Play time! The best toys for your one-year-old in 2024
Boost their development and spark their imagination!
The first year of a baby’s life is packed with milestones as they transform from tiny, delicate bundles into curious and busy toddlers.
To encourage their development, you’ll want to provide them with toys that are not only fun but which provide sensory stimulation, develops their fine motor skills, lets their imagination soar – and of course, keep them entertained.
Above all else, be sure to choose toys that are safe and made from non-toxic materials that won’t harm, and don’t have small parts that could be dangerous for little ones.
Finally, think about toys that can adapt and be played with in different ways as your child grows, providing lasting benefits for their development.
What toys are best? Keep scrolling, as we’ve rounded up a list of the top 10 toys that are perfect for a one-year-old.
2024’s top toys for a one-year-old
- Vtech Play & Learn Activity Table, $69.95, Toy Mate (here’s why)
- First Shapes Jumbo Knob Puzzle, $30.99 (usually $39.99), Jigsaw Store (here’s why)
- Duplo My First Number Train – Learn To Count, $22, Myer (here’s why)
The best toys for a one-year-old
1. Vtech Play & Learn Activity Table, $69.95
from $59.99 at Toy Mate
Best for: Keeping your little one busy
Key features:
One-year-olds are always busy, and an activity table is a great way to channel that energy. This table grows with your child, starting as a sit-down activity and later adding legs for standing play. It’s a good investment that provides visual stimulation and hands-on fun, keeping your little one entertained and helping to strengthen their legs. This activity table will encourage motor skills and hand-eye coordination as well as introducing numbers, colours, animals, music and much more.
- Suitable for ages 6 to 36 months
- Light-up buttons and lots of manipulative features
- Removable legs allow for easy storage and sit-down play
- Includes 5 sing-along songs and 8 fun melodies
- Features lots of fun phrases
Available at:
2. First Shapes Jumbo Knob Puzzle
from $30.99 (usually $39.99) at Jigsaw Store
Best for: Hand-eye coordination and learning shapes
This puzzle is made of extra-thick wood and includes jumbo wooden knobs for easy grasping by little hands. By visually identifying the shapes and placing the pieces correctly, toddlers will improve their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.
Key features:
- Suitable for ages 12 months to 2 years
- Includes five big puzzle pieces
- Bright colours and images of familiar objects
- Solving a puzzle requires focus and concentration
- Ideal for hands-on, screen-free play
Available at:
- $30.99 (usually $39.99) from Jigsaw Store
- $30.99 (usually $39.99) from Catch
- $39.99 from Toyworld
3. LEGO Duplo My First Number Train – Learn To Count
from $22 at Big W
Best for: Introducing numbers and building with LEGO
This LEGO DUPLO set comes with 10 number bricks that tots can can load, unload, stack, and sort. With moving wheels, an opening roof and friendly DUPLO characters to share the fun, the Number Train will transport your toddler to a world of imaginative, developmental play.
Key features:
- Product piece count: 23
- Includes 10 number bricks, figures of a girl, boy, and a dog
- Encourage role-playing and storytelling
- Playset combines easily with other LEGO DUPLO Town toys
- Suitable for ages 1.5+ years
Available at:
4. Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Storybook Rhymes
from $19 at Target
Best for: Boosting language skills
Children love nursery rhymes because of their catchy tunes and repetitive lyrics but did you know the repetition of rhymes also helps to boost language development and memory?
Little ones will love singing along to classics like, Pat-a-Cake and Row, Row, Row Your Boat and pressing the light-up buttons to hear songs and phrases that teach counting, first words, letters, numbers, shapes and more.
Key features:
- Plays six classic nursery rhymes
- Music nursery rhyme book features baby’s favourite Laugh & Learn pals, including Puppy & Sis
- Press buttons to learn words, numbers, shapes and more
- Easy-grasp handle helps baby bring their favourite “read” along wherever they go
- Suitable for ages 6-36 months
Available at:
5. Bello Stacking Cubes with Vehicles
from $25.89 (usually $36.99) at The Iconic
Best for: Teaching toddlers about balance
Stacking toys offer a huge range of valuable benefits as they promote fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Little ones will love learning to grasp and explore the different ways to balance and arrange these stacking cubes and vehicles.
Younger toddlers can start with a few boxes to simplify the activity, while older toddlers often use them in imaginative play, filling the boxes with objects and exploring various creative scenarios.
Key features:
- For ages 18 months+
- These sensory toys feature vibrant colours, cars, and occupations
- Encourages problem-solving and spatial awareness
- Made from only durable, non-toxic, chew-friendly materials.
- Bello toys are safety and quality tested with a lifetime guarantee
Available at:
- $25.89 (usually $36.99) from The Iconic
- $36.99 from Kidstuff
- $36.99 from Qantas Marketplace
6. Somersault Wooden Rainbow Rings Set
from $22 at Big W
Best for: Learning all about colours
Your one-year-old will discover the joy of colours with the Somersault Wooden Rainbow Rings Set. This wooden set introduces kids to shapes and designs, making learning fun through play. Featuring different sizes of rainbow arches and vibrant colours, this toy is perfect for creative stacking, building, and imaginative play.
Key features:
- Multi coloured rainbow shapes
- Wooden construction
- Great for displaying and decorating
- Fun and educational for kids
- Great for building hand-eye coordination
Available at:
7. The Babbler Play Kit
from $195 per Play Kit (ships every 2 months) at Lovevery
Best for: Supporting your toddler’s natural curiosity
Start your subscription with Lovevery and your child will receive their first your first Play Kit based on their date of birth. The next one will automatically be delivered to your door every 2-3 months.
The Babbler Play Kit from Lovevery is for ages 13 to 15 months with toys designed specifically for your child’s development at this age. Packed with engaging activities for a new one-year-old, a standout is the Slide & Seek Ball Run, where tots can watch balls roll down and disappear into a wooden box – it’s a fun lesson in object permanence.
For parents the ‘Play Guide’ provides the “why” and “how” behind each thoughtfully designed item in your Play Kit.
Key features:
- Learn fun lessons in cause and effect
- Build fine motor skills
- Get more comfortable with routines and time
- Explore rotation, spatial relationships, and parts of a whole
- Made with durable, sustainable, and organic materials
Available at:
- $195 per Play Kit from Lovevery
8. Baby Einstein Magic Touch Piano Musical Toy
from $29 at Big W
Best for: A tot who loves music
This wooden toy uses Magic Touch technology, eliminating the need for buttons or keys. With two play modes, your toddler can create their own music or play along with classic melodies on the piano. This musical development toy includes three sheets of music, encouraging colour coordination as your little piano player matches the colour-coded notes to the keys.
Key features:
- 3 sheets of music & 6 different songs
- Create your own songs or discover familiar ones
- Adjust volume of music from low to high
- Child safe and durable materials
- Recommended for 6 months+
Available at:
- $29 from Big W
- $49.95 from Baby Bunting
- $53.10 from Catch
9. Hape Wooden Creative Peg Puzzle
from $39 at Big W
Best for: Sharpening problem-solving skills
Featuring a unique twist on traditional puzzles, little ones connect the puzzle bases and twist the wooden shapes onto the differently shaped posts, navigating their way around the pegs. For beginners, separate the bases and have your child master one post at a time.
Key features:
- Features 12 brightly coloured shapes on a 4-piece puzzle base
- Grooved shapes and pegged posts add an extra dimension of challenge
- Develops problem solving skills
- Learn shapes and colours
- Suitable for 18 months+
Available at:
- $39 from Big W
- $35.10 (usually $37.05) from My Deal
- $35.10 (usually $39) from Woolworths
10. Costway Baby Foam Building Blocks Indoor Active Toys Climb&Crawl Soft Playset
from $56.95 (usually $99.95) at Woolworths
Best for: Physical and imaginative play
These soft and lightweight blocks are safe for little ones to handle, promoting the development of fine and gross motor skills as they stack, and knock down the towers they build.
These blocks also encourage creativity and imaginative play, allowing toddlers to explore spatial relationships, patterns, and basic engineering concepts in a fun and tactile way. The soft material also ensures a safe play environment, making them suitable for indoor use.
Key features:
- Includes 12 soft foam blocks in assorted colours
- Improves development of your child
- Padded with high-density EPE foam
- Covered with smooth PU leather cover
- Easy to maintain with a waterproof surface
Available at:
- $56.95 (usually $99.95) from Woolworths
- $56.95 from Big W
- $56.95 from My Deal
What toys should a one-year-old be playing with?
For a one-year-old, toys that engage their senses, support motor skill development, and encourage exploration are ideal. The list above provides an range of toys which are perfect for this age and stage.
Always ensure that the toys are age-appropriate, free from small parts that could be choking hazards, and made from non-toxic materials. It’s also important to supervise playtime to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience.
Do one-year-olds need a lot of toys?
One-year-olds don’t need a huge variety of toys – remember, quality is more important than quantity. At this age, children are often easily entertained and fascinated by everyday items – think pots, pans and Tupperware containers.
Providing a few well-chosen toys that focus on their different developmental needs can be more beneficial than overwhelming them with too many.
A good idea is to rotate toys to maintain freshness and novelty. This helps stop overstimulation and allows the child to engage more with specific toys.
