As a parent, you want to provide your 1-year-old with the best learning opportunities, and educational toys are a great way to do just that. At this age, your child is starting to explore the world around them and develop new skills. The right toys can encourage their physical, emotional, and cognitive development, all while having fun.
There are many educational toys available for 1-year-olds, including shape sorters, block sets, picture books, and more. It can be overwhelming to choose the right ones, but we have compiled a list of the best educational toys for 1-year-olds that are sure to engage and delight your child. Keep reading to learn more.
Our Top Picks
- Best Puzzle Toy: SKYFIELD Wooden Animal Toddler Puzzle
- Best Activity Cube: Battat – Wooden Activity Cube
- Best Color & Shape Board: BettRoom Wooden Board
- Best Stacking Toy: Sassy Stacks of Circles
- Best Play Table: Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Around The Town
- Best Word Book: LeapFrog Learning Friends 100 Words Book
- Best Montessori Toy: Ancaixin Montessori Sorting & Counting Puzzle
- Best Musical Toy: LeapFrog Spin and Sing Alphabet Zoo
- Best STEM Toy: SmartMax My First Dinosaurs
- Best Learning Set: Einstein Box Board Books and Pretend Play Gift Pack
- Best Push Toy: Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Toddler Toy Vacuum
- Best Interactive Toy: Fisher-Price Linkimals Smooth Moves Sloth
In This Article
HappyBabyHub’s Best Educational Toys For 1-Year-Olds Picks
SKYFIELD Wooden Animal Toddler Puzzle – Best Puzzle Toy
- Made well
- Perfect for small hands
- Cute
- Colorful
- The bag is small
This four-piece set includes a variety of shapes and colors that are sure to captivate your 1-year-old’s attention. They can create an elephant, fish, hippo, or frog by filling in the relevant puzzle pieces. Not only is this a great way for your child to have fun, but it also helps to develop their brain and hand-eye coordination.
The wooden puzzles are designed with your child’s safety in mind. The puzzle pieces are easy for little hands to pick up, and they are thick enough to prevent swallowing. Plus, the set comes with a handy carrying pouch to keep all the pieces organized and in one place.
Battat – Wooden Activity Cube – Best Activity Cube
- Every detail looks nice
- Good for cognitive play
- Hours of fun
- No annoying bling or noise
- Not cheap
With so many fun activities on each side, your baby will never get bored. They’ll love exploring the wooden bead roller coaster and spinning animal alphabet, all while learning and developing their cognitive skills.
This captivating toy features adorable farm animals and allows young minds to dive into a world of discovery. The wooden activity cube by Battat is designed with zigzag roads and loopy lanes, perfect for little hands to explore. Its rounded sides and strong, smooth structure make it a durable and safe option for your child.
BettRoom Wooden Board – Best Color & Shape Board
- Very educational
- Safe for toddlers
- Well built
- Great colors
- Not many variations
With this board toy, your little one will learn about shapes, colors, counting, and hand-eye coordination in an exciting and interactive way. All 20 pieces are phthalate-, lead-, BPA-, and toxic-free, so you can rest easy knowing your child is playing with a safe and high-quality toy.
The keys are securely fastened, and the wood is smooth to the touch, ensuring durability and longevity. Plus, with removable and detachable blocks, this toy will encourage your child’s imagination and creativity as they build and create.
Sassy Stacks of Circles – Best Stacking Toy
- While the rings are of different thicknesses, they can be stacked in any order or used alone as individual toys
- Very bright colors
- It’s very stimulating with the sounds and colors and textures
- Baby would love how colorful and interesting each individual ring is
- Do not sterilize
These rings are a blast to stack because each one has the same size core, which means you can stack them any way you want without getting stuck. Plus, it’s not just a game – this toy teaches young children about sorting, sequencing, and constructing, all while introducing them to STEM learning.
Stacking the rings on the straight post also helps improve hand-eye coordination, while handling the chunky rings helps develop fine motor skills. And don’t forget about the texture and weight of each ring – they’re perfect for mouthing and exploring different textures. The colorful beads in the transparent ring also help babies connect sound and sight.
Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Around The Town – Best Play Table
- Sturdy
- Easy to setup
- Many educational features
- The various doors, shutters, and switches are unique and have satisfying feels and sounds
- A bit small
The Laugh & Learn Around the Town Learning Table is a fun-filled play table that is perfect for babies and toddlers alike! With over 120+ tunes, sounds, and words, your little one will have a blast exploring all the pretend play games available. Take a trip to the zoo and press the buttons to hear different animal sounds. Use the interactive play phone to “chat” with Puppy and play peek-a-boo! Open the barn door at the farm to learn more about animals.
This interactive play table has four entertaining areas, each filled with engaging games, lights, music, and educational content. Thanks to Smart Stages technology, you can adjust the learning as your child grows with three levels of play that introduce the alphabet, numbers, shapes, colors, Spanish phrases, and much more.
LeapFrog Learning Friends 100 Words Book – Best Word Book
- Bilingual toy great for toddlers learning words in both English and Spanish
- Bright and colorful pictures
- Tons of phrases, songs, words, and sentences
- The touch sensitivity is good for little kids
- Some sound effects are repetitive
This interactive book has bright and colorful pages with touch-sensitive images that trigger words, sounds, and fun facts. But that’s not all – flip the language switch and hear the words and songs in Spanish for a bilingual experience.
In Fun Sounds mode, the book also features silly sound effects that will keep your 1-year-old entertained. And if they’re in the mood for some music, the light-up star button plays two educational songs. With categories such as animals, food, colors, and more, your child will have a blast while expanding their vocabulary and language skills.
Ancaixin Montessori Sorting & Counting Puzzle – Best Montessori Toy
- Great way to learn fine motor skills
- Beautifully made
- Perfect for counting, sorting, size recognition, and hand dexterity
- The paint is very sturdy
- They don’t stand up straight as the picture implies
The ACX Carrot Harvest wooden toy is a unique and educational tool that encourages young children to develop practical skills and independence. Unlike other toys with multiple colors, features, and sounds, this toy focuses on one specific skill – sorting by size. Each carrot has the same color, shape, and texture, allowing children to concentrate on the task at hand without getting distracted.
This toy is designed to mimic real-life activities that children often observe in their daily lives. It encourages children to engage in the task at hand by teaching them how carrots grow in a garden. Made of durable material, it has a beautiful finish that will last for years to come, even if your little one drops or throws the carrots.
LeapFrog Spin and Sing Alphabet Zoo – Best Musical Toy
- Baby will love spinning the wheel
- Very durable
- Very charming
- It works great for tummy time
- Not the best packaging for a kid’s gift
This colorful ball has three exciting play modes that your child will adore. Let your 1-year-old push the three light-up buttons to learn the names of letters, animal names and sounds, and music. As the inner wheel rotates, spinning balls are released on one side, and LED colors are projected onto a pattern of various shapes on the other.
When the wheel comes to a stop, your one-year-old will hear either letter names or animal names and sounds. In music mode, your child can sing along to a song about colors and shapes or the ABCs. And for fine motor skill practice, your little one can slide the Bee or press the frog and rabbit buttons.
SmartMax My First Dinosaurs – Best STEM Toy
- Sturdy
- Great magnet strength
- They are great for fine motor skills
- A fun way to learn colors
- The only thing we like to change is shorter connecting magnets so the two halves fit closer together
With the SmartMax Magnetic Discovery Dino set, your kids can build not just one, but five different dinosaurs! And if that’s not enough, they can even combine the pieces to create their very own imaginative creatures from the Jurassic period!
This STEM toy is an excellent way to introduce your children to magnetism and encourage their creativity. The set contains 14 colorful and durable pieces that are easy for small hands to manipulate. Plus, the soft touch of the animals combined with the sturdy bars makes for a satisfying building experience.
Einstein Box Board Books and Pretend Play Gift Pack – Best Learning Set
- A lot of variety in a little box
- The quality is awesome
- The books are very vibrant and colorful
- Very reasonably priced
- If your child is teething it can be damaged easily
The Einstein Box is not just any ordinary toy box, it’s an educational treasure trove that stimulates imagination, curiosity, logic, and memory in young children. In each box, you’ll find not one, but two books that are packed with several new words that your 1-year-old can learn. What’s more, every box includes a fun game that focuses on building a positive habit or skill that is age-appropriate.
From the imaginative masks that promote creativity to the board games that enhance memory and aid in brain development, there’s something for everyone. And don’t forget the vocabulary and language skills that are developed through the books, rhyme cards, and posters.
Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Toddler Toy Vacuum – Best Push Toy
- Two volume settings
- An interactive switch and button give the kids something to push/toggle
- An active toy – gets kiddos moving instead of just sitting still
- Easy to push
- Does not stay upright when not in use
With bright lights, educational music, and words, your little one will learn about colors, counting, and more as they play. Turning up the power switch triggers realistic vacuum noises, allowing your child to fully engage in pretend play.
The toy features a variety of tunes, sounds, and words that introduce fundamental concepts. Your child can vacuum and press the button to hear songs that help with counting from 1 to 10 and teach color recognition. And as they sing, the canister changes color!
As your child grows, simple prompts like “Can you vacuum close to the chair?” will keep the role-play going. Plus, the authentic vacuum noises add to the fun and make your child feel like they’re really doing the cleaning.
Fisher-Price Linkimals Smooth Moves Sloth – Best Interactive Toy
- The colors are bright
- Your child will love to dance with it
- The songs are really cute
- Interactive
- Expensive
This lively toy features captivating lights, upbeat music, delightful melodies, and dance moves that will get your little one grooving and learning at the same time. Simply press the buttons on the sloth’s feet to discover all about numbers, colors, and much more, as the sloth claps its hands and bobbles its head.
What’s more, the Smooth Moves Sloth can recognize and interact with other Linkimals pals, creating an engaging music and light display. With the sloth’s catchy songs and engaging phrases, your baby will be introduced to essential concepts like counting, colors, opposites, and the alphabet. As they sing along and move to the music, their gross motor skills will also get a workout.
How To Choose An Educational Toy for A 1-Year-Old?
- Value: It is important to choose ones that will foster their cognitive, social, and physical development (1). The best toys will be both educational and entertaining, engaging the child’s interest and helping them to learn new skills.
- Ease Of Use: Make sure you and your child can use the toy without any difficulty. Make sure the toy has easy-to-use functions and is lightweight enough for your child to lift and carry.
- Age-Appropriate: Always verify the toy’s age range before purchasing. While you might be eager to introduce your child to new concepts, you should look for a toy that they can safely comprehend, enjoy, and completely participate with. Most manufacturers specify the required minimum age.
- Safety: Baby toys should have soft edges and be constructed from safe, non-toxic materials because babies love to grip, chew, and throw objects (2). Keep an eye out for toys with small components that provide a choking risk. It’s also important that you childproof your home (3).
- Physical Activity: Toys that promote physical exercise can provide numerous benefits for children’s physical development, self-regulation, and peer interaction. Children often negotiate rules when they play together, and these toys can encourage this process while also facilitating their physical activity (4).
How Many Toys Should A 1-Year-Old Have?
The number of toys a 1-year-old depends on your child’s level of interest and activity. Most 1-year-olds enjoy having a variety of objects to explore and play with. We recommend that children have access to a few simple toys that can be rotated on a regular basis.
When Should I Buy Toys For My Baby?
Babies learn best in the early months through play and exploration. This is the time when they can benefit most from toys, such as during tummy time when they are between 2 and 4 months old. As they progressively grow and develop, they will have a greater desire to interact with and play with toys.
What Toys Will Last Longer Into The Toddler Years?
The types of toys that tend to be popular with toddlers and last long into the toddler years include cars, trains, trucks, fire trucks, building blocks, stacking toys, and puzzles. Many toys for infants and toddlers have a limited age range, such as 6-12 months. However, it is often more beneficial to choose toys that have a larger age range, such as 1-3 years. This way, your child can use the item for a longer period of time.
