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Best Christmas gifts for one-year-olds 2025: books, games, toys and more
Niece or nephew, child, godchild or grandchild – pick up the perfect present for celebrating the little ones closest to you this Christmas with our picks of the best presents for one-year-olds
Natalie TurnerConsumer Writer
Drawing on nearly half a decade at Which?, Natalie helps readers cut through the noise with practical guidance on trending products, pest control, cleaning advice and money-saving tips during the sales.
There’s nothing quite like Christmas with a little one. If you’re shopping for a one-year-old this year, our festive gift guide is here to help you find something truly special.
With help from the parents, godparents and aunties of Which?, we reveal the gifts that were an absolute hit with the little ones in their lives to help spark your imagination while you're shopping around during the festive season.
From interactive toys to charming books, our hand-picked selection of the best gifts for one-year-olds will help keep them entertained while fostering their early growth and skills.
This vertical shape sorter features a lion, koala and crocodile for little ones to stack up. In my experience, kids find it really funny mixing up the bodies and heads!
Natalie TurnerContent producer
We like: Affordable
Watch out for: Make sure not to lose any parts
This Fisher-Price stacking block set that lets little ones sort and build three cute animals. It includes a stacking base and nine blocks, designed to encourage imaginative play while supporting fine motor and problem-solving skills.
It's made from FSC-certified wood and the manufacturer says it's decorated with non-toxic, water-based paints.
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I bought this for my daughter and as a gift on countless occasions. It's a timeless toy, great for building motor skills and can be enjoyed way beyond the age of one.
Anisha Mistry-JonesSenior internal comms manager
We like: Multiple colours and themes available
Watch out for: Comes in 17 parts – take care not to lose any pieces
Comprised of three carriage sections that slide together, the stackable blocks on this train mean you can build it as instructed, or little ones can get creative by moving the pieces around.
It's around 45cm long from tip to tail, with 12 wheels and a rope string at the front so it can be pulled around.
Mega Bloks Big Building Bag
An intro to Lego, Mega Bloks are brilliant for little hands to help them develop their gross motor skills by building blocks and shapes.
Sarah-Jane TeddEndorsements account manager
We like: Designed for younger children to easily grab and put together, portable bag included, affordable
Watch out for: 60 pieces in a set, so may take time to clear up after play
Whether your little one enjoys creating houses, cars and creatures, or seeing how tall a tower they can build before knocking it down, a bag of blocks is an inexpensive way to hone their creativity.
For the 60-piece set of Mega Bloks, the selection of blocks is multicoloured, while the bag itself is available in blue or red.
You can also get bigger sets of up to 300 blocks, as well as compatible additional toys such as:
Mega Bloks Build 'n' Learn Table - SQUIRREL_TEXT_50015663
Mega Bloks Build 'n' Tumble Table - SQUIRREL_TEXT_50015664
Mega Bloks ABC Learning Train - SQUIRREL_TEXT_50015665
For bigger kids, Lego might be a better suit. For the best Lego deals available now, head to our guide
A little more meaningful than a normal storybook, these personalised ones make a sweet keepsake. You can personalise everything from their name to how their character looks in the book, and little ones love seeing themselves in stories.
Natalie TurnerContent producer
We like: Personalised, lots of stories to choose from, colourful illustrations
Watch out for: May take a couple of days to dispatch, slightly pricier than a normal book
The Wonderbly Bedtime for You book puts your little one right in the middle of the story – literally! You can customise the name included on the front and throughout the book, then choose one of 12 illustrated characters that looks most like your child to up the realism.
The book cover is available in dark blue, red, green or yellow, and you can opt to add a dedication to make it a truly special keepsake.
Gift them a cuddly friend to snuggle up to: see our buying guides on Jellycats and Squishmallows
'We're Going on a Bear Hunt' Sound Book
We loved this version of Michael Rosen's classic 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt', which includes buttons for little fingers to press and hear the swish, swish, swish of the grass and the splash, splash of the river.
Jenny HarbyEditor
We like: Interactive sound board
Watch out for: Slightly pricier than a normal book
Interactive books add a fun twist to story time, and can help kids to learn new noises and sounds.
You can get 'noisy' versions of many children's books, including classics like 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt', 'The Gruffalo' and 'Dear Zoo'.
LeapFrog Learning Friends 100 Words Book
This is a great book with sound effects to teach little ones their first words - in both English and French. It has pictures to correlate with the words – baby can touch the picture and it gives the sound effect and then speaks the word.
Sarah-Jane TeddEndorsements account manager
We like: Two languages
Watch out for: Not a story book, slightly pricier than other books
LeapFrog has been making educational books for almost 30 years, and is still a popular choice among many parents for Christmas gifting.
These highly interactive books allow kids to touch almost any part of the page and hear words, sounds or music. In the case of the '100 Words' book, it essentially works as a fun and colourful dictionary, where little ones can hear and practise new words in English or French.
'Ten Little Dinosaurs' Board Book
My son loved these books when he was younger. The rhyming language is great for engaging small children, and there are lots of noises that they can join in with.
Steph KiplingScience team manager
We like: Board books tend to be more durable than paper or hardback, affordable
Watch out for: Rest of the series sold separately
'Ten Little Dinosaurs' is a simple rhyming book for young children, complete with colourful illustrations. It's available as a board book, but also paperback, Kindle and as an audiobook.
The 'Ten Little...' series is comprised of several books following different counting stories, featuring everything from elves to pirates.
A cheap and cheerful ebook reader might be a good option for older children - see our reviews before you buy
Crawling, walking and climbing gifts
Vtech Crawl and Learn Ball
Both of my nieces loved this – it makes noises and moves around the room. It encouraged them both to crawl and to spend more time on their tummies (which they didn't really like!)'
Alicia DayScientific adviser
We like: Colourful and interactive
Watch out for: Batteries not included
Designed to help encourage babies to crawl, the Vtech Crawl and Learn Ball is a battery-powered toy that spins and rolls around the room with flashing lights to attract babies' attention.
The ball also features several chunky buttons which, when pressed, play music and animal noises.
Little ones learning to walk is always exciting, and it usually happens when they're around a year old. An interactive walker keeps them busy, whether they're trotting around the living room or sitting and playing.
Natalie TurnerContent producer
We like: Helps encourage walking, toys on the panels, colourful
Watch out for: Pricey
This woodland-themed walker on wheels is designed to help babies to stand and walk, as well as entertaining them with shape sorting puzzles, colourful blocks, a mini xylophone and a mirror.
It's fairly bulky, but also features a handy compartment underneath to neatly store parts away.
When little ones start walking and exploring, you might want to double-check your babyproofing arrangements. Check out our babyproofing guide to help you stop potential accidents
This was a favourite in my daughter's baby group as a first birthday present. We didn't get one, but definitely would have if we'd had the space.
Lisa GalliersPrincipal researcher
We like: Great for active children who love climbing
Watch out for: Expensive, may be tricky to store
This playset is comprised of individual pieces, including a triangular frame, a semi-circular 'swing' and a double-sided board, each of which can be reassembled in multiple ways.
You can purchase the pieces as a complete set or individually, and they are designed to nurture creative play. For instance, the set can be used as a climbing frame, or the pieces can be turned on their sides or upside down to be used as bridges, tunnels or even pretend kitchen counters.
Fancy dress for one-year-olds
Find second-hand clothes online
Browse pre-loved clothes and baby products on sites like Vinted or eBay.
Most kids love playing dress-up, and you can get some really great second-hand fancy-dress costumes like Disney princess and superheroes on Vinted
Sarah-Jane TeddEndorsements account manager
We like: Cheaper than buying full-price, may find products that are out of stock from retailers
Watch out for: Buying second-hand online comes with risks
Roped into playing dress-up doctor or fairy princesses? You can get cheap fancy-dress items online, usually for a fraction of the price. And as these items are pre-loved, you'll be making a more sustainable buying choice as well as saving some pennies.
It's important to remember that online marketplaces aren’t legally responsible for products sold through their platforms, so they aren’t held to the same standards as high street or regular online retailers.
Make sure you're clued up on how to shop safely online before you buy, and check any clothes you purchase are washed thoroughly when they arrive.
Other kitchens are available, but this was the number one first-birthday gift in my daughter's baby group. In my experience, one-year-olds tend to start emptying cupboards at this age and love this sort of role-play toy.
Lisa GalliersPrincipal researcher
We like: Adjustable height, detachable sink for cleaning, realistic glowing hob lights
Watch out for: Batteries are not included, toy kitchen utensils sold separately
This wooden play kitchen from Ikea is on the expensive side, but it has adjustable legs to grow as your child does, which means they can use it for years to come.
It comes in a white and birch wood colourway, but you can also get the slightly cheaper Silltrut set, which comes in grey.
When baby is in the actual kitchen, it's important to take steps to prevent accidents – see our advice on baby safety in the kitchen
Playmobil
Playmobil Junior
This is a first-stage Playmobil set with no tiny parts that could be swallowed. It's great for encouraging imaginative play.
Ceri ThomasSenior editor
We like: Lots of sets available, kids can mix and match and build their collection
Watch out for: Bigger sets can be expensive
Playmobil says its Junior range is 'made for the youngest Playmobil fans'. This classic toy has been specially designed for small hands, and is intended for children aged one to four. It differs from regular Playmobil sets as it has no small parts. The pieces are also made from at least 90% plant-based materials, according to Playmobil.
While there are more standard sets available – including Airport Shuttle Bus and Merry Go-Round – there are also several featuring well-known Disney characters like Moana, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, and Winnie the Pooh.
Some popular options include:
Playmobil Junior Airport Shuttle Bus - SQUIRREL_TEXT_50021933
