What did you buy your lo for their first birthday?

[WinkyisbackontheButterBeer]

Dd's first birthday is fast approaching and I have no ideas on a gift for her so hoped I could pick your brains.
I was thinking of either a ball pool or a smart trike but we have recently been given both by a friend.
I'd like something that will last her but don't want to spend a fortune when she won't remember it and will get lots of gifts from friends and family.
Any ideas much appreciated.

DS's first birthday was very close to Christmas, I can't remember which gift he got for which but between the two we bought him:

• Uncle Goose wooden letter blocks (these still get played with regularly at 3.5)
• ELC wooden kitchen walker
• Duplo
• Plum wooden sand and water table, the type where the water table slides underneath the sand table for storage

We bought DS a wooden rocking horse because he was still young enough not to chose plastic crap. He is now 15 and the lovely rocking horse still sits in front of the window in the spare bedroom.

It was only £100 but I won't get rid of it now and hope one day grandkids will like using it when they visit (assuming they do and won't have some MN-DIL wanting to go NC with me )

DD's main present was also an ELC wooden walker, we got the work bench one and she loved it. She was coasting but not walking at that age and it gave her more freedom to move around our flat as she would take it with her iyswim.

She also got some duplo but she didn't really play with that until she was a bit older. Loves it now though (She has just turned 2).

Is Duplo ok for a 1 year old? I want to get it for my DD's birthday but all the boxes I've seen say 18 months plus.

Things that we bought her for her birthday that she likes : a pirate ship some mega bloks a little table top cooker with whistling kettle and bubbling frying pan and a pretend phone. She was also bought a tractor that makes noises (same brand as pirate ship) and two soft bodies babies that she's obsessed with.
She's now 16 months and these are still played with.
She didn't like the shape sorter and an elephant that is on a ball and rolls around making loud noises (nor do I!)

I bought my first child a beautiful set of wooden blocks that came with a storage rack for his 1st, and my kids played with them for YEARS. They are adults now and we still have them for when they have kids.

I think it's best to buy one good quality present - you'll soon enough have a house full of awful plastic toys.

For DD1 I bought a beautiful wooden rocking horse (about €100) which will last and hopefully get handed down.

I think anything wooden is always nice - i quite like the idea of some building blocks for DD2's 1st.

gamer duplo is fine for a one year old! I think the manufacturers always up the age recommendation for fear of some child sticking it in their mouth. Whereas every parent knows the danger of Duplo is it skewering your foot when you're tidying up the day's mess when the kids are finally sleeping!

Thanks chloechloe, i have a bit of PFB going on I think! Can't wait to buy some Duplo!

Thank you. There are some lovely ideas here. She has some wooden blocks but I love the idea of a rocking horse or nice ride on toy.
Also love the elc kitchen/workbench walker.

Rocking horse and walker here too. Masses of use out of them!

Wooden walker with wooden blocks to weight it down and stop it running away too fast 😀.

Fisher Price garage where the cars roll all the way from top to bottom.

DS got a wooden kitchen with a few wooden food items (ex display so it was £30)
Melissa & Doug blocks
Shopping basket with cardboard food
Wooden farm vehicles
Steiff My First Bear (sentimental gift as we hope he keeps it to pass on)
Selection of books

Everything but the books & bear were on offer - TK Maxx can be really good for wooden toys, mainly Melissa & Doug but I've spotted some Brio before too. Hape make lovely wooden toys as well & DS also loves his ELC workbench walker (a Grandad carboot bargain find for £3)

Other people bought him noisier toys & favourites have been vtech remote & fisher price dinosaur which roars & has a torch in its mouth

Since, as you say, they don't remember and get lots of gifts from others... we put money into savings for ours. And her first Xmas too. Far more beneficial.

I'll do the same over the next couple of years I think, and for the next arrivals.

Then something little to open, like a pretty breakfast set?

Books. Lovely books for babies with rhyme, such as nursery rhymes. Lots of picture books.