When we’re looking for a 1st birthday gift, we want it to be something special and meaningful, something that the baby girl will love and the parents appreciate.
If this girl is your niece, goddaughter, or only a dear friend’s daughter, you’ll probably want it to be loved and appreciated by the little one; after all, we all want to bring our beloved little girls the joy and happiness they bring us.
Today we have so many options that finding the perfect gift can turn to be a decision way harder than we expected, but fortunately for us, kids love many things, which makes it easier to get it right.
A good thing about gifting small children is that you don’t necessarily need to give them something they’ll enjoy immediately. In case you want the baby girl to enjoy the present right away, you should look for something that will help her flourish fundamental skills and develop body functions.
When picking gifts for one-year-old girls, we have to think about a couple of things: Do I want her to play with it right away?; Do I want to help her flourish her skills?; What skill, I believe, is essential developing?
To help you with that, we picked the best toys for one-year-old girls, so you don’t have to look too hard to find the perfect gift ideas, all available at amazon.com for you to stay home and keep safe!
Table of Contents
What Encourages Development?
One-year-old girls are very active and curious; they want to touch, taste, and try everything at their reach, from colors to sounds. Everything is new and magical, and this is the perfect time to exploit this with fun, colorful, noisy presents.
When you’re picking a gift you should look for something with:
- Bright Colors: Vibrant colors are more than just beautiful; they get the child’s attention and inspire curiosity. That’s because due to their eye development, it’s more likely kids this age will like bright and vibrant colors more easily than soft ones. This will make it more likely that she decided to play and learn with this gift.
- Sounds: The presence of different kinds of sound are also very helpful in a toddler’s development, through the presence of the sounds, the child will get her attention and associate images and sounds.
- Toys that will make her move: Learning to walk, getting balance and agility are essential parts of the little one development of these fundamental skills. That’s why giving the little princess toys that will get her to push, pull, that have strings that make her stand or move around with her are excellent calls.
- Toys that will teach her to share: Sharing and helping other people is a value that most parents want their children to have, and this should be encouraged from the very first moment she starts playing. Small children don’t play together; they do something we call “parallel play,” which is nothing more than playing with other kids around. Toys that allow her to share the space or the toy set with the other toddlers are a perfect call.
- Toys will demand and teach her coordination: One-year-old are the most curious little creatures. Their way to discover the world is putting their tiny hands on every single thing they can and leading them straight into their mouths. It is a perfect moment to give your little girl toys that will help her develop gross motor skills. Gross motor skills are the ones that demand the whole body or bigger muscles to work and thin motor skills, which are the more delicate movements, such as gripping. Those toys will likely help her develop logic skills as well.
How We Picked These Toys?
Thinking only about the best for your little girl, we selected the best toys on the market, considering the skills she needs to develop, the enjoyment, the colors, our team’s personal experience, and of course, how much kids love it. We’ll offer you lots of options so you can finish this post with the perfect gift for your one-year-old queen decided.
Also, all those wonderful toys are available at Amazon, which means you don’t need to leave your home to make sure the best gifts will get to that special little girl.
30 Best Toys and Gift Ideas for Her First Birthday
1. Children’s Playhouse Popup Tents, Tunnels, Pit Balls and Basketball
This present is our team’s personal favorite, and it’s a great option if you want to give the birthday girl a present she’ll enjoy until she’s much older. This tent is more than that, is the first step for years of imaginative fun play. It can be a castle, a house, and even a spaceship, especially with the tunnels and ball pit, which most kids love and can be used to a single kid from birthday parties to those slumber party girls love so much.
What this toy helps flourish: Creativity, imagination muscle development, gross motor skills
Why we recommend it:
- Affordable
- Easy to assemble
- Foldable
- Easy to store
- Can be used both indoors and outdoors
- You don’t have to assemble all parts
- She’ll play until she’s much older
Why we don’t recommend it:
- Ocean balls not included
- Needs some space
- Sometimes the parts don’t stick together
2. ECR4Kids SoftZone Triple Tunnel Maze – Beginner Toddler Climber for Safe Active Play
It is another team’s favorite. This set os climbers was designed to indoors activity and promised a lot of safe fun for toddlers and older kids that are active and curious to explore the world and their house’s furniture. Many people get this set to their playroom or their indoor space; it’s also very used at daycares and recreational centers since one-year-olds enjoy it so much.
What this helps flourish: Creativity, imagination, muscle development, gross motor skills
Why we recommend it:
- Affordable
- Easy to assemble
- Your little girl will play until she’s much older
- Comes with velcro to assemble the parts
Why we don’t recommend it:
- Sturdy
- Needs space
- Needs supervision
3. Mega Bloks Big Building Bag
Playing with blocks is one of the funniest things in the world, and you know it because you probably had your own block set, well, it’s time for your baby girl to get hers and build a wonderful world for herself.
What this helps flourish: Creativity, logic, thin motor skills
Why we recommend it:
- Affordable
- Big pieces so she won’t choke
- Colorful
- Compatible with other Mega Block sets if you want to buy more
- She’ll enjoy until she’s much older
Why we don’t recommend it:
- The grip between blocks is a little loose
4. Fat Brain Toys Klickity Baby Toy
This fun toy got our eye for many reasons; first: the design is something different and intriguing, and the little ones are very curious by nature and will be drawn by the colors! More than that, this toy will be more than an excellent gift for the one-year-old, it will help your little princess flourish her sensor skills with its textures and action-reaction with push and pull, roll, click and bounce system. Excitement for years for little ones and grownups!
What this helps flourish: sensor skills; action-reaction; logic; thin motor skills
Why we recommend it:
- Known Brand
- Exciting and inquisitive
- Help development
- Your baby girl will enjoy it until she’s much older
Why we don’t recommend it:
- Expensive
- It’s light so it may flip on the table
5. VTech Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker
Learning to walk is one of the most essential things toddlers do; having a fun way to practice makes this learning way more effortless and fun. VTech Sit-to-Stand has a detachable interactive panel and can be easily stored anywhere at your home, which also allows your baby girl to play with its colorful shapes, piano, and other functions while sitting and push it around when she feels so.
It will help to flourish: creativity, motor skills, communication, eye and brain development with bright colors, and over 70 sing-along music, sounds, and phrases.
Why we recommend it:
- Easy to store
- Many different activities on the interactive panel
- Easy to put together
- Affordable
- You can lock the wheels
Why we don’t recommend it:
- The phone is not attached to the panel so it can be easily lost
- The grip on the tires is not that good, so your baby may fall depending on the floor
- The locking system doesn’t always work
6. Hape Pound & Tap Bench with Slide Out Xylophone
Name someone who doesn’t love music, hard, isn’t it? Music is one of the most loved art expression forms and is extremely present in our daily lives, no matter how old you are. To stimulate your 1-year-old’s interest with it and maybe start her on her path to being a great musician, we selected this adorable wooden xylophone.
What this helps flourish: dexterity, hand-eye coordination, manipulation, arm movement, encourage musical development, exploration, audio recognition, and creativity.
Why we recommend it:
- Can be played more than one way
- Keyboard and xylophone can be pulled out
- Colorful
- Water-based paint and non-toxic finishes
- Durable
Why we don’t recommend it:
- Xylophone can be out of tune
7. Fisher-Price Brilliant Basics Rock-a-Stack
This is a classic toddler’s toy; you probably had one of those as well as my grandmother, mom, and me. There are many many models for this toy from different brands, but they work pretty much the same, and most are in rainbow colors, so you may want to take a deeper look for your favorite model.
What this helps flourish: early shape, color, and size-differentiation skills.
Why we recommend it:
- Trusted brand
- Classic toy
- Childhood favorite
- Colorful
- Child-safe materials
Why we don’t recommend it:
- Some rings can be flimsy and may come apart if she likes to smash things
8. Baby Einstein Magic Touch Piano Wooden Musical Toy
Music has a significant part in the development of the little ones, and when they can learn and play at the same time, things get way more interesting., don’t you think? With this award-winning piano, girls can flower their interest in music and maybe start her road to be a great pianist or composer.
What this helps flourish: dexterity, hand-eye coordination, manipulation, arm movement, encourage musical development, exploration, audio recognition, and creativity.
Why we recommend it:
- Child safe
- Award-Winning Toy
- Colorful
- Durable Materials
- Easy to keep clean
- More than one way to play
Why we don’t recommend it:
- Colors can be different from the ones in the card, and this can be a little confusing when teaching
9. Manhattan Toy Baby Stella
Girls and dolls are a combination that we know from ancient times; girls all ages love dolls, and your little girl probably isn’t an exception. There are many different kinds of dolls, but the most classic one is the baby doll, which helps girls develop their caring skills and identify themselves within their plays.
What this helps flourish: communication, caring, empathy, creativity
Why we recommend it:
- Great variety of design and color that provide a sense of identification on the play
- Lots of accessories that can be bought outside the doll giving you a list of potential presents
- Ultra-soft material
Why we don’t recommend it:
- Clothes are very sensible and may come apart easily
10. Playkidz Super Durable Pound A Ball Great Fun for Toddler
This gift will be the funniest thing in the world for a smashing baby! The adorable tower ramps for colorful balls roll when she pounds it with her little hammer. The stimulation your one year old needs to be entertained for some time while developing skills!
What this helps flourish: dexterity, hand-eye coordination, manipulation, arm movement, cause, and effect
Why we recommend it:
- Designed for little hands
- Easy to play
- Smooth balls
- Extra balls can be bought separately on Amazon
- This gift will be enjoyed until she’s older
Why we don’t recommend it:
- Could be more sturdy
- Balls can be lost
11. Linkimals Happy Shapes Hedgehog
Hedgehogs are adorable and loved by everyone, just like your 1-year-old! This prize winner toy is one of the favorites amongst the Linkanimals collection by Fisher-Price, with many different interactions that will help your little girl develop her mind and body.
What this helps flourish: numbers; colors; shapes; motor development
Why we recommend it:
- Trusted brand
- Works numbers, colors, and shapes
- Interactive toy with lights, music, and buttons
- Pull along toy (rolling activate songs, sounds, and phrases)
Why we don’t recommend it:
- The volume could be louder
12. Playskool Form Fitter, Shape Sorter
Even being a very simple toy, this shape sorter is a guaranteed gift. This shape sorter will let your little one match, sort, shake, and dump out while learning.
What this helps flourish: motor skills, logic, creativity
Why we recommend it:
- Entertaining
- Colorful
- Stores the shapes
- Made for Little hands
- Easy to clean
Why we don’t recommend it:
- Some children may need supervision
13. Dolce Play and Learn Whale
Every kid needs a partner to help her with her discovering adventures, and your little one isn’t an exception; Dolce has a line of amusing stuffed animals full of sensory stimulation that goes from her little hands to the incoming teeth. Those animals are full of diverse interactions with their different fabrics, sound, and interactions; she’ll love it until she’s an old girl!
What this helps flourish: judgment; discovering; teeth; motor skills; sensor skills; dexterity.
Why we recommend it:
- High-Quality Material
- Colorful
- Soft fabric
- Extremely Hugabble
- Education Product
- Comes with smaller toys for discovery
Why we don’t recommend it:
- Doesn’t come in a box
- Can be expensive
14. Mozart Magic Cube
What this helps flourish: musicality; creativity; logic; combination
Why we recommend it:
- Educational toy
- Different Instruments
- Eye-catching colors and lights
Why we don’t recommend it:
- Big for little hands
15. SmartMax My First Animal Train
Want your little one to enjoy herself for years and years and have a gift idea for a long time? This set is what you’re looking for! Amusing, colorful, and entertaining, this set will last for years and provide hours of endless fun with its animals and possibilities.
What this helps flourish: creativity, logic, motor skills; dexterity
Why we recommend it:
- Good for little hands
- Colorful
- Can be used with other sets
Why we don’t recommend it:
- Not many assemble possibilities without other sets
16. Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Learning Home
This Learning toy will make your one year old thrilled with all its possibilities and resources! Laugh & Learn Smart Learning Home is a gift that will last for years and help your girl develop many abilities for years to come with the possibility of changing the language and age of the child providing new interactions so the toy will grow with her.
What this helps flourish: creativity; speaking; languages; colors and shapes; logic;
Why we recommend it:
- Known brand
- Choose between: English, Spanish, Mandarin & French
- Three levels of interaction depending on the age
- Bright colors, lights, and sound effects
Why we don’t recommend it:
- The 4 C batteries required don’t come with it
- Can be hard to assemble only with the guide
- More Expensive than most gifts on this list
- Needs some room
17. Wenjuan Baby Toys Musical Learning Table
Music tables are a classic for 1-year-olds, not only because it helps their development in many ways, but also will grow with your child, she’ll start playing sitting on the floor when she sits and will keep playing when she stands. All you’ll have to do is assemble the legs, which also makes it very easy to store.
What this helps flourish: creativity; musicality; logic; attention; curiosity
Why we recommend it:
- Colorful
- Different interactions
- Teaches musical notes, colors
- Easy assemble
- After-sales guaranteed
Why we don’t recommend it:
- Smaller than it looks
- Can be expensive
18. Stack Up Cup Toy
I don’t know about you, but many members of our team had Stack Up Cups as a child, and we all loved it! This is a simple classic gift that will be used for many years to come and be part of the most different plays, now she’ll pile them, and when she grows into, this will probably become a pot for imaginary food or a Polly Pocket bathtub, who knows? Either way, this gift is sure to please!
What this helps flourish: creativity; logic; combination
Why we recommend it:
- Classic toy
- Affordable
- Easy to play
- Will last for years
- Has holes on the bottom so can be used in the bath
Why we don’t recommend it:
- Sometimes the colors can come repeated or missing
- You have to be careful with the smaller cups so she won’t swallow it
19. Playskool Explore N’ Grow Busy Ball Popper
This action-reaction ball popper is guaranteed fun and giggles for curious girls to enjoy themselves for hours to come and for adults to be delighted with her enjoyment and smiles.
What this helps flourish: action-reaction, logic
Why we recommend it:
- Simple to play
- No-chocking sized balls
- Different tunes
- Can be used with only one ball or more
- Colorful
Why we don’t recommend it:
- Could come with more parts preassembled
- If she plays with more than three balls at the same time, you’ll probably have to fetch some.
20. My Pal Violet
What pet owner never wished they could talk with their dog? My Pal Violet is the pet that will help your child learn colors, the alphabet, and much more with songs and ear-catching sentences that will call her by her name, making all the learning and fun more relatable to her.
What this helps flourish: colors, counting, and alphabet; communication, imagination
Why we recommend it:
- Customizable gift
- Customized content based on your choices
- Can be personalized on the phone, computer or tablet
- Cuddly
Why we don’t recommend it:
- The older version was a little better than the new one
- Can glitch after some time
21. pipSquigz
A different weird toy that can be used in many ways and keep your birthday girl distracted without the need of much space or resources, a simple surface will do the job, a great gift to be taken in her baby bag, and also matched with other toys and objects.
What this helps flourish: sensor skills, action-reaction
Why we recommend it:
- Colorful
- Portable
- Different textures and uses
Why we don’t recommend it:
- Some kids won’t be interested
- The suction cups will leave a red mark when placed on your forehead
22. Rollin’ Tunesâ„¢ Unicorn
This gift will let your little one learn how to walk and pull while riding a unicorn; this adorable and colorful gift will be her favorite magical ride!
What this helps flourish: walking; muscle strength; action-reaction
Why we recommend it:
- Known brand
- High-Quality material
- Easy for babies to climb
- Music will play as she scoots
Why we don’t recommend it:
- Not many interactions
23. Farmer’s Market Color Sorting Set
Having a good relationship with food is something every parent wants their child to have; this gift will help your girl develop it from an early age. Even being recommended for older kids, letting the little one play, see, touch, and put all those different vegetables into her mouth will make it easier to introduce a new food into her diet.
What this helps flourish: colors; logic; matching; feeding and nutritional education
Why we recommend it:
- Good material
- Different sets with beautiful colors
- Realistic shapes
Why we don’t recommend it:
- The smell can be strong when newly opened
- The tag on the buckets could be bigger
24. Fisher-Price Little People Big Helpers Home
Little People toys are a classic from fisher price; they’re made in sturdy, high-quality plastic that will last for years and follow your girl into her development and gives you gift ideas for years to come since it has multiple different sets with all kinds of themes than can be easily found and purchased on Amazon.
What this helps flourish: imagination; creativity; communication; helping on the house
Why we recommend it:
- Trusted brand
- Sturdy Material
- Interactive sounds, songs, and sentences
- Opens for easier interaction
Why we don’t recommend it:
- Some pieces can be too small for her to play just yet
25. Fisher-Price Crawl After Learning Fox
Learning to walk is one of the most essential steps in a child’s development, and it all starts with crawling. There are many toys at Amazon that will help your little one develop her motor expertise. Still, not. Still, not many are as fun and amusing as this adorable Fox that is the perfect combination of soft and sturdy made with high-quality material to last for ages.
What this helps flourish: crawling; motor skills; discover; exploring; sensory perception
Why we recommend it:
- Entertaining lights and sounds
- Soft head and tail
- Rolls on all kinds of floor
- Trusted brand
- 45+ songs and phrases
Why we don’t recommend it:
- Buttons need to be pushed frequently
- Songs are short
- Not many roll options
26. Bounce and Spin Unicorn
Unicorns are here to stay, we’re not sure why it took them so long to be in the spotlight, but they’re not living anytime soon. The favorite magical animal of girls all ages is now one of the best toys for your little one to have the time of her life with endless fun.
What this helps flourish: Colors; Number; Letters; Balance
Why we recommend it:
- Spins and bounces
- Sturdy base and firm grip
- 100+ songs to help her learn
- Bright lights and interesting sounds
- Has two modes: learning and music
- Takes up to 55 pounds
- Easy to assemble
Why we don’t recommend it:
- Can be expensive
- Doesn’t spin on its own
27. Melissa & Doug Take-Along Farm Baby and Toddler Play Mat
A simple yet fun playmat to be taken along to all places will leave you one year old busy for a long time everywhere you go, and until she’s older, once the animals can be used in many different ways and play through the years. Your little one will grow to love and care for the farm animals, stimulating her interest and curiosity.
What this helps flourish: early vision; focus; color awareness; promotes fine motor skills and animal recognition.
Why we recommend it:
- Mat features bright colors and non-skid backing
- Plush figures make crinkling, squeaking, or rattle noises
- Durable and easy to clean fabric
- Trusted brand
Why we don’t recommend it:
- Smaller than it looks
- Play matt is small
28. Battat – Wooden Activity Cube
Another classic childhood toy to help your little one develop her skills and grow more capable and smart every day as she gets familiar with animals and colors, this play cube is full of different activities. One of the best gift ideas of all times, keeping the quality of the old times wooden toys that will last for years to come and stay with her until she’s an old girl.
What this helps flourish: hand-eye coordination; imaginative play; cause-and-effect
Why we recommend it:
- Sturdy and high quality
- Five sides of fun
- Rounded corners to avoid accidents
- Trusted brand
Why we don’t recommend it:
- Heavy for babies to lift by themselves which can cause accidents
- Can be expensive
- Needs some space to storage
29. Fat Brain Toys Dimple Baby
A different curious toy that keeps both kids and adults entertained for quite some time with it’s simple yet relaxing interaction of pushing the colorful balls to turn the toy around and start over in a never-ending interaction that your little one will surely love.
What this helps flourish: cause-and-effect; color recognition; sensory skills
Why we recommend it:
- Colorful
- Soft and light
- Easy to play
- Affordable
Why we don’t recommend it:
- Could be more resistant
30. LeapFrog Musical Rainbow Tea Party Toy
Tea Parties are as old as time and girls playing it as well; this adorable educational set is a promise for fancy tea parties with family and friends until the little ones aren’t that little anymore. This set also features a lot of educational interactions such as colorful lights, phrases, and matching activities with colors, numbers, and shapes that are great to add an extra flavor to the best pretend play of all times.
What this helps flourish: colors; shapes; association; pretend play; speaking, imagination.
Why we recommend it:
- Adorable
- Different interactions
- Will be played with for years
- Educational
- Sturdy and resistant
Why we don’t recommend it:
- Some parents may have a hard time assembling it
