Choosing great toys for 1 Year Olds
Natural Wooden Toys & Thoughtful First Birthday Gifts
Choosing the best toys for a 1 year old involves more than keeping little hands and minds busy. Choosing the right toys is about supporting their rapid growth and encouraging their natural curiosity and daily discoveries.
At Bambino Eco Toys, we specialise in natural wooden toys and eco-friendly baby toys for 1 year olds, thoughtfully selected to encourage early development through safe, sensory-rich play.
Our collection focuses on simple, beautifully made and naturally safe toys. They invite exploration. These toys help to build coordination, confidence, and creativity without overwhelming children.
🌿 What to Look for in Toys for 1 Year Olds
At this age, little ones are learning to:
- grasp, stack and release
- explore cause and effect
- move with more confidence (crawling, standing, and towards early walking)
- engage with textures, shapes and sounds
The best toys are:
- simple and open-ended
- made from safe, non-toxic materials
- designed to support fine motor and sensory development
Our Favourite Toy Types for 1 Year Olds
🪵 Wooden, Wool, Rubber and Cotton Grasping & Sensory Toys
Perfect for little hands learning control and coordination.
Think:
- Natural rubber or wool felt balls – (for under 3yo, choose balls from 5cm+)
- Rubber bath toys and wooden graspers (many work first as as teether, rattles -then become toys for exploring water play inside and outdoors)
- push toys and rolling objects (like toys with wheels – push or pull along)
- Items with multiple textures, mixture of materials (activity cubes, books and more)
- and simple vehicles and moving toys
These toys support fine motor development while encouraging movement and curiosity.
👉 Explore our wooden toys for 1 year olds
🌈 Stacking, Nesting & Sorting Toys
A classic for a reason.
Stacking and Nesting toys help develop:
- Stacking = things that can be placed on top of each other – such wooden or soft blocks or stacking wooden ainmals, or other shapes
Nesting = items that can be put inside each other – such as stacking cups or bowls – often stacking if upside down and nesting upside
Sorting = this could be matching my shape, size, colour or any other idea you or your child has for grouping things together. – Shape and colours sorters, shape and colour sorting puzzles, – any group of colourful items that can be grouped together on a colour mat
All these fun games and exploration assists with your child’s: - hand–eye coordination
- problem-solving
- Builds confidence as achievement builds
- spatial awareness
- learns their own impact on things (part of cause and effect – but using their own control)
From wooden stacking rings to nesting sets and sorting shapes, these toys grow with your child.
They offer long-lasting play value.
Great examples are shape sorters (boxes or puzzles), chunky puzzles with pieces that can also be played with as toys, Stackers.
Blocks with a variety of sizes and shapes – especially with sensory components like debossing, kaleidoscopes or noise making.
🎵 Sensory & Sound Toys
At this stage, babies are fascinated by sound and cause-and-effect play.
Gentle rattles, bells and musical toys:
- stimulate the senses
- encourage exploration
- introduce rhythm and repetition
We focus on soft, calming sounds — avoiding overstimulation.
Such as our wooden shaker eggs and maracas, handbells and xylophones.
🛁 Natural Rubber Bath & Teething Toys
1 year olds are still teething, making safe, chewable toys essential.
Our natural rubber toys are:
- soft and pliable
- easy to grip
- free from PVC, BPA and synthetic materials
They’re equally loved in the bath or during everyday play.
🧸 Soft Toys & Comforters (Organic & Wool)
Comfort and connection are an important part of your child’s development.
Our soft toys and comforters:
- provide reassurance and familiarity
- support emotional development
- are made from organic cotton and/or natural wool
Beautiful, calming companions for everyday moments.
🎁 First Birthday Gift Ideas
If you’re choosing a gift, look for something that is:
- beautifully and safely made
- practical enough to be used daily
- made to last beyond the first year
Natural wooden toys and eco-friendly baby gifts are loving and meaningful gifts — to be enjoyed now and treasured over time.
🌿 Why Choose Natural Toys?
We believe the materials children play with matter.
Many of our toys are made from:
- FSC-certified wood
- natural rubber
- organic cotton and wool
Finished with safe, non-toxic oils and paints, they offer a gentler, more sensory-rich play experience — supporting both your child and the environment.
🤍 A More Considered Way to Play
At Bambino Eco Toys, every piece is chosen with care.
We focus on toys that are:
- safe and natural
- developmentally appropriate
- beautifully simple
Because the best toys for 1 year olds aren’t the loudest or most complex — they’re the ones that invite curiosity, connection and calm, everyday play.