First birthday ideas

[anna345]

Hello everyone ia after some ideas for my daughters first birthday in December. I am keen to get her something that she will enjoy for a long time and try and avoid filling out house with more coloured plastic!!

I quite like the idea of a tepee but am not sure if she will enjoy this now and going forward or if I just think it will look nice in her nursery lol! or a wooden pram, is she too young ???

A teepee or playhouse is on our list for DD's 1st birthday in November, or for Christmas. May be a little young for it now but it isn't going to be a waste as it'll get so much use - especially if you have room to keep it up indoors.
One thing with having birthdays shortly before Christmas is that they can probably end up with lots of gifts that suit them at age 1 - and then no more opportunities for "bigger" presents until they are 2. I think we're going to address the gap by not buying her a big present ourselves until next summer.
DD is getting a Wheely bug ride on from my parents (the small size so she can use it immediately), that's a nice wooden toy, seems great quality. DH's parents are getting her some Toot Toot animal stuff - it is plastic but she really likes the two animals she has already and they do seem well made.
A nice wooden pram seems a good idea - as long as you'll let her use it outside?! The little girls on our close are always pushing their dollies in their pushchairs in the mud and rain outside. Maybe a set of wooden blocks? or wooden train set?

I am slightly dreading Christmas because MIL just buys us all huge quantities of crap and I assume she'll do the same for DD. I'm not kidding, last year mine and DH's shared "stocking" included Tesco value toothbrushes, three different types of notebook, a flower-themed address book, and a pack of screws amongst other things. DH got one of those silk scarves that men in the 1940s wore over a dinner jacket / black tie. He doesn't even have a tux these days!!

One of those little Tikes bike ride things.
www.argos.co.uk/m/static/Product/partNumber/2484806/searchTerm/smart+trike.htm

Can I just say your baby will never remember her 1st birthday or what you specifically bought her so if I'm honest I'd just get her a few little bits to open and buy bigger things as and when she needs them ie summer you might want to buy some garden toys or a trike etc

I agree - she won't remember so save the great present ideas for future years!

I had ds2 the day after ds1's first birthday party so I always say that ds1's first birthday present was his brother!

We bought DS an ELC toy kitchen, we bought it second hand on gumtree for a fraction of the price and he pkays with it daily. I mean, he doesnt pretend to cook food but he plays with all the dials on the cooker & dishwasher, switches the pretend tap on, presses buttons that make the hob sizzle, oh and flings the plastic utensils around!

We are going to get the chad valley wooden play table today. He is too young for the train set that comes with it but he had a whale of a time playing on a similar table in a cafe recently. He could play with the balls,cars etc at his height and they didnt roll off the table. Im hoping it will mean less toys on the floor!

Look at toy kitchens though as you can get some gorgeous ones.

Our DD was 1 in March. We got her a Smartrike and have used it solidly ever since! Then she got a few little presents, but nothing major. Couple of soft toys, books, ball, that sort of thing. Mostly from the charity shop.

Definitely recommend a trike as it can be used straight away and DD loves hers (we're just about to move it to the next stage, sob!).