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Original poster

Is this a good gift for a one year old

52 replies

Pondlife87 · 27/12/2019 21:18

My friend's little girl is just about to turn one. I know she will have been inundated with clothes and toys for now so I thought about getting her the Beatrix Potter collection for when she is older. I think it looks beautiful and I have so many fond memories of reading the stories when I was young. But my husband said it's too old for a one year old. I'm however not implying she will use it now. Would you appreciate a gift like this for your one year old or not?

OP posts:
flightless55 · 27/12/2019 21:21

Perfect gift, my DD is one next week

PointeShoesandTutus · 27/12/2019 21:22

We got given this for our baby at her christening, and some of the stories are absolutely bonkers - utterly rubbish! We loved the well known Peter/Jemima/Mrs Tiggywinkle but the lesser known ones are dire! Almost to the extent they didn’t make sense.

We also got given a few of the individual books (the main ones) which are larger so easier to look at, and absolutely beautiful and DD loves looking at, so maybe just pick a few good ones?

orangejuicer · 27/12/2019 21:23

Lovely idea. We bought DS (13mo) the Thomas Tank collection.

Elbeagle · 27/12/2019 21:24

We got this for DD1’s first birthday, and we always buy it as a christening gift for friends’ children.

Elbeagle · 27/12/2019 21:25

I like the bonkers ones PointeShoesandTutus!

CottonSock · 27/12/2019 21:26

They look nice, but my kids found them hard going. I recommend a Shirley Hughes box or collection instead.

LL83 · 27/12/2019 21:28

Do they have space to store? If so then yes it is a nice gift. If not maybe a voucher for a local activity might be better if avoiding toys/clothes (which is a very good idea just after Christmas)

BertieBotts · 27/12/2019 21:28

It's fine IMO. I don't think a one year old needs things they are going to use right now.

You are both right. Just different perspectives on the same thing. I do think it might be a better present for something like a Christening, where a keepsake is expected, than a birthday, but there is nothing wrong with giving it for a birthday.

User12879923378 · 27/12/2019 21:31

Can't you ask your friend what she thinks her daughter would like now? Loads of people have bought my daughter stuff she can't use - ceramic cups (SHE IS TWO), massive hardbacks she can't hold full of stories that are far too long and prosy for her to focus on to the end with not enough pictures. I have a whole shelf of nursery rhymes and fairy tales that are appropriate for 4+ and I really wish people had just asked me what I thought she might like now rather than storing future stuff with me because they remembered liking it at a completely different age and couldn't wait to buy it.

Also, we have complete sets of BP from when we were both small that we would love to read with her once she is old enough so that honestly is something I would ask about anyway.

Sorry to sound grumpy but seriously just ask what she might like over the next 6 months and get something she'll love now!

frillyfarmer · 27/12/2019 21:34

We received it as a present for our son's first Xmas at 3 months old and it was perfect - we read them regularly now he's old enough and they're beautiful books.

User12879923378 · 27/12/2019 21:35

I obviously am a massive grump Grin

NannyR · 27/12/2019 21:37

I've worked for lots of families over the years and almost every child has a boxed set of beatrix potter gathering dust on their top shelf that has been given as a christening/first birthday gift - they very rarely, if ever get read. The illustrations are beautiful and people seem to have fond memories of enjoying them as a child and they are seen as a traditional gift for a child, but, in my opinion, there are far better books around that children actually enjoy reading and rereading.

Elbeagle · 27/12/2019 21:38

We read ours Smile. Got them as a gift for our first DC, are now on our third and they’re still read.

Silverista · 27/12/2019 21:42

I think there are better books a one year old would truely love . The Tales from Acorn Wood stories by Julia Donaldson kept my son so entertained at that age group - it was the only time he'd sit still and he learnt all the words too. We have the Beatrix Potter set too but he only starting to enjoy them nearer to age 4 now .

TheBigFatMermaid · 27/12/2019 21:44

Perfect! Something to treasure.

aibutohavethisusername · 27/12/2019 21:47

I think it is a lovely idea.

nikiti · 27/12/2019 21:49

yeah I will appreciate the gift and save it when is suitable for usage

Shufflebumnessie · 27/12/2019 21:49

I think books are a great idea. I've given the Complete collection of Winnie-the-Pooh as a gift.

Biancadelrioisback · 27/12/2019 21:50

Ah god I hated stuff like this. It takes up space. I have a few sets from when DS was small and now he's 3 I still have never dug them out again

Expressedways · 27/12/2019 21:53

Books are a great gift but I’m not so sure about Beatrix Potter. We have a very pretty set but the 2.5 year old couldn’t be less interested and yes, it gathers dust.

RoseGoldEagle · 27/12/2019 21:56

I was given this as a gift when my baby was born. I thought it was a really lovely gift. I never read the books as a child and might not have thought to have got them, so am really pleased to have them

Beseen19 · 27/12/2019 22:00

I thought it was a beautiful gift to get when my son was born but realistically we looked at them a couple of times. He much preferred the bright colourful rhyming books and I was never one for keeping things nice so he just wrecked them, the set got dusty and some torn and I'm ashamed to say that we moved house and have stuff in storage and now I would have absolutely no idea where they are.

FreedomfromPE · 27/12/2019 22:03

Awful series of books. They look pretty but will be abandoned or forgotten on a shelf. Not to mention they probably will get at least one set from a great aunt or such.
It's just buying stuff for stuffs sake.

GameSetMatch · 27/12/2019 22:04

It depends on the child my first born wouldn’t of liked them he likes lots of pictures and colour my second born would love them, you have a 50/50 chance of them being loved and read. I agree with PP a Shirley Hughes set would be lovely, I don’t know a child that doesn’t love the stories my two and five year old adore the ‘Alfie’ series.

snowone · 27/12/2019 22:24

They are classics - no doubt! But they are hard to read and difficult for children to understand. My DD asks me to read one occasionally (she is 5) and she doesn't really get them. What about a set of Mr Men / Little Miss books? Or a collection of Julia Donaldson?