Top 13 Best Toys for 1 Year Olds | Birthday Gift Ideas

toys for one year old

It is true that no one remembers their first birthday (if you do, good for you). However, the first birthday of their child is a much-awaited day for parents everywhere, and people around them celebrate this day with them. So first birthdays are always special, and the gifts are part of the reason why.

 

Babies are in such a cute age when they’re one, and deserve to be showered with gifts. Whether you’re a parent or loved one, it can get tedious to keep looking for a gift. This article will list the best toys for 1 year olds. Enjoy!

Name

Image

Product Link

#1 PLAY 10 Ball Pit

#2 YOYOSTORE Child Interactive My First Own Cell Phone

#3 Splashin’kids Inflatable Tummy Time Premium Water Mat

#4 SHOHEN Baby Bath Toys

#5 Montessori & Me Object Permanence Box

#6 Splashin’kids Infant Toys Crawl Along

#7 teytoy Upgraded Baby Soft Books

#8 BEST LEARNING Learning Cube

#9 Fred & Friends Buff Baby Rattle

#10 VTech Pull and Sing Puppy

#11 UNIH Roly Poly Baby Toy

#12 Family Made Company Fidget Toy

#13 teetherpop Baby Teether (BlueLime)

1. PLAY 10 Ball Pit

best toys for 1 year olds
  • This Play 10 Ball Pit satisfies every kids dream as it is a colourful ball pit with 50 pit balls that little babies can play with.
  • As 1 year olds are still undergoing brain development, the colorful balls in this ball pit will help them register colours and improve physical coordination.
  • This jungle-themed ball pit can be set up just about anywhere in the house, and it will keep your baby occupied.
  • As this is lightweight, it is extremely easy to set up and is portable.
5/5

Pros

  • High quality ball pit
  • Includes 50 BPA free pit balls
  • Improves brain development
  • No safety hazard
  • Adorable animal design

Cons

  • Not very sturdy

2. YOYOSTORE Child Interactive My First Own Cell Phone

best toy for 1 year olds
  • This toy is a cute little decoy mobile phone that babies can play with, and it comes with different children’s songs for sleeping and entertainment.
  • The toy phone is designed to look like an actual smartphone, which will make it much more engaging for babies as they see adults using smartphones all the time.
  • Whenever a child presses a button on this YOYOSTORE phone toy, LED lights in multiple colors flash and it also helps babies learn from touch.
5/5

Pros

  • 20 Children and 10 Sleeping Songs
  • Colourful LED lights
    Neat smartphone design
  • 8 different modes and sounds
  • Includes charger

Cons

  • Battery requires checks

3. Splashin’kids Inflatable Tummy Time Premium Water Mat

best toys for 1 year old
  • This is a premium water splash mat that has been made for babies in order for them to develop solid neck, shoulder and head muscles.
  • The water mat also has a colourful aquarium-themed design that will attract babies and this mat also helps with hand-eye coordination as well as fine social and motor skills.
  • All you have to do to set this mat up is fill the inner part with water and the outer ring with air, and it is ready for play!
5/5

Pros

  • Made from leak-proof PVC
  • Vibrant Aquarium Design
  • Helps boost sensory skills
  • Easy to set up
  • Enhances overall brain development

Cons

  • Might have strong plastic scent

4. SHOHEN Baby Bath Toys

best toys for one year olds
  • These bath toys from SHOHEN are among the best baby toys for 1 year olds because they are great for bath time at an age where kids can sit in their own kiddie pools.
  • Shaped like cute little whales, these bath toys will float around and are also extremely easy to hold because they are small and round.
  • The whale bath toys, once put into water, will emit colourful lights which will boost sensory skills and also spray water (which is so much fun).
4.5/5

Pros

  • Colourful lights and water spray
  • Adorable Whale Design
  • Thick sealing rubber ring to prevent battery leak
  • Made from drop-resistant ABS material
  • Boosts cognitive skills

Cons

  • Batteries not included

5. Montessori & Me Object Permanence Box

best toys for one year old
  • This is a simple, yet very educational toy as children learn object permanence when they put the ball into a hole, and it disappears momentarily before rolling out on the tray.
  • Montessori toys such as this help children harness a number of skills including sensory and motor skills, hand-eye coordination and focus.
  • The product is made from durable hardwood that is safe and focuses on developing object permanence which will help manage mental disorders such as ADHD.
4.5/5

Pros

  • Made from eco-friendly hardwood
  • Made safe using 100% non-toxins
  • Increases sensory and motor skills
  • Teaches object permanence
  • Smoothed out edges and surface

Cons

  • Slightly expensive

6. Splaishin’kids Infant Toys Crawl Along

toys for 1 year old
  • This is one of the best toys for a one year old baby, as they would be in the crawling stage and this toy is a jumbo roller which encourages them to crawl after it.
  • All you have to do to set this toy up for your baby is blow air into it with the help of some sort of handheld or electric air pump and it’s ready for play.
  • This colorful, animal-themed jumbo roller enhances muscles and fine motor skills, while also teaching babies cause and effect.
4.5/5

Pros

  • Includes 2 Rattle Balls and 1 LED Ball
  • Enhances sensory skills and muscles
  • Comes in a colorful design
  • Made from leak-proof PVC
  • Improves problem solving

Cons

  • Can get cloudy if humid

7. teytoy Upgraded Baby Soft Books

toys for 1 year olds
  • This product is a set of 12 soft baby books that would make wonderful toys for 1 year olds as they are filled with vibrant primary colours.
  • As these are soft books, they are safe food teething and are also very easy to wash.
  • The activity books have been sewn with contrasting colours that will help improve sensory skills in babies.
  • Each book has a ribbon of a different color and unique texture that will help children hold on to them and differentiate.
4/5

Pros

  • Beep button included
  • Non-toxic, durable and tear-resistant
  • Great value for money
  • Suitable for machine wash
  • Soft and colorful design

Cons

  • Pages can get crinkly

8. BEST LEARNING Learning Cube

toys for one year old
  • This is the perfect toy for 1 year olds if you want to encourage learning and not just play as it is an award-winning toy that stimulates babies’ curiosity.
  • It is an interactive learning cube that has a function button on each side that will teach children a number of things through songs, sounds and sights.
  • The BEST LEARNING Learing Cube includes alphabet, animals, creativity, music, dexterity, numbers, colors, imagination, logical thinking and motor functions.
4/5

Pros

  • Excellent value for money
  • Includes colorful LED Lights
  • Enhances brain development
  • Safe for babies
  • Engaging music for babies

Cons

  • Batteries not included

9. Fred & Friends Buff Baby Rattle

best toys for one year old baby
  • This is a small and cute baby rattle that looks like a dumb bell, that is a perfect toy for a 1 year old whose parents are super into fitness and gymming.
  • The baby rattle is uniquely and minimalistically designed and is sure to gain the laughs of everyone around as it is extremely adorable.
  • Despite its design, this rattle is lightweight and easy to hold.
  • It also makes engaging sounds as it is a rattle and keeps babies entertained.
3.5/5

Pros

  • No phthalates and BPA-free
  • Good grip for hand
  • Adorable dumbbell design
  • Entertainment for babies and adults

Cons

  • Slightly overpriced.

10. VTech Pull and Sing Puppy

best toy for one year old baby
  • A pull toy that babies who have just taken their first steps drag along is the most common type of toy for 1 year olds, and therefore, is a must have.
  • This pull toy is a cute little dalmatian puppy, with colorful buttons that promt the puppy to sing some wonderful childrens’ music.
  • This is not only a fun, but an educational toy as well as it introduces parts of the body, numbers as well as colors to babies, and plays puppy sounds and music.
3.5/5

Pros

  • Promotes language development
  • Music and light-up nose
  • Adorable puppy pull toy
  • Builds gross and fine motor skills
  • Colors and sounds attract attention

Cons

  • Only demo batteries included

11. UNIH Roly Poly Baby Toy

best baby toys for 1 year old
  • The Roly Poly Baby Toy from UNIH is a cute little owl that will fit into the baby’s cute little hands and they will be able to hold them as well.
  • The speciality of Roly Poly toys such as this one is that they entertain babies by spinning, rolling, shaking and swinging.
  • This Roly Poly Owl also has a bell that makes a beautiful tinking sound as the toy moves along.
  • It is also the ideal weight for babies to hold and will improve sensory skills and muscles.
3/5

Pros

  • Adorable Owl Design
  • Made from durable BPA-free teether
  • Portable and lightweight
  • Makes tinkling sounds
  • Enahnces hand-eye coordination

Cons

  • Not many drawbacks found

12. Family Made Company Fidget Toy

best baby toys for 1 year olds
  • This is a colorful fidget toy for babies that are suitable for toddlers and playschool kids to hold and push, which will enhance their sensory skills.
  • The colors blue, yellow, green, red and orange are made of silicone foams and are placed in a sturdy white ABS plastic frame.
  • This fidget toy also helps attract the senses of the baby and encourages motor skills, causal learning, calmness, tactile stimulation and concentration.
3/5

Pros

  • BPA-free and 100% Food-Grade Plastic
  • Smooth and non-toxic
  • Enhances developmental skills
  • Bright and colorful

Cons

  • Slightly expensive

13. teetherpop Baby Teether (BlueLime)

best baby toy for 1 year old
  • This might seem like a simple toy for a 1 year old, but you will find that parents will thank you for it greatly as it will help them get accustomed to new foods.
  • As 1 year olds are slowly branching out into more and more different kinds of foods, it is important to ease them into it by filling their first foods into teethers such as this one.
  • The soft silicone protects the baby’s sensitive gums and this teetherpop can be filled with juices, water, homemade smoothies, purees and breastmilk.
3/5

Pros

  • No BPA. PVC, Latex of Phthalates
  • Chilled teething helps develop teeth
  • Available in 5 colors

Cons

  • Might be bit big for some babies

Buying Guide and Baby Care

A baby’s first toy can play an important role in the development in the personality and brain activity of the baby. While buying a toy a parent should have in mind how this toy could benefit their baby both in the short and long run. First while buying a toy a parent should look as to whether the toy has any small parts, if swallowed by the baby, could cause some serious damage to the baby. While buying a toy they should look for toys with vibrant colours as it will help stimulate the baby and help them register colours too.


The best toys for a 1-year-old would contain no hazardous parts, some sort of interactive aspect that could play a role in either stimulating the baby’s brain or in educating the baby. It would also contain a physical aspect as it can play a role in keeping the toddler active and improving their physical condition.


While buying a toy consult with your pediatrician on which toy would be hypoallergenic and the safest for your baby to have a fun time growing up with.

FAQ

What are the best toys for a one-year-old? The best toys for a one-year-old would be a fun musical toy, an activity table, a bath toy, a stacking toy, a pull toy, and a walking toy. These toys stimulate the brain of the baby while also providing a fun distraction and an educational time for the child. How many toys should a one-year-old have? A one-year-old should only have enough to cover the important bases of building a personality. Even if it is just 4 toys that can cover these bases that is enough to develop and stimulate the baby. Are too many toys bad for a one-year-old? Yes, too many toys for a one-year-old baby can be harmful. Studies have shown that one-year-olds with an excess of toys grow up to be easily distracted and do not want quality playtime as it is no longer enjoyable for them. What are toys that can help in the development of a child? Swings, wading pools, doll carriages. and child-size vehicles or ride-on toys can lead to the healthy development of a one-year-olds brain. Toys like these encourage activities that lead to an active life. Other toys like finger painting kits can lead to developing a child’s creative sense. Are toys necessary for a one-year-old? Toys are vital to the core development of a one-year-old child as they not only develop the personality of the one-year-old but more importantly lead to the happiness of the one-year-old which is essential to a healthy childhood.