30 of the best toys for one-year-olds to boost early development

The Baby Einstein Hape Magic Touch Piano comes with three plastic music sheets (chew and drool-resistant) that play six melodies. Budding musicians can match the colours on the sheets with the coloured keys and learn to play classic nursery rhymes like Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and younger kids can just simply create their own melody.

Anne Lora Scagliusi, Senior Digital Writer at M&B is a big fan of Hape’s Montessori-friendly approach. "I was excited to try this piano for my son, especially since he already enjoys the Hape Rotating Music Box. When he was around one, he was more interested in pulling out the music cards than playing the keys. The piano comes with three music sheets that toddlers can follow, though they’re a bit advanced for younger kids. Still, my one-year-old loved the automatic songs and enjoyed playing with the keys and sounds." She added, "Now at two, he’s engaging more, especially when I ask him to press specific colours, and he enjoys playing along. I love that it’s colourful and well-made. While some paint has started to chip, after a year of use it remains durable and is a great way for little ones to discover music and develop coordination."

The touch keys are responsive to little fingers, and the volume is adjustable - phew! It can also connect to other Hape musical toys. Just remember to you buy batteries, as they aren’t included. Some reviews mentioned the toy can tip forward if your baby leans on it, so worth leaving it on the floor during play time.

Instantly recognisable, the Little Tikes Cozy Coupe has become a staple in many homes, nurseries and preschool settings and for good reason - kids love them! Our tester Dad, Ed can see some longevity with the toy, "My son will probably play with this for a few years as it's such a sturdy toy, I imagine we'll then be able to pass it down through the family or to friends," he said.

This model includes special features, like an ignition switch and open-and-close gas cap and even a real working horn. The only area which our Dad tester felt let the car down was in the construction. "The Cozy Coupe is very difficult to assemble, it needs a lot of pressure and strength." However, the end result is a toy that brings immense joy to children. You can even buy compatible extras such as a petrol pump, so your little one can fill up when fuel is low.

If your little one doesn't have a Jellycat cuddly teddy yet, then this is the perfect excuse to get one! The toys have been a hit with my kids and it's not hard to see why. They're soft, cuddly and simply adorable plus, soft cuddly toys help develop sensory skills. Senior Writer Keya Modessa agrees saying "Both my kids were gifted a bunny rabbits and they still keep their rabbit close to them - my younger daughter more than my son though. Once it's in her grasp, there's no letting go." The rabbit is one of the many adorable ones on offer - their soft, long ears and limbs mean there's plenty to grab on and cuddle and are a real comfort and will last for years and years.

We're big fans of this pop up tunnel - it's made from durable, flexible polyester with two ventilation mesh sides for peek-a-boo fun and easy supervision. Its clever steel-spring construction allows for effortless pop-up setup and compact folding into a portable carrying bag, making it perfect for indoor or outdoor adventures or to even pack for weekends away. It's great to encourage crawling and movement and once they're on the move, you can use it to create little obstacle courses to build muscle strength, coordination, balance, and hand-eye coordination, fostering social skills and promoting parent-child interaction—it's even great for pets! An ideal gift, it enhances spatial awareness and chases away boredom, just remember to maintain a safe distance when it pops open

A bright, engaging, interactive book that's perfect for a first birthday gift. The LeapFrog Learning Friends 100 Words Book encourages your child to learn by pressing each picture to hear the corresponding word. Switch to the second language mode to hear the names of those same animals and objects in French. 

Anne Lora Scagliusi, Senior Writer at M&B was gifted the bilingual Italian/English version of this book when her son was one and it's been really helpful since she's raising him to speak both languages. "It’s been a real winner for us. I love how easy it is to switch between languages with just the press of a button. The sound quality is clear, the volume settings work well for different situations, and it’s surprisingly sturdy, my son has thrown it around with no damage. The three modes keep him engaged, especially since he loves copying the animal and vehicle sounds, repeating words, and hearing facts. It’s helped him start saying a few words in both languages by age two, which is amazing to see."

The book comes with batteries and also offers fun songs and animal sounds to engage even the youngest of readers. However, some reviewers mentioned that the pictures are very sensitive, meaning that children can, at times, press multiple at once and hear a variety of words and sounds in quick succession.

Fisher-Price has come up with a product that mimics the look of a gaming controller. There are lots of buttons and knobs to twiddle with, plus different sounds as well as numbers and music. Unlike some toys with sounds, this only has two volumes so feel free to stick to the quietest one until your little one figures out how to make it louder!

Our tester Sophie is a fan saying, "my eldest had this when he was a baby, and then my youngest inherited it and they both loved to play with it. It makes plenty of sounds and music to keep them entertained - although you might grow a little weary of them - but for motor skills and dexterity, this is a great choice."

"Great for little gamers to help them feel like they are participating in the PlayStation and Xbox action without missing out!” said one review. “We have an older child that plays on Xbox, and this was a great buy to help the little one get involved without trying to snatch the other controller!"

The A to Z Yak is a fun, sing-along toy that helps your little one learn the alphabet alongside bright and cheery songs and melodies. Little ones can interact with the Yak and press buttons to learn the alphabet, sing and dance along to the songs. Our tester Sophie said her little girl was a fan straight away "My little girl loved it. It's engaging and fun plus it has a learning element. I liked the handle at the top which made it easy for her to grab and carry around."

For a small toy, this one holds more than 115 songs so it will keep your child singing and dancing for hours but be warned, you might tire of the tunes before they do. Worth mentioning that other 'Link Squad' toys are designed to sync up, allowing your little one to create a whole band of interactive toys!

A simple toy, but one that can provide hours of entertainment. The Hape Beaded Rain Stick is 20 cm long and makes a calming and mesmerising rain-like sound when tilted and causes a stream of beads to trickle through obstacles. 

“Such a quality piece!” said one dad reviewer. “My son loves this rattle! I gave it to him at nine months old and he is still discovering ways to play with it. At first, he learned to shake it to make the sound, but then he went through a phase of hitting it on objects to hear the sound it would make.
Now, at one year old, one of his favourite things to do with it is to hold it to his eyes and look through it at the room. It keeps him entertained!”

This four-pack of fun sea life squirters are great when it comes to bath time. Available in three different themes, we personally love the sea life theme. Mother&Baby's Senior Writer and Hannah Carroll loves these for her three kids and noted how easy they are to keep clean.
"When it comes to bath toys, these adorable floating toys are my favourite because they’re fun, squishy and easy to clean. I love that they don’t trap water like some other bath toys," she says.

They offer great value for money and as they are quite small, they can be easily packed away for weekends away or to just simply store around the side of the bath and at grabbing distance when bath time comes.

Get ready for some noise because this baby xylophone is nothing like one you've seen before! This one comes with a hammer that your little one can strike the keys with and hit the coloured balls with. It's an irresistible combination of cause-and-effect, vibrant colours, and satisfying sounds that most one-year-olds won't be able to put down. "I bought this for my baby brother's birthday, and he loves it,” said one. “He is constantly using the xylophone feature and gets hours of fun out of it. I would recommend to those who are thinking of buying this for a child." Another review said: "Had this for over a year now and my daughter still loves playing with it. Very sturdy and, despite her best efforts, it is still in one piece."

Most people had a gripe with the fact that it was smaller than expected at 28cm long. Easier to hide when your ears need a rest? Just saying...

A classic toy for any generation, this rocking horse is beautifully designed and has a solid wooden base and brown faux fur that's soft to touch. It has a bell in one ear, a rattle in the other and a saddle on which to safely sit and is small enough for one year olds to climb onto, and big enough to provide years of fun.

Senior writer Keya Modessa had one for her son which then went to her daughter. "They both loved it but as my son got older, he would get over zealous and sometimes rock back and forth quite aggressively. Luckily we never had any accidents. My daughter appreciated it just as much and would climb on it over and over again! It's still so sturdy and has many years of fun left in it."

Guaranteed to be found in every child's toy box, this shape sorter toy is both fun and educational. Known for their high-quality, beautifully crafted children’s toys, Melissa & Doug's shape sorter doesn’t disappoint. Although it doesn't feature traditional shapes, children can learn to fit its nine wooden animals into the corresponding shapes which helps with lateral thinking and problem-solving.

"Ordered for a birthday present for an animal/zoo mad toddler, and it provided hours of fun, and he loves it,” said one happier reviewer. “Very sturdy and durable. I’ve ordered a few Melissa and Doug toys and have never had a problem with anything. Would recommend." Another reviewer said, " I bought this for my daughter's first birthday. It is the main toy she actively seeks out and plays with daily. I definitely recommend it."

If you ever needed an excuse to read more to your little one, this could be it! The soft felt flaps on every page of this bright and beautiful book make it easy for little ones to lift. The interactive element make this book not only engaging for small readers, but helps them to develop their fine motor skills. If that wasn't enough, it’s illustrated by Axel Scheffler, the bestselling illustrator of much-loved book, The Gruffalo. We guarantee you'll love these animal adventures, and there's plenty more in the collection to enjoy later too.

"Really nice book with the lift up flaps being felt which makes them easier to lift and less likely to rip,” said one reviewer. “Well-illustrated, colourful and appealing. Great quality and good size, larger than I expected. Good value."

A recognised item in any family home, this sturdy walker will encourage your little one's big movement milestones. A versatile toy designed to support their first steps, strengthen core muscles, and improve balance from just 6 months old. Its design features textured wheels for stability, an easy-grip handle for little hands, and a durable build perfect for play at home or on the go.

Senior Digital Writer, Keya Modessa found it super sturdy and engaging "My son took a while to walk so this helped him build his confidence and while he couldn't really pull himself up using it, once up, he'd take a few steps on it. Once he was walking, seeing his little face light up as he used it to walk, was delightful."

The activity panel comes packed with 5 light-up buttons, a shape sorter, gears, animal buttons, and a role-play phone, can be removed for engaging sit-down play. "I love that it doubles up as an activity board too so when he wasn't using it to talk, he's used it to play. It would keep him busy for hours," Keya said.

Sometimes it's the simplest toy that will keep them entertained for hours - case in point these colourful stacking cups. Keya Modessa our Senior writer agrees "My son absolutely loved these, he would spend hours stacking them in size or number order. As he got older, we'd hide a toy under one and move them around on the floor and he'd love finding it. We took them on holiday to Canada too as they're easy to pack and he loved having something familiar to play with. So much longevity for such a small cost oh, and they're also easy to clean - what's not to love?"

The Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Puppy is the perfect snuggly and educational companion for one-year-olds. Its hands, feet, ears and heart all light up and will respond to your little one’s touch; and with more than 75 songs, sounds, and phrases the fun is endless.

It will help to teach children body parts, the alphabet, colours, and numbers and the difficulty setting can be adjusted as the child grows adding to the lifespan of this cute pup. Our M&B tester Stephanie, said: "My daughter was immediately drawn to this toy. She has started to hug and kiss the puppy, which she hasn't done before with any other soft toy. I like the three different levels of learning, which correspond to different ages. It's easy to use and I like the various different songs." Another mum tester Louise said "It's very interactive for my child to play with. He can press the body parts and follow the instructions allowing him to play alone. My eight-month-old also enjoyed watching but was too young to press the buttons."

While this toy offers much to love, parents did highlight mention you can't put it in the washing machine due to the electronics. Some parents found the difficulty adjustment mechanism a bit fiddly because of its location. "You currently do this by squeezing a foot, so my 11-month-old tends to do this a lot, and then the settings are not age-appropriate," said mum tester Clare. This means little ones can accidentally alter the settings, potentially making the experience less suitable for their age.

Think of this Montessori toy as a fidget toy for older babies and toddlers. Chewable, durable and chunky for little hands, it’s designed to enrich child learning and develop hand flexibility and fine motor skills at an early age. Pull ribbed rubber cords, pop buttons, flip, squeeze, and get curious. Granted, it looks utterly bizarre, but it will keep your baby busy!

"This is great for any age, children or adults,” said one reviewer. “I find my partner playing with this more than my child sometimes. My little boy loves biting down on this, and it helps him with his teething. Highly recommend"

Another reason we love it is because it's BPA-free and easy to wash, so perfectly safe for your little one to bite down on.

It’s rather therapeutic watching the cars roll down the ramps of this beautiful little wooden car roller. A stimulating and entertaining first race track, this doesn't take up much space in the house and will help your child develop fine motor skills. The ramp comes with four brightly coloured cars, which can flip and roll on both sides.

“Granddaughter (20 months) has spent endless time playing with this simple toy,” said one reviewer. “Quality is good, sturdy enough not to topple easily, and the four wooden cars are the perfect size for little hands. She seems to love sending all four cars down the ramps at the same time, watching them come out at the bottom one right after the other and scooting along the floor. Although I thought it was a bit expensive, it turns out to be good fun and, for me, money worth spending - smiles all around!” Meanwhile, M&B Contributor Sophie Knight's kids adored playing with it saying "The cars whizz down easily and have kept them fascinated; it's good fun to set up alongside other car ramps to keep the fun going. The cars are little and easy to lose under the sofa, so keep an eye on where they fly off to."

The wheels are durable plastic and cannot be chewed off, the paint is non-toxic, and the whole construction is BPA-free, allaying any safety concerns. A parking lot on the top ramp can be removed or used as car storage once your little one has finished playing for the day.

Introduce your little one to the joy of two wheels with this baby balance bike, perfect for developing balance, steering, and coordination in little ones. Even though your baby may not be walking, they'll love riding on this bike. Designed with durability and safety in mind, it features a solid structure, four fully enclosed wheels suitable for both indoor and outdoor play, and a 135-degree steering limit to prevent sideways falls. This bike is incredibly easy to assemble and carry ,and you can can easily tuck it into your car boot for outdoor adventures. One reviewer said "Great little bike! My nephew loves it, his 1st birthday gift from me!"

The Babbler Play Kit challenges your little one with new and different skills to learn. This play kit box will help develop their stacking skills, fine motor skills, understanding of object permanence and more. While the £120 price tag might seem a bit steep to some, it would certainly make a wonderful and generous gift.

This particular item is part of a subscription learning program for babies and toddlers so a new age-appropriate play kit gets sent out every three months. They are designed for joint adult/child play rather than independent play.

"The toy selection is beautifully curated to encourage curiosity and learning in older babies, and its design is inviting for both babies and adults alike," said our Mother&Baby tester Georgi. She also found it particularly helpful for first-time parents who might feel less confident about how to engage in play. "I felt more inclined to sit with my baby to explore these particular toys, allowing us to spend some quality time together. I personally found the play guide very useful as a first-time parent, as I do sometimes feel a little lost about what I should be doing with my baby during playtime."

Read our Lovevery Play Kit review here.

What an adorable little Highland Cow companion this is! The Pull-Along Hattie Highland Cow teaches children to learn cause and effect and encourages role play. The soft toy element can be detached from its lead and wheels so that your little one can snuggle up with it at bedtime having taken it for walks all day!

"Perfect present for a little girl very versatile as it can be cuddly bedtime toy and a pull along toy during the day - great idea," said one reviewer. Another said: "So cute and I love that the child can take it off the wheels to cuddle. So nicely made and will last many years."

The cow itself is super soft and machine washable.

If your little one loves pretend play, then they will love this cute toy vegetable set. Made of soft plastic, it will encourage their vocabulary as well as promote healthy eating. The pieces in the set look realistic and are a great size and weight for small hands. As they get older, they can use these pieces in their role play games with grown ups, siblings or on play dates.

The vegetables come with a tote bag for shopping role play as well as storage. M&B tester Sophie said "This was an instant hit with my daughter, Matilda, who took it off 'to the shops' and got her toy till to play with alongside. The texture of the toys is different to normal plastic veg and more tactile. It's not the cheapest set of fruit and veg you can get, but it feels like it will last a long time."

A jigsaw puzzle is a great activity to do with your little one, and this colourful wooden peg puzzle is one of many in a range that covers animals to dinosaurs, letters and numbers. Made of environmentally-friendly wood, the puzzle board has colourful pictures under each piece to encourage your little one's interest in animals, help them place it in the correct spot and improve their hand-eye coordination. One review said "Brought this for my friends grandson for his 1st birthday, it is very educational and will help with his motor skills and eye coordination too. It is the right size for little fingers and the colours are good too."

Ready, set, roll! Get ready for a high-speed chase with this cute little rolling monkey. Designed to get your baby moving, with just a tap, your little one can kick off the fun as the monkey rolls around, its wheels glowing while it plays exciting sounds and music.

"Even though my son loved watching it roll, it never got him moving to begin with, but when he finally started crawling, we bought it back out and he'd try and follow it around the room," said Keya Modessa Senior Digital Writer at M&B. "Because it lights up, we'd often turn the lights down and let him crawl for it too which would be add another element of fun.Sometimes he'd forget about it, then it would make a noise and it would spark his curiosity and he'd try and find it again." It's the perfect toy to encourage active play and keep your baby giggling.

With 60 classic coloured blocks in various shapes and colours, the Mega Bloks First Builder Classic is every mini-builders dream. Your little one can create huge towers or block houses, then enjoy knocking them down once they're done. 

Compared with some other construction toys, these are affordably priced for a large number of blocks. You won’t be able to stop your baby chewing on them, but they don’t pose a choking hazard because of their large size.

"Think of these as Lego for really little ones. The building options are endless but usually my kids just love to build a huge tower. When they play together, they get more creative so it's really fun to see what they create when they build together - and sometimes even my husband joins in." Said Keya Modessa, Senior Digital Writer at M&B

This is a toy that will grow with your child as their imagination and dexterity develop, and you can add to the set with other Mega Bloks down the line.

The Meadow Activity Table stands at 32 cm, making it an ideal height for your little one. Featuring stacking animals, a maze, different gears, building blocks as well as a fun xylophone to play, this will keep your one-year-old busy. 

Parents loved this activity table as much as their little ones. "There's so many separate things to play with, plus everything has its place which means quick clean up afterwards - bonus!"

A sweet farmyard theme makes this an attractive toy to have about the house. Although some found the legs tricky to attach, most reviewers found that it doesn’t take long to set up from the box. So, as a toy that helps to develop fine motor skills and concentration, as well as being entertaining, it’s a good buy.

Dive into farmyard fun with this interactive farm playset! Toddlers can care for their animal friends, from hatching chicks to tucking in the horse, all while exploring over 45 songs, sounds, and phrases.
One review said "Amazing value for money for a product that our one year adores. Great for paired play but just as good for independent play. Cannot recommend this highly enough if you have an inquisitive one year old at home."

The learning grows with your child across three levels, teaching counting, colours, animal sounds, and more through engaging play points like dropping figures through the hayloft or turning on the barn light. It's a great way to spark imaginative storytelling and strengthen fine motor skills.

It’s hard not to be enchanted by this cheerful Ankylosaurus, and being a Montessori toy, you can be assured that it’s educational as well as fun. 

The different coloured and numbered spikes help children learn these advanced skills at a later date, but littler ones can simply enjoy the challenge of putting the spikes in and out of the holes and making the dinosaur’s mouth open. This action helps develop hand-eye coordination and hand strength. 

In essence, this is a toy that will last children through a few key developmental stages – but you’ll need to supervise smaller children to ensure they don’t put the spikes in their mouths.

"This is good, very simple,” one reviewer said. “My one-year-old was impressed with the colours and the noise, my three-year-old was impressed that his little sister liked a dinosaur ... so yeah, 10/10."

Lightweight, relatively small and easy to take on the go, the pegs store neatly in the dinosaur’s back.

As your little one starts moving and exploring more and more, this push along trolley will come in handy. It's sturdy wooden structure has been designed to help your child learn and grow and its easy-to-push design aids in building stability as your little one moves around. The trolley comes with brightly-coloured blocks inside the trolley - perfect for small hands and feature the entire alphabet and four shape blocks. The trolley introduces letters, words, and shapes seamlessly blending physical activity with early learning. One reviewer said "We bought this for our daughter at Christmas she would’ve been eight months at the time. She’s just now turned 13 months old and she’s still getting so much fun out of it. I don’t even believe she’s begun to crack the potential of this gift."
A couple of people mentioned that it is a little light, so worth putting a few extra toys inside to prevent it flipping over.

Inspire hours of creative fun and learning with this vibrant train play set, perfect for little hands. Your child can explore colours and numbers by sorting the barns and 4 colourful carriages, all pulled by a little choo choo train. The train's roof detaches so little ones can place figures inside and have some extra fun plus, the farm animals double as hand puppets so imaginative role-play can really come to life here. This engaging build-and-play set combines play with storytelling, encouraging fine motor skills and cognitive development. One reviewer said "This was a gift I purchased for a little ones first birthday. It is so cute, simple to set up and I love how it teaches the little one the colours, numbers and animals all while playing with a cute train. I will absolutely be purchasing this again for another gift."