft doll is another cute and educational 1st birthday gift idea! These colorful dolls have a soft, padded body, chenille hair, an embroidered face and great colorful clothes and are just perfect for hugging and cuddling! Since HABA sells boys characters of this line, too, these cute dolls are not for girls only! Have a look at the awesome Haba doll family. Our most loved is Paola, pictured above. Recommended for 18 months and up.
These also make a cute 1st birthday gift for twins! Depending on what kind of twins they are, get them identical dolls, two girl / two boy dolls or a boy and a girl doll.
Here's more to know on how to select soft dolls for babies and toddlers.
Little Tykes Cozy Cars
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This funny little car is perfect both for playing indoors as well as outdoors. It is recommended for 18 months and up but surely a child can already just sit in there and play around by the age of 1! The (#ad) Little Tykes Cozy Cars have a funny face and come as a coupe, a truck, a patrol, a cab, a fire truck, a ride and rescue, a roadster, etc. They have various features such as sound patterns, flashing lights, an ignition switch and so on. A trailer is available, too and the glitter coupe or the princess version are every little girl's dream. No doubt, these little cars are great fun and make a very cute present! |
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See some more great 1st birthday gift ideas here. Have a summer or winter birthday kid? Also ideas for seasonal 1st birthday gifts.
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