Best Age-Appropriate Toys for a 1-Year-Old
Buying a toy is not an expense, it’s an investment you make for the improved growth of your child. For one-year-old babies, finding a toy is harder. Because most of the time they can’t tell you what they want. You have to guess their area of interest and their needs to find the best age-appropriate toys for a 1-year-old.
In this article, we will have a look on the developmental stage of a one year old child. So that we can find the best toys your child will love.
Please note that this article contains affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure at the bottom of the page.
In this Articles:
- 1-year-old child’s developmental stage
- Things a 1-year-old will start exploring
- Types of toys a 1-year-old should play with
- Best Age-appropriate toys for a 1-year-old (find best toys for 1-year-old kids here)
- Types of toys you should never buy for a 1-year-old
1-year-old child’s developmental stage:
Physical Development:
At the age of 1 year, a child will be starting to take little steps. Most of the babies can stand at this age with light support. The child can sit (from a standing position) independently.
Language and Communication:
The child may start saying simple words like mama and dada. He/she may understand your sentences and respond with gestures. The child will make sounds just like he/she is speaking.
Motor skills and brain development:
At the age of 1 year old, the baby may
- Follow the direction of fingers when you will point towards something
- open up the jar or container
- follow simple instruction like give me this “thing”
- try to find hidden things
- start using gesture to say something
Emotional development:
A one-year-old will start following the emotions like getting nervous in the presence of a stranger, causing some trouble to seek attention, or crying when mama is not there.
Things a 1-year-old will start exploring:
For choosing the age-appropriate toys for a 1-year-old, you have to understand the things that the child will be trying to explore. If you will buy a dollhouse set then she may not take an interest. All he/she would do is to try to eat the doll furniture. This is because the child is not trying to understand that how to use the furniture in the right way.
At this age, the child will be trying to explore colors, shapes, sounds, and senses like touch and taste. So, instead of getting some pretend and play or some games, you should invest in some shape sorters or color sorters.
Boys vs. girls:
At this age, there will be almost no difference in the needs & wants of the boys and girls. As they will grow up, the boys will start loving the cars and the girls will go for the dolls.
Types of toys a 1-year-old should play with:
Based on the developmental stage and interest of the children, you should consider the following characteristics when choosing an age-appropriate toy for a 1-year-old.
- Bright colors
- Shapes
- Toys that help in movement
- Toys making sounds
- Sensory toys, which gives a different sensation
- Toys making any movement
- Follow the safety guidelines
Best Age-appropriate toys for a 1-year-old:
Now, coming to the main idea of the articles:
Find the list of best toys that are age-appropriate for a 1-year-old:
- Musical toys
- Shape sorters & pounders
- Stacking toys
- Walking and pulling toys
- Sensory toys and plushies
- Peek-a-boo toys
- Board Books
- Bath toys
- Blocks
- Riding Bikes
1- Musical toys:
1- LeapFrog Learning Friends 100 Words Book
This Leapfrog Learning Friends 100 words book will help the child in learning 100 new words in 2 languages.
This includes Word categories include: pets, animals, food, mealtime, colors, activities, opposites, outside and more
Touching the words on the pages plays the words, sound effects and fun facts; hear the Learning Friends theme song and My Favorite Word by pressing the light-up star button.
2- VTech Musical Rhymes Book
Easy-to-turn pages feature engaging nursery rhymes and cheerful pictures
Twist and slide fun play pieces on colorful pages
Learning and music modes introduce age-appropriate vocabulary, music, and instrument sounds
5 colorful piano buttons play music and introduce instruments and colors
3- Smarty Electronic Interactive Alphabet Wall Chart
EDUCATIONAL TOY FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT
Toddlers and young children get to learn the alphabet, word association, learn numbers and take quizzes
GREAT ADDITION TO YOUR NURSERY OR GAME ROOM
This interactive ABC wall poster will complement your child’s room or game room. Colorful attractive design will engage and provide hours of fun exploration and learning for your little one.
INTUITIVE FUN LEARNING
This wall poster helps your little one to develop new skills needed for preschool and beyond.
MUSICAL
Sing along and dance to 9 popular kids’ song such as the ABC song, Bingo, The Finger Family song, Five Little Monkeys, Head Shoulders Knees and Toes, If You’re Happy and You Know It!, Three Little Kittens, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, Wheels On The Bus
DOESN’T TAKE SPACE AND BATTERIES INCLUDED
Just hang it on the wall and forget it. No messy toys to clean up. Automatically shuts off to preserve battery life.
4- Pasaca Toys Kids Learning Pad Music Fruitage
CHILD AND BABY MUSIC TOY – This music fruitage book makes learning fun, includes 4 pages learning fruites, colors and lovely songs and melodies
MULTI-FUNCTION LEARNING TOY FOR EARLY CHILD – Toddlers and young children get start with 3 educational learning modes: fruit, color and music
HIGH-QUALITY TOY – Smooth angle, thick plastic, colorful printing, lovely illustration, and clear voice, all think about the kids!
2- Shape Sorters or pounders:
1- Melissa & Doug Deluxe Pounding Bench:
This classic pounding wooden toy is made of colorful, non-removable pegs on the bench go up and down, they play peekaboo, taking turns showing their friendly smiles.
It helps children practice fine motor skills. The action of the pegs helps children name the colors and provides an effective, hands-on, screen-free play option.
Each part of this toy set is made up of solid wood which is non-breakable and the pegs are non-removable. So This is a perfectly safe option for 1 year old kids.
2- Melissa & Doug Shape Sorting Cube:
The Melissa & Doug Shape-Sorting Cube Classic Wooden Toy is a beautifully constructed wooden toy with 12 bright-colored, easy-to-grip shapes.
This ever-popular shape and color activity is sure to engage children. Each shape is designed to fit through a matching hole on the wooden cube.
Melissa & Doug early development toys are made to last. This colorful toy for toddlers and preschoolers promotes color and shape recognition and problem-solving skills.
3- Fisher-Price Baby’s First Blocks
10 colorful blocks to sort, stack and drop
​All blocks fit inside bucket for storage
​Easy-carry handle for take-along play
​Introduces baby to colors and shapes
All the bright colors and fun shapes help to engage your baby’s natural sense of curiosity during playtime.
4- DreamPark educational shape sorter:
Dreampark shape sorter helps with the child’s motor skills and Improved hand and eye co-ordination and color identification. It improves brain power by encouraging a child to use the brain to match the shapes.
It is Environmental and high quality wood, water-based paint, safe and non-toxic, mommy assured. The edges of the Stacking Geometric Board are smooth and won’t hurt the baby’s skin. We insist in adopt high-quality craft and make delicate products attentively for kids and toddlers.
5- FatBrainToys Deluxe busy time play cube:
Large zoo-themed play table packed with fascinating activities to explore
Encourages fine motor skills, spatial reasoning, early reading, cause-and-effect learning, shape matching
Features shape-matching slots, spinning gears, opening doors, sliding beads, and moreFeatures all sorts of different zoo-animal friends
Includes play cube, 6 shape blocks (square, oval, triangle, pentagon, star, clover), hammer
Measures 23 inches tall, including bead rails
Made of strong, sturdy wood and metal – Exceptionally durable and safe
3- Stacking Toys
1- GeoPeg Stacking Tower
3-peg base for stacking 3 sets of colorful wooden blocks
Encourages fine motor skills, visual-spatial skills, sequencing, color-learning, shape-learning, size-learning, creativity
A timeless, early-childhood essential
Features doughnuts, cones, and octagonsStack from big to small, warm to cool colors, or cool to warm colors
Practice stacking them in order, then start exploring freely and creatively
Includes wooden base with 3 pegs, 6 octagons, 5 cones with cylinder topper, 7 doughnuts with sphere topperMade entirely of strong wood, exceptionally well crafted
2- Rainbow Nesting & Stacking Cups:
​Our toys improve motor control and hand/eye skills in young children, they also help you teach sorting sizes, counting to 10, and learning colors. Playing these developmental games encourages brain development in babies, all the way up to preschool.
​These stacker toys are very light weight and the ring shape makes stacking and knocking them over safe for children. ​Your kids will love building these blocks into colorful towers​ (almost as much as theyâ€ll love knocking them down!)
BPA, Phosphate, and Lead-Free – Made from high-quality plastic material that is safe for all ages! Itâ€s the perfect learning toy for newborns (under 6 months old), infants (up to 12 months) and toddlers (1 year old to 18 months). They come in a 10 piece set and stack up to 25 inches tall.
3- Woodland Friends Stacking Cubes
Encourages fine motor skills, number learning, creativity, visual-spatial skills
Cubes printed with another woodland friend plus fun things to count
Cubes each present another number, counting from 10 to 1
Stack the cubes from big to small, arrange them any way you want, nest them inside each other
Includes 10 cubes sized big to small
High quality, heavy-duty cardboard construction, BPA-Free, non-toxic, strong – Durable, and safe for baby, Largest cube measures 5.875 x 5.875 x 5.875 inches
4- Count and Sort Stacking Tower
Stacking toy with 55 colorful shapes and 10 number tiles
An engaging classic toy filled with exciting details
Shapes include circle, square, triangle, diamond, rectangle, hexagon, and more
Sturdy wooden construction for years of play
Encourages color, shape, and number recognition, as well as sorting and fine motor skills
4- Walking Toys & Pull Toys
1- Scoop ‘n Scoot Ice Cream Walker
Baby walker designed to look like an ice cream truck, complete with accessories,
Encourages gross motor skills, coordination, imaginative play
Features pretend ice-cream treats to hand out
Cones feature scoops that connect magnetically
All treats fit into their own storage slots
Features plenty of space inside for carrying child’s favorite toys
Features 3 spinning tiles built into the side
Rubber-lined wheels roll smoothly yet provide ideal amount of resistance
Includes ice cream truck walker, 4 cones, 4 scoops, 3 popsicles, 4 lollypops
Assembly required – Detailed assembly instructions included
Measures 18 x 19.5 x 9.5 inches
High-quality wood and metal construction – Lasting durability and safety
2- Busy Baby Deluxe Walker
Wooden baby walker packed with loads of fun sensory activities
Encourages gross motor skills, coordination, fine motor skills, exploration, experimentation
Features net-covered storage space for carrying toys around
Left side features shape-sorting slots for 3 included blocks, colorful beads encased in a clear plastic screen
Front features bead counter, mirror, xylophone, squiggly bead track, spinning gears, spinning blocks printed with vehicles
Right side features vehicle blocks that slide along squiggly cutout track
Includes Deluxe Walker, 3 wooden shape blocks, mallet for xylophone
3- VTech Pull and Sing Puppy:
Push or pull the playful puppy using the cord to activate music while building gross motor skills
Three colorful buttons promote fine motor skill development in toddlers
Introduces numbers, colors and parts of the body; plays music and puppy sounds to promote language development in a playful way
Light-up nose flashes along with all voice, sound, and musical responses to attract your little oneâ€s attention
Intended for ages 6-36 months; requires 2 AAA batteries; batteries included for demo purposes only; new batteries recommended for regular use
5- Sensory toys and plushes
1- Fat Brain Toys Sensory Balls
Enhance both fine motor skills and gross motor skills
Encourage sensory exploration
Stimulate interest in socialization with others
Recommended by physical therapists and early childhood educators
Well constructed of highly durable materials
Each set includes 4 primary colored balls: 1 each Yellow, Blue, Green, Red, Each ball is 4″ in size
These sensory balls are PVC Phthalate-free plastic. They are also Latex-free & BPA-free. The sensory balls meet and exceed all safety standards in the U.S. Canada and Europe.
2- Konig Kids Textured Multi Sensory Ball Set:
PERFECT FOR TACTILE AND SENSORY STIMULATION – These sensory toys have different textures for tactile exploration and sensory development. Their bright colors are ideal for visual stimulation and can spark your kidâ€s imagination.
SOFT LIGHTWEIGHT & DURABLE – These brightly colored textured balls for baby are lightweight, durable and long lasting. Giving these easy to grasp and hold baby sensory balls is a very effective way to develop baby’s tactile senses.
SAFE FOR KIDS – Each stress relief ball is non-toxic and is perfectly sized for baby’s little hands making it the safest choice for babies and for toddlers. Recommended for 6 months and up.
BABY HANDS SQUEEZE BALLS – The balls make a squeak when your little one grasp it. Developing auditory sense while rolling, tracking and bouncing these balls. Ideal gifts for babies and toddlers.
BPA FREE – Soft material, concave, and convex touching feeling and shapes designed according to the size of the baby’s hands. The soft material is easy for the baby to grip, play with happy time!
6- Peek-a-boo toys:
1- Peek-a-Boo Furry Friends Animated Peek-a-Boo Puppy Plush:
INTERACTIVE PUPPY PLUSH: Playful Peek-A-Boo Puppy features safe, soft embroidered eyes and movable arms holding a matching, pink satin-accented blanket that provides additional tactile play sensation.
PRESS TO PLAY: At the push of a button on its foot, Puppy greets and invites baby to play, lifts the blanket and hides before popping back out to delight baby with an interactive game of peek-a-boo
SOFT & HUGGABLE: Made from a soft, huggable material, this plush toy features surface-washable construction for easy cleaning. Plush comes packaged inside a poly bag.
THE PERFECT GIFT: Animated plush makes a perfect gift for birthdays, baby showers, baptisms, Easter & Christmas & more!
Includes: 10†Peek-A-Boo Plush
7- Board books
8- Bath toys
1- Munchkin Bath Letters and Numbers
Set of 36 foam letters and numbers for learning in the tub
Encourages early learning, letter and number recognition, sequencing, spelling skills, early math
Foam letters and numbers float in water, stick to the walls when wet
Includes 26 letters from A to Z, 10 numbers from 0 to 9
Made of soft, durable, non-toxic foam
8- Blocks:
1- Explore and Discover Sensory Blocks
Set of 12 blocks designed to stimulate the senses, inspire curiosity
Encourages fine motor skills, spatial reasoning, sensory learning, tactile discovery
Explore stacking, arranging, shape-builing with 6 basic blocks
Fascinate the eyes and ears with 6 special blocks
All blocks fit nicely inside included wooden storage trayBlocks made of high-quality solid wood
Cubes each measure 1.5 x 1.5 x 1.5 inches
High-quality materials and construction – Lasting durability
9- Riding Bikes:
1- YBike PEWI ELITE
A walking, riding a balance bike for toddlers
Encourages gross motor skill development
Strengthens balance, coordination, strength, spacial awareness
Casters have non-mark surface and spin 360 degrees
Puncture resistant wheelsChoose 1 of 3 colors: blue, purple, green
Pewi Elite has a padded seat for extra comfort
Start walking at 9 months, and ride up to 36 months
Weight limit: 44 poundsSimple assembly required
Dimensions: 22 x 18 x 18 inches
Types of toys you should never buy for a 1-year-old:
We have discussed the toys, you should buy for a 1-year-old and suggested the best out of the catagory. Now, here are some toys that you should not buy for a 1-yea-old child.
1- Toys having plastic edges
2- Toys that are easily breakable
3- Pretend Play toys: A one year old will not understand the use of pretend play so it’s just waste of money.
4- Toys that require critical problem solving like puzzles. Little brains are already busy in understanding their own body.
More of your interest:
Toddler Toys | 15 best Fun & Learn Toys
5 Best play-sets for indoor playgrounds
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