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40 Top Toys for 1-Year-Olds That Make the Best Gifts
Experts, parents and toddlers approve of these educational and unique ideas.
No two 1-year-olds are exactly alike, but if there's one thing that unites them all, it's this: Toddlers love to play! But what they want to play with and what's safe for them to play with are not always the same thing. While the old baby toys might be too simple for them now, they're not yet ready to play with the toys meant for the big kids, since those can have choking and pinching hazards, or are too difficult to use.
But that doesn't mean it's hard to find great toddler toys. In fact, it's the opposite: Gifts for kids this age are really fun to shop for, thanks to toddlers' growing skill sets. "One-year-olds are at a period in their development when they are becoming increasingly powerful and competent — evidenced by the fact that they are starting to walk and talk," says Rebecca Parlakian, M.A., E.D., a parenting expert from Zero to Three, an organization that focuses on kid development during the early years. "They are also really interested in big questions like, 'How does this work?' 'What does it do?' And, 'What happens if I do this?'”
And there are plenty of toys and gifts to buy 1-year-olds that meet them right where they are developmentally. "These include simple items, like a ball to kick and chase, as well as things like push toys or toys that can be pulled on a string while walking," Parlakian says. "Toys can also pose fun challenges for 1-year-olds to figure out — think about a stacking ring, nesting cups, shape-sorters, a busy-box or simple wooden knob puzzles. And it’s never too early for set of cube blocks, plus a basket or bucket to drop them in and dump them out of. And toys that make noise — like a xylophone, drum, or toy piano — are also a hit at this age.
Still, with toys for kids this age, safety is still a top concern. The Good Housekeeping Institute tests toys year-round to make sure they're safe and will withstand the love of a 1-year-old toddler. Then, the best toys are shipped off to actual 1-year-olds and put to the real test. When all was said and done, these emerged as the best toys and gifts for 1-year-olds in 2023, which include current and former Good Housekeeping Best Toy Award winners.
Playskool Chase 'n Go Ball Popper
Just press the button and colorful balls begin to pop out from the elephant's trunk, leaving your toddler free to run, chase the balls, and put them back in again. It includes four easy-grasp balls and also plays six fun songs. Ages 9 months+
RELATED: The Best Gifts for Babies to Delight Brand-New Parents
Radio Flyer Busy Buggy
Radio Flyer Busy Buggy
Beep, beep! While your little one is working on their leg muscle strength, you can still push them around on this previous Toy Award Winner. Then, as they become a more confident walker, they can propel themselves. There are also lots of little features that spin, click and otherwise make noise to keep them interested. Ages 1+
Farm Animal Sorting and Stacking Toys
Six boxes of different sizes, six animal friends, yet so many ways to play. Kids can stack the different sized boxes vertically and match each animal to its preferred house. Or they can arrange them horizontally to make a village for imaginary play. When that's done, they can practice counting the boxes and animals, use the boxes to make other structures — and knock them down again. Ages 1+
Explore & More 4-in-1 Activity Walker
Explore & More 4-in-1 Activity Walker
This toy is intended to grow with a child: It starts off as a lay-flat item to use during tummy time, turns into a walker for kids taking their first steps and then converts to either a grocery cart or stroller for older kids getting into pretend play. All in all, there are more than 40 play features, including buttons, spinners, lights and songs. Good Housekeeping Institute parent testers liked how siblings could interact with the toy in different ways. Ages 6 months+
Crayola My First Palm Grip Crayons
They'll be making their own mini masterpieces in no time with these egg-shaped crayons, which are easier for small hands to grasp. They'll get six colors in the pack, which will get them scribbling, coloring and working on their pre-writing skills. Ages 1+
Peekaboo Learning Farm
Peekaboo Learning Farm
Five different farm-animal finger-puppets come in five different numbered barns. When they're little, they can have fun hiding and discovering the animals in the barns. As they get older, they can use it for counting, sorting and imaginative play. Ages 18 months+
VTech Smart Shots Sports Center
Start your sporty toddler off with soccer and basketball with one toy. The set lights up and makes sounds while also keeping track of the baskets and goal on a light-up scoreboard. Ages 1+
PIPES Bath Toy
Kids can experiment with cause-and-effect with these pipes, which suction cup to the side of the tub. Pour water in the top, and amazing things happen: wheels spin, the water changes direction or the stream gets divided into littler streams. Ages 1+
Scoot Around Wood Bike
Scoot Around Wood Bike
They'll work on balance and coordination when they push themselves along on this wooden ride-on toy. The wheels are rubberized, so they can use it indoors without damaging floors. Ages 1+
RELATED: The Best Ride-On Toys
Mega Bloks
Mega Bloks
Because of their bright colors and easy-to-hold shapes, these classic large blocks are especially perfect for kids just past their first birthday. You can even get them to help clean up by making a game of putting the 80 blocks back into the zip-up storage bag. Ages 1+
DJ Mix & Spin Studio Musical Toy
Toddlers can experiment with tempo, rhythm and sounds by playing the piano keys or using the knobs and buttons to add effects to backing songs. They can even use the record to make scratching noises. Ages 1+
Personalized Wood Name Puzzle
Personalized Wood Name Puzzle
The only thing that can make a letter puzzle more fun is if it spells out your child's name — it's one of the first words they'll learn, after all. These colorful puzzle pieces are approximately 3" tall, making them great room decor when they're not in use. No age recommendation given
Basket of Babies
Basket of Babies
Toddlers love taking after their parents and taking care of their own babies. With this set of six dolls, there's a lot here to love! Each snuggly soft babe comes with a removable outfit, so your toddlers can mix and match while practicing their fine motor skills when dressing and undressing their dolls. Ages 1+
Very Hungry Caterpillar Train Set
Kids can join the Very Hungry Caterpillar — along with a bear, a lion and an elephant — on a wooden train ride! The characters are actually made from two building blocks that can be stacked on top of each other on a peg, so kids can use their coordination skills to build them, place them on the peg and pull the train around. Ages 1+
Gund Tinkle Crinkle Jumbo Caterpillar Plush
Gund Tinkle Crinkle Jumbo Caterpillar Plush
This little caterpillar not only looks cute, it offers tons of sensory experiences. Each segment is made from a different fabric with different textures, and when kids touch it, it'll make different noises like rattles, crinkles and squeaks. Ages 0+
VTech Go! Go! Smart Wheels Spinning Spiral Tower Play Set
VTech Go! Go! Smart Wheels Spinning Spiral Tower Play Set
Car kids will thrill to seeing this play set's van drive through the different levels and courses in this car track. There are also places for them to flex their imaginative muscles, like a gas station and car wash, and certain points along the course trigger sounds and other fun phrases. Ages 1+
Melissa & Doug Wooden Shape Sorting Grocery Cart
Melissa & Doug Wooden Shape Sorting Grocery Cart
This is a push toy, a walker, a role-playing item and a shape-sorter all in one! Early walkers love pushing around the grocery cart, just like their parents do. (It even comes with a little coffee cup to make it more realistic!) Then, food pieces on geometric shapes fit through the holes in tie sides of the cart, acting as a shape-sorter. The same pieces also fit into puzzles that store in the cart. And, after "checkout," they can play with the pretend food just like in a kitchen set. Ages 1+
Melissa & Doug Jumbo Knob Wooden Puzzles
Melissa & Doug Jumbo Knob Wooden Puzzles
Teach them colors, shapes, and "moos" and "baas" with these brightly colored, wooden puzzle pieces. The large knobs on each piece make them easier for little hands to grab. Ages 1+
pipSquigz
pipSquigz
Like fidget spinners for toddlers, these toys are oddly enticing — the suction cups stick to tables, counters and each other, and each one rattles, so there's a lot of stimulation going on. Even adults have been known to absentmindedly play with them. Ages 6 months+
Pound & Tap Bench With Slide-Out Xylophone
Pound & Tap Bench With Slide-Out Xylophone
Roll over, Beethoven. With this classic toy, your child can experiment with different sounds by rolling the colorful balls down the xylophone slide or by hitting the keys with the mallet. Either way, they'll be exploring different ways of making music. Ages 1+
Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; she previously wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found dominating the audio round at her local bar trivia night or tweeting about movies.
Rachel Rothman (she/her) is the chief technologist and executive technical director at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she oversees testing methodology, implementation and reporting for all GH Labs. She also manages GH’s growing research division and the analysis of applicants for the GH Seal and all other testing emblems. During her 15 years at Good Housekeeping, Rachel has had the opportunity to evaluate thousands of products, including toys and cars for GH’s annual awards programs and countless innovative breakthroughs in consumer tech and home improvement.
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