30 toys for one-year-olds that engage inspire, and last.

This collection of toys for one-year-olds brought me so much joy as I put it together!

As each toy was added to the list, memories of chubby little hands and the early years came flooding through my mind.

Not only are these toys that my three boys enjoyed, but many of them are still around (and used) today!

These are the 30 toys for one-year-olds that your kids will love and will help to create special moments of play in the early years for you all!

RELATED: Use these toys with this activity list for one-year-olds!

What are good toys for one-year-olds?

When picking toys to gift a friend or my own toddler, I keep in mind a few important things.

I want my one-year-old to engage in learning through play to stimulates the mind and sense. I want a toy that allows my baby to solve problems and discover new connections to the world around them.

Get ready to set the stage for play!

One-year-olds need toys that:

stack
roll
make a sound – without pushing an electronic button
stimulate the senses
twist
push
pull
have texture
engage gross motor muscles
require coordination
stimulate hand-eye coordination
inspire pretend play
encourage natural curiosity

Take it from me, mom of three, that these toys for one-year-olds are spectacular and will be around for a long time!

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These toys will encourage mental, physical, and emotional growth.

This toddler toy list will also set the stage for learning through play every day!

Let’s dive in.

SoftScape Toddler Playtime Corner Climber

This playtime corner climber comes in various colors and helps young children climb, crawl, and slide. This helps strengthen big muscles that will eventually help with walking, running, and throwing. Great for indoor play at home, and in my opinion, a lot more ideal than a ball pit.

Toy Wooden Rocker

A wooden rocker makes a great toy for years to come! One-year-olds can begin to pull up on the rocker now and can use this toy as they develop and grow over the next few developmental stages. It is well made and beautiful. It makes an excellent gift for the active one-year-old in your life!

Plush Elmo Doll

Move over, Talking Elmo! I am looking for a simple plush toy my child will adore but won’t talk to me for hours. In my experience, Elmo is a hit 99.9% of the time. In fact, Elmo still lingers on my older child’s bed. He’s a classic hit!

Plush Cookie Monster

My youngest took a “loving” to Cookie Monster, and I find it absolutely adorable. At three, he still looks for Cookie and loves cuddling up with his plush Cookie Monster in bed.

Peek-a-Boo Forest Soft Book

When I was pregnant with my first son, a friend gifted this sweet book to us. It is wonderful! It is filled with soft pages and a sweet forest to inspire even your youngest reader.

Little Tikes Rocking Horse

Let’s get moving with the Little Tikes Rocking Horse. Fun for indoor or outdoor play. The best thing about this toy is you can easily toss it in the back of your car for a trip to the park or grandparents’ house. Fun on the go!

Grimm’s Stacker Toy

I know Grimm’s toys are on the pricier end, so I try to limit how many items I share. Grimm’s products are of excellent quality, and the color will last. This classic is timeless and can be passed down to the next generation! It includes simple math play and imaginary ideas. It is bright, colorful, and a forever toy on my personal list!

Melissa and Doug Unit Blocks

Cheers to unit blocks and the endless amounts of open-ended play they bring! Unit blocks can entertain babies and still be played with well after your child turns seven. You are going to have to trust me on this one. These wooden blocks help with play perseverance, spatial sense, communication, planning ideas, problem-solving, and SO MUCH MORE!

Fat Brain Toys Suction Kupz

A fun toy to stack, roll, or stick! Easy for little hands to grab and squeeze. Problem-solving as they play! Add them to the bath for water play or stick them to the table while you finish making dinner.

Alphabet Puzzle

Early exposure to matching similar shapes and sizes is a great way to stimulate the brain. Chunky, vibrant letters that are perfect for little ones to grab and improve their fine motor skills.

Manhattan Toy Skwish Color Burst Rattle and Teether

Babies love this toy! It is perfect for flights or long car rides to buy yourself some time in between snacks and naps. A great addition to your grab and go toy collection!

Push and Ride Scooter

One of my fondest memories is the kids on their push and ride scooters buzzing in and out of rooms around the house. We still have our ride on scooters because the boys adore them! They store toys below and make deliveries. Such a fun gift for toddlers that transition right into preschool play!

Radio Flyer Wagon

This baby walker is a fun way to get your one-year-old up and moving. The furniture-friendly bumper protects your home as your little one strengthens their legs and core. Classic design and doubles as toy storage!

Musical Instruments

This five-piece set includes a 17-inch ukulele, tambourine, clapper, rattle, and rainmaker—a great startup set to introduce kids to music. Your kid will love this so much; they will never want to put these instruments down. You can place them in a bin when you need a few moments of quiet.

Wooden Pull Toy

Your baby will develop fine motor strength when grasping the soft fruit! Easy to store and a fun way to learn colors, discover new textures, and spark imaginary play!

Soft Fruit Basket

Develop fine motor strength when grasping the soft fruit! Easy to store and a fun way to learn colors, discover new textures, and spark up imaginary play!

Bath Buckets

Use these five buckets with three different sprinkle effects in the bathtub or for outdoor water play. Adorable design with easy-to-grab handles!

Stacking Bath Boats

These plastic stacking boats are designed with wide decks for scooping and pouring water. Dry them after use and stack for easy storage.

Spin Again Stacking Toy

Encourage hand-eye coordination, cause-and-effect, motor movement, textures, and tactile exploration. The bright colors reinforce visual-recognition skills and promote counting as your one-year-old spins and stacks the disks.

Mega Bloks

We were gifted Mega Bloks on my oldest son’s first birthday, and boy, was that a super gift! Guess what the kids still pull out and play with? Yep, Mega Bloks. Perfect for constructing, sorting, stacking, building, and collaborating with multiple children. If you don’t have Mega Bloks in your toy collection, add them this holiday season.