A first birthday is a milestone worth celebrating. Most 1-year-old boys are pulling up, cruising along the furniture or taking their first wobbly steps, babbling their first words and carrying their favorite things from room to room. The best 1 year baby boy birthday gift ideas keep up with all that energy: a soft friend to hug and haul around, balls and trucks to toss and push, board books to point at, and an outfit to grow into.
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Every gift in this guide is from Estella, a family-owned New York brand making baby gifts since 2003. Our toys are hand-knit one at a time by artisans in Peru with a soft organic cotton exterior, and our clothing is organic cotton. We’ve earned 1,800+ five-star reviews from 55,000+ families, been featured in Vogue, and you’ll never find us on Amazon.
Shop the full first birthday gifts collection, or start with our favorites for baby boys below.
In this guide:
- Our quick picks
- What to look for in a first birthday gift
- Gift ideas for one-year-old baby boys
- Balls, trucks and rattles
- Books to read together
- Outfits and gift sets
- Frequently asked questions
Our Quick Picks
- Best overall: Frank the Dog ($72), the friend he’ll carry everywhere.
- Best under $30: the NYC ABCs Baby Board Book ($14), a witty alphabet tour of New York.
- Best for busy toddlers: the All American Baby Rattles ($65), a soft baseball, basketball and football.
- Best gift set: the Big Apple Baby Gift Set ($98), an NYC romper with two hand-knit rattles, in sizes up to 18–24 months.
What to Look for in a First Birthday Gift for a Baby Boy
A friend to carry. Around the first birthday, many babies choose one soft friend to bring everywhere, by an arm, a leg or an ear.
Something to move. New walkers love toys they can push, roll, toss and chase across the room.
Books to point at. Bold pictures are perfect for pointing, naming and first words, and for reading together again and again.
Room to grow. If you’re giving clothes, size up so the outfit lasts well past the party.
Gift Ideas for One-Year-Old Baby Boys
Start with a soft friend. These are the hand-knit companions gift-givers choose most often for a first birthday.
Frank the Dog
Our most iconic piece: a 12-inch hand-knit dog with floppy ears and a little taxi on his chest, easy to grab and carry everywhere.
Adorable: Great quality, my son loves them!
Pedro the Pigeon
New York’s most famous bird, made huggable. A little bit cheeky, completely lovable, and always good for a laugh.
NYC Taxi Baby Teddy Bear
A sweet little bear in a taxi-yellow sweater, sized just right for small hands and a lovely add-on to any birthday gift.
Taxi Bear: I gave this sweet taxi bear to my friend as a gift for her six month old and received many sweet photos and videos of the little girl playing with and holding the bear.
Sparky the Dog Rattle
A cheerful hand-knit puppy in blue or red, soft and cuddly for the baby who loves every dog on the block.
Love this puppy & zoo animals! Love this knitted puppy, the zoo animals & everything we’ve ordered from Estella!
Balls, Trucks and Rattles
All American Baby Rattles
A soft baseball, basketball and football, hand-knit and gentle enough to roll and toss indoors.
An athlete in the making: Order process and delivery were exceptional. These sporting goods are cute and perfect for a baby's hands, nice and soft too.
Football & Baseball Baby Rattle Set
Two hand-knit classics for the littlest fan in a sports-loving family, and an easy gift at $45.
Concrete Mixer Truck Plush Toy
A soft 10-inch concrete mixer for the little one who stops for every truck on the street. No rattle, just cuddly fun.
Large NYC Taxi Plush
A big, squeezable yellow cab: something to hug, push across the floor and lean on for story time.
Organic Stuffed Taxi Cab Pillow: We received our soft Taxi Cab Pillow from Estella - and it is everything we wanted in this item - soft, cute and cuddly.
NYC Taxi & Pretzel Baby Rattle Set
Two New York favorites, hand-knit and easy to shake, for the baby with a city-loving family.
Beautiful pieces! I received this order within 5 days of purchase and the items are so adorable! Well made, sweet and so unique for my new urban nephew!
Books to Read Together
NYC ABCs Baby Board Book
A witty board book alphabet of iconic New York landmarks and culture, from A to Z.
Baby New Yorker: This is a terrific gift for any parent that lives in, or has lived in NYC. They will totally appreciate the insider’s perspective. Very fitting!
My First Book of New York
Taxis, bridges, pretzels and pigeons: a tour of the city’s greatest hits for its littlest readers.
Two Dogs on a Trike Baby Book
A zany counting adventure with playful pups on every kind of wheels, perfect for pointing and counting together.
Outfits and Gift Sets
Big Apple Baby Gift Set
A long-sleeve NYC romper with hand-knit Big Apple and taxi rattles. Choose 12–18 or 18–24 months for a first birthday.
A Joy to Give: This was genuinely fun to give. The design feels intentional, sweet, and full of New York charm.
NYC Print Baby Romper
Taxis, pretzels, apples and pizza, head to toe, in soft organic cotton, in sizes up to 18–24 months.
High quality and SUPER cute! My daugher and son in law LOVE it and their son looks so cute in it.
Cuddle Me Baby Gift Set
A puppy-print long romper, an embroidered dog bib and a hand-knit dog rattle, in sizes up to 18–24 months.
MVP Football Baby Gift Set
An MVP embroidered bodysuit, a hand-knit football rattle and a football baby book for the family’s newest fan. Choose 12–18 months.
Wise Guy Owl Baby Gift Set
An owl bodysuit with a matching hand-knit owl rattle, for the little guy who’s already thinking deep thoughts. Choose 12–18 months.
NYC Little Explorers Baby Gift Set
Two NYC print bodysuits, a matching bib, two hand-knit rattles and a New York board book: six pieces to unwrap. Choose 12–18 months.
Generous and Beautiful NYC Inspired Baby Surprise: This bundle feels abundant and so well curated. The mix of outfits toys and the little book makes it feel like a full experience not just a single gift.
What Size to Give a 1-Year-Old Boy
Most 1-year-olds wear 12–18 months. Size up to 18–24 months if you’d like the outfit to last through the year. Shopping for a big brother too? Our NYC Print Toddler Tee & Leggings Set is organic cotton playwear in 2Y–6Y. Plush toys, rattles and books need no size at all.
Get the Best Birthday Gift for Your One-Year-Old Baby Boy with Estella
Add a free gift message in your cart, and every order includes a gift receipt with no prices. Gift boxing is $8, complimentary on orders over $175. Orders ship within 1–2 business days, with free shipping on U.S. orders over $75.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good first birthday gift for a baby boy?
A soft friend to carry, a ball or truck to push and toss, a board book to point at, and an outfit in 12–18 or 18–24 months. A gift set with a few pieces to unwrap makes the moment even more fun.
Are soft toys good for a 1-year-old?
Yes. One-year-olds love a friend to hug and carry. Our knit toys have an organic cotton exterior, hand-knit by artisans in Peru, with a soft polyester fill. Each product page lists its materials. As with any toy, supervise playtime.
What size clothes does a 1-year-old boy wear?
Usually 12–18 months. Size up to 18–24 months for a longer fit.
Can I send a gift directly to the family?
Yes. Ship to any U.S. address and add a free gift message; the gift receipt never shows prices.
Can I buy Estella on Amazon?
No. Estella is sold only at estella-nyc.com and at select museum and boutique partners.
More First Birthday Ideas, Made with Love
See all of our first birthday gifts, our stuffed animals and our book and toy gift sets.
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