If you are buying for a 1 year old girl for a birthday, Christmas, or any special occasion in between, this list is PACKED with the best ideas for gifts that are fun, perfect for the age, and both big and inexpensive so there is something for everyone and every budget. Since the ideas were compiled by experienced moms, they are real gifts your baby girl will love!
So here it is… what every one year old little girl is dying to get for her first birthday! I try to do a good mix of price points so you will find big gifts and affordable gifts perfect to bring to a party as well.
Don’t forget to scroll down to the bottom for my suggestions new for Christmas 2018!
Best Gift Ideas for a One Year Old Girl
Melissa & Doug toys are always a hit with us as well because they are so well made and really focus on education, development and creativity with all of their products. Here are some great picks for a 1 year old:
2. Melissa & Doug Pull-a-long Frog
3. Melissa & Doug Jumbo Triangle Crayons
5. Melissa & Doug Picnic Basket
6. Melissa & Doug Shopping Cart
Around a year babies are really enjoying standing, cruising and sometimes even walking so toys that allow them to exercise and practice with these muscle groups are a perfect fit!
4. LeapFrog Learn & Groove Musical Table
Your little Princess will need some girlie things too! I don’t know where it comes from but my little girl is just drawn to these type of things! This type of imaginative play is SO valuable for brain development too!
1. LeapFrog Shapes And Sharing Picnic Basket
2. Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Learning Kitchen
3. Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn Say Please Tea Set
4. Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn My Pretty Learning Purse
5. Taggies Developmental Baby Doll
6. Corolle Mon Premier Calin Charming Pastel Baby Doll
7. Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Learning Phone
8. Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Magical Musical Mirror
Of course classic toys will ALWAYS be a hit! There is a reason they never go out of style!  These are some favorites of all three of my kids… both the girls and the boys!  Most of these are great for motor skill development and reading books together not only promotes bonding but can also help literacy down the line!  You can absolutely never have too many books!
1. Melissa & Doug Classic ABC Block Cart
2. Play Ball
3. Fisher-Price Brilliant Basics Rock-a-Stack
4. Ball Popper
5. Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Love to Play Puppy
6. Books!
New for Christmas 2018- One Year Old Christmas Gift Ideas!
The holidays are such a special time and a great time to get some of the things that your little one might need or just love for many years to come. Of course any of the above would make great gifts for a 1 year old girl, but here are a few items that we have really loved this year and I am personally gifting to some of the sweet little ones in my life!
- Castle Tent – This pink castle tent will get plenty of use both NOW and for years to come. My 5 year old girl still loves her little play tent that she got at that age. I also love that tents are big fun toys but can be folded flat for storing.
- Tunnel– Another great toy for this age is a tunnel. You can buy an individual tunnel for play or there are many like this one that can combine that with tents for a full play area. This was a gift I recently got for a friend and she loved it so much!
- Personalized Book– I got these for both of the 1 year olds on my list this Christmas these personalized books. I thought it would be something fun they could use for bedtime and just be more and more special as they got older and really realized that they were the star of the show. I used two different places and really liked both. I got one that featured the family dog here, and the other is a book I know kids love customized to make it with your little one’s name.
- Big Girl Bedding – If your little one will be going into a big girl bed soon, then this is a great option for Christmas! You can get bedding with fun characters they love or you can grab what I did for my kids, which is went with zipper bedding. it is a little pricier but I LOVE that they can make their beds by themselves at an early age and it can say with them for many, many years. As a matter of fact, when I got my daughter’s bedding when she was little, my son was so jealous that he has asked for it every year since and now he is 7!
- Water Wow
– If you have a little one with older siblings, they may want to do everything that big sister/brother is doing. When it is messy like painting, I love these water wow sets that let the little ones “paint” with water. - Button and Lever toy– This is the age where your baby is getting into everything and very curious. These toys with buttons and levers are perfect for helping with fine motor skills and letting them explore. This was a HUGE HIT with all 3 of my kids!
– If you have a little one with older siblings, they may want to do everything that big sister/brother is doing. When it is messy like painting, I love these water wow sets that let the little ones “paint” with water.
– This is the age where your baby is getting into everything and very curious. These toys with buttons and levers are perfect for helping with fine motor skills and letting them explore. This was a HUGE HIT with all 3 of my kids!Older 1 year old gifts
Sometimes Christmas falls just before your kiddos birthday so they are an older one year old and much different than a new 1 year old. Although many of the above gifts can be enjoyed by older one year olds, some of my favorites just for them are below:
- Puzzles– Look for ones with larger pieces and durable construction like wood. I really like this one for that age or this personalized puzzle.
- Bouncy Horse– I got this for my little guy when he was almost 2 and it got so much use that it has become a go to gift for any kiddo that age for me. Your little one will need to be walking well and very stable to use this though!
- Piano Mat– This is another great gift for a little one that is walking. They can make all sorts of music by using this floor piano!
- MagnaTiles– You can get the name brand of these or find several off brands on Amazon that are much cheaper. These are one of those toys that they start playing with around 18-24 months and continue to play with until they are 7-8+.
If you do have an older 1 year old, you may want to check out my post on the best gifts for a 2 year old girl here for even more ideas!
All of the things I have highlighted today a little girl turning one would love to get! Toys like these are so fun, but also so educational. They help develop motor skills, creativity, dexterity, and lay a foundation for shapes, numbers, letters, and problem solving. It is amazing how much playing with a toy can help your child grow and learn! These gifts for a 1 year old girl are tried and true and should bring big smiles to her face!
There are also great 1 year old gift ideas that are experience based or sentimental. One of our TPM readers suggested that you get passes to a local museum or park that the family could enjoy together. Another idea is to look into personalized books or a keepsake box you can gather memories for her in over the year. Whether you choose to have an experience or get a more tangible gift, your little girl is sure to love the ideas here! Leave a comment and let us know what else is a perfect gift for a 1 year old!
For more gift inspiration make sure to see our other gift list posts!
The Best Gift Ideas for a Two Year Old Girl!
The Best Gifts for a 4 Year Old Boy!
The Best Gift Ideas for a 3 Year Old BOY!
The Best Gift ideas for a 1 Year Old BOY!
The Best Gifts for a 3 Year Old Girl!
Angelic Baby Boutique says
So many fantastic gits. I love the shopping basket with groceries included. Kids can recognize different foods as well as playing. Thanks for your very detailed list of gifts.
Nikita says
Wow, great list of birthday gift ideas, i loved them. I was looking gifts for my niece and here i think i found few perfect gifts for her.
Mary Diederichs says
Who makes the baby stroller?
Great gift ideas. Thanks
Paula says
Incredibly helpful list of ideas for a 1-year-old birthday girl. Thank you so much for compiling these and for also providing links.
Cathy says
Your ideas are right on. My children are grown, and I now have a granddaughter. One of the most played with gifts I ever gave my son and daughter was a kitchen set with a grocery cart and food and a tool bench with moveable parts. They played with these sets for years.
Marry An says
Great gift ideas. Thanks a lot!
CT says
Thank you! Very helpful lists 🙂