What should a 1 year old be learning
At one year old, your baby has reached a lot of developmental milestones and is on the way to more. Some of the things that one year old should be learning are:-- Language: Starting out with simple words and being able to identify common things around the house including pets and food is a great way to help improve their language. Instead of simply teaching them ABCs, we should also encourage them to associate common items with each alphabet to improve memory retention. Reciting nursery rhyme and other melodies are an alternative way to develop these.
- Motor skills: They should learn how to grab, push, pull, press and be able to do several other activities with their hands and fingers. Crawling or walking up to reach these toys is also something they’d learn by now. These help them work on their gross and fine motor skills along with dexterity.
- Socio-Emotional skills: Playing among peers will help them learn important lessons like sharing, polite behavior and getting along with friends. This definitely proves to give a headstart for their socio-emotional skills.
- Cognitive Skills: They should be able to differentiate size and patterns which can be improved with activities like sorting or stacking. Object permanence is also something they should have achieved by now. For example being able to sense a toy hidden under the blanket.
Top Rated Learning Toys For 1 Year Old
1. Best for Learning Language: LeapFrog Learning Friends 100 Words Book
Hearing your baby blurt out even simple words like "ball" or "dog" is exciting. This is a great interactive toy that helps your child learn a variety of everyday words through illustrations and sounds. Some of these include different kinds of pets, animals, food, activities, and so much more. When your baby touches a word in the book, they can hear it read aloud. Encourage your child to imitate you and say the word out loud for them to grasp it quickly. They can even listen to two themed songs by touching the light-up star on the book. It's a worthwhile investment to expand your child's vocabulary.
Specification: 9.4 x 9.2 x 1.9 inches
Suitable For: 18 months - 4 years
Pros: Comes in both spanish and english, easy to use
Cons: Touch sensitivity could be improved
Ratings: 4.8/5
2. Best for Visual Learning: MindSprout Pound A Ball Toy
Designed in collaboration with child experts, this toy aids in visual learning in multiple ways. Your child improves his hand-eye coordination when he learns to match the balls to its respective colors. The easy-to-grip, cushioned hammer enables them to whack the ball down the chutes to see it go sliding down. This improves motor skills, builds concentration and object permanence The six stacking cups teach them color recognition and the basics of stacking and building. It is 100% BPA-free, non-toxic, and completely safe for your child to play with.
Specification: 12.56 x 10.94 x 3.9 inches
Suitable For: 12 months and up
Pros: Easy to grip, sturdy, soft rounded edges
Cons: Hammer quality could be improved
Ratings: 4.6/5
3. Best for Physical activity: Ancaixin Baby Balance Toddler Walker
Excited to get your baby their first bicycle? Look no further, because we’ve got just the right one for you. This mini bike is perfect for toddlers who are just getting started on developing their balance. It is easy to put together and doesn't need many tools, which makes it even more convenient. The product is made with a lightweight, sturdy carbon steel frame for your baby to use with ease and stay sturdy throughout. It also features a PU-cushioned seat, which ensures comfort for your baby’s bum. Additionally, its limited turning radius prevents tripping and falling down. You should get this for your baby to have some quality time and exercise both indoors and outdoors.
Specification: 16.77 x 12.01 x 6.85 inches
Suitable For: 10-24 months
Pros: Easy to assemble, multiple colors
Cons: Bike sizing could be improved
Ratings:4.6/5
4. Best with Multiple Games: Einstein Box for 1 Year Old
Look no further if you're looking for a game set that fosters the growth of every aspect of your child's brain. The product offers a great set of tools to help your baby with cognitive and visual learning. The board games invoke curiosity and improve the attention span of your little one. With the premium board books that are tear-resistant, your child can learn different words and the pictures included in them. Your baby can sing along to your favorite nursery rhymes with the rhyme cards! It also includes animal masks, which are best for role-playing. Every piece of this set is made of child-safe materials and has rounded edges to ensure safety. Overall, it is one of the best learning gifts for 1 year old on our list.
Specification: 9.06 x 5.12 x 1.57 inches
Pros: Age-appropriate, easy to wipe clean, high-quality
Ratings: 4.6/5
5. Best for Creative Drawing: Bopicokok Magnetic Drawing Toy
Do you want to save your walls and tiles from being drawn on? Then a magnetic drawing board is all that you need. Unlike the other ones on the market, these come with sturdy, detachable cylindrical legs that elevate the board and let your child sit with ease and draw their heart out. The pen glides smoothly on the surface, allowing your baby to create imaginative shapes and forms. It comes with a soft silicone handle to carry it around. Lastly, the product has a wide space for drawing to make it worth every penny you pay for.
Specification: 15.51 x 10.83 x 1.73 inches
Pros: Durable, easy to grip and use
Cons: Stability could be improved
Ratings: 4.6/5
6. Best for Building Focus: BEST LEARNING Mushroom Garden
This product is definitely an award winning toy for a reason. The light-up mushrooms have the ability to completely capture your child's interest and concentration. Following the patterns of the lights helps your baby recognize patterns and enhances their memory retention. The product can easily be grasped by your little one’s palm to spin it and rock it. With the four unique modes in the product, your child will learn about numbers, colors, games, and music. Each mode challenges your baby’s logical thinking, hand-eye coordination, and motor skills. Your baby can sing and dance to songs with the help of the toy's high-quality speakers and volume control options. Lastly, it is a risk-free toy as it is completely child-safe and non-toxic.
Specification: 7.87 x 7.87 x 3.94 inches
Suitable For: 12 months - 5 years
Pros: Highly entertaining, easy to use
Cons: quality could be improved
Ratings: 4.6/5
7. Best in Interactive Toys: Fisher Price Interactive And Learning Toy with Music
Interactive toys are best for babies, as they keep them entertained for longer hours. This adorable interactive bouncing toy comes with three smart learning modes. Each mode is designed for a specific age, which means you can use this product even when they are 2 years old. Your child can learn the ABCs, the 123s, colors, and so much more. The buttons are huge and easy to tap on for your baby. It has more than 75 settings for recorded tunes and light up and bounce patterns for your little one to dance and sing along. The mic feature, which allows you to record sound and play it back, is a unique feature that makes this toy all the more interesting. It is one of the best interactive learning toys for 1 year old in this range.
Specification: 3.59 pounds
Suitable For: 9 months and up
Pros: Age appropriate, bouncing beats, voice recording
Cons: Batteries are required
Ratings: 4.8/5
8. Best for Dexterity: Mindsprout Pop Up Cause and Effect Toy
Your child will be able to master his dexterity with this skillful toy. Your child must use various finger movements to reveal the cute figures that will appear. This ensures better motor skills and an understanding of cause and effect. Each button requires a different hand movement, which also helps with their memory retention. It is a mom approved product as it has no sharp edges or chemicals and is pinch safe to avoid any mishaps. The toy can withstand the baby's rough play, is spill proof and is also simple to clean. It is definitely worth buying these learning activity toys for 1 year old to keep your little one entertained.
Specification: 11.26 x 7.99 x 3.03 inches
Suitable For: 9 months and up
Pros: Great for learning push, pull and twist, long-lasting
Ratings: 4.7/5
9. Best for Visual-Spatial Reasoning: Bekayshad Wooden Puzzles
If your child struggles to understand shapes and sizes, then this is the product for you. These are easy jigsaw puzzles that help improve the visual-spatial reasoning of your baby. Each one of them features a colorful animal that is sure to become your baby’s favorite. Every edge of the puzzle is smooth and rounded out, ensuring safety while using it. All the puzzle pieces are appropriately sized for easy palmer grasp without causing a choking hazard. The product is made with superior quality wood, which adds to its safety. By playing with these your baby would also improve their fine motor skills and patience.
Specification: 6.2 x 6.1 x 2.6 inches
Suitable For: 12 months - 8 years
Pros: Durable and safe wood, problem solving
Ratings: 4.6/5
10. Best in Musical Toys: LeapFrog Dino's Delightful Day Alphabet Book
There's no doubt that this musical children's book outperforms more traditional ones. It comes with 1-10 number buttons for your little one to learn counting. The 16 pages in this book give your child lessons on every letter of the alphabet with a picture that helps them retain the alphabet. The book also includes a story that shows the use of the things described in the book. Your baby can press the light-up button on the side to hear words on the story page read out loud. This book is great for encouraging your young child's interest in reading and helping them develop early language skills.
Specification: 12.48 x 12.32 x 2.67 inches
Suitable For: 12 months - 3 years
Pros: Easy to use, large light up buttons
Cons: Battery operated
Ratings: 4.8/5
11. Best for Sensory Learning: LiKee Baby Montessori Pull String Learning Ropes
This toy is sure to keep your little one occupied for hours. With multiple ropes that come in different sizes and shapes, your child can get the most out of sensory play. The ends of the ropes vary in size, shape, and texture and must be inserted into corresponding holes. This will improve their cognitive development and instill problem-solving skills in them. They can improve their motor skills such as hand-eye coordination and engage in tactile play with the various ropes, some of which are more difficult to pull and insert than others. In addition to the strings, the toy also features popping and sliding balls. A great gifting option when it comes to sensory learning toys for 1 year old
Specification: 4.7 x 4.7 x 9.5 inches
Suitable For: 18 months - 7 years
Pros: Easy to grip, non-toxic, portable
Cons: The rubber ends need to be improved
Ratings: 4.8/5
12. Best for Imagination: Crayola My First Fingerpaint Kit
What better way is there to introduce children to new concepts through tactile learning than with finger paint? This set comes with ten large sheets of paper and three primary colors: red, blue, and yellow. It is the perfect product for your kids to go wild and create beautiful art. The different textures of paint will help improve their sensory skills and their creativity. The paper comes with a glossy lamination that prevents oversaturation and mess. With the easy-to-squeeze bottles, dispensing paint can also be done by your little one independently. A painting kit with washable paint can definitely save you from worrying about the mess too!
Specification: 2.5 x 11 x 9 inches
Suitable For: 12 months - 15 years
Pros: Vivid colours, non-toxic paint,
Cons: Paper quality could be improved
Ratings: 4.5/5
13. Best for Fine Motor Skills: Aigybobo Wooden Sorting & Stacking Toys
A stacking toy is an apt way to put your baby’s fine motor skills to the test. The wooden blocks in this toy set are the right size for one-year-olds. They're not too big, so your baby won't choke on one, and not too small, so your baby can still get a good hold. With the reinforced pegs, you don't have to worry about your child accidentally eating them. The possibilities for arranging them are endless for your little one. These help improve their color and pattern recognition, hand-eye coordination, and fine motor skills. The wood used in the product's design is lightweight and has smooth, rounded edges for safety. It’s a worthwhile investment if you're looking for wooden learning toys for 1 year old
Specification: 11.65 x 2.68 x 2.44 inches
Suitable For: 12 months and up
Pros: Non-toxic, sturdy, easy to use
Ratings: 4.6/5
14. Best for Hand-Eye Coordination: SKYFIELD Carrot Harvest Game Wooden Toy
This adorable-looking playset can help your baby develop in several ways. In the process of trying to find a match between the holes and the carrots, your baby will learn to recognize sizes and improve their motor skills. The theme of carrot farming also gives the playset a very realistic look and encourages pretend play. Each carrot comes in a different shape that also involves improving their hand-eye coordination. Additionally, this product is made of high-quality pine wood, which makes it a long-lasting product.
Specification: 13.11 x 10.43 x 4.06 inches
Suitable For: 1 - 3 years
Pros: Compact, durable, easy to use
Cons: Sizing needs to be improved
Ratings: 4.6/5
15. Best for Tactile Play: VTech Busy Learners Activity Cube
A product that your child will never get tired of playing with! With this activity cube, there is always something new to do. Each side is unique, with multiple activities that invoke curiosity. The four light-up buttons play the sounds of different animals. There are 14 interactive mini-activities that can keep your little one occupied for hours on end. Each of these is designed to develop hand-eye coordination, color and pattern recognition, fine motor skills, and overall cognition. The motion sensor is the feature that sets this product apart. It plays sounds and grabs your baby’s attention every time it is moved. This product is a top contender in our picks for educational learning toys for 1 year old
Specification: 6.2 x 6.2 x 6.5 inches
Suitable For: 6 months - 3 years
Pros: Sing-along melodies, BPA-free
Cons: Music quality can be improved
Ratings: 4.8/5
16. Best for Creativity: Lebze Jumbo Crayons
Let your baby’s imagination run amok with these jumbo crayons. These crayons are made with non-toxic, phthalate-free, and asbestos-free wax, which makes them safe for your baby to use. Due to the large size of the crayon, unlike the regular ones, it is also easier for your little one to have a firmer grip and work on their motor skills. The set includes 24 colors, which give them endless possibilities to draw and color. They are also washable, which means you don't have to worry about your walls or tiles anymore! Most importantly, these crayons promote the freedom of imagination and creativity, which are essential for children's development.
Specification: 3.2 x 3.2 x 5.1 inches
Suitable For: 2-4
Pros: Washable, easy-to-use, high quality
Cons: Durability can be improved
Ratings: 4.6/5
How To Choose Right Learning Toy For 1 Year Old?
There are many factors to take into consideration while choosing developmentally appropriate toys for a 1 year old. Some of these are:-- Size: Children would put anything and everything in their mouths at this stage. So it’s of utmost importance to get toys of the right size. If the toy is too small, they can definitely pose a choking hazard. If they are too big for their little palms, they’ll get easily bored of it hence defeating its purpose. Look for toys that are sized appropriately and do not have any small pieces that make come off of the toy,
- Easy-to-use: Always go for toys that can be used by babies themselves instead of you having to operate it yourself. This way, the toy will pique maximum interest in them and instill a sense of pride in being able to use it. Ideally, toys with light up buttons and large, easy-to-press buttons do the trick.
- Material: Never buy a toy which does not specify either non-toxic or BPA-free tags. Since your baby will be spending a lot of time with these, you need to make sure that they are child-friendly. They should also have soft rounded edges and anti-pinch design for maximum safety.
- Educational Value: Look for toys which provide all round development to make the best out of your investment. For example, a ball with textures which help motor skills as well as sensory development. Light-up toys are a huge hit since they never fail to bore babies. Cause and effect toys are also great for improving hand-eye-coordination.
Your baby experiences a learning explosion at one year old, which makes them very curious about their surroundings. Learning toys are a great way to make the most of this phase and help them absorb as much as they can. Challenging their little minds with activity cubes and other sensory toys aids in improved cognition, which is beneficial for their overall development. We hope we were able to help you make an informed decision in choosing the best learning toys for 1 year old through this blog. Happy parenting!
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