Gift guide · 12 ideas
First birthday gifts
For the one-year-old who’s pulling up on everything: toys for first steps, and the things their second year actually needs.
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At one, most babies are cruising along the furniture, posting the remote into anything with a gap and still waking at least once a night. The year ahead is the one where they learn to walk, and the best first birthday presents meet them there: something to rock on, something to stack, something to ride once they’re steady.
Four of the ideas are toys. The rest are what parents find they need in the second year, from a tub for the in-between bath stage to a crib and a high chair for visits to the grandparents. Each comes with our pick from one of our top lists, and every toy is marked for one-year-olds, with the balance bike one to grow into.
A diaper bag for days out
At one, a morning out means snacks, a sippy cup, spare clothes and a favorite toy as well as the diapers. A backpack with a pocket for each keeps a parent’s hands free for a toddler who wants to walk the last bit.
Dikaslon Diaper Bag Backpack with Changing Pad
$30–$50
A big main compartment and 18 pockets swallow a full day’s gear, and it comes with a portable changing pad and a little pouch for pacifiers. The wide opening and smooth zips work one-handed, with the baby on the other arm.
What owners say: Owners like how it switches between backpack, stroller bag and purse, with room for newborn things and toddler snacks alike, and the fabric feels good quality. The changing pad gets a mixed reception, and a few found the pacifier holder missing.
A closer look: Once each pocket has a job, diapers in one, wipes in another and spare clothes in the main compartment, packing becomes automatic. The anti-theft pocket on the back keeps a phone and wallet safe, and the plain colors suit either parent.
- Changing pad included
- 5 insulated bottle pockets
- Opens wide, zips one-handed
A rocker that turns into a ride-on
For the one-year-old who isn’t walking yet but loves to bounce, and will be scooting around the kitchen on it by their second birthday.
VTech Prance and Rock Learning Unicorn
$30–$50
A rocking unicorn for the youngest riders whose base converts in seconds into a ride-on once they’re steady, so it grows with them. Motion sensors set off music and magical sounds as they rock and ride, and a Learning mode introduces colors.
What owners say: Parents find it easy to put together and to switch from rocking to riding, and toddlers soon climb on and off by themselves. Several note it rocks only gently.
A closer look: Start it as a rocker while sitting balance is still wobbly, then switch the base to ride-on mode once the toddler is walking and wants to scoot around. It runs on 2 AAA batteries, and the ones in the box are only for the store demo, so fit fresh ones before the first ride.
- Ages 12 to 36 months
- Rocker turns into ride-on
- Motion sensors trigger music
A stacking toy
A first birthday classic for good reason: at one it’s something to chew and knock over, and by two they’re building the tower themselves.
Fisher-Price Giant Rock-a-Stack
$10–$20
Six chunky rings on a wobbly base that stands over 14 inches tall with every ring on, a giant version of the Rock-a-Stack, which Fisher-Price has made since 1960. The little top ring rattles with swirling beads inside, and the base rocks when a baby bats at it.
What owners say: The big size and bright colors are a hit, and it helps toddlers learn colors and coordination; one 14-month-old had it mastered. It stands up to long spells of play, too.
A closer look: Its size suits a toddler who’s still clumsy with small rings, since the big pieces are easy to grab and line up. Before stacking clicks, roll the rings across the floor to crawl after, then show them that the biggest one goes on first: a first lesson in size order.
- From 12 months
- Six rings, rocking base
- Top ring rattles with beads
A video monitor for naps
Nap time in their own room is the hour a parent finally gets to cook, work in the yard or sit down, and a screen in the pocket saves running upstairs to listen at the door.
VTech VM819 Video Baby Monitor (2.8 in, no WiFi)
$30–$50
A small monitor: a parent unit the size of a phone that slips into a pocket while you cook or garden, from a brand you’ll know. The camera is fixed rather than steerable, but the 2,600 mAh battery runs the screen for up to 19 hours, or 29 in audio-only mode, and white noise and a trickling-stream sound play from the camera.
A closer look: The camera doesn’t pan, so set it on a shelf or dresser with the whole crib in view before the first night; the 2x zoom helps from across the room. Use the three-level sound indicator when the volume is down: the lights show a cry even with the screen dark.
- 2.8-inch screen
- Up to 19 hours video
- White noise and stream sounds
A balance bike to grow into
The big present that lasts: plenty of toddlers are walking one along in their second year and gliding with their feet up long before they could manage pedals. One for the grandparents, or for the family to chip in on.
Strider 12 Sport Balance Bike (18 months to 5 years)
$100–$150
Its padded seat runs from 11 to 17 in, so the 12 Sport grows with a rider from about 18 months to five, and as Strider’s full-featured model it has a 6.7 lb steel frame, never-flat foam tires, footrests for gliding and quick-release clamps. Strider started in 2007 in Rapid City, South Dakota, when founder Ryan McFarland cut down a 12-inch bike for his two-year-old son.
What owners say: Owners say children pick up balance on it fast and that it shrugs off hard use, and the quick seat and handlebar adjustments get a lot of credit.
A closer look: Measure the child’s inseam in socks and set the seat about an inch below it, so they can sit and still push off with flat feet. The footrests come into their own once they’re gliding, and the extended seat post in the box takes a four-year-old without needing a bigger bike.
- 18 months to 5 years
- Foam tires never go flat
- Built-in footrests for gliding
A scooter with a seat
Toddlers want to go wherever the big kids go, and at one, sitting down and pushing is how they keep up on the sidewalk.
Hurtle 3-Wheel Scooter with Seat
$30–$50
A flip-out seat means a toddler can sit and push along before they’re ready to stand and scoot, then the seat comes off. Light-up wheels and four handlebar heights.
What owners say: Assembly is easy, it feels stable and the light-up wheels are a hit. Steering is its weak point, with reports of handlebars that won’t turn smoothly, and a few seats broke off.
A closer look: Let them sit on the seat and push with both feet at first, like a balance bike, and take the seat off once they stand to scoot on their own. The seat takes children up to 45 lb; after that it keeps going as a stand-up three-wheeler.
- From age 1 with seat
- Light-up wheels all around
- Handlebar 25.5–34 in, 4 heights
Heads up: It weighs 9 lb, so expect to carry it home when little legs give up.
View on Amazon See our top 5 kids' scooters →A night light for their room
Around one, plenty of babies are in a room of their own and still waking at 2 a.m. A dimmable glow a parent can turn down with one hand makes those visits shorter for everyone.
MediAcous Rechargeable Egg Night Light
$20–$30
An egg-shaped light with stepless dimming, so the glow can be turned right down for a feeding in the middle of the night, and a 1-hour timer that switches it off once everyone’s back asleep. Hold the top for a second and a half and it drops into a dim night-light mode for diaper changes.
What owners say: Easier than reaching for the overhead light, owners say, with a range from very dim to bright and a battery that lasts and recharges fast; the color-cycling mode gets called soothing. A few units have stopped working early.
A closer look: On standby a tiny light makes it easy to find in the dark, and it blinks red when the battery needs charging. A double press turns it on or off and a long press dims it smoothly, so it can be set without looking, and the memory brings back the last color and level the next night.
- 1-hour auto-off timer
- 100 hours on dimmest setting
- Remembers last color and level
Heads up: For the longest time between charges, keep it on the dimmer settings: MediAcous gives about 5 hours at full brightness and up to 100 on the dimmest.
View on Amazon See our top 5 kids' night lights →A toddler bath
At one they’ve outgrown the baby tub but still slide around in the big one, so bath time turns into a wrestle. A tub their size lets them sit up and play.
Shnuggle Toddler Bath
$75–$100
For the stage between a baby tub and the deep end: a big polypropylene tub with a raised bump in the seat and a foam backrest that sit a toddler upright, a grippy inside and an anti-slip base, a max fill line and a plug. It fits most shower floors and bathtubs and uses far less water than filling the big one.
What owners say: Plenty of room to play and sturdy enough not to slide is the verdict from owners, who like how the plug drains it into the sink; the price is what gives some of them pause.
A closer look: Stand it on the shower floor or in the bathtub, fill to the line and let the toddler climb in and sit against the foam backrest. It’s long enough to be a real bath for a two-year-old, and the plug means you never have to lift it to empty it. Hand wash it and leave it on its side to dry.
- Toddler tub from 9 months
- Seat bump and foam backrest
- Fits most shower floors
A travel crib for Grandma’s house
For the grandparents who’d love an overnight visit: a bed kept at their house makes the first sleepover much easier. At one there’s no need for a bassinet or a changer.
Pamo Babe Portable Playard (P901, black)
$50–$75
A light, no-frills playard for trips and visits: 17.6 lb, tool-free to set up, with breathable mesh sides and a sturdy frame. It folds into a long, low bundle that lies across a car trunk.
What owners say: ‘A great little crib’ is the phrase that comes up: quick to set up and take down, sturdy and sized well for babies under about 18 months. Some had sides that didn’t lock as they should, and a few say it broke quickly.
A closer look: Between trips it slides under a bed or stands in a closet corner, and the mesh on every side lets you check on a sleeping baby from across the room. Pamo Babe says to stop using it once a child can climb out, reaches 35 in or passes 33 lb, whichever comes first.
- Fits kids to 33 lb
- Weighs 17.6 lb
- Slides under a bed
Heads up: Lock all four side rails before pushing the floor down: Pamo Babe says lowering the base first can keep the rails from locking. Lift each rail until it clicks, and tug it to check.
View on Amazon See our top 5 travel cribs →A folding high chair for visits
Meals at someone else’s house go better with a seat of their own, now that they’re feeding themselves and most of it ends up on the tray.
Cosco Kids Simple Fold High Chair
$50–$75
A plain folding high chair: one height, a full-size tray with three positions and a cup holder, a wipe-clean seat and a leg rest, and a fold that drops it flat and leaves it standing on its own in a corner. It sets up in seconds, so it suits grandparents’ houses and trips.
What owners say: Comfortable, easy to wipe and easy to fold away is the gist from owners, who also take it on trips. Some say a small baby slides down in the seat, and the lean of the backrest isn’t to everyone’s taste.
A closer look: Folded, it stands flat against a wall or slides into the trunk for a weekend away, and it’s open again in seconds at the other end. Move the tray out a notch as the baby grows, and wipe the seat down after each meal rather than letting dried food build up in the corners.
- Folds flat and stands alone
- 6 months to 50 lb
- Sets up in seconds
Heads up: It has a three-point harness rather than five, so it’s best for a baby who already sits well; use the innermost tray setting to keep a small one snug.
View on Amazon See our top 5 high chairs →A carrier for the toddler years
Heavy enough to tire a parent’s arms and too slow to walk the whole farmers’ market: that’s a one-year-old. On the back, they see over every stall, and nobody stops every few steps to pick them up.
Ergobaby Omni Classic Baby Carrier (Mesh)
$100–$150
Ergobaby’s four-position carrier for the whole of babyhood: facing in, facing out, on the hip or on the back, from 7 to 45 lb, with a padded waist belt and lumbar support for the wearer. This version is in mesh, which keeps everyone cooler on a summer walk.
What owners say: Owners say they can wear it for two or three hours without their back or shoulders complaining, and that it adjusts into each new position as the baby grows, though a few find it bulky or awkward to put on alone.
A closer look: Set the bucket seat and back panel to the baby’s size before each new stage, and use the three-way head support for naps. Fasten every buckle and the hook-and-loop before it goes in the washing machine, with a mild detergent, as Ergobaby asks. One size fits petite wearers up to 4XL.
- For babies 7–45 lb
- Four positions, including hip carry
- Fits petite to 4XL
A sound machine for naps away from home
Naps at Grandma’s, at daycare and in hotel rooms go better with the same sound they hear at home, and the second year brings plenty of naps away.
Easysleep Sound Machine with Night Light (25 sounds)
$10–$20
A simple plug-in machine with 25 sounds, 32 volume steps and a warm light in four levels, bright enough for a feed or a few pages of a book. It remembers the last sound, volume and timer.
What owners say: The choice of sounds, the dimmable light and the simple on-off button win owners over, and light sleepers say it works for them. It takes up very little room beside the bed.
A closer look: At 3.9 in square it’s a small tabletop machine, and it runs from a wall adapter or a USB port, so a laptop can power it in a hotel room. Easysleep backs it with an 18-month warranty.
- 25 soothing sounds
- Warm light, four levels
- Remembers sound, volume and timer
Tips for first birthday gifts
- Ask the parents what’s already in the house: first birthdays bring duplicate shape sorters, and the bigger things here need floor space.
- Put fresh batteries in anything that lights up or sings before you wrap it. The ones in the box are often only meant for the store demo.
- A balance bike or a scooter wants a helmet as soon as they’re rolling. Toddler helmets are sized by head measurement, so ask the parents or take a soft tape measure to the next visit.
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