While babies do not need a wide array of expensive toys, there is no doubt that a good selection of play objects can help stimulate your baby's mental and physical development. Learn the kinds of toys that are ideal for your one year old and how to get the maximum benefits from them.
Pushing and riding toys
Your one year old is probably crawling and may even be walking. His new mobile status shows advancements in his gross motor skills and feeds his curiosity to explore the world around him. Pushing and riding toys can help him develop his abilities to traverse his environment.
Push toys are wheeled toys, often with handles. Look for sturdy push toys with handles at his waist height. Novice walkers use push toys for extra support and skilled walkers love to run and push.
Riding toys may look like little cars, bikes or animals with wheels. Avoid riding toys with pedals since a one year old usually is not ready for them; instead, choose ride-ons that your baby can learn to propel just by moving his feet and steering the handles or wheel. Some riding toys have handles on the back so baby can push or ride; these are especially popular since baby can push some of his favorite dolls or stuffed toys on the toy.
Manipulative toys
Baby's manual dexterity is improving, but you should continue to provide sensory and manipulative toys for his amusement. Instead of the limited the pleasures to cause and effect like you did when he was six months old, now you can look for toys that challenge him a little more. Try container toys that have parts that can be put inside, then removed or simple shape sorting toys. Toys with buttons are especially attractive to infants of this age; look for toy cell phones, key rings and remote controls.
Stacking and nesting
Your one year old is starting to learn he can stack things on top of one another or place things inside other things. Provide him with traditional building blocks or stacking cubes. Nesting shapes are great too; they help him learn the relationships between objects of various sizes.
Chunky crayons and paper
Your baby is probably ready to let his artistic side out. The large crayons are easier for your one year old to grip, so start with a set of those – make sure to get the washable kind. Set your baby up in a safe place, for example his high chair, and show him how he can make marks on the paper with his crayons. This will spark not only his creativity, but also his fine motor skills.
Dolls
One year olds are just beginning to understand the world around them and want to imitate it. While a baby's first reaction to a doll may not be to nurture it, do not be surprised if soon your infant is rocking his baby and crooning to it. Dolls give your baby a way to act out the things he witnesses you doing every day.
