Hi everyone! The top 10 toys for 1 year olds are those that not only meet their current milestone achievements, but which also help them push their abilities to the next level.
At the 12 month stage, kids are usually starting to walk by themselves (toddling along). They can imitate you and be playful. They’re starting to be in awe of their creative abilities. Drawing with a crayon, while it may end up in their mouths, is also something fascinating when they see the colors streak across the paper.
I’ve raised three babies through their 1 year old milestone. Here are the top 10 toys for 1 year olds – and why:
#1 – Vtech Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker
This toy is great. Kids this age love colorful toys, music and lights – and those that help them do what they want to do – in this case, walk! It has an educational mode and a music mode. It has a pretend phone, too – and we all know how kids love to pretend they’re talking on the phone.
#2 – Fisher-Price Ocean Wonders Soothe and Glow Seahorse
It’s around this age that kids begin getting attached to a plush toy. They want something soft and cuddly, and this glowing seahorse is perfect for both boys and girls. My kids all three had one form of glowworm or horse toy. This is a perfect toy for day or night, and it’s helpful in grabbing your tot’s attention and comforting them when they start to slumber.
#3 – Fisher-Price Brilliant Basics Baby’s First Blocks
The best toys for 1 year old kids has to include a sorting toy – and this is a colorful, safe toy that I love. One year olds start sorting. My son used to love sitting in front of our canned goods cabinet, sorting out the cans. It was so cute – but this toy is better than a canned good habit 😉
#4 – Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Magical Musical Mirror
If you ever stop and watch your one year old, see how they react when they’re in front of a mirror. Kids are amazed by themselves at this age. Mirrored toys (real yet safe mirrors, not the fuzzy and blurred kind found in cribs), are a favorite among kids this age. This specific toy is more than just a mirror – it has songs, phrases and there are lights around the mirror to showcase their beauty!
#5 – Baby Einstein Baby Neptune Ocean Orchestra Musical Toy
One year olds love to dance! Whether it’s to Barney on TV or a toy they have in the house. My kids were all toddler dancers and it filled our house with fun and laughter. This particular music toy has classical masterpieces – which supposedly stimulates babies so they turn out smarter 😉 It has two modes – symphony for the younger kids and composer for the older toddlers, so it grows with your child.
#6 – Fished Price Brilliant Basics Stack & Roll Cups
Stackable toys were on my top 10 list, and when I saw these I knew it was the best option. Not only do these stack and “nest” as they say – but they also have the ball option, with a special jingle bell ball to go inside. Kids work their minds, too – they have to learn how to organize and stack the cups so they fit right.
#7 – A Good Toddler Book
I am going to enthusiastically urge you to PLEASE read to your kids. TONs. My kids are wonderful readers – they started reading solo from a young age, and it’s because I fostered their love of books early on. Instead of recommending a specific top book (I’ll share mine), I encourage you to pick a book great for toddlers that touches on your own child’s interests – whether that’s Elmo, dinosaurs, cooking – or whatever.
Our daughter’s favorite toddler book was this one – The Belly Button Book – and every time we had to say “Beebo!” I would push her belly button and she’d giggle. Of course she would raise her shirt up right over her belly button to show me her tummy to make sure I remembered.
#8 – Sassy Developmental Sensory Ball Set
At age 1, kids are now learning how to play “roll the ball.” My kids haven’t outgrown this – they STILL do it. It’s soothing or something. I like it too. So get a good ball for rolling across the living room with your tiny tot. This is my favorite set because it gives the child choices in colors and patterns and also the feel of the ball.
#9 – Fisher-Price Brilliant Basics Corn Popper Push Toy
Kids love to mimic Mom and Dad at age 1, and one thing they may see you do is mop or vacuum the floor. The toy vacuums are a bit too much at age 1, but not this toy – and a toddler won’t know the difference. They’ll hear sounds and get to push something that resembles the shape of a vacuum. All three of my kids had one and loved it.
#10 – Crayola Color Wonder: Drawing Pad 30 Pages
I always want to encourage parents to get their kids started with arts and crafts but man, can they make a mess at age 1! No worries – two of my three kids have gotten to enjoy this handy invention – Color Wonders! The markers AND paper look blank and clear, but when your child draws, the colors appear on the page. NO MESS. Love it.
All of these options are great for toddler, and they all work to help your child begin their journey to the terrifies twos! Terrible? Not a chance – toddlers are precious and yes, sometimes persnickety – but you’ll love ever moment with them, so cherish it – they grow up too fast.
Tiff 😉