Hi mamas, this is a fun one. My baby girl will be one next month, and I am contemplating gifts. I know you can give advice on hits or misses from your experience. She is nearly walking, we have a huge yard, and swimming pool, and she has a 31/2 yr old sister, whom she adores.Thanks for any ideas, ladies!
I didn't read the other responses...
My boys both absolutley love their water play table. My little one is 15 mos old and the big one has played with it since his first birthday. It's an absolute staple...every kid I've ever seen around a water table can't get enough of it.
Have fun!!!
My sister-in-law got my daughter Chomp and Clack Alligator Push Toy for her first bday. My daughter will be two next month and still LOVES it. She puts her dolls on it and pushes them around like it's a stroller.
One thing I wish I would have done is bought one of those hand/foot print stepping stone kits. I plan to start that this year and by the time she's 10 she will have 10 stepping stones with her hand/foot prints on it.
Enjoy and congrats on making it through the first year (again) :O)
I like the idea of swim lessons for the girls since you have a pool. I like anything educational. Its never to early to start learning/teaching them their colors. Kindergarten requirements are much harder than they used to be. Since you have a big yard you could get a silly sprinkler so they can all run around the yard.
You are going to think this odd but make this something for YOU to remember! At 1 she isn't likely to remember her birthday. Get one of those hand print kits and "play" with it. Go have a portrait done. Do something so that you will remember the day. =) Believe me, years from now you will wish you had!
have you looked at any of the leapfrog products? My daughter had the fridge letters that you put in the spot and it tells you the leter and the sound, she played with that until Kindergarten, when I gave it to a friend. we also have the my first leapster and the learning drum. Their website has quite a few suggestions for teh 12-36 month age group.
we also bought my daughter her 1st real baby doll for her 1st birthday and she still has and plays with it!
My son is almost 1. He loves water bottles, rocks and sticks better than his toys. Sometimes he plays with little cars.
I'd say that this is for you, as Helen here had mentioned. I plan to through a party, which doing at all right now is really stretching our budget. I figure he can look back at the photos and he'll get tons of toys.
My mom paid for an old west portrait of him, which is adorable.
If you're really looking for toy ideas, I think push toys are great for this age. Misses would be - stuffed animals or any toy that doesn't make sound, light up, pop up, fit together, or roll.
My son's favorite 1 yr toy was one of those bouncy balls that have bumps all over it to help little hands grip it better. I think the dog finally popped his, but there is one at our church that all the kids still play with.
My son didn't start playing with his 1st birthday toys (*really* play) until now and he's 2.5 years! He actually like the boxes and wrapping paper more. ha!
I think the classes idea is fun. Gymboree, or a swimming class is something you can do with her and she'll enjoy your company more than a toy.
That being said, some things 1 year olds might like: musical toys/noise makers (not electronic ones...shakers, drums, etc.), bubbles (a machine or something you blow for her), a special doll or stuffed animal, a tent or tunnel they can explore/crawl around. Anything that promotes more active exploration...
they don't really get "toys" in the imagination sense yet. I would wait until 2 or 3 years for those.
