The 8 Best Gifts for 1-Year-Olds

Why pick this one? Encourage a baby's musicality with this adorable and super stylish wooden piano. Surprisingly, the keys aren't buttons at all—instead, the keyboard relies on magic-touch technology, which will delight any little one for many years to come.

A 1-year-old may certainly enjoy touching these special keys at random. But when she's older, she may pick up on playing tunes from the three double-sided sheet music cards, which feature six different songs. Or she might compose her own melodies! The sheet music cards (which can bend out of shape) and keys are color-coded for children to easily comprehend.

Highlights: The piano is made from durable, child-safe materials. You don't have to worry about disturbing anyone with loud music since the piano has volume control.

Price*: about $46.77 on Amazon.com

Pampers Parents pros and cons:

Why pick this one? This fun wooden peg puzzle features seven popular farm animals—a chicken, duck, pig, cow, horse, sheep, and goat—plus the farmer, all in a big red barn. One activity you might try is to sing "Old Macdonald Had a Farm" while introducing the farm animals and Mr. Macdonald himself to your toddler. Little ones will enjoy placing the puzzle pieces on the board (and dumping them back out), which can help develop hand-eye coordination and cognitive skills. Each wooden puzzle piece is easy to grasp, with a thick sturdy wooden handle that can survive being bitten or chewed on. Unfortunately, the animals aren't labeled, which may have been a nice touch for learning purposes.

Highlights: Each puzzle is crafted by hand, and its colors and cute design make it particularly appealing.

Price*: about $17.73 on Amazon.com

Pampers Parents pros and cons:

Why pick this one? This set of balls features six differently sized, shaped, and colored balls that a toddler will enjoy holding, feeling, and playing with. To encourage play, you can roll each ball one by one toward your toddler, describe the texture and color of each ball, and see how he reacts. Eventually you can turn this into a game where you call out the color, and he rolls that particular one back to you—a fun learning activity! If you have a dog, keep an eye on Fido, who may be interested in taking one or more of these balls for a chew toy.

Highlights: It's OK if a baby chews on the balls, which are made of BPA-free material.

Price*: about $9.99 on Amazon.com

Pampers Parents pros and cons:

Why pick this one? This activity center is so much cooler than the ones you might see at the pediatrician's office. Shaped like a tree, it's packed with features that can help a 1-year-old put her fine motor skills to work. She can glide, slide, or spin different attachments with images of flowers and animals, play with springing flaps, run beads along the loops, and fit shapes into the cut-out holes. The activity center is highly colorful and graphic with details that can hold a child's attention and capture her imagination all the while serving as an educational tool. It would make a lovely gift for a 1-year-old who is learning to explore the larger world around her.

Some Pampers Parents noted that the wood construction could have been more stable and smooth. It may be worth taking a closer look at the toy before giving it to a child, possibly even sanding any sharp edges.

Highlights: The activity center tree is made of wood and was manufactured with a water-based, non-toxic finish, making it safe for little ones.

Price*: about $75.99 on Amazon.com

Pampers Parents pros and cons:

Why pick this one? Here's a gift that can help a 1-year-old explore different textures and shapes. The tablet features six shapes made out of silicone in different colors. Each shape is written out in words as well as in Braille. Learning about and playing with shapes, colors, and words is a benefit of this engaging toy. Plus, your toddler can have loads of fun popping the silicone bubbles in and out of the plastic frame. It's a gift that keeps on giving!

Highlights: The toy is made with silicone and BPA-free ABS-plastic, making it both safe and durable for little ones.

Price*: about $24.99 on Amazon.com

Pampers Parents pros and cons:

Why pick this one? Many toddlers like to color with crayons, but regular crayons can be too small and thin for little hands to hold securely, not to mention they can snap in half easily. Honeysticks solved these issues by creating unique chubby crayons that are much easier for little hands to hold, and (almost) impossible to break. One of the best things about these sustainably produced crayons is that they are made from pure beeswax and come in 12 food-grade colors, making them non-toxic for babies. Since beeswax is a byproduct of honey production, these crayons smell as sweet as honey! These crayons would make a lovely gift for a budding artist. You might also like to give these Honeysticks crayons with some big sheets of paper or poster board so the art doesn't end up on the walls.

Highlights: With your purchase, you also receive a free coloring book that you can download as a PDF, which you can print out to include with the gift.

Price*: about $22.95 on Amazon.com

Pampers Parents pros and cons:

Why pick this one? This multisensory rattle isn't just fun to look at. It also encourages a 1-year-old to reach and grasp the toy, shake the beads to make a noise, move the colorful wooden beads, and squish the shape—all of which is great for developing motor skills and stimulating the senses. The rattle can also work as a teething toy. The toy is made from wooden balls that slide on the wooden dowels, with elastic ties that allow it—as the name suggests—to be squished flat. It always goes back to its original shape. How fun! If this toy is indeed used by a child for teething, it can be particularly difficult to clean, as many Pampers Parents pointed out.

Highlights: The rattle is made from sustainable wood with a water-based, non-toxic finish so it is safe for little ones.

Price*: about $13.99 on Amazon.com

Pampers Parents pros and cons:

Why pick this one? This cute butterfly push-and-pull toy flaps its wings when someone walks or runs with it. It's a fun toy that encourages exercise and helps develop a child's coordination, balance, and motor skills. This gift might keep your toddler occupied for hours! When assembling the toy, make sure the dowels are securely screwed together, as some Pampers Parents noted the toy had a tendency to come apart during play.

Highlights: The toy is manufactured with wood from a forest that is managed by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which is dedicated to environmentally responsible forestry. The toy is finished with water-based paint, and meets strict safety standards for children.

Price*: about $23.43 on Amazon.com

Pampers Parents pros and cons:

Safety Considerations When Buying a Gift for a 1-Year-Old

When you're buying a baby gift or a gift for a toddler, whether it's for your own child or a gift for a family member or friend's child, safety and age-appropriateness are two things you need to take into consideration.

Gift-Buying Dos

When buying a gift for a 1-year-old, there are some things to look out for before you make your final decision:

• Check the gift or toy is designed for 1-year-olds

• If the gift or toy is battery-operated, make sure that the battery compartment needs a screw to keep it securely closed

• Check that the toy is not a choking hazard: If it fits into a toilet paper roll, it's a choking hazard (this means the object should be larger than 1-1/4 inches wide and 2-1/4 inches long)

• Be very careful if you’re considering a vintage or handmade toy, as some handmade gifts, vintage toys, and hand-me-downs may not be safe to give to a 1-year-old. Loose, broken, or delicate parts on either a handmade toy or hand-me-down toy can be a danger to small children. Moreover, vintage toys produced before 1978 may contain lead paint.

• Use your best judgment to determine if the toy you select would be able to withstand a toddler's chewing

• Check that the gift or toy hasn’t been recalled.

Gift-Buying Don’ts

Avoid the following types of toys as gifts as they can endanger little ones. Say "no" to toys that:

• need to be plugged into an electrical outlet

• are motorized and can be ridden

• have small parts that can come loose or sharp edges

• can break or shatter if hit or thrown

• have strings longer than seven inches

• have small magnets

• have springs, gears, or hinges that might trap small fingers, hair, or clothing

• have been recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Now you have some ideas for the perfect gift. Whether you've been invited to a first birthday party or a holiday gathering, or you want something unique for your own little one, these gifts are sure to please and entertain a 1-year-old, along with boosting his development.

Recall Notice

Before buying a product, always check that it’s approved and hasn’t been recalled on sites like the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

*Prices are correct at the time of writing.