Home / Holidays / Holiday Gift Guides 30+ fun & practical holiday gifts for 1-year-olds ✨ The joyful and educational toys that top our list. By Sara Goldstein Updated September 19, 2024 Rectangle We independently select and share the products we love—and may receive a commission if you choose to buy. If you’ve ever presented a gift to a 1-year-old, you know the box is often the best part. That said, you still want to buy them things they’ll enjoy and get good use out of. At this age, kids are starting to show off their own personality and preferences. Whether it’s an obsession with CoComelon or a love of all things with wheels, chances are there’s something that’s just distinctly them. They’re also fully on the move these days. From first steps to full on sprints, keeping up with them is a full contact sport. At the same time, their brains are working just as hard. They’re learning what words mean and how to say them, animal sounds and how to play pretend. Related: 26 adorable holiday gifts for newborns The best Christmas gifts for 1-year-olds take these developmental milestones into consideration. They offer open-ended opportunities to play and explore as they hone their motor skills. Sorting and sensory toys, blocks, even scooters and climbing toys will keep their interest while offering just the right amount of challenge. Musical instruments and toys that allow your little one to experiment with cause and effect are a great option as well. If you have a little one (or are shopping for one), it can be hard to curate their holiday wishlist because 1-year-olds can’t quite tell you exactly what they want (yet.) But we’ve got you covered: We’ve found 25 fun, practical and educational gift ideas that will keep any toddler entertained—and engaged, which is most definitely the key. Here’s our main criteria: Products that are functional, fun and durable enough to last for years to come. Bonus points if they’re attractive enough to leave lying around your house for long periods of time, because getting 1-year-olds to clean up is a challenge in itself! Looking for more gift ideas? Check out all of our holiday gift guides! Here are the best holiday gifts for 1-year-olds: Melissa & Doug Wooden Shape Sorting Grocery Cart • $74.99 This thoughtfully-designed pick from Melissa & Doug combines two of our must-haves for one-year-olds: A push toy and a shape sorter. The Wooden Shape Sorting Grocery Cart allows them to perfect their walking skills while encouraging their problem solving, shape and color recognition and imaginative play as well. They’ll be strolling the aisles with a coffee in hand in no time! SHOP MELISSA & DOUG Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Ultimate Playhouse • $99.97 Ninety years in, Fisher Price is still making toys that become instant favorites. This year, the Laugh & Learn Ultimate Playhouse is one of ours. The 360 degree play set and activity center offers tons of interactive features like a crawl through door, drop-through rain spout, shape-sorter trellis, musical wind chime and plenty of lights and sounds. It also is equipped with their Smart Stages levels to teach ABCs, numbers and even the weather in developmentally appropriate ways as they grow. SHOP AMAZON Warmies My First Warmies Puppy • $29.99 There are stuffies and then there are Warmies stuffies. Lovingly packed with real French lavender, these cozy weighted pals are perfect for winding down at night or bringing a bit of comfort on-the-go. They can be warmed in the mircrowave or chilled in the freezer for a bit of extra oomph and come in a ton of adorable animals to choose from. SHOP WARMIES Biggest Little b is for ball 2-Ball Set • $28 We’re big believers that the best, longest lasting toys in our kids’ toy bins are the ones that are open-ended and versatile. And when they can grow right along with your little one? Even better. One that checks all those boxes is this brilliantly simple b is for ball set. Made from 100% FDA-compliant food-grade silicone, the two-part design serves as a teether, bath toy, ball, fidget and squirter, providing sensory play options for literal years. Even the box is designed for peek-a-boo play. Simplicity at its finest! SHOP BIGGEST LITTLE SHOP MOTHERLY Hape Butterfly Wooden Push and Pull Walking Toy • $34.95 The sweetest toy to help them capitalize on their new walking skills! Like the classic push and pull toys of yore, this one from Hape features the sweetest little butterfly with rainbow wings that flap as they walk (or run!) and a handle that can come apart for easy storage. SHOP AMAZON Radio Flyer Ellie the Rolling Elephant • $39.99 Radio Flyer has done it again with Ellie, their rolling elephant, perfect for 1-year-olds. EZ-Glide wheels allow your toddler to create their own motion and the ability to move in any direction. Safe for indoor and outdoor use, we also appreciate the durable, easy grip handles for little hands and super soft fabric when giving Ellie a hug after their ride. SHOP RADIO FLYER Pottery Barn Kids Anywhere Chair • $145 A kid-sized throne that’s perfect for snuggling up with their favorite book and lovey! The PBK Anywhere Chair is a true classic that can be personalized with their name or initials. (As if they need more invitation to declare something “MINE!”) SHOP POTTERY BARN KIDS Lovevery The Block Set • $90 The Lovevery Block Set is an entire system of 70 wood pieces, all designed to work together to create 20 stage-based challenges and activities, all in one beautiful wooden box. Build towers and bridges or work hand-eye coordination by lacing blocks with the wooden dowels and string. Four solid wooden people expand their imaginative horizons as they craft houses and buildings. Bonus: The included wooden box is not only ideal for neat and tidy storage, but also converts into a play car! SHOP LOVEVERY Quince Cashmere Hooded Cardigan • $39.90 Soft, snuggly and as adorable as they are, the hooded cashmere cardigan from Quince had us from the second we saw those ears. But the slam dunk? It’s machine-washable. SHOP QUINCE Micro Kickboard Mini 3in1 Deluxe • $119.99 Yes, it’s true we’re full on Microkickboard stans. #sorrynotsorry. Designed for the tiniest groms, their 3in1 Deluxe isn’t cheap but worth every penny. At first, they can get the hang of scooting with the ride-on seat. As they gain their footing and balance, they can use it more traditionally with the o-shaped handle. Around age three, you can swap to the t-bar and let them glide til their heart’s content. The lightweight three-wheel construction is stable and easy to ride while the smooth wheels allow them to ride inside and out. A toy that can get daily use from ages 1-5? It’s an absolute no brainer! SHOP AMAZON Jambo Books Jambo Books Subscription • $39.99 Few things are more impactful than taking time to read together. And when it comes to raising inclusive, empathetic kids, reading books with diverse characters can play a key role. Build their library one month at a time with a subscription to Jambo Books. Each month they’ll receive a beautifully illustrated box of three high quality, age-appropriate books that feature a child of color as the main character. You’ll have an impressively diverse library in no time! SHOP JAMBO BOOKS KiwiCo Rainbow Blocks and Cars Building Set • $79.95 There’s a lot to love about this blocks set from KiwiCo. At this age, their chunky construction is perfect for little hands and easy to stack. As they grow, they offer lots of opportunity for exploration. Set them up with a light behind to play with color and shadows or construct a colorful town of buildings and vehicles. They’re the perfect grow-with-me toy! SHOP KIWICO TOMY Toomies Hide & Squeak Eggs • $15.99 Once upon a time my 1-year-old and 6-year-old squabbled over these daily. It was annoying, but a true testament to the power of a simple toy. (And their commitment to a lifetime of bickering.) There are tons of different ways to play, from simply taking them apart and putting them back together, matching the inside color to the face, matching the shape on the bottom to fit into the carton and even staging egg hunts. If my experience is any indication, they’ll have a prominent spot on the playroom shelf for an impressive stretch of time. (And inspire sibling arguments for just as long.) SHOP AMAZON Lovevery Post & Play Peg People • $26.99 Another simple toy that gets an impressive amount of mileage! The Post & Play Peg People from Lovevery are a traditional Montessori pick that invites little ones to make their own rules. They’re sized perfectly for little hands to take in and out as they match, line up and play pretend. SHOP TARGET LeapFrog Learning Friends 100 Words Book • $13.99 Introduce little ones to 100 words in both English and Spanish with the touch activated word book from LeapFrog. They’ll learn colors, animals, mealtime words and more with plenty to explore as they grow. There’s a reason it’s totally ubiquitous! SHOP AMAZON Xavier Deneux TouchThinkLearn: ABC • $22.49 This sturdy board book has extra-durable pages and tactile cut-outs for little fingers to explore to their heart’s content. The hyper-graphic designs also appeal to art lovers big—and small. SHOP AMAZON Piccalio Mini Chef Convertible Helper Tower • $209 A learning tower allows your child to be at counter height in a secure environment so they can help you cook (or pretend cook!) or do the dishes or work together on a craft project. One of our favorite styles is the 2-for-1 design from Piccalio. When they’re done at the counter, it converts to a kid-sized table and bench to sit and enjoy the snack they’ve helped prepare. It adjusts to three different heights as they grow and even comes with a free wooden mini cutter to keep them safely busy. It’s a super versatile gift that’ll be used for years to come. SHOP PICCALIO BusyPuzzle Personalized Wooden Name Puzzle • $20 A personalized wooden name puzzle makes for a thoughtful gift—and will not only keep them playing by trying to put the correct letters in their place, but you can also start teaching them their name, the letters in their name and how to spell it. SHOP ETSY Radio Flyer Bubble Buddy Walker Wagon • $34.99 Bubbles are the MVP of parenting toddlers as far as we’re concerned. Radio Flyer’s tot-sized wagon will have them swirling in a cloud of delight as they push or pull–no batteries required! SHOP RADIO FLYER SHOP AMAZON Fat Brain Toys The Dimpl • $9.95 The Dimpl checks all our (toy) boxes. Engaging? Check! Mess free? Sure is! Portable? Yup, that too. It’s an on-the-go sensory activity that quite frankly, we find as addicting as our littles. The dimples can be popped in and out and come in various bright colors to keep little ones playing happily for longer than two minutes. Usually. SHOP AMAZON Hape DJ Mix & Spin Studio Musical Toy David Guetta had to start somewhere! With Hape’s DJ Mix & Spin Studio, budding DJs can hone their mixing skills and vibe with a variety of instruments and sound effects as they push, twist, slide and scratch their own original mixes. The sturdy design isn’t overly large so it’s a great high chair toy too! SHOP HAPE Top Bright Wooden Race Track Car Ramp Racer With 4 Mini Cars • $24.99 This toy race track is made of high-quality wood and is BPA-free. My son loves watching the cars zoom down each of the tracks “racing” each other as they go. The four cars are big enough for kids ages 1 and up to handle. SHOP AMAZON L.L. Bean Kids' Pull Sled and Cushion Set • $199 A true winter childhood classic, the heirloom quality wooden sled from L.L.Bean offers a cozy ride around the backyard or through the woods. Truth be told, it’s also a great place for an outside winter snooze while the bigger kids get their snowball fight on. SHOP L.L. BEAN Boon Building Bath Pipes Toy Set • $23.80 Bath time with a side of STEM-based play? Yes please. This engaging set of tubes, pipes and spinning cogs will thrill your tot as they experiment with the cause-and-effect action of pouring water through the tubes to watch the spinners start and stop. SHOP AMAZON ECR4Kids SoftZone Tiny Twisting Foam Corner Climber • $123 Got a tiny climber on your hands? This set of foam pads turns any humble corner into a veritable play gym. We love the small footprint of this set and the fact that the mini slide can transform into a car ramp in a jiffy. SHOP AMAZON Sarah's Silks Set of 5 Enchanted Mini Playsilks • $48 Play silks are a perfect vehicle for open-ended play—and one that your kiddo will keep coming back to. Turn them into flags when exploring new lands, a cape for saving the day or a quick cover for a simple game of peek-a-boo. These Montessori faves are costly upfront, but so worth the price. SHOP AMAZON Retrospec Cricket Baby Walker Balance Bike • $49.99 It’s not too early to gift them their first set of wheels! The parent and tot-loved Cricket Baby Walker Balance Bike from Retrospec will help them develop the skills they’ll need to ride a real bike soon enough. SHOP AMAZON Manhattan Toy Playdate Friends Harper Doll • $25.06 We love these soft little plush doll friends that clean up well—they’re fully machine-washable and dryer-safe, meaning your little one can tote their new pal along anywhere and everywhere. SHOP AMAZON Radio Flyer City Trike City 4-in-1 Stroll 'N Trike • $249.99 Brand new from Radio Flyer, the City 4-in-1 Stroll ‘N Trike is a super versatile stroller-trike hybrid that lets your little one *feel* like they’re in control, though you’ve still got the wheel. It grows with your kiddo up to age five, thanks to the four functional stages, ranging from classic stroller to solo tricycle. We also love the thoughtful features like a UV protection canopy, snack tray and cup holder, three-point harness and a generous storage basket for all their essentials. SHOP RADIO FLYER SHOP AMAZON Honeysticks 100% Pure Beeswax Crayons (12 Pack) • $22.95 Little hands will love coloring with Honeysticks, which are big enough to get a whole palm around and smell like honey. The non-toxic beeswax formula will mean you can rest easy if they end up getting gnawed on, mama. SHOP AMAZON Manhattan Toy Playground Adventure Wooden Toddler Activity Center • $100 We can’t get enough of this wooden activity table that comes fully loaded with tons of options. From bead runs to gliding woodland creatures, it’s sure to keep the most discerning tot engaged for (what feels like) hours. SHOP AMAZON Melissa & Doug 60-Piece Natural Blocks Set • $72.99 You can’t go wrong with a classic block set. The timeless toy can be transformed into a tall tower, train station, busy city, castle and more—all you need is a little imagination. SHOP AMAZON A version of this story was published October 28, 2021. It has been updated. 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