7 First Birthday Gift Ideas For One-Year-Olds

A baby’s first birthday is a big milestone for family and friends to gather and celebrate. Part of the fun is shopping around and finding a gift for your little tiny loved one. However, you’ve probably realized pretty quickly that it’s a large undertaking with the thousands of options available to you.

One way to narrow down your options is to decide which type of gift you would like to give. We’ve found that there are three overarching categories that encompass most one-year-old birthday gift ideas for the new toddler in your life: practical, outdoors, and play. 

These gifts may not be the most glamorous, but there’s a perfect place for them in every child’s life. They’ll be used frequently and, most importantly, appreciated by the parents, too! 

Most one-year-olds are either very new to walking or about to achieve this amazing milestone. There are tons of cute toddler shoes to choose from but picking out age-appropriate shoes is really important. You’ll want to focus on lightweight and flexible soft-soled shoes for first-year birthday gifts.

Freshly Picked has a wide range of genuine leather soft-soled moccasins with multiple patterns to choose from. Not only are there fun colors, but Disney lovers can also share their interests with Disney-themed moccasin shoes. The limited collections include Harry Potter, Pixar, and even adorable Gilmore Girls or Friends-themed moccs.

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Let’s face it; toddlers love books with familiar characters, animals, and even songs. However, toddlers may not be interested in reading a book for long, so choosing one with tactile pieces can increase their focus. One book that meets every recommendation is Never Touch a Polar Bear, complete with silly rhymes and silicone touch-and-feel features. 

Spending time outdoors increases vitamin D levels, promotes better sleep, and provides new play environments. These toys improve on these already outstanding benefits. 

Riding a bike is a rite of passage for many during their childhoods, with benefits such as building muscle, improving coordination, and reducing stress. Even though traditional bikes are outside of a toddler’s capability, interest in riding a bike can be fostered early with three- or four-wheeled bikes. A sturdy bike with no pedals that can also function as a walker is perfect to choose for one-year-old birthday gifts. Bikes also help them to develop leg strength and balance. There are tons of options on the market that are reliable, multi-purpose, retro-style, and for small children. 

Though splash pads and pools can be great sources of enjoyment for toddlers, the setup or travel time can be tedious for parents. A good compromise? Water tables! Requiring much less space and water than pools, they also contain pieces and parts that can keep children occupied for hours. A water table can grow with the toddler. Younger children will splash in the water and then explore the table features as they grow. You can find options that have easy assembly and a large number of included activities. Some units come with lots of accessories, or even sand, and also come for all budgets. 

Playing builds a healthy body while encouraging greater independence and creativity. The toys on this list were made with these benefits specifically in mind. 

These boards, also known as wobble boards, are popular for children. They’re minimalistic curved wooden boards used for exercise and play – the simple design allows for creative play and exploration by the child. It can be used as a slide, a fort, a lounger, or a rocker.

Freshly Picked offers a high-quality laminated beech plywood baby balance board with a sleek design to fit any home décor. The board has a weight rating of 440 pounds and will continue its use long into childhood. It can be paired with Freshly Picked’s machine-washable cloud-shaped baby play mat to provide a cushioned surface for safer play. 

Little ones constantly explore their environments, and sometimes curiosity can get the best of them (especially around stairs and furniture). Getting them a climbing toy can provide exhaustion-inducing play for a toddler in a safer, parent-approved way. A few things to look for when picking one out? Keep in mind things like overall safety, ease of cleaning, and length of use for your little one. Other factors to consider are the amount of supervision required, configuration possibilities, and indoor/outdoor use.

These sensory boards are play stations that help with physical and cognitive development in early childhood. They can also promote fine motor skills, problem-solving, and open-ended play. Though sensory boards can be made at home, they also make excellent birthday gifts for one-year-olds. There are a variety of boards available that accomplish many different objectives with playtime. It will be easy to find a board that fits the personality and home of the child you’re shopping for. 

Ready to get shopping for your little one’s birthday? You can’t go wrong with the items on this list!

At Freshly Picked, we are proud of our high-quality beautiful products made for moms by moms. And when you wrap it up in colorful paper, what’s not to love?