Get the best toys to keep your 1 year old busy for hours of fun!
From blocks to tea sets, there are many toys you can choose for one-year-olds of all developmental skills and interests.
But with all the choices we have and new toys constantly coming out, it can be hard to weed out the gems. And if you are asking yourself “what is the best toy to buy a one year old child?”
Don’t worry, I have a simple solution for you.
Choose open-ended toys for your one year old!
The wonderful thing about open-ended toys is that they allow kids to explore their creativity and play using their imaginations. They aren’t stuck with only one way to play with the toy. Also, open ended toys grow with your child.
All of the toys mentioned below are great for children 12 months and up, are open-ended, and will provide hours of fun.
Here’s a list of the best toys for 1 year old to keep them busy and learning!
Squeeze and Stack Building Blocks
This is a great first set of blocks for a one year old child. They are stackable, chewable, squeakable, floatable and squeezable.
Not only will they love stacking them up and knocking them down (this is the best part!), they’ll also love to learn about the different animals, colors, shapes and numbers on each side.
Foam Building Block Set
This building block set is a great open-ended toy.
These are easy for little hands to grasp and incorporate into their play.
They are lightweight and won’t hurt another child if thrown across the room or if the child drops it on their feet. Also, they’re flexible and won’t break into pieces if your child bites them.
I love the colors and shapes of these. And the kids play with them daily.
These foam blocks are a must have!
Check out: Best Building Block Toys for Kids Playroom
Dump Truck
I have cars, trucks, airplanes, and other transportation toys in the playroom for the children to play with, but the large dump trucks seem to get played with more.
Dump trucks are a great indoor and outdoor toy. You can get them in different sizes and colors. The kids enjoy loading it up with other small toys and pushing them all over the place.
I couldn’t find the exact dump truck I own, but this one is the same size and similar in design.
Ring Stacker, a Developmental Toy for 1 year olds
From grasping and shaking to sorting and stacking, a ring stacker toy has tons of fun ways for your one-year-old to play and explore.
Children can sort and stack all five rings, then bat at the wobbly base to see what happens, helping to enhance their curiosity and sense of discovery.
All my infants have loved the bright colors and mouthing these. I love that they are durable and easy to keep clean.
Sensory Balls
These sensory balls are perfect for one-year-olds because the texture will engage the child’s senses, promote reaching and grasping, and when the balls roll away, movement.
My one-year-old loves them, and so do my older school-age kids. Yup, they still find ways to play with them.
Stack Up Cup Toys
These stacking cups might not look like an exciting toy, but it is! The children find dozens of ways to play with them. Seriously, they do everything with them!
They nest them. They stack them like a tower and then knock it down. They roll them, bang them together, learn about colors, use them in water play, pretend they are everything and anything like animals, cars, small hats, etc.
I can go on and on about all the different ways that kids can come up with to play with these cups, but I won’t bore you with the details.
I recommend you get these cups. The kids will know what to do with them!
Smart Stages Piggy Bank
I have never met a child that didn’t enjoy playing with this toy. It’s one of the few battery-operated toys I recommend because even if you don’t use it with batteries, it still gets played with a lot.
One-year-olds (and older toddlers) love pushing the coins into the back slot and opening and closing the door to get the play coins out. This piggy bank toy holds their attention for a good amount of time.
Tea Set
When your child gets closer to 2 years old, you will notice that they start acting out everyday actions they have seen adults do. For instance, they will pretend to talk on the phone, drink coffee, try to use a key to open the door, etc.
You will need to add a few toys that encourage pretend play ,and a tea set like the one here is one of the best starter toys for imaginative play.
Kids Play Tent with Crawl Tunnel and Ball Pit
If you have the space for a play tent with a tunnel and ball pit like this one, I recommend you look into getting one. Because as you probably know, younger kids love crawling in and out of things. So a toy with a tunnel similar to this one is perfect for one-year-olds.
You have the option of having the kids play with it outdoors or if the weather isn’t great outside, set it up for them indoors.
Either way the kids will have a lot of fun.
One last thing, don’t forget to get the balls for the ball pit!
There are so many fun toys to choose from for your one-year-old.
And the right toys will always provide opportunities for learning and understanding of the world around them.
I own all of the toys mentioned, and my kids have all loved playing with each one of them, and I am confident that your kids will enjoy them too.
✅ Don’t forget to add art and crafts to your one year old learning activities! Need help getting started? Go here and check out my list of the best art supplies.
What is your favorite toy for 1 year old children?
Now its your turn to share with me some of the best toys for one year old’s that you recommend. Please leave your suggestions in the comments.
Related: Do you need toy ideas for toddlers? Go check out my Top Toy Recommendations and Ideas for Toddlers here.
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