The best 1st birthday gifts for one year olds – from personalised and sentimental to fun and educational gifts

Of all the first birthday present ideas, we think that this one is particularly lovely, especially as it's a personalised 1st birthday present. This Month's Child is a beautifully illustrated book all about the birthday child. As far as custom 1st birthday gifts go, this is one that'll get plenty of use and be enjoyed for many years. You simply add their name, their date of birth and the month they're born. It creates a completely personalised book that goes through each season, as the natural world grows and changes around them. One customer said, "I love the way the seasons are described from a child's perspective!" ANd another reviewer describes it as "such a sweet story!" saying, "I love that it starts in their birthday month".

As well as being able to preview all pages before you buy the book, you can also add a loving dedication, making this a beautiful sentimental gift and memory to cherish for years to come. Just keep in mind that the more style changes you request the more expensive it will be, but at least you're in control of how many you add.

Perfect for messy play, the Inspire My Play Tuff Tray has removable compartments and an airtight seal lid that also doubles up as a play tray. One customer who bought this for their grandchildren said: "First to try was our little granddaughter who is a year and a half and I filled it with rice pasta and lentils and popped some scoops into it and she was happy for hours. I love the versatility of this and how it might appeal to all different ages, it’s educational and fun. Really pleased with it, at first I thought it was expensive but now I have it I think it will last for many years and we will get real value for money."

Kids can create all sorts of messy play activities with sand, water, foam or even food, or for less mess, you can use the compartments to create colour sorting activities. It's a great, multifunctional gift! Parents love that it's easy to clean and that it encourages sensory play, but you'll have to purchase the additional accessories separately.

Great for supporting little ones as they learn how to walk, the Little Dutch Little Goose Baby Walker not only aids in baby walking and learning how to pull themselves up, it's also got fun, interactive elements. One customer said, "This chunky but charming wooden multi-activity walker gives your baby so many things to do and see." Indeed, they can spin and move the little goose attachments and help their fine motor skills.

We love the sturdy design. Another reviewer said, "This walker is adorable and has rubber wheels which helps with noise and protecting our wooden floor. Would definitely recommend." It's suitable for both sitting and standing babies, but we'll point out tnhat it is a bit fiddly to clean.

This Climbing Arch Set is the perfect multifunctional rocker and a greqat example of cool first birthday gifts that little ones will enjoy growing into. It can be used as a rocker, a climbing arch and even a desk! With the option to purchase a cushion, the rocker can also be used as a little reading nook for your little one, or somewhere cosy to nap. One happy customer said, "The quality and attention to details are exquisite. The arch was easy to build (even my boys had fun helping out). It looks sturdy and reliable. We ordered it with a cushion, which again did not disappoint. Just perfect. We are super impressed with the design, which will transition well from a rocking bed for a newborn, climbing arch for a toddler, to a desk when things settle. Love it and recommend."

If you're looking for unique birthday gifts for a 1 year old boy, a climbing frame might be just the thing – although we're sure 1 year old girls will love one just as much! The Woodandhearts Set of 3 Montessori Triangle, Ramp Arch Climber and Ladder Slide helps with more than 10 development skills, which is great for a 12-month-old. One customer wrote: "We ordered this for our 2-year-old who loves climbing on things he shouldn't be on. So he has spent every minute now climbing on his new climbing frame. It's great to know it's safe for him to be on & learn whilst doing it. Easy to put together, very sturdy would highly recommend."

They climbing frame is built with rounded edges for safety, however, the slide side of the ramp doesn't have sides so ensure they have a soft surface to land on if they do topple off. Kids will have plenty of opportunity to build on their motor skills and balance, as well as logical reasoning, and they'll even get sensory stimulation from the set. They are also interchangeable, so can be played with individually or as a set, making it the ultimate gift.

The Disney Beginnings First year Photo Frame is a beautiful keepsake first birthday present idea. It'll show just how much the birthday baby has grown over the year. One customer wrote: "I bought this as a gift for a new mum and was very pleased with it. Such a lovely keepsake." Another said: "Bought this for a friend's child's Christening and first birthday. It's a beautiful frame, she was very happy." Other customers also describe the gift as good quality and a great price, although one review mentioned they'd prefer that the photos openings were a bit bigger, but still thought it was a great gift. We like that the frame is gender neutral for a girl or a boy and love the idea of surprising the parents by filling the frame yourself with memorable moments of their baby's first 12 months! granddaughter 1st birthday gifts

We think this might be one of the most fun toys for 1 year old kids – and it's such a classic! With a removable floor and easy-grip handle on the back for parents to push, the Little Tikes Cozy Coupe is a great toy for little ones – and a popular one! One reviewer said; "I bought this for my Grand Daughter for Xmas, she is nearly 1. She absolutely loves it. Easy to follow instructions to build and thousands of hours play time makes it worth every penny. Strong and sturdy materials will last for years. Fabulous purchase, would highly recommend."

It includes special features, like an ignition switch, an open-and-close gas cap, and even a real working horn. They'll love toddling about in their very own car, and this is a toy that should last a long time, made with strong and sturdy materials. We like that it has a removable door for easy in/out access and a little more space as your child grows. The instructions are easy to follow, but one review mentions it can be difficult to put together.

An interactive book that's perfect for one year olds! The LeapFrog Learning Friends 100 Words Book enables your little one to learn words through play and sounds. They simply press the pictures to hear sound effects and can even learn the words in another language. One reviewer said; "Easy for my 1 year old niece to use and she loves it. I think it's really good too. Might help me with my French." Another review said, "The book is sturdy, clear & gets the attention of my one year old. My 4 & 6 year olds enjoy looking through it too!" Customers also say the sound quality is good, and that they think the book is good value for money

If you're after unique 1st birthday gifts, the KiddyMoon Soft Ball Pit Quarter Angular will provide hours of fun for years to come. It is a great standard ball pit alternative, as it can be tucked away neatly into the corner of a room when not in use. It comes in a variety of different ball pit colours, as well as different colour styles for the 200 balls that come with it. One review points out: "Quite pricey but worth it as it's fantastic quality, really sturdy, lovely fabric cover which is removable and washes well, my granddaughter is using it as a playpen at the moment and can use it as a ball pit when she's bigger so very versatile."

The sweetest den for your one year old to play in or enjoy story time in. One reviewer said; "Lovely pale grey with stars fabric, bought for my grandson for his birthday I'm sure he will love it... packs away flat into a small bag with carry handles, so easy to take with you on your travels." The Grey Star Tent is a pop up design and we love that it comes with a matching storage bag. The collapsible sticks make it easier for storing away too! It's got a lovely all over star print design and a tie-up entrance. It is advised to only use this toy under supervision, we suspect this is due to the collapsible design and the sticks.

1 year old birthday gifts can be tricky when you want to spend your money on something useful but fun at the same time. This personalised wooden alphabet abacus toy helps your little one to become familiar with basic numbers and the alphabet. It's designed to support development and early knowledge of numbers, colour recognition and social skills. You can also add their name to the top of the abacus! Unfortunately there are no online reviews to share, but we can say that we love the sturdy design, and the fact that it can be personalised is a lovely touch for a gift.