# What does a one year old need?



## hollytheteacher (Mar 10, 2007)

My ds will be turning one in August. Many family members/friends have asked what he might like for his birthday. I'm having a hard time figuring out what to suggest. If i don't suggest anything (to...for example my mother in law) i'm worried he might get some cheap MIC plasticy yuckiness that will end up in a landfill a few months down the road.

What did you suggest when family members asked you?


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## justthinkn (Apr 11, 2008)

Wooden push and pull toys
Classic rocking horse
Simple musical toys
Colorful bean bags

Got lots of electronic and plastic stuff anyway







but really, I appreciate that people want to love on DD with gifts even if it's not my taste.


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## mamak05 (Mar 20, 2006)

My DD always likes donations to her college fund! Sometimes she gets them after we craigslist the plastic stuff







.

Books - always books
musical instruments
membership to the zoo or art museum
music classes
art supplies - yes canvas and paint brushes and the whole deal!
sand/water play toys

Did I mention the college fund?


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## kennedy444 (Aug 2, 2002)

Great books for a growing library: Elsa Beskow, "Seasons" by Gerda Mueller, Nursery Rhymes...to name a few

Rolling wooden toys like this

Wooden stacker

Push toy

Musical instruments and shakers

Growth Chart, I have this in my dd2 room and it's lovely

Cool blocks or natural blocks -- tree blocks

Hammering Toy

Playsilks


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## blizzard_babe (Feb 14, 2007)

Hmm... parent-tot swimming lessons? If they want to have something for him to open, you need a good swim diaper to attend swimming lessons.









If grandparents want to go whole-hog, or people want to get together... a YMCA or pool membership for a few months?


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## _betsy_ (Jun 29, 2004)

Wooden blocks
Books - DD LOVED Sandra Boynton around 1
Hammering toy - DD loves hers
A ride on, stand up and walk behind type of toy.


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## aurora_skys (Apr 1, 2008)

wooden building blocks!
by the way, i love the pp links to wooden toys. When I was really little, one of my most special, favorite toys was a carved wooden duck with a long sturdy dowel screwed into her back. Her feet were wheels with rubber cut outs that pitter patted just like a real duck. My grandpa painted her all kinds of colors and I always thought she was the best toy! (still have her :>)

I recently went to a mainstream birthday party where the one yr old received lots of flashy noisy hideous plastic toys... what did he actually play with? The packaging! Perhaps wrapping a few leftover boxes filled with tissue paper and maybe a few stuffed animals? _All_ that that kid wanted to play with was the packaging and wrapping - unwrapping things was the party for him.


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## Dena (May 29, 2006)

You have gotten some great ideas.

I always try to keep a few clothing ideas on my list too, because both grandmas love buying clothes.

One other thing you might do is make a wish list on Amazon. I resisted this for years, but I did make one for each girl recently - NOT to publicize their wants far and wide, but so that I could have somewhere to direct people who ask what they would like. It occured to me that they probably were'nt getting many books (one of their favorite gifts) because people simply didn't know what they already had or might like, and this was an easy way of keeping a list where others could access it. Amazon also carries Plan toys (great wooden blocks!) and a whole lot of other cool stuff. I find it is helpful for relatives at a distance if I can at least direct them someplace where they can see pictures of stuff, iykwim.


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## becoming (Apr 11, 2003)

My DS will be one next month and loves anything to play with outside, books, and his xylophone.


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## pixiepunk (Mar 11, 2003)

my kids started to love their wooden blocks and playsilks at that age - and DD1 is 5 and DS is about to turn 3 and they are still in great shape and get played with all the time







that's the age when they started enjoying standing at the play kitchen and banging around in it - though obviously they didn't really pretend to cook and such until they were a bit older.

the longevity is shorter on these, but they also really loved shape sorting toys and simple wooden knob puzzles at that age.

and of course we can never have too many books!

and maybe some fun clothing items - especially ones you might not otherwise buy - like some babylegs, some cute Hannah Anderson outfit, or a pair of soft-soled shoes. don't know if anyone would be willing to buy you some new cloth diapers (or if you do cloth) but that'd be a useful gift. and if you babywear, maybe a new carrier, which you can both enjoy


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## hollytheteacher (Mar 10, 2007)

thanks for the great ideas


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## puffingirl (Nov 2, 2006)

My DD loves her subscription to Babybug Magazine that the in-laws gave to her a couple of months ago. It's sturdy material, so good for young hands and the mauling they do. She looks at her current issue at least once a day. Great gift that keeps giving throughout the year!


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## puffingirl (Nov 2, 2006)

One more idea that may or may not appeal to folks: We feel very blessed to have enough to care for DD so we are fans of people donating what they would have spent on a gift to a charity that helps kids in need in DD's name. We did that for one of her "gifts" for her upcoming birthday and will save the card for her.


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## keeptryst (Jan 12, 2008)

Of all children's books I've seen so far, this one is the best yet:
All I See Is Part Of Me by Chara M. Curtis

It shares a message of oneness that honours a child's innate intuition and intelligence. The words are almost musical when read aloud and the illustrations are enchanting. I want to order a few of these books and keep them on hand to give out as birthday/unbirthday gifts for any child from age 0+.


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## pixiepunk (Mar 11, 2003)

that is one of our family's most favorite books! love it


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