Both of my kids have already celebrated their first birthdays. And yes — I’m pretty sure your little one, just like mine, has been far more interested in your keys, the TV remote, and the pack of baby wipes than any fancy toy you specially picked out.
The truth is, that’s not going to change anytime soon! Babies are naturally drawn to everyday objects.
Still, to support their healthy development, you’ll need a few thoughtful toys designed for this special age — and hopefully, your little one will enjoy them just as much as mine did.
In this post, I’m not just giving you a list — I’m sharing what really worked for us, the toys my kids truly loved, and a few things I wish I had known earlier.
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I’ve grouped the toys into main categories, to make it easy for you to find exactly what you’re looking for:
How to Choose the Best Toys for a One-Year-Old
When you pick toys for a one-year-old, it’s good to keep a few things in mind:
- Safety first: No small parts or sharp edges, of course. KidsHealth offers a great guide on toy safety for young children.
- Simple is better: Babies don’t need all the flashing lights. Open-ended toys make them use their imagination.
- Match their skills: Crawling? Cruising? Taking steps? There’s a toy for every stage.
- Room to grow: Toys that will stay interesting for a few months (or longer) are gold.
- Think about your wallet: (read here about the real cost of raising a baby) because trust me, the toy collection grows FAST.
Let’s dive into the categories and the best toys for one year olds that made our hearts (and living room floors) full.
Building Blocks and Stacking Toys
Building and stacking aren’t just fun — they’re the start of so many skills like coordination, patience, and problem-solving.
There are lots of kinds out there:
Soft blocks for throwing around, wooden ones for building real towers, nesting cups that magically fit into each other, and Tobbles Neo that also make them practice balance.
What we loved:
I bought a set of colorful magnetic tiles for Liam when he was three, but guess who fell in love with them at one year old? Emily.
She loved that she could stack things without them falling apart immediately. (And honestly? I loved that I didn’t have to hear the frustration squeals every two seconds.)
We still have those magnets today, and both kids play with them for hours — totally worth it!
Color Matching Toys
Learning colors is a loooong process — first recognizing, then naming, and finally sorting.
At around 12–18 months, some toddlers start to recognize colors. Don’t be surprised if everything seems to be “red” at first—that’s totally normal! Be patient and keep things light and fun.
Toys that encourage color matching are a gentle way to introduce this concept without any pressure.
Think: stacking cups, shape sorters, colorful peg puzzles, matching cards, or even sorting pom-poms into bowls.
The key? Let them explore whatever catches their eye—curiosity is the best teacher at this age!
What we loved:
For Liam’s Wild One birthday, I gifted him a set of colorful animals with sorting bowls—to keep with the fun animal theme we had everywhere.
At first, we used it for simple color recognition. Then, we moved on to color sorting—starting with just two colors at a time to keep it manageable. Later on, we added tweezers to work on fine motor skills.
I absolutely loved this set because we got so much use out of it. It wasn’t just about colors—it also helped with animal recognition and, as he grew, even early counting skills!
First Puzzles
Simple puzzles gently build a baby’s focus, matching skills, and problem-solving abilities—all while they think they’re just having fun!
When choosing puzzles for little ones, look for chunky pieces, easy-to-grab handles, and bright, simple designs—nothing complicated yet.
What we loved:
My son Liam is a total puzzle wizard! At 4.5 years old, he breezes through 100-piece puzzles like it’s nothing.
But it all started when he was tiny, with those classic chunky Melissa & Doug wooden puzzles—the ones with big knobs perfect for little hands.
We had a whole collection: animals, fruits, shapes—you name it.
Later on, I introduced him to two-piece puzzles, even though the box said “ages 2+.” (Don’t stress too much about the suggested age).
At first, we just practiced finding two matching pieces—and the actual matching part came naturally over time.
Movement Encouragers
One-year-olds are on the move! Movement toys help them practice walking, pushing, pulling — and let’s be honest, wearing themselves out a little.
There are walkers, ride-on cars, pull toys, balls… basically anything that gets them moving and exploring.
What we loved:
When Liam was about 8 months old, I bought him the VTech Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker — thinking I’d just park it in the corner until he stood up.
Nope. He immediately sat down and started playing with the buttons like it was the best thing ever.
Later, when he was ready, that walker was his best buddy for those wobbly first steps.
And Emily? She played with the walker too, but honestly, she’s been OBSESSED with her toy shopping cart that we got from my cousin.
She’s almost two now and still pushes it everywhere — stacking dolls, stuffed animals, half the living room inside it. It’s her most prized possession!
Shape Sorters
Shape sorters are pure magic for babies. Matching a shape to the right hole is a big cognitive leap!
You’ll find all kinds: wooden boxes, plastic sorters in fun shapes like trucks, even light-up, noisy ones. (We had a bit of everything—mostly thoughtful gifts from family.)
My advice? Start simple: think circles, squares, and triangles. Celebrate every tiny win.
Emily spent weeks happily trying to jam the square into the circle hole—and that’s totally okay. They figure it out when they’re ready.
What We Loved:
You know me—I love a toy that can do more than one thing. That’s why this little house set was perfect.
It combines shape and color sorting, comes with keys for developing fine motor skills later on, and best of all? They loved using it as a little pretend-play house with small figurines. It really grew with them over time.
First Books
Books are probably the best “toy” you can offer — stories, colors, textures, new words… all wrapped up in one cozy package.
There are board books, lift-the-flap adventures, touch-and-feel, and simple pointing books.
What we loved:
We started with chunky board books and books with animal sounds — even if they barely sat through two pages! It’s all about the exposure and the happy memories.
Want more ideas for making reading magical? Check out my post here.
Early Pretend Play Toys
By age one, little ones love to mimic what they see — this marks the beginning of pretend play. It’s not only heart-melting to watch, but also essential for their development.
What worked best for us were toy phones (because let’s be honest, the real one is still their favorite) and plush dolls or animals they could feed, hug, and tuck into bed.
What we loved:
Our favorite pretend play item was a small toy kitchen with just a few pieces like pots, cups, and fruits — simple but endlessly engaging. It’s a toy that truly grows with them; Liam still enjoys playing with it at 4.5 years old.
The key is to keep things simple: a few realistic accessories are enough to spark imagination without overwhelming them.
Sensory Toys
Babies love to explore the world with their hands — and sensory toys are perfect for that! Developmental toys for one year olds often include sensory play.
They’re great for building fine motor skills, sparking curiosity, and even helping little ones calm down after a busy day.
There are so many fun options: kinetic sand, water play, textured balls, silly foam, or even a bin of dry pasta.
What we loved:
Liam could play with Play-Doh for hours! I’d grab him new add-ons every now and then — animals, tools, fun molds — and somehow, it never got old.
When it comes to choosing the best toys for a one year old, remember: simple wins.
Your child doesn’t need a shelf full of gadgets — just a few open-ended, developmentally appropriate toys can fuel their imagination, movement, and joy for months.
Whether you’re looking for toys for a one year old boy or toys for a one year old girl, the most important thing is to follow their curiosity and go at their pace.
After all, the best toy is the one that lights up their little face.
With love,
Shely
