1 Year Old Birthday Ideas

Holy smokes, how are they one?!

I know, I know— the first year was a wild one, but you made it! So often, as the first birthday approaches, parents are met with a lot of pressure. Pressure to have a big themed birthday party with tons of presents (all aesthetically pleasing of course!), a cake smash, and a huge photoshoot. Let me start by saying— your baby does not truly need any of those. I know it’s so important to us, as the parents, to celebrate our baby’s first year! However, please do not feel pressured to get them #allthethings or throw a huge party if it’s just not in the budget. Your baby truly only needs your love— and maybe some yummy food to celebrate!

With that being said, if you are looking to get your new babe a few things, it may be a good idea to mix in some fun developmental toys with some things you actually need. One year olds truly don’t know that they’re getting presents or celebrating a birthday— use this time to stock up on some new clothes or shoes in your baby’s size, new bath goodies, etc. Do you have a trip coming up? Maybe some trip essentials like a beach tent or new pool float for baby would serve as a great gift too! Another good idea for this age is gifting an experience (like a zoo pass or aquarium pass, library card, etc). This way, you are guaranteeing time together with your baby— which they truly love the most!

For our son, Teddy, I plan on getting him a few simple gifts (he LOVES balls and cars) mixed with some shoes, outfits, and an aquarium pass. I wanted to put together a list of options if you’re looking for some developmentally appropriate toys and books. Here are some of our favorites for our one year olds in years passed, as well as some things we will be getting Teddy for his upcoming first! I hope this helps!

Amazon Storefront | Lovevery Kit | Karrie Locher Merch | Busy Boards

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