The 35 Best Gifts for 1-Year-Olds

The Grimm’s Spiel und Holz Small Rainbow, shown with its various nesting pieces.

When it comes to gifts, many 1-year-olds aren’t picky. In fact, if they’re anything like my kids, they may be as excited by the packaging as by what’s inside. (Save those boxes!) But some kids this age have already begun to develop their own unique preferences, personalities, and abilities. With the right toys and gifts, you can set your child up for years of fun.

Look for toys that are open-ended, like blocks and stacking sets that can be played with in more than one way. To help with sensory exploration and motor development, toys with different textures that invite small hands (and, of course, mouths) to grab and investigate are good choices, as are starter ride-on toys, which give little ones the opportunity to roam. This age is also the perfect time to invest in keepsake items — like the personalized book Amy Miller Kravetz, editor on the baby and kid team, has been gifting for almost 20 years — that will remain special as a child grows up.

I mined the gift-giving knowledge of more than a dozen Wirecutter parents to compile this list of toys that brought joy to our collective 32 kids when they were 1 year old and, often, beyond. Wirecutter contributor Kerry Davis McGuinness tested six play doctor kits to find the best one (the forehead-scanning thermometer put her pick over the top). Along with the personalized book Amy recommends, she also tested bubble machines and building blocks, while in my house, we played with magnetic foam, bath-friendly tubes, and shape-sorting cubes — plus a silky-soft bunny that was so beloved, we ultimately needed three.

As parents, we know that the best toys are rarely for just one age, but grow with a child. You can find even more gift suggestions that might be right for your 1-year-old in our guides to the best gifts for infants, the best gifts for 2-year-olds, and the best balance bikes and tricycles. Or see all our kid gift ideas here.



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