(And the magnet is plenty strong to keep the pacifier from falling off during play.) Other (optional) accessories include a feeding set, a cradle, and a bath set. Baby Stella comes with a magnetic pacifier that has a thick handle, which is great for kids who are working on their pincer grasp and fine motor skills. This line offers a range of accessories that encourage early imaginative play, and the doll itself is soft and squishy enough for naps and cuddles. Compared with a hard vinyl doll, Manhattan Toy’s plush Wee Baby Stella Doll is a great first friend (and also a pick in our guide to the best dolls). Because the best musical toy is the one that doesn’t end up “accidentally” buried in the diaper pail.īaby dolls can make wonderful toys and companions for 1-year-olds because they allow kids this age to see some of their own needs (bottle, diaper, blankie) reflected back at them. With two civilized volume settings, this thing is just chirpy enough to stimulate tots-but without driving caregivers batty in the process. I suspect the appeal lies in the generously sized, tempting center push-button (which activates the melodies), the easy-to-grasp beaded handle (my toddler daughter would clutch it in one hand while cruising around as if she were wielding a tiny boombox), and (perhaps most important) its tolerable sound level. It plays an array of classical tunes, like Rossini’s William Tell Overture and Mozart’s Serenade No. Despite that humble introduction, the Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes Musical Toy would prove irresistible to my son and, later, his little sister.

When I was expecting my first child, a friend bequeathed me a garbage bag full of used baby gear, and this unassuming little piece of plastic was in the jumbled mix. (Since kids develop at different rates, all age recommendations should be taken with a grain of salt.) And please share your own best ideas in the comments below. We also have guides to gifts for tweens and teens. If you’re looking for more kids gift ideas, check out our guides to the best gifts for 2-year-olds, 3-year-olds, 4-year-olds, 5-year-olds, 6-year-olds, 7-year-olds, 8-year-olds, 9-year-olds, and 10-year-olds, as well as great stocking stuffers for kids. Children with medical complications and developmental delays may engage most with toys recommended for infants when shopping for them, it’s best to ask the parent or caregiver about the child’s developmental (versus biological) age. Our testers have played with these toys outside of their age-range recommendations and found them to be appropriate for this guide. Some of the toys on this list are officially recommended for kids age 2 and up and age 3 and up. And we mined the collective knowledge of parents and other caregivers on our staff. To identify fun and engaging gifts for the youngest recipients, we spoke with Cleveland and other child-development experts. This age is also a good time to invest in keepsake items that will remain special as a child grows up. So toys with different textures that invite small hands (and, of course, mouths) to grab and investigate are good choices, as are starter ride-on toys that offer the opportunity to roam. Play at this age is largely focused on sensory exploration and motor development, Cleveland explained. Look for toys that are open-ended, like blocks and stacking cups that can be played with in more than one way, said Sarah Cleveland, director of a child-care center near Austin, Texas. With the right toys and gifts, you can set your child up for years of fun. (Be sure to save those boxes!) Other kids this age have already begun to develop their own unique preferences, personalities, and abilities.

In fact, they may be as excited by the packaging as by what’s inside. When it comes to gifts, many 1-year-olds aren’t very picky.

Foam building blocks for kids