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One-year-olds are beginning to interact and play, which makes gifting toys exciting for both them and you. In addition to researching and testing products, we spoke to two toy experts and a developmental psychologist to find the best gifts for 1-year-olds. Our experts include Jim Silver, CEO of TTPM, Maddie Michalik, senior editor of The Toy Insider, and Bronwyn Charlton, PhD, developmental psychologist and cofounder of Seedlingsgroup.
It doesn't typically take much to excite a 1-year-old, but when buying them a gift or toy, take their age in months into consideration. A 12-month-old is very different developmentally than a 23-month-old. To account for this difference, some of our gift suggestions are recommended for ages 18 months and up.
Silver recommends only buying toys that are graded age-appropriate. Charlton cautioned gift buyers should think twice before buying electronic toys. "The more a toy does in terms of lights, music, sounds, batteries, the less your child has to do themselves, and the less they benefit," she said.
Whether you're looking for that big gift or just need a few small toys to round out your shopping, we've found a gift for the 1-year-old on your list.