I need some help with gift ideas. My dd is turning 1 this december (december 4) and I am trying to start shopping early for her birthday and christmas. I have no idea what a 12 month old would want to play with and can play with for that matter. I wanted to get her a doll house-the fisher price kind or something like that. But I'm not sure she would know what to do with it. Maybe a play kitchen set-oh the stereotypes- I hate that, I could get her a work bench with tools Anyways...thanks in advance

By Eve on Friday, October 10, 2003 - 04:05 pm:

A kitchen is great! DD always loved that;still does. Legos and blocks were a hit and still are. Some big fat crayons and paper! Wooden puzzles, soft tea sets, videos. She has a large soft musical cube that you turn over and it sings a different song and has activites on it. I know they still make that. That was a HUGE hit with her. They have some really great new toys for that age! I was at WalMart today and Fisher Price has some great new stuff out! This one toy that you pull around like a wagon with stuff in it. Oh, a little truck to ride around in the house! A walker type thing that converts to a car? Lots of fun stuff! Have fun!

By Karen~moderator on Friday, October 10, 2003 - 07:09 pm:

I would maybe look into Discovery Toys.

Oh - and she has a great birthday - same day as my DH! :-)

By Tonya on Monday, October 13, 2003 - 02:37 pm:

Fisher Price has tons of things for children her age. And the age descriptons are on the boxes. Also a good B-day same as my sister.

By Merno on Tuesday, October 14, 2003 - 01:44 pm:

My DS loved the wagon we got him last Christmas (he was 16 months old). He still loves going for rides in it, and it is so handy because you can put the diaper bag, coats, little cooler etc. I would bundle him up and put a blanket and pillow in the wagon last winter and take him out for rides around the neighborhood. He loved it!!

By Bellajoe on Wednesday, October 15, 2003 - 10:17 am:

Fisher-Price little people!! There is a Circus train, the little house, barn. All those things are great. My dd got the house and farm for x-mas when she was 18 months old, she is 4 now and still plays with it! And her 2 year old brother plays with it too. other ideas are: shape sorters, ride on toys, books, baby dolls, stuffed animals.

The little kitchen is a good idea too. She may not use it right away, but she will eventually love it!

By Babysitbarb on Sunday, October 26, 2003 - 03:46 pm:

This is my brother's birthday also. I got my niece and my god daughter one of the kitchen things for their first birthday and they both love them. Fisher price and other brands have so many different play things for boys and girls. It's hard to decide but just remember that you want to get something that they won't grow out of or bored with within a few months.

By Bobbie on Sunday, October 26, 2003 - 11:13 pm:

I bought my oldest dd (now 14) a doll house for her first birthday all the wanted to do was climb it and chew on the babies. I ended up having to put up the house. Fisher price is well built but the houses are not meant to be climbed on. I bought my niece 13 months a little peoples Noah's ark with extra animals. She loves to play with the little animals. My sisters and I had the fisher price little people things (barn, house, plane, airport, parking garage, tree house and I think there were a couple other things) when we where kids and my mom still has them now and our kids play with them. Some of the stuff is better than 30 years old and has gone through the hands of 10 kids (my sisters and our children) plus other visitors to the house.. They are built to last and adapt as the child grows. I like the work bench and kitchen idea. T likes things that have shapes, stackers, and anything that makes noise. And she loves to be read too. At first she would bring you a book listen to the first page and run off now she will sit through a whole book. So if you don't already have some look into some beginning readers (one sentence/word per page). Toys with bright colors and easily hand held are your best bet... All four of my kids most favorite toys at that age were things they could easily manipulate with their hands and carry while they toddled about... I generally looked for things that could grow with them. Like the little people, at first they played with just the people and then they started playing with the accessories and then they played with the house using their imagination. As they grew and advanced the toy adapted to their level of ability.