The best toys for babies under one aren’t the loudest or the flashiest. They’re the ones a baby reaches for again and again: something soft to hold, something that rattles gently in a tiny fist, a book with pictures worth pointing at. And when you’re giving a gift, they’re the ones the parents keep long after the baby has outgrown them. This guide is our edit of exactly those toys, each one hand-knit, made with love, and chosen to be the gift that gets remembered.
Shop this story
Gifts from this story
Estella was founded in New York City in 2003. Our toys are hand-knit one at a time by artisans in Peru, with a soft organic cotton exterior. We’ve been trusted by 55,000+ families and earned 1,800+ five-star reviews, we’ve been featured in Vogue, and you’ll find us at the New York Public Library and the New York Botanical Garden. You won’t find us on Amazon.
In this guide:
- Our quick picks
- Why handmade matters
- Soft friends to hold
- Rattles sized for little hands
- Loveys for comfort
- First books to read together
- Gift sets that do it all
- How to build a gift they’ll remember
- Frequently asked questions
Our Quick Picks
- Best overall gift: the NYC Embroidered Baby Gift Set ($228), our bestseller, with bodysuits, rattles and a book in one gift box.
- Best under $50: the Hot Sauce & Avocado Baby Rattle Set ($48), for the foodie family.
- Best keepsake: Frank the Dog ($72), the friend they’ll still have at ten.
- Best for New York lovers: the NYC Baby Rattle Gift Set ($98): a taxi, hot dog, pretzel and Big Apple.
Why Handmade Matters
Mass-produced toys are made to be replaced. Ours are made to be kept. Every Estella rattle and doll is hand-knit by an artisan in Peru, stitch by stitch, with a soft organic cotton exterior and a gentle polyester fill. No two are exactly alike, which is part of the charm. It’s slower, and it’s why parents tell us these are the toys that end up in the memory box instead of the donation pile.
Soft Friends to Hold
In the first year, babies move from looking to holding to hugging. A soft companion becomes the thing they carry everywhere, and the thing in every photo.
Frank the Dog
Frank is our most iconic piece: a 12-inch hand-knit dog with floppy ears, a sweet stitched face and a little taxi on his chest. He’s the right size for a first best friend and grown-up enough to stay on the shelf for years.
My son’s favorite toy: My son received this pup as a gift and loves him so much!! A perfect size to hug.
Pedro the Pigeon
New York’s most famous bird, made huggable. Pedro is a little bit cheeky and completely lovable, a gift that makes city families laugh and out-of-town families feel like New Yorkers.
Large NYC Taxi Plush
A big, squeezable yellow cab, the size of a baby’s hug. It’s a toy, a cushion and a piece of nursery decor all at once, and it photographs beautifully.
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.
Pierre the Paris Dog
Pierre brings a little Parisian flair to the nursery, with his red beret and “Je T’aime” sweater. At 12 inches tall, he’s a stylish companion and a lovely gift for anyone with a soft spot for Paris.
So cute: Absolutely adorable and made so well! I can’t wait to surprise my little one with it.
Rattles Sized for Little Hands
A good rattle is a baby’s first lesson in cause and effect: shake it, hear it. Ours are soft, light and easy to grip, with a gentle sound rather than a clatter.
Giraffe Baby Rattle
Long neck, long legs, sweet spots: the giraffe is easy for tiny hands to grab from almost any angle. A classic first rattle, and one of our most-reviewed toys.
Adorable: Great! Perfectly made and cute as can be ❤️
Toni the Elephant Rattle
Toni comes in a soothing grey with a small heart stitched on her leg, a nod to the endangered Sumatran elephant. A gentle, meaningful gift that suits any nursery.
Happy Shopper: I bought three different rattles from here. It was too hard to pick just one. It was for a baby shower gift. Everyone loved them, cutest rattles they’ve seen.
NYC Taxi Baby Rattle
Our bestselling rattle: a bright yellow cab with a checkered stripe, hand-knit in Peru and loved by New Yorkers everywhere. At $28 it’s an easy add-on to any gift.
Hot Sauce & Avocado Baby Rattle Set
For the family that puts hot sauce on everything, a pair of rattles that’s guaranteed to get a laugh when it’s unwrapped, and plenty of play after.
Unique and adorable gift set: This was the perfect gift for a hot sauce-obsessed friend who just had a baby.
Safari Baby Rattle Set
A lion, an elephant, a giraffe and a monkey: four hand-knit friends in one gift, for little ones who’ll grow up loving animals.
She loved it!: I sent this to my friend -- a new mama who I haven't been able to see in person yet -- and she said this little lion brought happy tears to her eyes!
Loveys for Comfort
A lovey is a small blanket made for holding, with just enough fabric to grab and snuggle. It often becomes a baby’s favorite comfort object, which makes it one of the most-used gifts of the first year.
NYC Taxi Lovey Security Blanket
A hand-knit taxi lovey with pom-pom wheels, about 14" x 14": just enough for little hands to grab and snuggle.
Great gift for a friend who loves NYC: Beautifully made! Made a great gift for a friend whose favorite city is NYC.
Octopus Lovey Blanket
A friendly octopus face and a playful texture make this lovey a whimsical companion for cuddles, car rides and travel.
Adorable: The Octopus lovey is going to be hard to give up to my new grandson! It’s wonderfully soft & well made.
First Books to Read Together
Reading together is one of the best things a parent can do in the first year, long before a baby understands the words. Bold pictures and sturdy pages make board books the right place to start.
NYC ABCs Baby Board Book
The alphabet, the New York way, with a bright illustration of the city on every page. At $14, it’s the perfect finishing touch to any toy.
My First Book of New York
A tour of the city’s greatest hits for its littlest readers, and a lovely way to share New York with a baby who lives far away.
Gift Sets That Do It All
Can’t decide? Our gift sets pair toys, books and organic cotton clothing so the whole gift works together, and they arrive ready to give.
NYC ABCs Baby Gift Set
The NYC ABCs board book with two hand-knit rattles, a yellow taxi and a Big Apple. A simple, statement gift with no sizes to guess.
NYC Baby Rattle Gift Set
Four NYC icons in one gift: a taxi, a hot dog, a pretzel and the Big Apple itself. The baby gift that never misses, from the city that never sleeps.
NYC Swaddle Baby Gift Set
An NYC print swaddle, the NYC ABCs board book and two hand-knit rattles: everything for first cuddles and first stories.
NYC Little Explorers Baby Gift Set
Six pieces for wearing, playing and reading: two organic cotton bodysuits, a matching NYC bib, taxi and Big Apple rattles and a New York board book.
NYC Embroidered Baby Gift Set
Our bestseller and our favorite “wow” gift: three embroidered organic cotton bodysuits, four hand-knit rattles and an NYC ABCs board book, all in a gift box.
What Size to Give
For clothing and gift sets with clothes, size up from the baby’s age: 3–6 months for a newborn, 6–12 months for a baby around six months, and 12–18 months for a baby close to one. Rattles, dolls, loveys and books need no size at all.
How to Build a Gift They’ll Remember
Our favorite formula is simple: one friend to hold, one rattle to shake, one book to read. Frank the Dog plus the NYC ABCs board book comes to $86 and ships free (free shipping on U.S. orders over $75). Add a taxi rattle and you have a complete, thoughtful gift for about $114.
Every Estella order is gift-ready: 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good gift for a baby under 1?
Something soft to hold, something that makes a gentle sound, and something to read together. A hand-knit doll, a rattle and a board book cover all three, and a gift set does it in one box.
What are Estella toys made of?
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.
Are Estella toys really handmade?
Yes. Every rattle and doll is hand-knit one at a time by artisans in Peru, which is why no two are exactly alike.
Can I send a toy directly as a gift?
Yes. Ship to any U.S. address, add a free gift message, and the gift receipt never shows prices. Orders ship within 1–2 business days.
Can I buy Estella on Amazon?
No. Estella is sold only at estella-nyc.com and through select museum and boutique partners.
More Gift Ideas, Made with Love
Turning one soon? See our first birthday gifts. Heading to a shower? Browse our baby shower gifts. Looking for something nobody else will bring? Explore our unique baby gifts and NYC baby gifts.
Keep reading:
Leave a comment
This site is protected by hCaptcha and the hCaptcha Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.