Best Buys for 1 year olds

One of my favourite elements to running a toy shop is helping parents and gift givers to decide which toys to buy for a little one. In the 12-24 month age group, my default is always: something that moves, something to aid communication and something to help them explore physics (connecting together, balancing, dropping, cause and effect).

Here are my best-buys from Timeless Toys within this age group that fulfil these key elements.

1. Lanka Kade Farm Animals.

Bag of 6 Farm animals

Sold as a bag of 6 (£17.99) or they can be individually bought (£2.99 each), these are suitable from 10mths old.

By encouraging children to copy animal sounds we are enabling them to practice their communication skills. These animals are great paired up with books and songs.

Buy here

2. Grapat Seasonal Set

Autumn 'fiddle' set

These are Waldorf designed and come in four colour choices: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter (£34.99) and are suitable from 12mths+

My nickname for these is 'fiddle sets' because that's exactly what they encourage. Children will be engrossed in exploring how the pieces stack and connect together. They can count and sort the pieces by shape and colour. These are great paired up with exploring outside and finding natural items in the same colours and the rings are also particularly great paired up with a mug tree! Buy here

3. Gears & Cogs Busy Bee Set

A bright & beautifully illustrated 7-gear set suitable from 12mths+ (£21.99)

This toy is great for developing those fine motor skills. Not as tricky as stacking toys with long poles, as the cogs all fit onto little pegs so this is perfect for practicing this skill. Children will love learning to make the cogs connect together to make them spin.

Buy Here

4. Wee'UN pikler Climbing Frame

These are designed to encourage movement and development of a child's physical boundaries, strengthening their all important (and often overlooked) vestibular system. (£195.00)

First designed by Hungarian paediatrician Dr Emmi Pikler, over 100 years ago based on naturally paced motor development and free self-directed movement. She observed that children who had the freedom to climb and jump to their hearts content, tended to be more physically capable, and had a greater self-awareness and understanding of their body and limitations.

Buy here

5. Push Along Vehicles & Animals

Vroom, Vroom! Encourage movement and navigation around the home with push-along vehicles (£8.99). These chunky vehicles by Goki and also our Lanka Kade push-alongs (£6.99) are the perfect size and design for small hands to grasp and push.

Vehicles are also great for encouraging communication skills as children make the motor noises as they play.

Buy Here and here

Other popular choices in store to also consider are:

1. Pepe Pull Along Dog. Buy here

2. Sliding puzzles. Buy here

3. Stacking Veggies. Buy here

4. Stacking Music Set. Buy here

5. Grow With Me Rocking Horse. Buy here

6. Pound and Tap Bench with Xylophone. Buy Here