Tot Ten First Birthday Gifts

My favorite party of all time! The first birthday party is as equally a celebration of baby’s first year as it is a celebration of the new parents making it through unscathed. You’ll definitely stand out from the gift-giving crowd with these exceptional gift ideas for your favorite one year old!

Melissa & Doug Jumbo Knob Wooden Farm Puzzle

This knobby puzzle is perfectly sized for chubby little toddler hands! Big knobs, big smiley animals, and bold colors make this one of my favorite gifts for one-year-olds! Melissa & Doug also makes a few other adorable knob puzzles for the toddler set, you can find a few different varieties here!

Retails for $20.

Leapfrog My Pal Scout

Baby’s new BFF knows baby’s name, says his favorite color, and sings him songs- all in one super-cuddly package. Scout is everything a good dog should be, without any messy cleanup! If you’re shopping for a baby girl, be sure to check out Scout’s pal Violet, the perfectly purple version!

Retails for $20.

Your Birthday Book: A Keepsake Journal

Like many well-intentioned almost-parents, I had grand illusions of meticulously hand-crafted scrapbook pages honoring the important days in my babies’ lives. Fast-forward to reality as a parent of young children, and the piles of unorganized photos have now completely taken over my desk. I wish I had come to grips earlier (say, at baby’s first birthday?) with the fact that time with a new baby is too precious to spend organizing pictures. I love that this book only requires one day a year of careful journaling!

Retails for $20.

Leapfrog Counting Candles Birthday Cake

Okay, I was a little mesmerized by this cake on my last visit to the toy store. You can actually chose how many candles you light and then blow them out! If it’s entertaining to a, ahem, mature woman, just imagine how long a toddler could be transfixed. Plus, having guilt-free birthday cake every day sounds like a pretty fun idea.

Retails for $16.

First Art : Art Experiences for Toddlers and Twos

This book is a great resource for taking toddler art beyond just playdoh. From waterpainting to bubbles to sculpture, I use this as my rainy day go-to! It’s like an encyclopedia of first art projects, and perfect for any budding artist!

Retails for $15.

Gund Sesame Street Abby Cadabby

You’d be hard pressed to find a little girl (or boy!) who isn’t enchanted by Abby’s fairy princess ways! Sesame Street usually makes a grand appearance in baby’s second year, and having a plush pink princess of their own would make any tot feel like a star! This Abby is a full 12 inches of cuteness, just right for snuggling!

Retails for $25.

LeapFrog Fridge Farm Magnetic Animal Set

I know I’m not alone in saying that I’ve often had the little song in this game stuck in my head for days on end. ”You made a match, look what you found! You made a match, it’s a cow sound! Moo!” It’s surprisingly adorable, and this ruggedly magnetic Leapfrog game is a perfect match for a toddler’s first matching game.

Retails for $16.

My First Touch & Feel Picture Cards: First Words

One of my most favorite teaching tools in BabyBargain’s second year! Each sturdy card has a cute textured picture to represent the word- a fuzzy teddy bear, sticky jelly, a slick apple- and great ideas on the reverse of the card to make the activity grow with baby’s knowledge. Like, “what songs do you know about bears?” It even translates the word to other languages! This is one that will get lots of use!

Retails for $20.

Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Learning Home

This has been a playgroup favorite in our house since we received it! Every child has a different way to play with it- even the older kids use it as a storefront. It’s a gift that can easily be enjoyed by crawlers and preschoolers alike! The door opens, the light turns on, the numbers change, the mailbox opens…it’s the gift that keeps on giving!

Retails for $90.

Munchkin Mozart Magic Cube

The Mozart Magic Cube is always in Amazon’s top sellers list, and for good reason- I could play with it all day! Every one-year-old can fulfill his orchestral-conducting dreams by pressing one instrument’s button to bring their melody in, and pressing another to bring its melody out.