First Birthday Gift Ideas
As promised, here is part two in the birthday blog series! For anyone out there struggling to come up with gift ideas for a one-year-old - I’ve got you covered! I’m all about fun, practical toys and the inner teacher inside of me also loves when toys promote learning. Extra bonus when they are aesthetically pleasing, too ;)
I went through and made a list of items that we either own or have added to Beckham’s birthday wishlist - I’ll be sure to specify this with each item. Please keep in mind that these items are in the 12 month range, meaning some can be used right away and some will have to be grown into, but all items should be usable in a child’s second year of life. Lastly, these ideas are universal and could be used for either a boy or girl. Now, let’s get to the list!
Cream Sherpa Chair - This is the cutest little chair! It would be the perfect addition to any nursery or living room. I’ve always loved the idea of a nugget couch, but our living room isn’t big enough to fit one of those right now. This was a good smaller and cheaper alternative I found to put on Beck’s wishlist. Some of the other colors are customizable, too if you’re looking for a personalized gift.
Busy Cube - I’m quickly learning that one year olds are soooo busy, so this toy seemed fitting. There are six different features on this cube that will keep your toddler busy, while also helping them develop hand-eye coordination, problem-solving and concentration. This is a wishlist item.
Kids Mini Backpack - There is truly nothing cuter than a little kid in a backpack…I mean COME ON! Beckham just got a personalized backpack from Zara as a Christmas gift. It’s his new church activity bag and I about die everytime we use it. I just checked and the exact one he has is out of stock, so I did some searching and found this cute alternative! I’m a huge fan of the brand Mushie and their color pallete, so it’s no surprise I loved this one!
Silicone Bath Toys - These would make a great birthday OR babyshower gift. The best thing about these bath toys is they open up, so 1. you don’t have to worry about mold growing inside and 2. they’re easy to mix and match. The aesthetic colors and animals prints are an added bonus. Beckham loves bath time, so these are on his wishlist!
Ball Pit - I’ve posted about this several times on our instagram, as well as in our Christmas blog, but I wouldn’t share about it if Beckham didn’t love it. He plays in it every single day, which makes it so worth it and so easy to share about! We do not have a playroom in our house, so if it was going to sit in our livingroom where we would see it all the time, we wanted it to at least match the interior of our house. Our ball pit is about half full with 370 balls inside. We think that is the perfect amount for our liking, but if you want your pit all the way full, I would recommend about 500 balls.
Toddler Standing Tower - Beckham is so curious and loves to follow me around the house, which makes me think he would be the best little helper in the kitchen someday. I couldn’t resist putting this on his wishlist. This tower has three different height options, so it can grow with your child.
Wooden Baby Walker - This doubles as a baby walker and a busy board. We added this to the wishlist because we are always on the lookout for things that will help Beckham developmentally, while also keeping him entertained. This is a win, win!
Picasso Tiles - Magnetic tiles are the best! I used to teach preschool and my students would play with these every single day! There is so many different things you can do and build with them - they’re great for any ages, really! These are a top contender on the wishlist for sure!
Poke-A-Dot Books - Beckham is such a bookworm. He got two of these books for Christmas, including this Old MacDonald’s Farm one. He LOVES them and has somehow figured out where all the pop it’s are already. Not to mention, he is entertained for so long!
Balance Bike - This is a toy that Beckham got for his birthday, but will likely have to grow into a bit, since he isn’t the most mobile right now. It sure is a fun one though. We have hardwood floors in our house, which will be the perfect indoor riding place for this. The wheels are scratch resistant, too, so there’s no need to worry about getting marks on your floor!
Wooden Alphabet Puzzle - We don’t have any puzzles yet, so we added this cute little wooden alphabet puzzle to the wishlist. There is a shape and number puzzle in the same exact colors and the reviews were great!
Matching Egg Set - Grandma and grandpa have this toy at their house and all the grandkids love it! Color naming/matching, shape naming/matching, counting, hand-eye coordination and fine-motor skills are just a few ways this little set can help a child learn.
Shape Sorting - The exact shape sorting set we have is sold out, so I’m linking this one instead. It’s been a new favorite in our house! Beckham will help me put the shapes in and then he loves dumping them out and doing it all over again. Such a simple toy that creates so much fun!
Climbing Ladder - Beckham got this for Christmas and is one he will have to grow into overtime. We’ve still loved having it at his age because he has started using it to pull himself up. The ladder is adjustable so you can move the incline to your liking. If you throw some blankets over the top, it also makes a pretty fun fort :)
Rainbow Stacking Toy - I added this toy to the wishlist because Beckham is really into things that stack and fit together. This toy would also make the cutest little nursery decor when it’s not being used!
Montessori Pull String Toy - I feel like a lot of people have or know about this toy for littles, but I’m sharing for anyone that doesn’t. I couldn’t find the exact one that we have, but this one has a lot of similar features, and some new as well! This toy is great for teething, developing the senses, and strengthening those fine-motor skills and hand-eye coordination. The neutral, aesthetic colors are an added bonus!
Abacus - I prefer wooden toys over plastic toys if I can help it, and this little abacus just had to make the wishlist. This is such a cute and practical toy. Would be great for working on skills like counting, color recognition, hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.
This is just a short list that I came up with for now, but I’m sure I’ll have some more items to add after we actually celebrate the birthday boy. In the meantime, what are some one-year-old items you’ve come across that were a big hit? Feel free to comment on this blog or send us a DM on Instagram. We always love hearing from you <3
