First Birthday Gift Ideas

There are some great, personalized name books that we always give for first birthdays. They are a little spendy but if you are getting several at once, there is a discount. My boys all got them as gifts and STILL love them! (The oldest is 6 and he adores his still!)

Go to www.iseeme.com

PS I'm a kindergarten teacher! Hope you're having a great school year! I'm back to work after a week of Spring Break. (Sigh!)

I always love giving books. You can usually buy a couple and not have spent too much money. They are priceless in that they keep on giving. I usually give hard cover books at this age, and then move up as they get older. I have a soon to be 3 year old and we read books every day. Just a thought.
M.

Leapfrog has some cute toys- my son liked the "Alphabet Pal". There are some other ones along those lines that run about $20. He also liked the large lego blocks- you can get a small bucket for around $15 or so at Target. Hope that helps!

Another suggestion:
Buy a package of Baby Einstein videos. They come in six packs at some stores. I know I have seen them at Costco that way and open it and give one to each child. They are wonderful videos. We have gotten so much use out of them. And my kids have learned so much! I think a pack is like $60, but you get 6 gifts out of that one purchase.

savings bond, clothes outfit, or toy. 1 year olds are just starting to walk or perfecting it so enjoy any push toys like poppers or lawnmowers, etc. They also enjoy any kind of shape fitting toy. Just go browse thru the toy dept. I'm sure you could find a toy for $10 or under.

I like books for gifts, either ones that the parents can read to the kids, or board books that the kids can carry around. Also, mini photo albums that are kid-proof, especially if you can put in a picture of the baby and his/her parents in there.

Hi S. - I am the mother of 4, and my idea to you for a 1 year old is, books, books, books!! There are so many good ones out there to choose from. You know it will be well used, not out grown in 3-6 months, or become stained and ruined, or have broken pieces or parts missing.:) You can go on some web sites and they have the best books for children broken down by age or other categories. You could always go for a certain author, e.g. Eric Carle, Kevin Henkes..., or look for one you enjoyed as a child or that has the Newberry Medal or Caldecott Medal stickers. Hope this helps! God Bless!!! N. V.

My son's favorite $20 gift when he turned one was Mega Bloks. But the best under $10 gift is a book. I highly recommend sticking with board books at age one. A child can take those to bed with them and "read" without parents worrying about them tearing the pages. I don't think you can go wrong with books by Eric Carle (i.e. "From Head to Toe," "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See," and "The Very Hungry Caterpillar") or Sandra Boynton (i.e. "The Going to Bed Book," "Oh My Oh My Oh Dinosaurs," and "Hippos Go Berzerk").

I love Melissa and Doug toys. They are wooden and safe and have great products. They usually are at some speciality kids store.

1)Easy puzzles (wooden)

2)Big crayons and paper pad (M & D have great stuff)

3) CD's and DVD's- Music is great I like the Parents line at Target, the rock and roll one is our favorite, you also can't go wrong with Little Nemo (they all love it by 2), or Elmo, or Einsteen

4) The Lawn Mower to play with in the yard or house was the biggest hit with the Pop Pop sound

5) I also have given a nice pair of shoes and parents have loved that, because they usually are walking or will be soon and growing out of a lot that they have. Robeez has a reg shoe that is great, also little Nikes, or stride rite (a lot can be found at Marshalls) also a friend always gives a stride rite gift certificate and a board book. It is a great combo

Have fun shopping-
K.

Hello S.,
My advise to you is this as we have a now 7 year old and have many birthday events passed. We try and find out what the child is into and then we pick out something. If we here that they might be getting alot of toys we try and do a smaill toy and then a cute outfit because a dhild can never have too much. LOL Our DD just a party yesterday and we gave her a short outfit with a horse and matching shorts and then she had just gotten her ears peirced and we got her a few pairs of errings and only spent $20 dollars and needless to say it was hit!! I know our is older but even at a year simple and something to get the mind going is always a plus! Oh ya and books, our DD LOVES to read and also loves to share her books/time reading to and or with others! She reads at least 30 mins a day and that's on her own choice. Any other ?'s please ask :)

Check Usborne Books - I am a consultant with this company, and we have amazing educational books that kids love! The prices are very reasonable, and you could order all at once to keep shipping prices lower than usual. Feel free to contact me if you would like personal recommendations. http://www.ubah.com/g2687

I always went with toys that can be played with for the ages of 18M and up. Most moms get infant toys as shower gifts, and by the time the babies turn toddler, there really isn't much that they want to play with as teethers get old, grimy, and boring. So when they start walking and (running), they have more toys to play with. When my twins turned one, I was more thankful to the people who geared toys in the higher age group, so in the few short months that it took them to get up and running, they had toys to play with and I didn't have to go out and spend hundreds of dollars.

I shop sales regularly, our Kmart has plenty of clearance after Xmas and after regular holidays. I have a lot of nieces and nephews, so I always grab a few if I find them. Also I shop stores like TJ Maxx and Marshall's, their toy depts have wonderful clearance.

I stay away from stuffed animals, too many kids that end up with allergies these days and they also get grimy and dust-ridden quickly. I never can afford savings bonds, they put a dollar amt on gifts which I can't stand. Also I don't do memory-filled things like handprints and etc, I have teens who could care less what their hand looked like as a baby.

I can't believe that no one has suggested these....one year olds are just starting to walk so I would get some sort of walking toy. Those 'popcorn popper' things that they push and the little plastic balls go "pop, pop". Also, there are lots of variations of the indoor ride along things like little trucks that they can either sit on and push along with their feet or stand behind and push. These were big hits with mine when they were one and they aren't too pricey. For other ideas toysrus.com has gifts listed by age group, that might help too. Good luck!

My little boy (our first)just turned one on March 30th, and my husband and I were amazed at how many gifts he got. We have actually decided to give some away because there are just too many. He likes them all, but we've discovered he loves the $50 toys just as much as the $3 ones. Balls are a big hit with him right now because he loves the interaction of throwing to someone and "catching" it back :)I would suggest a rubber ball, which comes in all shapes and sizes and is super cheap. Pair it with a nice card and I'm sure the parents will appreciate the thought. Leave the expensive gifts for the grandparents to buy :) Good luck!

Some of my son's favorite presents he received for his 1st birthday were the Fisher Price Zoo Train, Little People, Busy Ball Popper (big hit), clothes (who can't used that), a car he can shake and it drives and some other more expensive things. HTH!

S.-

I normally buy gifts for a 1 year old is summer outfits or fall outfits something that they can use and also toys for a one year old children. read the box and you will see up to 12 months or 24 months or 36 months.. I know its kind of hard to do for a 1 year old.. i am mother of 3 teenagers and 1 little girl that is 8 year old and its hard buying somethingfor a 1 year old and.. Since you want ot keep it simple buy outfit or 2 just check it out.. i am sure u will find something that you will like :) Good Luck~!

Like the other responses I recommend books - but I usually just get a $10 gift card to Barnes & Noble - you never know what someone already has.

Board books or simple toys would be fun suggestions. A one year old is just starting to enjoy books. Make sure they are durable and chewable with simple pictures!

Hi! I am about to encounter the same issue with several friends' babies and found a cute solution!

I went to a book party that a friend was having and they had these adorable books that said "That's Not My _____" and they had TONS of things to choose from! I pretty much did whatever their parents like, so for a friend that likes horses, her one-year-old daughter is getting "That's Not My Horse!" A friend that has had her daughter in pink since the day she was born got the "princess" version, etc.

Anyway, they are board books with thick pages and my little 7-month-old son loves them! They have different textures for them to feel on each page. His says "That's not my truck, it's mixer is too bumpy" and he'll reach out to feel the bumpy material. They're bright-colored, durable (he's chewed on it non-stop and it still looks great!), they show that you've put some thought into their interests, they promote reading, and they're only like $7 each!

The party was run by an Usborne books person (I had never heard of them but the stuff was pretty nice/reasonably priced) and I think you can just go online and find a consultant in your area. I'm sure they'll let you order from them if you think these books sound as cute as I did. =)

well, the best gift is usually a book! kids need and love books and as a teacher you know that.

i am an usborn books at home consultant, and i am trying to get the business off the ground. i started in september and have only had 3 shows! my site is www.usbornforthefuture.com, and you can find good sales on books there. if you are interested in having a show i am willing to work with you on that, but if you are a long ways away (and you probably are) we can do an online/book show.

anyway, just let me know!
thank you

S.,

At age one, they truly just tear at the paper....and suck on the bows! ..I have 4 girls and have done this a few times! The most ideal gift that my girls received as babies were savings bonds. They grow with time. Save the "rollicking" parties with fun toys for when they appreciate them; like their second and third birthdays. They come in handy for college! You can give a little something to wrap up, too, as a token. The baby won't know the difference! Have fun!

C.

Actually, as a mother of 2...I almost think the best gift is clothes at that age. But go up to like 18 or 24 months. Everyone gives baby clothes,0-3, 3-6, 6-9 months clothes when the baby is born which is great, but by the time the kids out grow them, we have to figure out how to supplement the upcoming ages with clothing and have it fit our budget. Getting clothes for the older ages is always welcome. You can always get toys for them, when they are older and can enjoy them more.

At the last 1 year old birthday party we went to, I picked out some cute bath toys. It was great because no one else had thought about them and the little girl didn't have any either! Just make sure they're ones that the little ones can chew on! One thing my kids loved was those toy cell phones. They're inexpensive and my kids still love them (ages 5 & 3 & 1) My son (age 1) also really likes his ride on toys and his loader by CAT/Tonka. Clothes are always nice and Target usually has really good clearance items. Another place to look for less expensive gifts is Tuesday Morning (if you have one in your area) Have fun shopping and getting ideas for yours when he turns one! :)

I have 2 little boys that have already had their first birthdays. =)
Some favorite gifts they received were Little People, board books (LOVE these! You can frequently find them at the dollar store or the dollar section at Target), blocks (our ALL-TIME favorite!!!), age appropriate Legos (there are big ones for the young toddlers), musical instruments (drum, maracas, toy piano), fun music CDs, age appropriate cars, and clothes. My youngest's favorite was a ball- they provide endless fun and only cost a few dollars.
I'm guessing girls might like a baby doll.

Blocks, balls, and stacking cups are supposedly the 3 "best" toys you can have for a small child.

Things my son (2 yrs old now) loved and still loves are:

simple wooden puzzles,
duplo blocks,
balls
stacking cups
(he's not really into the blocks at all)
baby einstien videos
Little people board books and videos
a little kitchen play set, and the cups and pots etc that go with it.
books, books, books!
large refidgerator magnets
markers (Crayola "Pip Squeaks" washable markers are actually Washable!)

anything Fisher Price is a good bet.

Avoid loud toys. I like things that don't require batteries. I've found that the simpler the toy the more the kid gets out of it.

The toys will have age guides right on them, make sure you check that. (My sister's in-laws bought my 2 yr old a magnet book that is for 4 yr olds or older- it had to get put away for "later")

Also, if your friends are in a financially tight spot, they might appreciate basics like diapers, baby wipes, baby shampoo, socks etc.

Have fun!

Books - get the parents reading to their kids as soon as possible. I go to "Half Price Books" where you can get great deals on new books. Our kids have way too many toys. Share the love of reading.

My granddaughter turned a year old last September. Her favorite toys from her birthday is a little dish set from her cousins. Make sure that they don't have small pieces that can be a choking hazzard. My granddaughter's had pegs on the lids to the teapot and sugar bowl, so we just put those up for now. She loves to pretend and is always serving us something on her dishes. She still plays with that the most. She also likes her baby dolls, giving them bottles and rocking them. She brings us blankets so we can wrap up the baby in it. Some of her other favorite things are bangle braclets, her ride on car which was only about $10 or so, her balls and books. At a year old they don't have an attention span long enough to handle videos but cd's that have music will really get her dancing. She has a little microphone that she plays with a lot. Bath toys are always fun so is soap crayons and such.

An idea that isn't toys is a savings bond or cash. Emma recieved quite a bit of cash from grandparents for her birthday and they started her a savings account. I put all my changes in a jar and cash that in to put in her account also. When it reaches $1000 they will put it into CD's for her so she will have money for college or a car when she is older.

Most kids get a zillion toys on their birthdays, esp. their 1st birthday. I would just ask the parents if there is anything the kids actually NEED.

My son is 3 months, and we are going to open a savings account for him. We are calling it his "activity account", so that when he is old to be in sports or whatever trips his trigger, we will already have the money there for it. If people ask me what to get him, I am going to suggest they put money in that account.

And not to be a wet blanket, but think long and hard about getting all these babies gifts. Once you buy for a kid, it's a sticky situation to stop doing so, so make sure you have time/money/effort to keep this up in the coming years.

A book is always a perfect gift! I had a friend though that gave me about 10 pages typed up of different nursery rhyms and songs and put them on colorful paper and put them in a page protector and then just got one big ring and attached them. They were portable, we wiped them off, they went everywhere with us and it was a cheap gift! I've used the idea and it's been received really well!
J.

Books by Sandra Boynton! Some titles are "But Not the Hippopotamus", "Barnyard Dance" and "Pajama Time". They are a delight! I got mine at Barnes and Noble but I would check Wal-Mart or Target too. You can't go wrong with books!

I know you don't want to spend too much, but I have got to tell you- www.bathboats.com
Check the site out, it's a cute story about this couple, they are artists and used to be at all the art fairs (esp. Uptown). My kids each have a boat and they are very cute- made of wood and yep, they really do float!

Board books, especially the touch & feel ones are always good.

Just a general recommendation for the near future. To save big bucks, hit clearance sales for baby clothes a year ahead. Especially if you know people who will be having babies soon, or are anticipating a slew of birthdays etc. Generally stores like Target, Kohl's and the other big chains have their big clearances in January, April, late July, and sometimes in October.

For example, if I'm at the January clearance, I'll pick out winter clothes for the next year, by anticipating what size clothes their kids will need next winter. You can save loads on things like winter coats, dressy suits, sleepers etc. You can even find baby equipment deals too. This past winter, I was able to outfit my cousins baby and one of my girlfriends' new baby both for under $20. Each mom got about $80 worth of clothes and baby equipment (one got a high-end baby sling, the other a 5 speed name-brand swing--no joke!) for under $20. Deals like these don't happen in a vaccume. It does take alot of work, and its a year round process. I'm always shopping and putting things aside for the future. But you can save alot of money that way if you make it habit, rather than something you do at the last minute. It's a matter of keeping your eyes open for the really good deals, and snapping them up for later. Last minute leaves very little options for cheap.

As to your question for actual ideas..get something they didn't get on their registry that they still want. Maybe they wanted a take along booster seat to go to the restarant, or they need a small lightweight stroller for quick trips, like an umbrella stroller. Maybe take along or disposable table mats for restaurant tables. Those throw away plastic sippies and tumblers with t.v. and story book characters, and related spoons, bowls, etc. by First Step are great. They now sell them in gift packs and can be found by the sippies section of most stores.

By age 1, they really start to take off and get active. They love anything that looks like stuff mom and dad use. I am a huge fan of the Parent's line of toys at Target, for this age group. They're really well made, in a good price range, very creative, and kids love them, and actually play with them. The Parent's cell phone was huge hit with all of my kids, big and small. Kids or you can record your voice. When closed, the phone will call/ring. When the child answers, one of four random voices will be on the other end, including the message you recorded. For $8.00 this is a real bargain.

My kids' other favorite Parents toy is the remote control car. As soon as a child can walk which happens pretty quickly after turning 1, they can have a really good time with this one. Unlike a remote control car for an older child, this one has only one button. Depending on how many times a child hits the button will determine, where, where and how the car will move and or turn. It has crazy flashing lights and great car sounds. It's a real thriller for the little ones who love discovering cause and effect with it. If you want to see and hear screams and squeals of delight, both girls and boys, big and small love this thing. It costs $15.

The Parents fake PDA is great its like a tiny magnadoodle which makes it a great toy to stick in your purse for a later restaurant stop, or long car ride. The Parent's Karaoke microphone with the voice recording option is nice too. Both of these cost $8.00 too. I especially like the Parent's brand writing lap desk ($20), their bug band ($20), giant puzzle cube (very pricey at $60.00) and their magnetic school house for ($14).

We have alot of Parents stuff. I can honestly say, I like it so much and just about all of our littlest's toys are Parents brand, I should be their official spokesperson. I'm also a big fan of the Take Along Thomas and the Wooden Thomas the Tank engine sets. Leapfrog products are great. Chicco products are good too. I personally gravitate toward creative play stuff like puppets, wooden toys, construction/building toys. Even playdough, fingerpaints, crayons and paper are good for kids that can sit up and hold things. They love to scribble, or squish dough, or smear paint around. If their parents won't object to messy presents this is another idea.

I really grew to hate Fisher Price stuff and the other "usual fare" because I think they're poorly made, too big and cumbersome, and unimaginative. My beef is after my first child's 1st birthday, and five FP buildings and 20 Little People later (the firehouse, the airport, Noah's Ark, the Farmhouse and the very huge parking ramp)I had to move my kid out of his own bedroom to store these things. Everyone, I mean everyone bought that stuff for him (there isn't alot of stuff to pick from for kids in this age grouop) and I started to hate it. I moved these stupid buildings from one end of my house to the other.

Until I started downsizing, our family room looked like "Discovery Village". And, if I had to hear Aaron Neville singing "Little People" one more time I was goina' lose it! (In case you're wondering some of the FP sets come with a claymation video starring the Little People characters. The theme being sung by A. Neville. Don't get me wrong he's okay when you don't hear his wavery voice 20xs over!)

If you think I'm overreacting, just check out your local Once Upon a Child and Ebay. I don't think I'm alone in my grudge. Those places are just swamped with desperate moms trying to get rid of these huge things. You wait and see, you're turn is coming up pretty soon. Fisher Price stuff is probably the top pick by people everywhere to get a child turning age 1. Get ready now.. maybe sell your family room couch. That should make enough room for the stuff!

I guess I'm little indignant because I'm old enough to remember FP when they actually used wood, they were small enough to store on a shelf or in a closet, and actually had some creativity. So I guess I'd say in my very wordy round about way..don't get anyone any FP stuff unless they ask for it or you enjoy tempting your own fate. I'm pretty sure they'll get a ton of it. It's a grandparent favorite. Especially if you're really close with your mother-in-law!!

How about some toy or book with color and sound.
Or maybe a cd you made of the childs favorite songs- stories or photo sound one of your child and theirs or just theirs.

Walmart has plenty of toys $5 and under.

See what the Mom needs...like if it is a second hand you can offer to set up a play time to give her time out.

My one family member is so messy i gave the children to go reuseable plates,silverware and lids on bowls and cups to match in a travel bag.

Dollar stores has travel bibs,wipes,shampoo, etc for $1 etc.

D.

You could put together a toddler travel kit, which would also be a gift for the mom! You could include a snack trap cup, a couple of snacks, a travel magna doodle, a small cardboard book, a little stuffed animal, a notepad, a pack of colored pencils, etc. One thing my 20 month old daughter loves when we travel is a photo album. I just picked up one of those $2 plastic albums and filled it with pictures of her, mommy, daddy and our extended family. She loves to flip through the pages and say who everyone is and if she tears them it doesn't matter because the album was so cheap.

I've enjoyed giving (and getting) the Leap Frog interactive Fridge toys (Target, Walmart, Toys R Us, almost any kids store)- they have the farm one with the animals, a Fridge DJ (radio), an alphabet one and a numbers one, plus others. They are usually around $15. For me, it's one of those things that I enjoy getting because it might not be something that I spend the money on to pick up for my own kids. So in my mind, it makes a great gift. I have 2 boys and they STILL play with them (they are now 2 1/2 yrs and 4 yrs old). Hope this helps....
Tami

There are bath toys, clothes, any toy in the toy isle that says for 1 year. There are stacking toys and big plastic blocks. Almost anything that is bigger than a toilet paper roll (cannot fit inside of it) and does not have small parts that can break off. Sand toys or smaller balls. Summer hats or baseball caps to keep babies heads protected in the summer. There a floating things to put babies in in pools (with parents supervision of coarse). Smaller ride on toys, push toys. Babies at this age are interested in bubbles (the kind you blow). Possibly a small wading pool. ETC ETC ETC

outside toys like a beach set with buckets and shovels

those plastic lawnmowers toddlers push in the grass and bubbles blow out

the big Duplo legos

Hi S.
It looks like you have lots of responces already but I would like to add Discovery Toys! I am an educational consultant and they have awesome awesome toys that are educational and fun. And best of all they grow with the child. Check out my website www.discoverytoyslink.com/lynnkinkaid there are toys for every age!

a book is great for that age if your crafty you can get fabric a JoAnns or other places that are story books you just cut and sew fairly easy sturdy books for little one and semi home made always makes up for cost differance.they can chew on them they are washable if that doesn't work some of those board books the thicker ones are nice too.

I have found books to always be a winner!!!