The little child grows so fast and learns new, exciting things every day. When the child is about 1 year old, they begin to be able to see differences in size, shape and movement and they can remember simple patterns on the toys. It is not unusual for 1-year-olds to learn to recognize songs that involve the body or emotions such as "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes", where they get to explore and participate in the rhythm, even if they are not yet able to sing along properly!
Toys for children at the age of 1
1-year-olds are curious little children. They want to feel things, taste and discover new things by testing themselves. Every day becomes a new, playful little adventure! Toys for children who are 1 year old can have many uses and it becomes important not to limit play. The child uses play as a tool in early development and through it they can create understanding and learn new things about themselves and their surroundings.
We differentiate between physical development, cognitive development, language and social & emotional development. Different toys have different uses!
Physical development when the child is 1 year old
Physical development is an important part of the baby's journey. Through play and movement, the child's physical development continues right up to adulthood. There are a lot of toys and playful exercises that train the child's physical development and motor skills.
In order to develop gross motor skills, physical activity is now becoming more and more important. A 1-year-old child slowly but surely begins to walk, climb, stand on their tiptoes, kick a ball and run around the nursery. They take on new challenges, and their daily journey of discovery becomes more adventurous as they get older! Micki's baby walker is the perfect companion to lead the child on these little adventures and provides stable support when they start walking.
Fine motor skills develop when 1-year-old children begin to feel toys and can adjust their grasp on objects. They like to pick in and out, snap, twist, open and take apart. An innocent little brick can easily be thrown in a certain direction! Splashing with water is also fun. It is also not unusual for the child's artistic side to emerge when they start doodling and drawing at this age. Toys for children who are 1-year old that develop fine motor skills are sorting boxes and pounding benches, where they can grab, release, pair and tap.
Cognitive development at 1 years of age
Cognitive development is the child's ability to think and remember things that they have experienced before. Cognitive development makes great strides in children who are 1 year old and up. They like to explore with their fingers, can search for hidden toys, remember that the doll is in the bed, recreate experiences and imitate everyday behaviors in play. Their problem-solving, logical thinking and imagination begin to emerge and they are eager to explore, discover and experiment.
Examples of good toys for children who are 1-year old that lead to cognitive development are blocks in different shapes and colors, soft dolls and accessories and simple dress-up clothes.
Language development for children who are 1 year old
It is not impossible that a 1-year-old child has learned their very first words, and the best thing is, that in the future they will start talking more and more! They discover that things have a name, can talk about things that are not present and learn the difference between in, under and over. As a parent of a 1-year-old, you have to be prepared to watch the same film or program over and over again as the child is fascinated by what is being said and what happens in the content. Repetition is often an important part of learning.
A chatty little talking doll or a music box are two examples of toys for children aged 1 that help the child in their early language journey!
Social and emotional development for 1-year-old children
Social and emotional development means learning about identity, empathy and communication. Who am I? And who are you? At this age, the child begins to recognize themself in the mirror, in photos and sees the difference between mine and yours. "I can do it myself!" are thoughts that start to emerge and the child's self-confidence grows. Because language is not fully ready, the child communicates with gestures and sounds. The child begins to learn words and expressions that describe how they feel and what they feel.
How Micki develops toys for children aged 1 years old
As a product developer, there is a lot to think about when developing new toys for children who are 1 years old. For us, it is important that the toys we develop are fun to play with, but also that they support the child's developmental phases.
What should the child feel when they play? What experiences should they have? Our Design Manager Anne Avgrim explains more:
- Making products that strive to be with and support the child in the natural stages of development but that also challenge the child's curiosity has long been our focus. If we can also make the child want to play longer and to discover new things with the product the further they get in their development, that would be fantastic! says Anne and continues:
- Working more focused on this particular theme has strengthened our products so that they can support and guide the child in their development even more, which felt important but also fun and playful!