1st Birthday - what actually gets played with?

[tiredmama2020]

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!

We bought dd a wheelybug for her first birthday. She needed some help for a few years but she and her siblings used it for a good 12 years afterwards! It still gets played with even now.

www.hamleys.com/wheely-bug-ladybird-small?

We got the little pop-up tent from IKEA. Filled it with ball-pool style balls. He loved it

Tomy eggs
Scuttlebug
Megablocks

@C8H10N4O2

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.

@C8H10N4O2 First child in both mine and DHs families for 18 years 😬 People seem to have forgotten everything there is to know about babies 🤣🙈

Balloons

Indoor rocking horse at that age
www.mamasandpapas.com/collections/rocking-horses-animals
Cheaper one from aldi online pending their budget
www.aldi.co.uk/donkey-wooden-animal-rocker/p/712640512118800?gclid=Cj0KCQjwpreJBhDvARIsAF1_BU1zPGaPWXFfzpAhxX5JZgw_U
2GVxe-urU38tCaUi7DAz8vfacSKQaAsw-EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

It can sit in the corner of the lounge or bedroom when not in use but is really handy for indoor play especially in Winter

Oh and texture books - any of the That's not my....range

I'm going to get my soon to be 1 year old, a big bundle of wooden instruments.... castanets, jingle bells, tambourine, maracas etc.

The Montessori toddler gym looks good too, but I don't really have the space at the moment.

A wobbel board, ball pool, soft play pieces, springy tunnel thing, one of those red and yellow cars, I think they're by little tykes?

That's not a list of what I'm getting he btw, just some suggestions!

First child in both mine and DHs families for 18 years 😬 People seem to have forgotten everything there is to know about babies 🤣

Then a useful tactic might be "that would be lovely to keep to play with at DGPs' house"

Playmobil 123 Noah's ark!

My twins got this for their first birthday and still play with it now at 4.5yrs. It can go in the bath/paddling pool too and has survived being chewed by two teething babies!

Helpful thread, my DD is about to turn 1 and people have been asking, but we already have millions of toys (she's DC2).

This all reminds me that one of the most successful real toys I had at this age was a drum kit with other percussion toys inside the drum. It was given to my eldest by a SiL and they all played with it for years.

Just sayin'...could also be an excellent 'DGP house toy"

IKEA play kitchen
Scramble Bug
Duplo
Chunky wooden push along vehicles (the Jamm Toys camper is gorgeous)

I tell you why we bought for the 1st birthday was a Grimms rainbow. Or as I've seen it called on mumsnet...that wanky overpriced rainbow.

At one she didn't really play with it but it looked beautiful. Now she's 3 it gets used everyday and I'm glad I had it when she was younger so it's gradually developed into different play things. Each birthday we've added to the wooden set and it's fab.

Definitely a kitchen and pots and pans. Years of play in those so get it young.

The other thing we had for first Christmas was a tuff tray and stand and that has been bloody brilliant but only if you are type of person to use it. (See Pinterest) Otherwise it's a big ugly bit of plastic taking up space.

As pp said not sure what to buy for dc2 as we have anything we want and have some for. I actually think I'll be wrapping up existing toys that are in the attic.

I've bought DD a Pikler triangle climbing frame and I know she'll love it because she tries to climb anything and everything! But I'm honestly stumped for ideas for family as she has all DC1's toys to play with. I think the suggestion for family to pay for experiences is a good one.

Thanks for all the suggestions so far everyone 😊 We have quite a few of them already but have managed to put together a wee list for family that are asking 😊

@NotThatSocial That camper is amazing! I’ve just ordered one 🤣 My DH is desperate for a real one!

@decoratedstandardlamp You’re brave mentioning that rainbow 😅 I’ve seen a few threads really kick off over that! Personally I love it but wasn’t sure if it was better suited for maybe a 2nd/3rd birthday 😊 I had been back and forward over the idea of a kitchen for him but I think we will get one 👍🏻 I’ve already ordered wooden food etc (the Velcro stuff) so a kitchen will go well 😊

@NameChange30

I've bought DD a Pikler triangle climbing frame and I know she'll love it because she tries to climb anything and everything! But I'm honestly stumped for ideas for family as she has all DC1's toys to play with. I think the suggestion for family to pay for experiences is a good one.

@NameChange30 I have a climber here too 🤣😅 I love the idea of paying for experiences too so I’ll definitely have a think of what we could do with that 😊

YY to a kitchen, we have a small one that was DS's (Christmas present shortly before he turned 2) and DD loves it, just emptying everything and banging pots together

Wheely bugs are great and you don’t need too much room. We got my DT’s one each for the 1st birthday (2nd hand!), they are 3 and still play on them now!

My DD doesn't really play with all the toys she has (nearly 1) except for the bath toys! Which are just simple stacking cups and squidgy animal things off Amazon! The cheapest of all her toys and she loves em.

She also loves my purse and the remote control for the TV.

Hahah yes I'm brave OP 🌈

I'd definitely recommend it. Also the flat semi circles and rainbow people. We buy one thing a year. She also like building with it and adding cheap plastic dinosaurs to it.

Musical instruments
Leapfrog picnic basket
Lift the flap books

@LegoCaltrops what's the cookie jar of doom?!

[quote Albgo]@LegoCaltrops what's the cookie jar of doom?![/quote]
Probably the annoying Fisher Price one that sings at you constantly.