20+ Fantastic Gift ideas for a Second Kid’s First Birthday

Most first-born babies are gifted a ton of baby toys at showers. Then they get a ridiculous amount on their first birthday. Then Santa comes with a whole sleigh full, and the toys keep piling up every holiday after that. By the time baby number two comes around, the parents have toys coming out of their eyeballs. So now you need gift ideas for that second kid’s first birthday? It’s a struggle, but I’ve got you covered!

What do you get a second kid when they already have everything imaginable to play with at home? A toy has to be pretty dang special to be worthy of occupying more of the space you don’t have. And honestly, the more practical the gift, the better! Below are 20+ gift ideas for one-year-olds that the birthday baby will love and use, and the parents will be totally appreciative of!

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

1) A Photoshoot

I absolutely love the thought of receiving a photoshoot as a gift! Honestly, it’s perfect for any occasion, but how special would it be to have an entire photoshoot just for you second-born?! Being a second kid myself, growing up between two brothers, I know all too well that nearly every waking moment is shared with siblings. Most of my childhood pictures are of me with my brothers. I love that, and I wouldn’t have it any other way! But there is one photoshoot that my mom did just of baby me, in a white dress, in the flowers on our farm that holds a special place in my heart. A professional, or even amateur, photoshoot is definitely a gift that the parents and child would both cherish forever (see post).

2) Personalized Books

One of my favorite books that I read to my children is “If My Dog, Lucy, Could Talk”. I bought it on Amazon for Heidi’s first Christmas and I personalized it to include our dog, Lucy’s, name. All of the illustrations are of a chocolate lab doing naughty things, just like our girl. It’s a book that I know we’ll have forever. And one sad day when our Lucy is no longer with us, I know the kids will cherish the book more than ever.

Personalized books make great gifts because it puts your child inside the story and you can tailor the details to make sense for their life. I think any parent would be over the moon excited to help their one-year-old unwrap such a thoughtful gift that will be enjoyed time and time again.

3) Piggy Bank

It’s never too early for your kiddo to start saving. A piggy bank doubles as adorable bedroom decor, and it’s something they won’t “outgrow” for years. Actually, I still have my childhood piggy bank full of spare change in my master bedroom to this day! There are so many cute options out there that are sure to make any one-year-old smile.

4) Kid-Sized Chair

My oldest still uses hers every single day. And now that my almost one-year-old is able to climb up in it, this is a necessity for his first birthday! I thought it was insane to buy a kid-sized chair back when I finally broke down and bought Heidi’s, but it’s seriously one of her favorite things! She has the Keet Roundy Gingham Chair. It’s adorable and fantastic quality! This time around, I have my eye on the Pottery Barn Anywhere Chair with a removable cover for my messy little Brock.

5) Catch Bibs

This is one of the only items that I purchased more of for my second kid, and that’s because I love them so much! I never want to face mealtime with a toddler again without having one of these Baby Bjorn catch bibs handy. New moms, or mamas with messy toddlers… buy these now and thank me later! They’re a perfect gift for a one year-old that no one ever thinks about.

6) A Tricycle

A trike is the ultimate present for a kid’s first birthday! The excitement you’ll see when you wheel out their shiny new tricycle is absolutely priceless. My advice that I always tell people when they’re shopping for gifts for children is to always buy something that a kid one year older would like too. Kiddos get way more excited about something that they’ve seen the “big kids” play with, and anything babyish will get thrown aside. Yes, even for a baby! I love a tricycle for a one year-old for that very reason. It makes them feel “big”, and it’s something they’ll grow into by the end of their first year if they’re not scooting right along on it right away!

7) Big Kid Car Seat

The parents will thank you forever for this one! If you think you need a lot of car seats for one baby, then you’re in for absolutely shock when you have multiple kids! My husband and I have two car seats in each of our vehicles. Our moms both have two car seats in their cars for when the kids visit. And my youngest just outgrew the baby car seats… so now we have to buy “big boy” car seats to replace all the infant ones! An extremely thoughtful and 100% appreciated first birthday gift would be a Convertible Car Seat that the child can sit in until they are 65 pounds or more. They’re going to need at least one of these!

8) Nice Clothes

Second kids are typically fully stocked with hand-me-downs, which make great play clothes. And while play clothes are eternally important, I’m sure most parents would be happy to receive something a little nicer for their youngest baby. Something that’s never been worn by another kid before! Children’s boutiques have options that make great gifts, but I have linked several Amazon options for a fraction of the price below. Church clothes, cute outfits for family outings, and bonus points for a monogram. My first born had monograms on EVERYTHING from my baby showers. My second kid… hand-me-down central for him! Which we totally love too!

9) Sleeping Bag

A cute little sleeping bag for naps, slumber parties, and future camping trips makes a memorable gift! They’ll love cozying up in their very own sleep spot for years and years to come.

10) Seasonal Items

This will vary depending on when the child’s birthday is. If they are celebrating a birthday in the winter, a snowsuit, beanie hat, snow boots, mittens, or even a baby sled would all be fantastic items! If he or she is a summer baby, think pool floats, a water table, a life jacket, bathing suits, a beach towel, sand buckets, or something to play with in the pool.

11) Shoes

The kid is finally learning to walk after all! Shoes are something they’ll definitely be needing more of. If you’re not sure on the size, a 4 or a 5 would be a safe guess. Or of course you could always just reach out to the parents! Light-up rain boots are a personal favorite gift to buy for one year-olds. My kids live in theirs.

12) A Cool Hat

Is there anything cuter on a baby boy than a mini trucker hat? If you’re shopping for a baby boy, go ahead and add one of these to your cart right now. And if the sweet toddler girl you’re shopping for can sport a ponytail, she needs a ballcap like this one to pull the tail through. Sunhats on babies also melt my heart into an absolute puddle. I have linked a Mommy & Me set below that will steal the show.

13) Accessories

This is a category that as a parent, I feel you can never have enough of. I’m always picking up fun accessories for the kids, whether they’re for pretend dress-up or everyday use. Unlike clothes or shoes, the child will be able to wear accessories for years to come. Some of my favorites for little girls are hair bows and chew-proof toddler jewelry. For boys I love bandana bibs and sunglasses!

14) A Backpack

Any kid I’ve ever known has loved taking ALL their stuff EVERYWHERE they go. And you know when that phase starts? Age 1. A great gift for a child’s first birthday would be their very own backpack to fill up with all kinds of fun stuff. It will make the parents’ lives easier too when they’re trying to get out of the house while their toddler is trailing behind with every toy they own.

15) Ride-On Toys

For this one to be a winner, it’s essential that you pick one with a parental remote. This should go without saying, but babies can’t drive. You need to make sure that the one you pick has a remote control that the parents can use to steer and and stop the car. The kid won’t know the difference, and they’ll feel so proud riding around in their new whip. I have linked some options with the parental remote that the child will also be able to drive on their own once they’re old enough.

16) A slide

As long as the parents don’t already have one for their older children, a slide is such a fun gift for a baby’s first birthday. The one year-old will be able to use it right away with mom and dad’s help. They’re great for indoor or outdoor use, and nothing beats the look on a baby’s face when they go down a slide for the first time. All the kids at the party will enjoy this gift too!

17) Fun Night Light

My kids have the first night light linked below, and it’s a huge hit with both of them. It spins while projecting stars all over their bedroom. And it’s on a timer so they know it’s time to sleep once the stars go off. If I set it for ten minutes, they’ve usually already fallen asleep watching the stars by the time it stops.

18) An Outdoor Swing

Every child needs an outdoor swing! My kids spend at least half an hour every day in theirs. A baby swing for the youngest would make a perfect birthday gift if they don’t have one already.

19) A Step-Stool

So they’re finally walking… and if they’re not yet, they will be soon! Now they just need a little help reaching countertops and the bathroom sink. A step-stool will be used for years until that tiny one year-old is tall enough to reach everything on their own. Imagine the confidence one of these cute stools would give them!

20) A Personalized Puzzle

My kids received one of these puzzles spelling our last name from some of our dear family friends when my son was born. Both of them love playing with it! Since it’s personalized with our last name instead of each child’s name, it’s a perfect item to be passed down from generation to generation. Imagine that… a toy I NEVER want to get rid of! That means it’s a winner, and I give it bonus points because it will help my children learn how to spell their difficult last name one day.

What Do You Think?

Did you find the perfect gift for your favorite second-born? I sure hope so! Let me know if an item on this list will be gifted to a one-year-old you know and love. And if there’s a gift idea I totally missed, you better tell me that too. You wouldn’t believe the amount of one-year-olds I’ve been buying for lately. I guess everyone I know, including myself, decided to have a pandemic baby. Guess we didn’t practice appropriate social distancing around here. And now they’re all turning a year old!

Thanks, as always, for reading! The continuous support from my subscribers means the world to me. Join the fam on Instagram here, subscribe below, and read my last post about Toddler Tantrums here if you missed it.

xoxo -Haley