Best gifts for a baby’s first birthday: ideas for interactive presents for 1 year olds

A 1st birthday is an important milestone in a child’s life - and these are some best toys to buy as presents for a one year old on this special day
Best interactive toys to give as gifts for a baby’s first birthdayBest interactive toys to give as gifts for a baby’s first birthday
Best interactive toys to give as gifts for a baby’s first birthday

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Toys are, of course, a lot of fun for your little one, but they are also crucial in helping them to grow, learn and develop in the crucial early stages of their life.

It’s at this point that your child will begin to use words, be able to stand on his or her own two feet and even take their first few tentative steps.

To help your little one learn even more it’s a good idea to encourage active play. Besides being great fun, and a source of giggles, play  will also help you and your loved ones to strengthen your bond with a little one.

Here are eight of the top toys to buy for a child’s first birthday which are both fun and educational.

What else can I buy for a young child?

If you’re looking for even more presents to spark joy as children grow, check out these toys inspired by Disney’s Encanto.

Or, if you want cosy duvet sets to encourage older children to want to go to bed, check out our guide to the best kids bedding.

This super cute toy combines three things your little one will love; vibrant colours, sounds and and dancing.

The duck sings fun and happy tunes while flapping its wings, which also light up with lots of bright colours. Your child will soon be happily singing and dancing along.

There are four buttons on the duck’s body -  when pressed each one plays a different sound, so your little one can have fun exploring and starting to develop their matching skills too.

Highly educational, this toy has won multiple awards, including Creative Child Toy of the Year and Creative Play of the Year Award 2019 - so it’s beloved by industry experts and parents alike.

There are three modes for your little boy or girl to play with. They simply touch or spin the wheel and they’ll be learning about colours, shapes or feelings.

It’s designed to improve their hand eye coordination, motor functions, memory, motor functions and dexterity.

With so many elements to it, there will be something new to discover every time they pick up the wheel.

Stacking cups are a timeless gift for babies because they have so many uses, and continue to be useful as they grow.

There are 10 colourful, numbered cups in this pack that your baby can stack and nest into each other.

Easy to transport, they can be used at home or outdoors, in the bath or pool, or even the sandbox - they have tiny holes for sifting and sprinkling.

Acute animal cup can be put on top of the whole stack with fun sounds and blinking lights.

They’ll start to develop their knowledge of shapes, sizes and numbers with this classic toy.

Little ones can open the wooden ark to reveal 14 wooden Noah’s Ark animals lined two-by-two, with 2 wooden people accompanying them.

All they have to do is lift up the removable lid.

Babies can develop their imagination, creativity, exploration, and independence with this traditional toy.

As well as being fun to play with, each animal piece has their own specially cut storage space, which will also help them to recognise shapes and develop their stacking and sorting abilities.

This colourful bouncer offers hours of fun for your little one. It has a cute rainforest theme, and there’s lots of new animal friends for them to meet.

As they bounce around, they can play with the soft toys, clickers, rattles and even discover lights and sound effects, so there’s something to stimulate all the senses.

Babies can reach, grasp, move, groove, and jump - all things that give developing motor skills a helpful boost.

It has a sturdy frame too so you can be sure your baby will be safe while they happily bounce away.

The ‘Hey Duggee’ TV show has been loved by youngsters since it was first released eight years ago.

There are three ways to play with this super cute cuddly toy, and children can hear sounds from the hit BBC show, ask Duggee questions or activate him with their voice.

All they have to do is press his paws and tummy to get him to say phrases or hear sounds, and Duggee’s heart also lights up as he talks too for another colourful element that will mesmerise your little one as they learn more about the world around them.

Babies partly learn by imitation, and they will have definitely seen adults around them using phones, making this a brilliant gift.

This toy is great for inspiring early role play. As they pretend to talk on their phone they’ll practice making sounds and develop their speech.

The phone can play 10 melodies, flashing lights, and animal sounds, and will also help develop your little boy or girl’s hand-eye coordination.

Age one is a great time to introduce a baby to their first bike. Sturdy and stable, this three-wheel bicycle ensures fun and safety for your little one at the same time.

Recipient  of the Made for Mums 2021 silver award, you have peace of mind that this toy has already been given approval by other parents..

Thanks to the 3 wheel design, the bike can help encourage walking, coordination, balance and motor skills - and it also has a super cute giraffe design.

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