Birthday present ideas for 1 yr old, high budget from DGF...

[KikiShack]

My father is cash rich and time poor these days, unlike when we were growing up on the dole, so I'm not a born with a silver spoon type!

It's my DD's 1st birthday in a few weeks and my DF has suggested I buy whatever I want 'which will make her life much better' for up to ~£250 and he'll send me the cash.

I obviously don't have to / necessarily want to spend the whole budget, but equally I'd like to take this opportunity to get her something nice which will last her beyond just the next few months if possible, rather than just ask for a £20 set of wooden blocks etc. I suppose resale value would be good too so I can trade it in for something else nice in the future!
Does anyone have any ideas? I'm a bit lost in the internet's rich selection of just about everything imaginable.

The one thought I have had is a smartbike - is there any point in getting the pricey £130ish ones vs an Argos £25 one?

In case anyone suggests the very sensible idea of a cheque into a savings account for her, I'd rather avoid this one please. DP and I are lucky enough to have decent jobs so we save £100pm for DD's future ourselves, so extra contributions from other people whilst always welcome, are not what I'd choose and not what my dad imagines either - we want to get her something tangible she'll be able to enjoy and we'll all be able to watch her enjoying every day.

1 is a difficult age for that sort of thing, I think, as they have short attention spans and I can't think of much from when DD was that age that has lasted as long.

Scuttlebugs and ride-alongs are good and she will grow into them, but I don't think there is much to be gained from spending a fortune on them. There is something to be gained from the better ones - my parents bought DD one of those push-along trike thingies that they saw cheap and bless them, you can tell - but that's the difference from a £20 to an £80, not a £150+ one.

Kitchens are a nice investment, but probably not something she will play with until nearer 2.

Or something for the garden?

Personally I would keep the money aside but for toys and similar, not in the long-term saving pot. Since DD's turned 2 we've been surprised by all the little things that cost more than we expected - blackout curtains and a gro-clock for sleep, needing more shoes than we ever expected etc. It might be nice to have that slush fund to hand so you can buy nicer things throughout the year?

Gosh, it's actually quite hard to think of something for a one year old that costs that much!

Things enjoyed at 1 yr old or shortly after by my DD: books, Scuttlebug, play tunnel, toys that move/play tunes, play kitchen, toy pram. None of these are that much though. I guess a very nice play kitchen + lots of accessories could add up to near 200, that could be a worthwhile investment. Not sure about resale, depends how bashed up it gets!

Maybe a play house or climbing frame/slide set for the garden - get one that's big enough to last a couple of years. Trampoline would be great if you have the space! She won't use them much at 1 but by 18 months would really start to enjoy them I think.

Oh yes shoes! Would he like to buy her a year's supply of shoes? They really add up.

Think about this next year as a whole, not what your DC needs now. In my DS's 1-2 year old year, he's loved:

• a Trax balance bike (still much loved, enables him to come out for longer without getting tired, and he was obsessed with it for weeks when he first got it. We got ours when he was about 18 months old, and getting bored with a ride on toy).
• Duplo (again not great until 18 months but lasts for years thereafter).
• Bounce n spin zebra toy (not used continuously but at least once a day).
• Toddler sized table and chairs.
• Really comfy, extended rear facing car seat (was still in baby seat at 12 months). That again will last for years (but it was £££!!).
• An assortment of 'toddler toys' e.g. puzzles, animal/car/person model figures, pretend houses, books etc.

Most of that would be a bit old for her at just one year old, but I found that anything that was appropriate for DS's first birthday was soon outgrown, and we had to buy the above list of things in between age 1 and 2 so that he did have age appropriate toys. We've got wise to it this year - bike no.2 turned up for his 2nd birthday so he can grow into it over the next year and really enjoy it!

A rocking horse?

I'd go for a swing or climbing frame.

Actually chair and table, YY. Good quality chair/stool and table, and also maybe a child-size living room chair.

I'll stop waffling in a minute - you could also think of putting it aside for classes? There are a lot of music and play classes a 1yo could enjoy, and from 18m or so football, rugby, even netball classes start (well, they are nominally a sports class but really just an excuse for kids to run around for an hour or so) We used most of DD's 2nd birthday money to pay for classes as they are expensive.

A decent swing set, where you could get the baby type seats now, and swap for a proper swing seat as she gets older?

A nice wooden play kitchen and some food to go with it, both my dc have loved theirs and ds2 played with it from about 9mths, ds1 (5.5) will still play with it sometimes now so it will have a good lifespan and is always much played with by visiting children

I was going to suggest one of those mini micro scooters. Ds had one at 18 months and can still use it at 6. I'm going to pass it down now to my 1 year old and get the handle and seat add on. the 3 in 1 version is £80.
www.johnlewis.com/micro-scooters-mini-micro-3-in-1-scooter-with-seat-and-o-bar-handle-red/p893131?kpid=232780311&s_kenid=4cae5532-7ece-4a89-f3d5-000050ac7500&s_kwcid=106x65581&tmad=c&tmcampid=73&kpid=232780311

a swing set is a good idea too

Id have used it for the next stage up carseat (we bought an ERF one which was about 220) and used the extra for a plastic tykes rocking horse which was dds favourite gift at that age.

I would say a swing, slide or wendy house for the garden. She'll have a lot of use out of it, and it should last for years.

A wooden playhouse. If you get a really good one, a decent size and maintain it it will last for years. Ds3's playhouse is now a "gang hut".

My son has a beautiful rocking horse that cost about £100. He got it at 1. Other options are membership for something close? We are members to the zoo and aquarium.

Depending on how strapped you are, I'd be tempted to use it to take my son on holiday (but we are skint!)

K

If you have a garden you can easily spend that much on a playhouse, swingset/slide)

Either a garden set, swing etc

Or a small toy say 80quid trike and A necklace or bracelet in silver that she can say in years to come that her grandad bought her for her first birthday?

www.mothercare.com/ELC-Wooden-Activity-Kitchen-Walker/137306,default,pd.html
This is gorgeous!

What about a rocking horse?

Zoo membership? Or similar?

I'd get a micro scooter with seat. She'll get at least 5 years out if it. My dc use them daily.

Worth looking into garden toys. A decent wooden playhouse, or a swing set will last years and cover a good age range.

A good dolls house - we have a great one from KidCraft which is open on all sides, has really chunky furniture so is safe for little ones, and has lasted my 3 really well - got it when the dds were about 4 and 18 months ish, and they are now 10 and 7, and now ds (age 2) is playing with it as well. We got ours from Costco for about £160.

Otherwise maybe an investment into Brio, or Bigjigs railway stuff? Ou could get a great set for future play, and your dd could enjoy it now, supervised (due to magnets etc). Again, ds has been 'brmmming' cars and trains around (on tracks or on playmats) since he was 14 months or so, and has enjoyed pushing trains and cars up and down premade tracks.

I'd say a wooden Wendy house would be something that could be enjoyed now and for years to come.

I had one as a child that had a kitchen, seating area and futon bed and I remember playing with it from about 2 right up to 12! (When it became a 'gossip clubhouse')

Ooh these are all brilliant ideas, thanks tons! Apologies for the very brief reply but I'm trying to stop DD rampaging too much as we're both ill so she's full of energy too destroy things and I'm a bit too tired to properly police her, but I'll read and digest more later...

Next stage of car seat or a bed or something she will need in coming 12 months if something 'practical' is allowed?

Otherwise - in terms of long term value for money, can't go wrong with garden stuff - swing, climbing frame, paddling pool, etc. She's a bit young to use is at moment, obviously, but it will give pleasure for years to come.

or

Would he allow you to buy Premium Bonds for her with it ? - give a small chance of winning something, but, later in life, when she wants something, you, or she will be able to cash them in and buy what she wants then (be that when she's 4 or 5 or later, when she wants driving lessons or to go travelling or whatever).

A really decent, stylish wooden toy box (the large trunk ones). With her name on it. It's the kind of thing that'll be kept for years & used to store other things as she gets older.