Essential Toy Box Guide for 1 Year Olds
We believe these toys are essential members of your family's toy box. Our extensive toy experience (over a decade!) plus years of customer feedback inform this no fluff guide to the very best. Explore consistent favourites that build essential life skills like creativity, emotional intelligence, problem solving and grit.
Browse the collection below for our customers' favourites or keep scrolling for a deeper dive into which toys are best at this age and why.
What Do 1 Year Olds Need Out of Their Toys?
1 year olds are bursting with energy and an unquenchable thirst for learning about their bodies and their surroundings. They play rough with their toys and are still learning the meaning of the word "gentle".
Top considerations for toys for this age:
Durability. Who wants to buy a toy your child breaks within a month? Your child needs toys that can handle rough and tumble play.
Motor Skill Development. Your child is developing the muscles in their bodies, and mastering fine motor skills builds connections in their brains and leads to increased confidence as they grow. Look for toys that develop these skills like stacking and sorting toys.
Long Term Play Value. Your child is growing fast at this stage and it's very easy to spend money on toys that don't challenge them for very long. This collection focuses on toys that grow with your child and provide engaging play opportunities for years.
Building Blocks
If you're only going to buy one toy for your child, make it a set of great blocks. Blocks are the ultimate play value all star and are a great toy for a huge age range. 1 year olds will begin with simple stacking and balancing, but as they grow older they will build increasingly complex creations. Blocks build motor skills, spatial awareness and balance at this age and creativity, grit and problem solving as they get older. Click below to read more about the benefits of blocks.
Stacking, Sorting, & Motor Skill Building Toys
These toys may seem simple, but there is a huge amount of learning happening when your 1 year old plays with stacking and sorting toys. Learning to use their hands and fingers in increasingly complex ways is a major brain and confidence builder. Amp up the educational value by using these toys to increase vocabulary about things like colours and shapes. When your kiddo begins to walk, walking toys encourage them to practice their new skill!
Stuffies
Encourage nurturing skills and emotional intelligence while comforting your 1 year old with stuffies and dolls. Remember not all stuffies and dolls are safe for this age, so look for ones safety rated for children under 3 years old. Click below to read all about why stuffies are important to child development.
More Top Collections
Looking for more beneficial toys to build your child's skills and create fun family play opportunities? We have so many incredible educational toys for 1 year olds. Here are some more favourite collections:
Books for 1 Year Olds
Snuggle up and read with your little one to build connection, vocabulary and more.
Vehicles for 1 Year Olds
Vroom! Pushing vehicles around builds motor skills now and imagination later.
Play Figures for 1 Year Olds
Choose sturdy, mouth friendly figures at this age for motor skill development and future imaginative play.
Favourite Brands for 1 Year Olds
These top toymakers excel at creating engaging, skill building toys that 1 year olds love to play with. These toymakers are committed to toys that encourage healthy childhood development.
