October 8, 2026
Gift guide1-year-old baby gifts: choose based on what they can do
At the first birthday party, some babies are already running while others are still crawling, and that’s perfectly fine: the World Health Organization has observed healthy babies taking their first steps alone between 8 and 18 months. That’s why the best first birthday gift is chosen based on what the baby is doing today.
What stage is the baby at?
Choose what the baby can already do. We show the age range in which this typically happens and the type of toy that goes with that stage.
What can the baby already do?
Hands busy, mind working
At 12 months, hands learn just as much as legs. Fitting, stacking, and banging are the games for this age.
Fitting
Large shapes that go into matching holes. The frustration lasts for a moment and the joy of getting it right lasts a long time.
Push and pull
Provides support for those starting to walk and companionship for those already walking. Choose one with a wide, stable base.
Reading on your lap
Thick cardboard and cloth books with large images. Point, name the objects, and repeat often.
The American Academy of Pediatrics advises against sit-in baby walkers with wheels due to the falls and accidents they cause. A push toy provides support while the baby is always standing and walking on their own feet.
What about the first shoes?
While crawling and walking around the house, bare feet feel the floor and learn. When it’s time to go outside, look for a shoe that is flexible, lightweight, and wide at the toe, fitted perfectly to their foot. To get the size right, measure the foot with our shoe size calculator.
Four gifts we’ve chosen
In stockHape Lilly musical push-along birdMusical push-along toy for those first steps. From 12 months.€31.00View in store
In stockJellystone Narwhal shape sorterSoft silicone shape sorting game. From 10 months.€29.00View in store
In stockHape double-sided drumDouble-sided drum with mallet, to bang away to their heart's content. From 12 months.€24.00View in store
In stockAttipas Rainbow GreenNon-slip, flexible sock-shoe for those first steps.€25.00View in store
With a birthday registry, guests can see what’s still needed so each gift arrives only once. You send the link with the invitation and the family can choose at their leisure.
Create your first birthday registry.
Bundle your gifts, send the link with the invitation, and each guest chooses what’s missing. In the end, you earn store credit.
Create registrySee how it worksHow about at your house, are there any first steps yet?
Sources: WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study Group, WHO Motor Development Study: Windows of achievement for six gross motor development milestones, Acta Paediatrica, 2006. American Academy of Pediatrics, Injuries Associated With Infant Walkers, Pediatrics, 2001. Prices verified on October 8, 2026.