Today, our 5th little baby turns one. I’m equal parts delighted and absolutely devastated. She’s been a slice of heaven on earth this year. Where did this year go?
I’m well aware that a baby really doesn’t need any presents at all, and that she will not care one bit. Still, it’s fun for us as the parents, especially during this strange year when she’s hardly known anyone but her immediate family. I did want to keep it to things that are fun, but also useful for her and for us.
The first birthday is uniquely special in Indian tradition, as well. It’s practically the only birthday that IS celebrated. So I knew I wanted to make the day at least a little different and special for her and for our whole family.
Here are the 1 year old girl birthday gifts we’ll be giving her, as well as the experiences we’re planning for the day. I’m so looking forward to celebrating this little angel baby!
This post on our birthday gift for a 1 year old baby girl contains affiliate links, but all opinions are 100% my own. That means I earn a small commission if you purchase through my link, but doesn’t change your price.
Our 1 Year Old Girl Birthday Gifts
Swedish Princess Cake
We had this cake when we visited Sweden a couple years ago. I liked it then, but felt the store-bought version could be improved upon. So I decided to make it for baby M’s birthday. It’s excessive and time-consuming but looks so fun. I saw them make it on the British Bake Off and decided to try out their recipe. It’s a dessert I’ve wanted to make for a while and this seems like the perfect occasion!
We’re planning a quick little Zoom birthday party, mostly for family to see her enjoying herself. I’m so excited for it!
Update: I LOVED how it turned out. So light and lovely and delicious. Not overly sweet. I’m not a big cake or sweets person and I really enjoyed this!!
Experiences
A 1 year old girl really just wants time with us for her birthday. So I’m looking forward to taking the day off and spending it with her and spoiling her with all kinds of attention. We even agreed to give all the other kids a day off of schoolwork so they can play with her and delight in this little baby we are all obsessed with.
This gal is obsessed with dancing and music, so I thought a dance party “theme” would be perfect. We’ll have a fun dance party with the entire family; I even ordered this inexpensive disco light. After that, we’ll go on either a hike or a bike ride – something outdoors together. We may even visit a playground for her first time on the swings (a pandemic baby for sure)!
Finally, we’ll do some finger painting outside and blow some bubbles – all of which I think will delight her.
Themed Decorations
In addition to the cake, I ordered a few little decorations to make it feel a bit more special. Of course, the theme won’t really matter for a home-and-family-centered event, but it will be fun nonetheless.
This gold tinsel wall hanging will be the perfect backdrop, and I can’t wait to put pictures of her in this monthly photo banner. It also came with a gold sparkly cake topper and high chair banner, and I’m planning to hang this fun mirrored disco ball above her high chair.
Book
I couldn’t let a girl’s first birthday pass without gifting a book. There aren’t any better 1 year old girl birthday gifts!
My lovely friend recently released her debut picture book and it is stunning. It’s the perfect 1 year old birthday gift. (Find it on Amazon, Bookshop, Target, Walmart, or Barnes & Noble.)
Water Bottle
We’ve given a water bottle for every single one of our babies’ 1 year old birthday gifts. They all seem to be very into bottles of any sort at that age, and it’s the perfect opportunity to give them one of their own! Here’s the one we’re giving her. We used to do the plastic version of the same model, but have loved the stainless steel one the last few times.
Socks + Booties
This gal has extremely narrow feet and ankles, so it’s almost impossible to find socks that will actually stay on. I have high hopes for this super highly rated set that was on Shark Tank and supposedly doesn’t come off. I also ordered this cozy alpaca wool pair!
We also have a pair of these booties and I love them because they really do stay on! We don’t have any fleece ones for cooler weather, so I got her a pair of those, too.
Dimpl Baby Toy
I think I’ve purchased a grand total of 3 toys in my 10+ years of parenting, and this Dimpl baby toy is one of them. I figured this gal has so few playthings of her own, and this looked fun for a baby. Plus, it’s small enough that it’s very portable and perfect for the car or other travel. One of those fun and sweet birthday gifts for a 1 year old baby girl.
Bubbles
I wanted some sort of exciting (for a 1 year old!) activity for the day, and bubbles are sure to be a hit. We have plenty of bubble solution at home, so I grabbed these giant bubble wands, which will be fun for her to move on her own. I also replaced our old bubble gun, which had broken.
Baby Girl 1 Year Old Birthday Presents From Family
From Grandparents
Dan’s parents sent this darling little musical playmat, that I think our music-loving lady will absolutely adore. Such a fun thing for her to play on!
From Aunt & Uncle
My sister & brother-in-law (who have a baby almost exactly the same age!) sent this super sweet book (they have a dog that baby M loves!) and a highly convenient squeezy food container. Perfect for adventures!
Have you had any favorite presents for a 1 year old baby? I’d love to hear!
For each of my babies, I made them a little drawstring bag. Now, at the time, I got kind of creative and lined it and it was made from either their clothes or something that I thought was their style/preference at the time. It is sturdy enough to stand up so they can put things in and take things out (which they love at that age) and it was sweet to see them carry around their little treasures. Plus, now, at 11, 7, and 4, they still use them when we go most anywhere. Practical and sentimental!
That is the sweetest tradition!!