That first birthday is a milestone. Choosing a gift for a one year old can be a bit tricky—they are well beyond those first infant toys but not altogether ready for toddler toys. When it comes to shopping for a special first birthday present there are a wide range of ideas that are both safe and fun for these budding toddlers; some one year olds may not be entirely ready for certain items, but they are bound to be sometime within the year. Other gifts may be so special in nature that they can only be fully appreciated later in life. The following article suggests a wide array of thoughtful gifts for this milestone birthday!

Rocking horses come in many styles and can be found made from many different materials ranging from plastic to wood. From small glass ornaments to large painted ride-on models, rocking horses are a classic symbol of youth. They once rocked in the luxurious nurseries of Victorian as well as on the bare floors of frontier cabins—versatile and beloved by youngsters throughout a good deal of history. Choose a model appropriate for either a girl or a boy. Some models are unisex, others are painted to suit and may come with harness and cushions for more comfortable riding.

A baby’s keepsake box is a special gift. You might fill it with all sorts of useful items like bath sponge, bath toys, small plastic toys, etc.…but it will eventually provide a haven for special items like baby’s christening gown, infant ring, beloved bonnets, silver spoon, photos, birth announcements, etc.…Decorate the box to suit the child or their bedroom. On the up scale end, you might consider a design from rare wood like rosewood. If you are crafty, a box with designs of decoupage can be tailored to suit that adorable boy or girl.

Instilling a love for reading might begin with your book basket gift. Choose a large basket and fill with books for bath, board books, soft cover books for daily perusal and special hard cover picture books to form the beginning of a youth library. You might also add a pair of book ends like animals from Beatrix Potter’s tales, a gold bookmark featuring balloons, a packet of book plates showing Victorian silhouettes of childhood, etc.…Some great first book titles to consider for that one-year-olds library: No David by David Shannon, How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? by Jane Yolen, The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown and Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown.

A great gift for all seasons—spread a new decorative quilt on your bed, spread a lighter chenille spread atop this, then atop them toss: a pair of mittens, a winter hat, a summer cap, a scarf, a pair of plastic sunglasses, a pair of earmuffs, mitten clips and any other seasonal odds and ends you can think of. Then, pull up the corners of your quilt and tie it all up hobo style with a thick decorative ribbon.

A red wagon is a wonderful gift for a girl or a boy. Admittedly, a little girl might prefer her wagon to be pink or yellow so consider a paint job. If you want to bolster this gift even more, use the wagon as a basket containing stuffed animals, dolls, puppets, plastic cars and trucks, etc.…

Blocks are a wonderful remembrance and sure to hold the child’s interests for years to come. Block sets are available in hard wood and non-toxic painted varieties ranging from jumbo to smaller blocks. Wonderful sets are available that feature famous architectural styles from Russian blocks, to Egyptian, to Oriental to Gothic castle blocks.

Finally, while most experts recommend that a child not begin to watch television until two years of age—you might begin a movie collection just the same with vintage cartoons, Disney movies and classic children’s favourites. Some series, like the Baby Einstein, collection is geared to small children. Consider Baby Noah, Baby Wordsworth or Baby Newton.

While you shop for that one-year-olds gifts, you might even consider getting a token present for the parents—it’s a milestone year for them as well. After all they’ve gone through that first year, they probably deserve a small remembrance on Baby’s birthday as well—anything from a bottle of celebratory champagne to a couple of passes to see a movie and have a night on the town.

By J. A. Young