A 1-year-old's favorite toy is often the box it came in, which tells you a lot about what to buy. Between 12 and 24 months, toddlers fill and dump, push and carry, copy everything you do, and start to play with toys "the right way" for the first time. This guide lists the toy types that match those stages, what to skip, and how to keep birthday and holiday gifts from turning into five of the same thing.
What 1-year-olds are working on
The CDC lists milestones that at least 75% of children reach by each age:
- By 12 months, most put something in a container, look for things they saw you hide, pull up to stand, and play games like pat-a-cake.
- By 18 months, most play with toys in a simple way (pushing a toy car), copy you doing chores like sweeping, scribble, walk without holding on, and look at a few pages of a book with you.
The 18-month list is the useful one for shopping. "Copies you doing chores" and "plays with toys in a simple way" describe most of the toys that get used in the second year.
Toy types that get played with
Fill-and-dump containers
Buckets, baskets, a box with a slot in the lid, nesting cups, a shape sorter. Putting things in containers starts around 12 months and keeps going for a year. Expect a lot of dumping. The CDC's own tip for 18-month-olds is to put blocks or other items in and out of containers together. A shape sorter becomes a real puzzle closer to 2; before that it's a bucket with a fun lid.
Push toys and things to carry
A sturdy push walker for a new walker, a toy shopping cart or wagon, a small stroller for a doll. Once walking is steady, toddlers want to push and haul things around the house. The AAP groups push and pull toys with ride-ons and balls as gross motor toys, which help with physical development.
Balls
Rolling a ball back and forth is on the CDC's list of things to do with an 18-month-old, and it's one of the first real turn-taking games. Get a few in different sizes, including one big soft ball that rolls slowly.
Pretend versions of grown-up things
A toy broom, a play phone, plastic dishes and a pot, a baby doll with a blanket. Copying chores is an 18-month milestone, so the toddler version of what you do all day gets heavy use. Toy food and dishes stay in play for years, so they're worth buying early.
Chunky blocks and first stacking
Toddlers knock down long before they build up, and both count. Large wooden or soft blocks, stacking rings, and chunky towers cover both. The AAP's toy report links play with blocks and puzzles to fine motor, language, and early math skills.
Crayons and paper
All you need is chunky crayons and plain paper. Scribbling is an 18-month milestone, and the AAP notes that simple art supplies build fine motor skills. A roll of paper taped to the floor costs less than any coloring toy. Skip the coloring books for now.
Board books and lift-the-flap books
Most 18-month-olds look at a few pages of a book with you. Lift-the-flap books add a hide-and-find game to it, which 1-year-olds already love.
What to leave off the list
Tablets and apps
The AAP recommends no screens before 18 months except video chat. Its toy report found no evidence that "educational" apps match hands-on and pretend play with traditional toys.
The fifth plush animal
Stuffed animals are fine, and many homes already have a pile. Unless your child has a favorite they carry everywhere, add something from a category the shelf is missing.
A note on safety
Always check a toy's age label and safety warnings before you buy it, and follow the manufacturer's instructions. For current toy safety guidance and recalls, see the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the American Academy of Pediatrics. If you're unsure whether a toy suits your child, ask your pediatrician.
Before you buy, check the shelf
Birthday and holiday gifts tend to cluster in the same places: plush toys, toys that sing, and big plastic activity centers. Take ten minutes to sort what you have into the groups above. Whatever is missing goes on the list you send to family. If the house already has three push toys and no dishes, a play kitchen set will get more use than a fourth walker.
Buying for a grandchild, niece, or nephew? Ask the parents to scan their toys with Toy Rotation App and share the link with you. You'll see what's already at home and which kinds of play are missing, and you can check it again before every birthday and holiday.
Gifts that aren't toys
A toddler music or movement class, a membership to a children's museum or zoo, a sturdy step stool so they can "help" at the counter, a toddler-sized table and chair, or a framed photo of the grandparents.