Great Birthday Gifts for a 1 Year Old

Gifts for All Price Ranges Sure to Please

I have a son that recently turned one. He received many things for his birthday, and while we definitely appreciated the fact that people were thoughtful enough to give him gifts, we often wondered why they chose to give him those gifts. He received many toys that were for children more than twice his age and many clothes that were too big as well. It seems that he actually got very few age appropriate items. At first I was puzzled about this but then I realized that maybe people just don't realize what 1 year old babies need.

Toys are always a great hit with 1 year olds. Many babies love toys that make noise, but be sure and check with parents before actually buying any loud ones. They could get you in big trouble otherwise. Also, when buying toys be sure to check the label for an age recommendation. Some 1 year olds are ready for toys that say 18 months + but many are not. If you don't know the baby well enough to know what they are and aren't capable of, just stick with the toys that say 12+ or younger. Babies get too frustrated by toys that are too advanced for them.

Books are also a great idea. Most 1 year old children love simple, colorful books. When looking for books for children, it can be a little trickier than toys because most don't have age recommendations on them. For a 1 year old, you should definitely look at construction. Babies tend to put anything and everything directly in their mouth. Board books and cloth books are both excellent choices for babies. Also, look for books with just a few words on each page. Too many words cause babies to get bored before someone gets all the way through reading each page. Pictures of babies and/or animals always seem to be a hit for babies as well.