Your little is turning one – toddlerhood, here you come! 

It’s a time to celebrate how much they have grown. From a tiny newborn to the little person you’ve fallen in love with over the last 12 months. You have the cake smash ready, but you’re stuck for ideas on first birthday gifts. Here are our favourite first birthday gift ideas, packed with things that will spark their interest and encourage skill development. This list has everything from crayons to our play couches!

Here are our 10 favourite gift ideas for 1-year-olds:

Craft Supplies

Paint brushes, chalk, crayons, and washi tape are great tools for developing your toddler's fine motor skills, focus, and hand-eye coordination. They’ll keep your little busy and inspire their creativity too.

Whatsie Play Couch

The soft and versatile cushions of the Whatsie are perfect for getting your toddler moving and exploring. Ideal for building forts and obstacle courses, it’s a great way to give your growing toddler new ways to build on their gross motor skills.  

The Totli Box

Toddlers love to explore how objects work together. Your one-year-old will love the Totli Box for exploring object permanence, playing peekaboo, and posting, pushing, and pulling. 

 

Bath Toys

In our opinion, bath time is one of the best parts of the day! Having toys in the tub helps your toddler learn about cause and effect, and bond with you too. 

Sensory Table

Sensory play is amazing for your littles developing brain. Having a sensory table in your home means that (most) of the messy play can be easily cleaned and contained to the one area.

Books

Books make a great gift for any occasion. Giving a book to your one-year-old for their first birthday is a great way to celebrate the joy of reading. 

Bubble Machine

Bubbles are magical for toddlers who love to chase and catch them. A bubble machine is a great first birthday present, allowing the fun and excitement to guide their curiosity and learning. 

Membership Experiences

Museums, zoo’s, theme parks and play center memberships are the gift that keeps giving all year long! They can be lots of fun, but expensive if you need to go home early for one reason or another. Having a membership means you can visit as many times as you like throughout the year.  

Learning Tower

Toddlers love helping in the kitchen! Learning towers help bring your little one up to bench height so they can better help with practical activities. This learning tower by Little Big Learning is the perfect addition to your home to explore a whole new world of helping. 

Mounty Pikler Triangle


We love this transformable Pikler from Mounty as it's adjustable for your toddler's age and stage. Pikler triangles are perfect for gross motor development and provide just the right amount of challenge as your little one learns to walk, run, jump and climb. 

Remember, there are countless ways to celebrate this special milestone. Your one-year-old won’t remember how many gifts they received and they’ll most likely just want to be with you to celebrate their special day. However, if you do choose to mark this occasion with a special gift, we hope we have you covered!

Lauren Koch
Tagged: 11-12 months