B-day Gifts

If I were to ask for gifts - I would suggest books. You end up with so many toys. Pajamas are another thing. I hate spending money on pajamas. They are expensive - but the perfect price for a gift. Another thing might be a family memebership to your local zoo or something like that. Winter clothing will be out by then. You can always suggest items in a bigger size to plan forward.

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If you have someone wanting to get her a bigger or nicer gift, I highly recommend the Kettler tricycle with the push bar and seat belt. One year olds get a TON of use out of it!

Diapers!

I know it's not a "fun" gift, but we we asked everyone for diapers when my daughter turned one and we received enough to last for MONTHS. My daughter didn't care because one year olds have more fun with wrapping paper and boxes anyway. I liked the diapers because they're incredibly useful and you don't have to worry about pretending to like the thoughful (but awful/ugly/inappropriate) gifts some people give... Plus I'm really picky about the kind of toys I want her to play with, I like low tech, high creativity toys (no batteries, flashing lights, or push button noises), and it is easier to diaper sizes to a lot of people than toy preferences.

I asked for clothes- But an awesome Idea is savings bonds!! That way it is not rude asking for money to put in an account for her-

I know a lot of people asked us for both our son's birthdays. One suggestion we made was a savings bond. It is something that lasts a lot longer than the standard toys and clothes. Usually immediate family will be ammenable to this idea! It starts your little one with savings for college and the future!

I agree with the other mommies............savings bonds are number 1 with me then comes memberships to the zoo or COSI cause she won't remember this B-day but a gift that gives after will be!!!!!

A zoo membership would be fun for all of you. Bathtub accessories were popular with my boys. Water crayons, colored bubbles, those toys that spit water out as the scoot around the tub etc. She will get enough dolls, books are a much better alternative.

Books, you can never have too many! Clothes, even if you ask for a couple sizes larger because they are always growing. Someone got my son a baby swing for outside which was wonderful, but his birthday is a March thing so we do summer stuff then. If there's anything she needs or that you've wanted to get but for whatever reason haven't, ask for it. I also opened up a savings account for my son at this point. Any money he got for holidays and birthdays since has gone into the account. For me, since I've been in school, a single mom and not getting much child support, I have used it to do things with my son we wouldn't otherwise get to do. This way he gets to do special things, like the mueseum, around the year. I take pictures and make little books out of them. At next years party (or any party at our house) I let him share the pictures of the special things we did, so everyone can see.

Hi N.:
Our daughter turns one on Friday! We're having a good size party this weekend and she's sure to get all kinds of new toys and clothes. So we're just putting some money in her "travel/education" savings account in lieu of a gift. She won't know the difference now, but she'll certainly appreciate it in a few years when we take that first trip to Disney world!

My daughter, 14 months, loves her dolls- soft ones she can hug. Also, we don't have one yet ourselves, but she likes to climb in and out of chairs that are made for little kids. An upholstered toddler chair should last a long time. And clothes are good.

I also asked for a piggy bank for her & she thinks her musical snow globe is wonderful! :)

Honestly, at one year, she's not going to be that interested in opening gifts. I found that any of the practical, useful gifts were the best.

On my daughters first birthday she was really grouchy and didn't want presents or cake. The only thing she really liked after we got home was this little car type thing from Walmart for like $40. It looks like a car and has a belt and a long handle like a wagon and we take her outside and push her around in it. Has a horn and a key you can turn. She hates most of her other toys. She's picky! Good luck!

When my daughter was turning one, and I was repeatedly asked this question, I told people to get her books, learning toys (like those melissa and doug wooden puzzles, stacking toys, blocks). A few gifts that she received and really liked are the Leap Frog Fridge Farm and Fridge DJ(or really any of the leap frog stuff), and the fisher price Piggie Bank toy http://www.fisher-price.com/fp.aspx?st=2341&e=detail&.... Hope that helps!

Our daughter is turning 1 on July 23 and we decided that, because she has no need for more clothes or toys and doesn't really "want" things yet, we would turn her first birthday into a fundraiser. We selected an organization and are collecting clothes and other basic need-type stuff for families who are without. We figured it would be our only chance to get away with it.

I have a 4 year old whose birthday just passed, and take it from experience. For a one year old, I would ask for learning toys like Leap Frog & things like that. You could also ask for savings bonds. She will get so much stuff for her birthday, she wont know the difference, but its a good way to start a savings for her. You could also opt for diapers & clothes since you will need them, but most of the time, you end up with so many outfits, she will only wear them 2-3 times a piece, then grow out of them. My daughter has so many toys that her room is over-run. (she can barely play in there!) Whenever I try to give some away, I cant decide what to keep since I plan on having more kids. Every birthday and christmas they get more toys whether you want them or not. Learning toys are more likely to be saved for future children, or are worth more at a garage sale. Friends with children are more likely to graciously accept a learning toy hand me down then something like a baby doll or stuffed animal. I would definatly go for the learning toys or savings bonds! Good luck! Happy birthday to the baby!

my son just turned one on June 24, so I know exactly what you're going through. I told people things like eating utensils, sippy cups (they're SO expensive nowadays) and plate/bowl sets. Plus pool toys and beach towels, and bath toys. It seems those were the things that people didn't get for him when he was first born, but now he needs at his age.
Hope that helps!

My kids are older but my niece is just two and most of my friends kids are toddlers. What I like to do is books, or this age is good to start collections my sister & bil share a best friend he gets my niece a snow globe each year for her birthday, he travels alot so he has now gotten her two from different countries. I also have gotten what I call the walker toys, toys that promote independent walking! good luck and happy birthday to you!

N.,

Don't be afraid to ask for something you NEED. Diapers, clothes, food, or just say money for her college fund would be great. If your family is like my MIL, you will end up with way more toys than the child can use or you can store. This to me is a HUGE waste of their money, but it's hard to make Grandma stop sometimes. Just be firm about what you don't want and what you do need. I have many nieces and nephews and I always asked what was needed and rarely bought them toys.

I agree with what other moms said when it comes to memberships, what does a one year old remember about the zoo or museums? That's a gift they will appreciate more when they are older.

Also, if you have to have a birthday party, remember it is for you and your family, not the baby. Again your daughter won't remember a thing. So if it's too much hastle for you at this time, forgo the party or just ask your family to host it for you. Grandma's love that kind of thing!

Hi N.! Well, my daughter turned 1 in March. I asked my parents to get her a sand box. YOu can get the turtle ones at Target, toys r us, Walmart etc...for like $30 or $40. Someone can get her sand toys and sand then too. lol! I also had my inlaws get her a toy box she needed. Cloths for fall would be a good idea. Oh, it took my daughter a couple months to figure it out but she now loves her dolly and doll stroller, she pushes it around and a cozy coup (that car you can push around outside they can ride in) is another good idea. My hubby and I found at Walmart a car she can sit in outside too that has a long handle on it so we can push her around the block. That was $30. don't do coloring books or crayons at that age they eat the crayons. lol! How about a baby pool if you don't have one? She loves tickle me elmo. Sippy cups, plates, kids utensils are good ones. Or how about a wagon. I know, some of these are big gifts (size wise) but ones she'll like. I bought at a garage sale a little tykes grocery cart and all the food to put in it and she pushes that around now. She also has a kitchen set she loves. Again, it took a couple months after her birthday to figure the push toys out but she loves them.

Hope that helps!

S.

When my oldest turned one she got two great gifts from family/friends. One was the fisher-price laugh and learn learning home and the laugh and learn learning musical chair. She got alot of other little toys and baby dolls. Lots of clothes. From my husband and i we bought her a bookcase and toy box. She loves for us to read and since she was our first daughter everyone spoiled her. Plus my husband opened up an account for her for college. Hope this helps.

Fisher price ball popper, 1 year olds love those, a baby doll, it a month of so she will probably take interest it them. Small toy kitchen, fisher price pots and pans stacking thing. Those are the things my daughter loved between 1 and 1 1/2 years