Parenting

Tried-and-tested 1st birthday present ideas

November 28, 2014

Now that George is two, I thought it would be fun to look back over the last year at the toys he’s gotten the most use out of. If there’s a first birthday coming up, or you’ve a toddler to buy for this Christmas, these are all great gift ideas that aren’t too expensive. They also work for both boys and girls.

Before I move onto that though, it’s worth remembering that the first birthday will feel like a big achievement for the parents. After all, they’ve managed to survive a whole year of parenthood! So a celebratory bottle of wine or fizz would be a nice touch, too.

1st birthday present ideas

1. Shape sorter

This was probably the toy George used most after turning one. Our shape-sorter bus has come everywhere with us. It made one particularly long train journey bearable for the whole carriage and has in general provided hours of entertainment for George and quiet time for us.  Ours came from good old Amazon, but this Ikea one is nice, too.

George and his shape-sorter bus

2. Stacking rings

You can get these everywhere, but I particularly like these classy wooden ones, also from Ikea. They’re a bit harder for babies to use than the plastic ones, but I think that’s a good thing as they learn things so quickly that easy toys become obsolete in no time!

3. Jigsaw puzzles

George only really got into these when he was 18 months-plus, but again they’re a great toy to pack when you’re travelling, or to use as a distraction in a restaurant. This Dear Zoo puzzle is lovely, but Peppa Pig is always a winner, too. Wooden peg puzzles are nice for younger babies.

4. Books

You can’t really go wrong with books, can you? I would stick to giving books you loved as a child or ones that have been recommended to you. We love this one and this one. But please, no books that make noise! I don’t know why so many people buy these as presents, but they’re so annoying for the parents. Also, all that distraction means that George will never actually read the book, insisting instead on pressing all the buttons over and over again…

5. Scooter

All children (and most parents) seem to have a scooter these days. Admittedly, George got his when he was very young, about 14 months old – cue several months of mummy or daddy carrying the scooter all the way to the park only for him to spend about one minute trying to use it. Anyway, at around 18 months, something clicked and he really got the hang of it. Now, he’s a total pro 🙂 We were given this one with a training seat, although I’m not sure how useful the seat is; we seemed to have more luck without it.

George and his scooter

Finally, don’t forget clothes! I often buy my nephews clothes for their birthday – I quite like shopping for children’s clothes and kids are always growing out of their clothes, aren’t they? I certainly love getting new clothes for George.  This jumper from Boden is gorgeous and H&M do lovely kids’ clothes, too.

Do you have any tips for a first birthday present?

p.s. How to get your baby to nap properly and ever thought about Daddy going part-time?

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