As a dad of four, my wife and I have experienced the joys and pains of raising a baby several times. Aside from changing their diapers, feeding them, and enjoying their chubby baby arms, we also have to focus on brain development. Toddlers see the world through their five senses. They are always on the move and ready to explore things. With this, you can utilize some of the best developmental toys for 1 year old to help with their cognitive progress.
| BABY TOYS | BRAND | EXPERT RATING | CHECK PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Our Top Pick! HABA Walk-Along Tool Cart |  | Check Price |
 | Labebe Baby Rocking Unicorn | | Check Price |
 | iPlay, iLearn Walker Toy | | Check Price |
 | BEST LEARNING Stack & Learn Toy | | Check Price |
 | XJD 3-in-1 Toddler Tricycle |  | Check Price |
By the time a baby turns one, he or she will love to touch objects. They love it when people talk to them and when they are given the freedom to do things. At such age, babies will also enjoy playing with new toys, especially ones that involve interaction and imagination.
For this, I’ve listed some of the developmental toys you can give your child. We’ve also tried these toys with our kids, and it helped a lot in achieving new milestones at their young age.
The role of toys on a child’s cognitive development
Playtime is a very important component of a kid’s life. For babies and toddlers, playtime helps them learn language, movement coordination, sharing, teamwork, social skills, problem-solving and other integral skills.
For this, toys become an indispensable tool. The key here is selecting a toy that promotes learning aside from enjoyment. Patterns, shapes, colours, and basic movement introduce a baby to hand-eye coordination as well as spatial concepts.
However, it’s not just about the toy. It’s also a matter of the parents’ bonding and guiding their toddlers toward learning. As parents, it’s our responsibility to make the most out of the best developmental toys for 1 year old, so our children will learn from it.
What to look for when buying toys for 1-year-olds
When shopping for toys for toddlers, you should consider a few things. The following are some personal recommendations based on my experience with my kids.
Vibrant colours
The toy should catch the eye of the toddler right away. Toddlers can distinguish bright colours easier than pastel or dull shades. Although your 1-year-old can’t name colours yet, it’s a great start in introducing them to colours.
Toys that promote coordination
Your choice of toys for your child should encourage them to stand up and walk. Take note that 12 months is a crucial phase since it’s the period where your little one will start to walk. You can consider walk-along toys with various colours, sounds, and other toys attached to it.
Aside from walking, walk-along toys also allow your child to grip and learn hand dexterity.
Toys that promote sharing
At the age of 1, some toddlers aren’t used to playing with other kids. So to boost your baby’s social skills, we recommend parallel playing. Such toys allow you to join playtime so your kid will start to learn how to coordinate and communicate with a fellow player.
Pieces that spark imagination
It’s not difficult to amuse a 1-year-old because they never run out of imagination. You can boost your child’s creative thinking through role-playing toys like tool toys, unicorn rockers, and so on. Such pretend playing will encourage your child to learn to speak and put logic into work. You have an essential role to play here as a parent.
Immersive and interactive
Interactive toys encourage your child to stay active. Some of the good examples here are walk-alongs and tricycles. This toy encourages your baby to use various muscle groups, especially on the arms, hands, and legs.
Aside from that, immersive toys teach your toddler spatial relations or how things fit together.
Toys that grow with your baby
Babies grow fast so you should also consider if the toy of your choice will remain useful in at least the next 1 to 2 years. I’d experienced this before when my eldest played with a toy I bought then lost interest in it after several weeks. It’s not just a loss of money; it’s also a downer as a parent.
To prevent this, we recommend that you purchase a toy that supports various stages of development. For example, a convertible tricycle can be fun as a ride for 1-year-old and as an actual balancing bike as he or she grows older.
Safety features
Safety is always a must when getting new toys for your child. Babies explore things through their mouth. Always assume that whatever toy you’re getting, it will be licked and mouthed several times.
My wife and I always emphasize that you should check the material of the toy. It should be food-grade and has passed various tests before it lands in the market. With that, you should only purchase from reliable sellers and brands. Remember, if it smells, it’s toxic.
Also, mind the size of the toy. Anything that can pass through a toilet paper roll can be swallowed and cause choking. Also, avoid toys with tiny parts that may come off while your baby is playing.
Aside from that, you should check the rating of the toy if it suits your child’s age. Also, you should check the toys regularly for damages and sharp parts. Washing the toys daily is also a great habit, especially if your little one has a sensitive stomach.
5 Best Developmental Toys for 1 Year Old Babies
OUR #1 CHOICE
OUR TOP PICK: HABA Walk-Along Tool Cart
Product Name: HABA Walk-Along Tool Cart
Product Description: If you’re looking for the best developmental toys for 1 year old, we recommend the HABA Walk-Along Tool Cart. This toy comes with a wagon that will encourage your child to stand up. It also comes with a handle and safe wheels so your little one can push it around. There are also tools on the cart that your baby can play with. There’s a wrench, saw, chisel, and hammer toy so you and your toddler can play pretend carpenter. The best part here is that the wagon has two coloured balls in front: one blue and one red. Your baby can hammer them in or push manually with their hands. It’s the perfect toy for the budding walker as well as curious toddlers who love playing with colourful objects.
Offer price: $$$
Availability: InStock
-
Safety
-
Features
-
Quality
-
Value for Money
Overall
Summary
The cart has no sharp or rough edges, so rest assured that your child is safe playing with it. Nevertheless, supervision is always needed for a child at this age.
Overall, this toy is perfect for babies age 10 months old and up. Just take note that this cart will be slightly difficult to push on carpeted surfaces. If you want your baby to slow down, there’s a small screw inside the front wheel to serve as a mild brake.
Pros
Durable wagon
Works well as a basic worker
Doesn’t tip over
Cons
Wheel resistance is annoying to adjust
RUNNERS-UP
Labebe Baby Rocking Unicorn
If you’re looking for a rocker for your child, you should consider the rocking unicorn from Labebe. It has a safe design with a plush seating surface for your child. The cushion is filled with PP cotton to keep your little one’s butt and legs comfortable while playing. Meanwhile, the cover is soft, stain-resistant, and pill-resistant.
Also, we like that the unicorn stays in shape with no fiberfill coming out of nowhere. It’s a durable rocker even if your child loves pulling and chewing things. It also comes with a 3-side seat belt to keep your baby safe while rocking.
As for the frame, it’s made of medium-density fibre and wood. These two materials make the rocker solid without being too cumbersome to rock. There are smooth handles that will prevent blisters and injuries.
Moreover, this rocker has certified safe materials and has observed the strict Toy Safety Standards in Europe and the U.S. On top of that, the rocker looks appealing due to the colour and unicorn design.
Aside from pink unicorn, this rocker is also available in narwhal, mammoth, flying pig, hippo, and anteater designs.
iPlay, iLearn Walker Toy
Another walker that we recommend is the iPlay, iLearn Walker. It’s a feature-packed toy enough to keep your little one busy. This toy is safe for kids 9 months old and above, so you don’t have to worry about your toddler.
This walker is convertible. You can use it as a walker, as an activity table, and a drawing pad for your child. Aside from that, this toy comes with loads of toys like an engine ignition, driving simulation, secured rattling beads, mobile phone, and more. There are also pictures of animals that will help your child learn at a very young age.
When used a drawing table, your child can create something using the stamps and drawing tools. Overall, this toy engages your child’s sense of touch, hearing, and vision. It also allows your child to be creative and welcome parallel playing with the parents.
We also like that this toy has a low centre of gravity, so it doesn’t tip over. You can also adjust the speed of the wheels using the switch located at the base. And based on our experience, this is the kind of toy that will grow with your kids until they are three or four.
BEST LEARNING Stack & Learn Toy
If you want to keep things simple for your child and your pocket, you can get the BEST LEARNING stack toy as a start. This toy will help your child with coordination through a simple yet interactive play.
This toy comes with five colourful rings as well as three fun modes to keep your little one learning. For the first mode, the stack tower has blinking lights that match the ring that your child has to stack. This teaches your child how to identify colours.
If not playing with the rings, your child can sing songs built into the toy. There’s a switch at the base of the stack tower. You can pick the orchestra mode to play five instruments on the 3-song programme.
Lastly, there’s the animal mode where the toy makes various animal sounds. You can teach your toddler what animals those are to test his or her recall.
This is a very simple toy that will help every toddler build up skills. It promotes creativity, imagination, logic, musical skills, motor skills, coordination, and more.
Just take note that this toy is suitable for babies that are at least six months old.
XJD 3-in-1 Toddler Tricycle
Lastly, if your toddler can stand up already, you should get the XJD Tricycle. This is a convertible bike, so for 1-year-olds, you can remove the pedals, adjust the seat height and handlebar, and use three-wheel mode. This will teach your child how to steer while letting them engage their legs by pushing around.
This tricycle for kids is very easy to assemble. Also, your child will grow with it. Once your child is older, you can adjust the two-wheeled rear wheels into a balanced two-wheeled bike. You can also put the pedal back on its place.
We really like how durable this bike is since it’s made of a carbon steel frame. I personally tried riding it, and it remains solid. For a maximum weight capacity of 110 pounds, that’s more than what your baby needs.
This is an excellent indoor bike for your baby to teach them coordination, independence, and balance. Don’t worry because this bike has fully enclosed wheels that will not clamp your little one’s feet. This design also makes the bike quiet when in use.
Final words
The best developmental toys for 1 year old will let your little one have fun while learning. It’s also an excellent way for you to bond and know your child even more. Enjoy every playtime because they grow up really fast.
