Gift Ideas for a 1 Year Old Girl

With almost three weeks passing since Isla turned one, we’ve now gotten to use many of the wonderful gifts that she received on her birthday. She is one lucky lady to have been spoiled rotten by family and friends. We got cute clothes, learning toys, plush stuffed animals and “bay-beeees.” I’ve had a few people ask me what was most useful, as they were going to be buying gifts for a one year old girl (most gifts work for boys too!) and didn’t want to get a gift that would be returned or left in a box.

I’m sharing some of our favorite items today, but most importantly, I’d love if you chimed in with other ideas in the comments below! It’s always so helpful to hear what other mamas think!

Lastly, there are some important things to take into consideration before buying gifts is the amount of storage the family has. Do they have a play room with lots of bins for toys? Do they have a big garage where they can put a toddler car? If the family has limited space, stick with smaller items like books and clothes!

Okay, here we go!

Books: Board books are still a really good idea at this age. Isla ripped a paper page of a special book she received for her birthday, and I almost cried. I think that sound books and texture books are also wonderful for one year olds. Read our favorite books post here (those books are all perfect for a one year old!). Although it’s super tempting to write a note in the book, I don’t think this is a good idea unless you are really close to the child and know for a fact they don’t already own the book. I also think that customized books are the cutest idea! You can order them on Pottery Barn Kids’ website.

Clothes, Shoes and Accessories: Isla got the cutest clothes ever for her birthday. Like the best. If you know the mama well, I think clothing is a great option because you likely know their style and what they typically put their baby in. We got lots of Baby Gap from friends who know me all too well!

If you think that clothes are too impersonal, then get a piece of clothing monogrammed. As you can see from these photos, Isla’s dress has her initials (IPM) on the chest and her name on the bloomers. The outfit was a sweet gift from our friends at The Monogram Shop (favorite shop!). Personalizing gifts make them extra special, and I know Isla will be wearing this dress so often. It’s adorable. And the little bloomers are to die for!

Isla also got the cutest floral headband, little purse which she carries everywhere, and hair bows. She got new jelly shoes as well, which I adore. Use your best judgement – what does the momma like? She will be the one picking out the outfits most the time!
Dolls: Oh my gosh, Isla loves her dolls so much and it is the cutest thing ever. She has been kissing them nonstop this week. I even caught it on video (someone please remind me to shoot horizontally or teach me how to rotate it!). She got a sweet Corolle doll from our friend, which she carries around everywhere, and she sleeps with a soft Stella doll from my parents.

Isla has an umbrella stroller, as well as a Janod pram (with the elephant in it), I also love this Hape babydoll stroller. Hape’s products are so high quality!

Toys: Isla got lots of wonderful toys for her birthday, including tea sets, stackable items (like this Hape one), Violet the dog (who knows her name!), a learning purse, a princess stable, and lots of stuffed animals (which she adores). We’ve had lots of fun playing with the new toys. She especially loves tea time, and tries to drink straight out of the tea pot! We’ll have to teach her manners later!

Cars/Bikes: Ever since seeing Olivia in her Huffy Mini Cooper in Pink (also in Red), I’ve been obsessed with it! Isla didn’t get one for her birthday, but she did get an adorable Little Tikes Coup which she loves taking rides in, and already had a Hape Bike from Christmas which is a great one year old gift.

Furniture: If the person you’re buying a gift for has a playroom or space for furniture, then this is a great gift (maybe check with them first!). I adore the play kitchens from Pottery Barn Kids so much! And you can get this IKEA kitchen and do this hack (a friend showed me this, and I’m obsessed!).

Another fun idea is to gift a ball pit, which requires an inflatable pool and roughly 500-600 ball pit balls. You can also buy a tiny piano (like Livi’s), little table and chairs, or outdoor chairs (we got the pink adirondack chair from Target!).

Special thank you to The Monogram Shop for this gorgeous dress and bloomers! You can find perfect 1st birthday gifts in the baby section of the store. Follow them on Instagram.