What to buy for a 1-year-old’s birthday

Since I’m the mom of a soon-to-be one-year-old (insert crying face emoji here) I have birthdays on my mind. Several of my girlfriends had babies in 2016 as well, so this year is shaping up to be chock full of first birthdays. I’m sure for many people out there it’s tough to decide what to get the tiny human in your life. After all, they’re only one right what can they possibly need?

I think presents for one-year-olds can be lumped into three categories: Fun, Educational and Functional. Once you narrow down the category you want to go for, it should make purchasing a bit easier. I’ve rounded up a few of my favorites (all under $50!) and items I’ve been eyeing/heard good things about to get you started.

Fun

Baby Moccasins – You can’t go wrong with some adorable baby moccasins. Not only are they cute and stylish, they actually stay on babies feet!! So parents will appreciate this gift 🙂
Safari Tent & Tunnel – I can imagine the amount of joy this would bring to your resident one-year-old.
Personalized Name Book – This is such a sweet gift option. A book that is personalized with the child’s name in it is sure to be a hit for years to come!
Laptop & Smartphone Gift Set – What’s cuter than a tiny human mimicking adult actions (ie chatting on phones and typing away on laptops.) I know my daughter lovvvess taking these two items away from me so a fun, kid-friendly option is a slam dunk!

Educational
Touch & Teach Word Book – Going the educational route will probably leave you with some happy parents. (After all who doesn’t want their kid to be even smarter?!) This touch and teach word book is a gift that can grow with the child and be used for several years.
Alex Jr Busy Tot Activity Triangle – Technically this is definitely a fun gift option but one that is educational as well. There’s several activities that are sure to light up your little one’s critical thinking skills.
Stack & Sort Buckets – So clearly educational toys for one-year-olds is using the word educational loosely. I mean they’re really learning with everything they do, including learning how to stack (and knock down) these buckets. Can also double up as a bath time toy 🙂
Melissa & Doug’s Shape Sorting Cube – This oldie but goodie promotes color and shape recognition as well as problem solving skills.

Functional
Blouse & Shorts Combo – An idea that is absolutely functional and is universally appreciated are clothes! As long as you include a gift receipt it’s a fantastic gift idea. Pro tip: Always buy bigger sizes. So if you’re buying for a one-year-old I’d recommend buying 18 month if not 2T sizes, that way you ensure the clothes you buy won’t be too small 🙂
Block and Roll Push Toy – Since this is the age where many kids or learning to walk, this toy can help your one-year-old sharpen his/her walking skills. It also includes fun blocks for more playtime fun.
Flippy Snack Cup – I think most parents of toddlers will agree snack cups are a necessity. You can never have enough them (I literally lose several on a weekly basis, only to rediscover them days later.) Any sort of feeding-related sets i.e. cups/bowls/spoons can be a very functional gift idea.
Buy Buy Baby Gift Card – And last but not least, if all else fails, there’s always the gift card. Buy Buy Baby is hugely popular among parents (especially thanks to their 20% off coupons) so if you really have no clue what to get, a gift card from this place will do the trick.

Hope you enjoy these suggestions! And happy gift hunting 🙂