Need First Birthday Gift...

Get a small 4 foot plastic pool (NOT the inflatable kind) and then buy 1 or 2 boxes of 100 ball pit balls. It is a sensory thing that kids at this age LOVE.

Blessings for the 2nd year.

P. <><

When my oldest daughter turned one, we got her a wagon and the Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Learning Home. (Her birthday is two days after Christmas, so that's why we had two big gifts for her.) Anyway, she has loved the wagon for many years...she still does, and she's 4 1/2 yrs. old. Also, the Learning Home has been a wonderful gift because it has so many different levels of fun...for different ages. My daughter played with it until she was over 2 yrs old, and now my 9 month old is loving it as well! And, the older one is having so much fun playing with the house with the baby. Check it out on the Fisher Price website... www.fisher-price.com

We just bought our daughter the Learning House by Fisher Price for her 1st birthday and she LOVES it...and so does her brother (3.5 years old). So it's one that will grow with her :)

I will second the Fisher Price Learning Home and add that my son loved and still loves his Leapfrog Learn and Groove Music Table as well! Have fun shopping! It is such an exciting time!

I've gotten my kids that age...
1. Bounce house balls that come in boxes of 100. Kids looooove balls. We keep getting more and my older kids still love them.
2. Playhouse - those Little Tikes ones that you can walk into. They retail for around 250, but I've gotten all of mine off of craigslist. Kids dont care at that age about whether or not something is used.
3. Swingsets - You can get the plastic Little Tikes ones on craiglist cheap as well. I've done that too. http://dallas.craigslist.org/bab/725707201.html

I have more than one child and always assumed that I would, so I buy toys that I think will last for a long time and multiple ages will be able to use. Then when I spend 100 dollars on something, I dont feel bad. Also, we buy one big present like that at Christmas time too, instead of a bunch of things for everyone. Like last year they got a bounce house that we keep indoors during the winter and summer. Even my 8 month old loves it.

Hi S.,

If you are interested in more "learning" and natural toys, unlike the typical inventory at Toys R Us, you might try these websites:

www.magiccabin.com
www.hearthsong.com
www.rosiehippo.com
www.backtobasicstoys.com

Good luck!

We had the same problem w/our daughter last year. We ended up getting her a Radio Flyer wagon...something she could use for years to come & would be beneficial to future children in the family. Just a forwarning, one year olds don't get really excited about their gifts (at least mine didn't).

However, someone gave her a Sit & Scoot & it was her favorite toy after her party was over. They sell several different themes; Disney Princess, Dora, John Deere, etc... We just gave my nephew one for his 1st b-day & he apparently loves it.

All the grandparents gave her money for her savings account &/or a savings bond. I thought that was great b/c she got a TON of toys & really had no idea who gave her what.

Hope this helps! Good luck & happy birthday to your little one!

Does your child enjoy books? Usborne books offers some of the most engaging, beautifully illustrated books for children of all ages - infant to school age. Take a look at the website it is http://www.ubah/V2844. I hope you find something you like - my child loves them!!

Put the money towards college! She's one and she doesn't care if she gets a gift or not, and it sounds like she doesn't need much. So invest in her future . . . she'll thank you for that when it comes time to pay for college tuition.

We got our daughter a play kitchen for her first birthday. Specifically the one from Target that is made of wood with metal pans and "real" looking accessories. We put it in our kitchen, and though she was a little small for it at first, she grew into it quickly and still loves it. She is also a baby who gets bored with toys, but she will play with this kitchen especially if I am in the kitchen cooking or cleaning. Have fun finding something!

A.
www.greenbabydiaperservice.com

Hi,

Congrats on your 1st year, you're making it...I got my son the Leap Frog Learning Table, he loved playing with that thing!

I haven't read the rest of the responses but I'll put in my 2 cents. My daughter just turned 1 on June 9th, and this may sound funny but her favorite toy is her power wheels 4 wheeler. They make them specially for 1 year olds and up. It's low to the ground, not real easy to turn, and it doesn't have a foot petal, it has a button on the handle that she can push. It took her about 2 seconds to figure out how to make it go and she gets on it all the time! She loves it!! She thinks she's a big girl getting to drive by herself! They also have little cars that we considered getting her but didn't. The cars are also power wheels but they have a handle on them so you can steer it. I would highly recommend the atv though. They have them in pink and blue and they're about $80 at Babies R Us. GREAT TOY!!!!!!!!! The cars can also be found there.

Hi S., do you think your daughter would enjoy dressing up like a little princess? I make tutu onesies, and have tiara's and hair accessories, frilly socks and can even get a princess/fairy wand to complete the outfit! So if this sounds like something she'd enjoy, email me at ____@____.com and I can send you picture samples! Thanks!

For my oldest daughter's first birthday someone gave her a bag of oversized legos and she loves them even now (a year later). It's a simple gift that gets the imagination going. For our daughters' birthdays they get from us one toy, one outfit, and a snowbaby to add to their collection. Collecting something like snowbabies is something that they can keep forever and won't get used out like a toy. We put on the bottom of the box, Ava's 1st Birthday or Colbi's 1st Christmas, etc. and at Christmas we set them out and they look beautiful.

My daughter will be one in september and i think we are going to get her a swing set. They are more age approriate now then what they use to be. Good luck!

hi,
fisher price was the toy people of choice when i was a young mother and i never went wrong . good luck

We have a toy picky child and we took her to Build-A-Bear where she was able to choose her own toy, clothes, and name. Three years later it's still one of her favorites.

My daughter LOVES the leapfrog learn and groove musical table. She also loves the piano and drum sets. I definitely would not go all out though in the purchasing of gifts. You will receive so many gifts and she will HARDLY use them.

My mom got our son an inflatable swimming pool for his first birthday. Its a bigger pool that we three can fit in but is like 20 bucks at Wal Mart. There is no way she wouldnt love that!

One of my daughter's favorite birthday gifts when she turned one was a bubble maker gun... you pull the lever back and tons of bubbles come out... she absolutly loved it. You can find them at Walmart for under $15

What about a swing you can hang from an arbor or tree? Or you could even get some sort of outside sand/water table or a slide. My 13 month old really likes books that have flaps and other interactive features. You could even get a bubble maker to do outside.

UPDATED

A 1st babydoll with a stroller or buggy

I meant LITTLE TIKES stroller or buggy, they are solid and little one friendly

Also, my daughter got a Dora sit and scoot thing and loved it too, you just have to watch them around it because of the small parts on the front they can fall on and such

What about a ride on toy? We got my son a Little Tykes one that he could ride on or push! It was perfect.

The swing idea is great! You can get baby/toddler swings that holds them in.

Also, what about a little pool? I bet she would love to splash around.

I gotta say, for my son's first birthday, he received the fisher price ball popper. Its the one with about 5 balls that plays music and the balls hover on top for a second and pop into the air. He absolutely loved that toy and he did get bored easy with other things until this one. I now buy it for any one year old's birthday and it has yet to fail. Its about $25-$30 and worth every penny.

Yes! The Fisher Price Learning House!!!!

How about a sand box? My 18 mo. daughter loves hers this summer... it is a sand/water table that stands up off the ground and can be covered... it also has a cute little umbrella.... she loves it! Got it at Toys R Us

How about a wagon? My children love theirs!

We got our oldest son a wagon for his first bday. He loved it!

S.,

Two things my daughter loved at age one were her little-sized Elmo chair that she could use to "read" and watch her show on TV, and also one of those trikes that can be used in three ways and grwo with you - first it was a rocking horse, then it can be pushed from behind by a parent, and then it can just be a trike when they're ready. Have so much fun with this age!

- M.

Hi S.! Being that it is summer, you may think about outdoor fun, like sidewalk chalk, a bubble machine or inexpensive kiddie pool or fun sprinkler. One is a fun but tough age to find good gifts. Bath tub toys are also great! My girls loved baby dolls and bottles too, oh! and dress up shoes :)
Good luck and have fun! They aren't little for long.

God Bless,
J. Pierce
http://J..yoursmh.com
Steel My Heart Independent Consultant

one of the old stand by's but still a great gift after all these years....
the shopping cart
my daughter pushes and pulls hers everywhere
she loads it with babies or balls
whatever
even her juice cup and snacks

I love Christy's idea about the time capsule! I did something similar for my son's 1st birthday - we had family and friends bring something that was representative of the year he was born - a time magazine, a CD or DVD that was all the rage, etc.

I have 4 children and now they range in age from 8 to 15. I couldn't tell you what the others got for their 1st birthday, but I do remember his!

My kids love the fisher price bounce and spin zebra. I just saw that it had over 175 great reviews on toysrus.com, so others agree too:) My 2 year old still plays on it, and my 10 month old has just discovered it and LOVES it. I also love the laugh and learn discovery house. We have recommended that one to several people, and we have had it for about a year and a half, and it still gets played with every day. Happy shopping, and a very happy birthday!! ~A.~

Hi S.:
My two year old LOVES his CD player! We have had it in his bedroom since he was just a little guy. We put him to sleep with a classical CD and when we play in his room, or I need to clean up or put laundry away, we put on a fun one (Sesame Street has some fun ones). I am going to get a CD player and a CD for the little girl I babysit. She also loves going to sleep to the classical music I put in her room!

We bought my daughter a little trampoline. It somes witha bar that she can hold on to and then jump. It is great for building her muscles and coordination. My daughter is almost 3 and plays with it everyday. Here is a link to one available at JCPenney.com, but I think you can find them at Academy or Sports Authority too.

http://www5.jcpenney.com/jcp/Products.aspx?ItemID=0f680ed...

My husband and I bought our daughter a wagon for her birthday. She loves going for walks around the block in it. It is great. good luck :)

Birthday express has books that you can personalize. She and 2 friends can be in the story, like help pooh get hunny and go to hundred acre wood. I got these for my son-3 and my daughter-1, it is the only story they will be still for. Plus you put that it was made by mommy & daddy. The book is about $30 but it is a keepsake to treasure.

Make a special day of going to Build A Bear--she will love picking out her own bear, clothes, etc. and the kids who work there are great. If you feel she might be too young, then the sandbox would be great...anything that sparks the imagination.

Hi S., I see you have recieved lots of good advice, but I wanted to share with you what we do for our children's 1st birthdays. We make a time capsule that is to be opened on their 18th birthday. I have family and friends send things to be put in the time capsule like letters, pictures, small mementos. My mother included several bonds. Also, my grandmother has written several letters and put them in sealed envelopes so they will be a surprise to all...It saddens me to think that she may not be around when they finally get to open that letter from her...but I know it will be something special that all will remember forever.
I usually include things like their hospital clothing, cord stump, cute tiny baby clothes they have outgrown. I still add things throughout the years. I put my daughter's kindergarten cap and gown, playbills from musicals we have seen, her drawings, and anything that I think she may like seeing again when she is older to remember a happy time in her life.
Sorry this is so long winded, I hope your daughter has a happy 1st birthday!

Oldest (now 21) got a sand table and she loved that. Youngest (now 10) got a classic red wagon and he loved that. They aren't really picky at 1 and won't remember anyway so I wouldn't waste a ton of money...but that's me. I'm the practical type. : )