Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Original poster

1st Birthday - what actually gets played with?

78 replies

tiredmama2020 · 31/08/2021 21:16

1st birthday coming up for DS. I’m getting texts and calls from family asking what they can get him for his birthday.
He’s a very lucky boy and had lots of lovely toys already and really doesn’t need much more but family are insisting that they specifically want to get him toys. DH and I will be getting him a few bits and putting some money in his savings account because he really doesn’t need anything!

Can anyone recommend some toys that they’re LO got lots of use out of at about 1 year old? Winter baby so probably not any garden toys!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
LittleCatDog · 31/08/2021 21:37

Most played with toys were the ball pit and a balloon!

NotThatSocial · 31/08/2021 21:38

The Plan Toys wooden drum. It had a really lovely tone - not annoying even when bashed by a toddler! My daughter got it for for her 1st birthday and has only just given it up aged nearly 6

MotherOfCrocodiles · 31/08/2021 21:41

Mellissa and doug locks and latches board

Sand pit(kinetic sand for indoors??)

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Events & celebrations General parenting
CrabbyCat · 31/08/2021 21:44

Some form of Duplo with wheels - they like pushing them around long before they build anything. My oldest DC still plays with Duplo at 6 so it's certainly long lived.

Other long lived toys include a buggy and baby, the scuttle bug mentioned above and this bus Vtech 150003 Playtime Bus Educational Playset, Learning Toy With Phonic Sounds, Letters, Vocabulary, Numbers and Counting, Suitable For 18 Months, 2 3 4 5 Year Old Boys and Girls amazon.co.uk/dp/B00GNAP82G/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_VWPK5Q4148C50N6BMT0E]]

AliasGrape · 31/08/2021 21:46

Mine is obsessed with a plastic tea set from Wilko at the moment. She just likes packing and unpacking the case.

She generally likes anything that she can take in and out of a case or box. The TOMY squeaky eggs are good for that too and get a lot of play here.

We did get her a second hand little tikes wendy house and used some birthday money she was given to get a little wooden mud kitchen type thing from a guy who makes them locally - I know you said no garden toys but they're things that grow with them I think, and stick them in a puddle suit and wellies and they can play with them year round :)

RoseMartha · 31/08/2021 21:50

I would be thinking of how he might be in October or November when he might gave grown out of some of his baby toys.

Wooden first puzzles
Bath toys
A ball
Kids bean bag chair.

Original poster
tiredmama2020 · 31/08/2021 21:51

@AliasGrape

Mine is obsessed with a plastic tea set from Wilko at the moment. She just likes packing and unpacking the case.

She generally likes anything that she can take in and out of a case or box. The TOMY squeaky eggs are good for that too and get a lot of play here.

We did get her a second hand little tikes wendy house and used some birthday money she was given to get a little wooden mud kitchen type thing from a guy who makes them locally - I know you said no garden toys but they're things that grow with them I think, and stick them in a puddle suit and wellies and they can play with them year round :)

@AliasGrape Those eggs are a nightmare 🤣 I swear I spend half my evenings hunting for their wee shells 🤣 and the pegs from that Galt pop up toy too!! I’d love garden toys but we’re also planning on moving house in the spring so it’s just more big stuff to take with us. Next year we’ll hopefully be in our “forever home” and will set up a proper play bit in the garden for him 😊
OP posts:
Original poster
tiredmama2020 · 31/08/2021 21:53

@RoseMartha

I would be thinking of how he might be in October or November when he might gave grown out of some of his baby toys.

Wooden first puzzles
Bath toys
A ball
Kids bean bag chair.

@RoseMartha A kids chair is a great idea actually. He currently pulls my sofa cushions off and perched on those on the floor 🤣
OP posts:
ParisNext · 31/08/2021 21:54

A proper good quality play table. It can be used for Lego. Drawing, wooden trains, helping to stand and walk, endless use for years with loads of storage underneath.

BertieBotts · 31/08/2021 21:59

Mega blocks
Chunky cars -fisher price little People or Happyland or ELC size.
Toy piano thing with songs and animal sounds
These "spa bath lights" that were not actually a present but he was obsessed with them in the bath. Came from somewhere like Wilko.
Push along walker.

AliasGrape · 31/08/2021 22:00

@tiredmama2020

Total nightmare. As is the tea set actually, my husband has diagnosed me with 'tea set anxiety' due to my extreme stress levels every time she plays with it, I cannot rest until there are 4 cups, 4 plates and 4 teaspoons safely back in the case.

Must admit to occasionally hiding both it and the squeaky eggs.

I'm reading the thread with interest as I desperately try to find something that will hold her interest for long enough for me to have a cup of tea - we can but dream.

headintheproverbial · 31/08/2021 22:02

My son was given a toy buggy - he absolutely loved it and used to push teddies / dolls / cars around in it. My daughter also had tons of use out of it. Great present.

APipkinOfPepper · 31/08/2021 22:04

Every single photo I have of my DS on his first birthday he is clutching a maraca that my sister got him - far and away his favourite present!

Ajl46 · 31/08/2021 22:06

@WisestIsShe

Elc have a little activity house/ball drop toy. I'm a cm and I've never met a child who doesn't like it. It's often half price. here

Otherwise I'd suggest something open ended, wooden bricks, little music toys, an acrylic mirror, a disco light, balls, cars, and lots and lots of books.

My DD has this and loves it!
bakingdemon · 31/08/2021 22:10

It's not just about what he'll play with in the next few weeks but across the rest of the year. So I'd suggest:
The little plastic egg box.
Pikler triangle.
Wobbleboard.
Those little wooden vegetables held together with Velcro that he can 'chop'.
IKEA play kitchen.
You can also never have too many books.

notthemum · 31/08/2021 22:10

The paper that the gift was wrapped in.
The box.
Babies are rarely interested in anything else. Ooh, maybe smooshing cake, jelly into carpet (or the dog)

Original poster
tiredmama2020 · 31/08/2021 22:12

[quote AliasGrape]@tiredmama2020

Total nightmare. As is the tea set actually, my husband has diagnosed me with 'tea set anxiety' due to my extreme stress levels every time she plays with it, I cannot rest until there are 4 cups, 4 plates and 4 teaspoons safely back in the case.

Must admit to occasionally hiding both it and the squeaky eggs.

I'm reading the thread with interest as I desperately try to find something that will hold her interest for long enough for me to have a cup of tea - we can but dream.[/quote]
@AliasGrape it’s not “hiding” them - it’s rotating the toys to keep them interested 😉🤣 mine have been known to be rotated out many a time too!!
DS is currently 10m and his favourite thing to do is his ball drop toy - can hold his attention with that for a good few minutes! Or I got him a set of plastic bowls IKEA and he absolutely loves filling them with stuff (wooden blocks, balls, other small toys) and tipping them out! I also bury smaller toys in his ball pit and he loves to find them! Those usually give me 5 minutes if I need to do something and want to keep him occupied!

OP posts:
threestars · 31/08/2021 22:23

DS loved his ride-on fire engine for his 1st birthday. He used to whizz up and down our corridor and became very adept on it!

C8H10N4O2 · 31/08/2021 22:24

One has already informed me they’ve bought him a Lego set (proper Lego - not baby duplo or whatever) and another is talking about a bike - like a proper toddler bike for him to “grow into” 🙈

Is this a first grandchild or have they simply forgotten that proper Lego isn't safe for babies this age? Duplo on the other hand might go down well. Empty boxes, noisy pans and by the time you get to the younger DC - a tasty dishcloth to chew on!

Otherwise, something sit and ride at this age can work, picture books/board books, noisy things - but everything ages out so fast at this age that you are better off banking the money for a few years until they enter the Shop of Horrors level of birthday wishlists.

If they insist on buying stuff suggest they buy items you had in mind and put the money saved aside to go out for a day or similar.

PippinStar · 31/08/2021 22:27

DS got a ride on car (a red one from Smyths). It’s still one of his favourite things now at 2.5. But he is car obsessed!

Maybeyesno · 31/08/2021 22:32

Paper and boxes!
You probably best going for presents that will have longevity - my 3dc played for years with car mat, brio train set, food/cooking items, trycycle, watering can, water play table, duplo, first version of playmobil, Dinosaurs, books. I also liked annual passes to things like the local farm.

dandeliondid · 31/08/2021 22:48

Both my children received a faux leather mini armchair for their first birthdays. 6 years later and they still use them!