Didn’t want to piggyback on Dragongirls thread so I’ll start one here. She turns 12 months this 31st and I need some help with gift ideas. I haven’t the slightest clue. Coloring books? Do they color at that age? Any help is very appreciated.
They usually don’t color at One year, but my daughter thought crayons were very tasty. The blue drool was especially attractive.
For babies, I usually like to get one toy or book and one outfit, a little big so they can grow into it. One year olds like brightly colored toys or ones with texture. Parents like ones that don’t make alot of noise. Board books are always nice, too, ones with lots of pictures and not too many words. Or a soft fabric book.
books. lots of books.
a dress-up outfit …
You didn’t tell us your relationship the child or your price range.
I remember my niece’s first birthday party well. The gift she went crazy for was a car! Well, it was a plastic car that a child can get inside and push with her feet through a hole in the floor. And of course, she can be pushed by someone else for hour after hour after hour. The car is yellow with a red roof. I see them all over the place, so they can’t be that hard to find.
Books are always appropriate, especially touchy books or bathtub books. “Pat the Bunny” and “Good Night Moon” are classics for that age. There are lots of really cool books that make noises or songs when touched at certain places.
For her first birthday, my niece also got some cute luggage (she’s still using it at age 10), a sleeping bag, the start of a pearl necklace (a gold chain with one pearl – she was supposed to get more pearls every birthday), stuffed animals, dolls, other cool toys.
The “Baby Mozart” DVD is incredible! I bought a copy for myself. It’s also a gift for the parents because watching it tends to calm down a fussy unhappy child.
She’ll be collecting Disney videos over the next couple of years. You could buy her your favorite.
A savings bond is certainly a good gift.
Mostly the child is going to have a ball – her very first birthday. Cake! All those presents! All that attention! Up till now, she’s had no idea that such a wonderful event was possible.
All of my nieces and nephews got stuffed animals at one year. Seemed to like 'em.
Also, a big hit with one nephew was a simple rubber ball. If you go that route, go for one that’s too big for them to actually get in their mouth (i.e., in their windpipe).
Little story: I met my oldest nephew briefly when he was newborn. The next time I saw him was at Christmas when he was ~ 1 year, and I gave him a tiger and said ball. The next time I saw him, he was 2+ and my brother-in-law introduced me with, “Here’s your Uncle Ringo.” He ran to his room and came back holding the ball I’d given him. Awwww!
Books are always an excellent choice. Board books that can be man handled, goobered on and chewed on are easily found in any bookstore’s kid section. They are a little bit more in price than average kids books, but are more durable.
A super large stuffed animal ( with no pull out-a-ble eyeballs) is always a good choice too. Kids remember stuff like that.
Mastermind Toys They have a really nice selection of soft plush toys that don’t have a commercial endorsement attached to them.
Stacking cups are always a great fun thing.Nova Naturals Their very own baaaaby.
Or, the most fun thing of all for kids under the age of ten: A large box.
Hot water bottle Lambie One of the best freaking gifts a parent can receive, IMHO. For those nights of vague symptoms that a parent cannot seem to comfort, give the child a hot water bottle and it quiets them right down. YMMV, but I’ve received 100% satisfaction rate on my barebones child size hot water bottle ( no cover) gift for kids. (bought at the dollar store. I wish I had bought the whole lot. dammit.)
I love google hot water bottles galore.
No matter what you give her, she’s going to like the wrapping paper more. 
Winner! We have a winner! After having rasied two children and been top parties for many other 1 year olds, the thing to do is wrap up empty boxes. 1 year olds love empty boxes.
Books, give books, make Mommy and Daddy read to the little tyke every night, this is how they learn
gods yes, Ramit thought I was nuts saving up months worth of empty paper towel rolls
This is what my mom gets for my cousin every year. Of course Baby won’t appreciate them now, but when she’s older she’ll probably love them. They’re really sweet; the little girl grows with each year. My cousin is 13 now and I think she’s pretty attached to her collection of figurines (and she’s not a ‘figurine’ kind of girl).
Also, they take the guesswork out of what to get her for the next 21 birthdays 
Finger puppets can be fun at that age. If they’re incorporated into storytelling, everyone has fun!
Building blocks out made from cardboard milk cartons (hlaf gallon size) and covered in contact paper are a huge hit with small fry, and stay fun for YEARS. The best things about them are that they can make impressive structures quickly, and don’t cause any pain when knocked over (important for babies).
Cheap gift - A small (6’’ diameter) rubber inflatible ball. Pinky (turned 1 two weeks ago) loves to roll it back and forth with me.
Slightly less cheap - A board picture book. Pinky also loves to “read” his books. He won’t let us read them to him, but he’ll sit in the middle of the floor and look at his books. If I didn’t know better, I would think he really was reading.
Sorta expensive - A walk behind toy. Pinky has a lawn mover his aunt gave him. He pushes that thing all over the house.
Can you talk to the parents about it? Honestly, when ValleyGirl was born we got the most lopsided gifts: tons of outfits for 3-6 months, but almost nothing for 0-3 or 6-9; an inexplicable number of rattle socks, but no hats (which we really needed); and lots of copies of Goodnight Moon and Beatrix Potter. While I always love children’s books as a giver and as a recipient, you need to either make sure they don’t already have it or include a gift receipt. YMMV, of course, but I hate to give or receive gifts that aren’t going to get use.
If you’ve got a hobby that says “Burrido”, you can always get something related to that. ValleyGirl got a mini soccer ball that we have a lot of fun with, and I’ll always remember that it’s from some friends of ours who are soccer players and coaches.
Finally, I’ll point out that there’s just no predicting what kids will like. **ValleyGirl ** just received a set of fancy “stimulating” blocks, but put it beside these old plastic shapes that I dug out from when I was a baby, and she’ll go for the old plastic shapes every time.
I just wanted to thank you for bring them to my attention. They seem to have the neatest toys!
As a mom of a near 1 year old, I can also recommend books. Something different may be an audio book, for the car or for when mommy is too tired to read!
My girl loves Bubbles. Bubble Bubble Bubbles! They make her laugh and laugh. I think my cheeks are about to give out!
For parents who are into astrology, you could order an personal horoscope for the child. Many online services provide them, .
No child should grow up without a TupperwareShape-O Toy!
I was amazed to discover they still made these when I first became and auntie and needed good baby giftage. This toy rocks, it’s a ball, it’s a puzzle, it’s a rattle, it helps toddlers learn shape names and spatial relationships, and if the baby ever tires of it, they make fun pet toys!
I’ve given tons of these away to 1 or 2 year olds and they’ve always been a hit.
Many malls now have Tupperware kiosks to circumvent that whole hosting a party, waiting for an order to come in type stuff. I once got a dozen of these on sale at a mall for $5 each, a substantial savings and I bravely withstood the saleschica pitching the party thing at me while I bought her entire supply. 
Oh. My. God.
That’s the “old plastic shapes” that I mentioned above in this thread that my daughter prefers to the fancy name-brand blocks! (She’s too little for the rest of it yet, but the shapes are super-easy to grip.)
I remembered it so fondly from my youth that I made my mother dig it out of the attic! Who knew it was Tupperware, or that they still made it!
You rock, Queen Tonya!
Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I’ll probably go the little outfit and book route. She is a friend of mines daughter. Now the hard part. What kind of outfit? Are we talking little dress or shirt/shorts? I was kind of thinking a little jumpsuit thing that little kids wear with the flap in the back. They still have those? What’s popular with little kids these days? Spongebob?