Is Your Princess Turning 1? Pamper Her with the Most Popular Gifts for a Baby Girl's First Birthday

A little girl’s first birthday is always a special occasion and calls for a big celebration. A party is incomplete without gifts and that’s where the challenge lies. Buying a gift for a one year old child is not as easy as it seems. There are a number of things that you need to keep in mind while choosing a gift for a baby girl’s first birthday. You have to remember that she will outgrow most of the things that you give her in a year or so. Therefore choose something that will help both the parents and the baby. Things like baby carriers, strollers, walkers are great 1st birthday gifts. The Ehomekart 9 in 1 Carry Cot in Pink, from firstcry.com is a wonderful choice for an Indian baby girl. Another option is the LuvLap Galaxy Baby Stroller in black also from firstcry.com. It is suitable for babies aged 1-3 years and will be an useful gift that will last for quite some time.

Even though there is a vast choice for baby toys, with her limited awareness she will be able to play with very few of them just yet. A good way for your gift to be helpful to give her things which can be used on a regular basis.

A one year old child is just on the threshold of becoming a toddler. Therefore she is constantly undergoing changes and developments. The baby’s cognitive development depends a lot on early experiences and teachings. Therefore gift her something that will help her in developing fine motor skills. The Luvely Push N Spin Elephant Toy - Orange and Blue from firstcry.com will introduce her to various colors shapes and sounds. This will help her develop better visual and coordination skills. The Janod Magnetic Rocket from amazon.com is another great option. Made of wood, its completely safe to use and helps in developing the child’s motor skills.

A child’s safety is of utmost importance. Therefore always give them things which are safe to use. Toys should always be made of non-toxic materials and have smooth rounded edges. This way they can’t accidentally hurt themselves or their friends while playing. Buying toys from well known brands is a good idea as they are more likely to ensure stringent quality checks; even so, scan the ingredients listed on the packaging to ensure there isn't anything in the product that may harm the baby. Toxic chemicals may not have immediate effects on the child but will harm her in the long run. Fisher Price - Brilliant Basics Babys First Blocks Set from Firstcry.com is a good option as its made of non-toxic plastic and each block has a rounded edge.

We Indians tend to be practical, frugal and have careful spending habits which is why recycling and reusing things is so popular with us. Sentimental attachment to baby toys and products means they are often passed on to the next child or to a close family. While this is an excellent habit, check old toys thoroughly before allowing a baby to play with it. Baby toys are subject to chewing and battering so even if was a good quality product, chances are it may have frayed and is no longer suitable for your baby.

The day clothes get a lot of attention and your baby girl will probably receive a number of cute party dresses or baby clothes, but she also needs comfortable night wear. The whole night time routine, which includes changing her into night clothes, is important to get into the habit of a daily routine, she will know that means she will be put to bed soon. Gift your baby a night of cuddles and comfort with the Babyhug Half Sleeves Night Suit Teddy and Car Print form firstcry.com. The set consists of a pair of teddy and car print pajamas and a half sleeve tee with a cute print of a bear riding a racecar. The shirt has buttons on the shoulder, which maximizes comfort for your little girl. Made of pure cotton, it's suited perfectly for your baby’s soft skin. It will cost you Rs.288.

This activity toy that uses rods and beads to hold your child’s attention will make a unique 1st birthday gift. It’s lightweight and easy to carry. As she gets older she will begin to move around and fidget a lot more. It will help you keep your little girl occupied while you go about your business. It also helps in the baby’s development. You can buy it from firstcry.com for Rs.321.

As your baby learns to stand and walk on her own, pull along toys motivate her to take more baby steps and as she gets more confident, they will be her companions. Digger the dog will almost be like your child’s first pet. This easy pull along toy, with it’s large floppy ears, droopy eyes and a cute little tail, will accompany your child everywhere she goes. This toy will encourage your little girl to take her first steps. Buy it from amazon.in for Rs.319.

Bath times are a challenge for most parents and anything which can get the baby inside the bathtub and stay there long enough to be scrubbed down is a boon. A fun toy can transform bath time into play time that she will look forward to. The Sassy Pelican Pull and Go Boat with 2 paddle wheels will become your child’s favorite bath time toy. It requires no batteries and therefore is perfectly safe to use in the water. Just pulling the string makes the boat zoom through the water. The easy-to-pull string is perfect for your little girl’s hands and helps in the development of motor skills. You can buy it from amazon.in for Rs.421.

Every little child needs a cute and cuddly soft toy that she can take to bed with her, carry around the house as she learns to walk and have a huggable companion to accompany her on her baby adventures. Dimpy Stuff Penguin with Ear Muffs in blue colour is the cutest little toy that you can gift your one year old girl. It measures 20 cm, making it suitable for a small child to hold and you can buy it from Amazon for Rs.280.

Little children respond really well to music and it helps in their overall development as well. Let your one year old try her hand at being a musician with the Little Tikes Jungle Jamboree Tune the Tiger. This colorful piano cum xylophone has a compartment under the paws for storing the strikers which are connected by chords to keep them from getting lost. The package includes sheet music for popular nursery songs which can be propped up on the attached holder. You can buy it from amazon.in for Rs.1,899.

Little Tikes Wide Tracker Activity Walker, Multi Color presents a variety of activities for your kid to perform. The walker can be folded for playing on the floor and opens up when required. It has a wide easy grip handle and a solid base which makes it easy for your little girl to push along. The wheels are soft textured with speed adjustments to help prevent accidents. You can buy it from Amazon for Rs.1,0643

The Bright Starts Safari Sounds Musical Learning Table is a wonderful interactive toy that evolves with your child and has multiple functions. It is an activity table which can be used for both learning and playing and contains songs, a flip book, monkey bead chaser, tiger spinner, piano keys, peek a boo hippo and rattle spinner. It helps in the development of the child’s motor skills and encourages creativity while teaching colors, numbers, greetings, antonyms and animal sounds. It can be used for floor play without the attached legs as well and it runs on batteries. You can buy it from ebay.com for $12.99 which approximately Rs.885.

Amardeep and Co Baby Tricycle is something which will bring your little girl a whole lot of joy. It has a shade and parental control for your baby’s safety, hence it can be used as a stroller and as she grows bigger she can even learn to use the peddles and ride it like any other tricycle. It’s manufactured in India and is the perfect birthday gift for a little Indian girl. The funny cartoon face on the front will amuse your child and the sturdy design is made to last. It’s constructed with high quality plastic and has easy grip handlebars and durable tires. You can buy it on amazon.com for Rs.2,099.

You probably played with one of these as a child and just about every kid you know has had them. Little’s Junior Ring is a classic baby toy which will teach your little girl about colors and sizes while she has fun stacking the rings in order. It is one of those toys which have stood the test of time because they are a great learning tool. It’s learning through simple play that benefits your child by helping her acquire finger skills. You can buy it on Amazon for Rs.130.

The first birthday party is special for your child, so make sure you make it as fun as possible. Call your closest friends and family. Call other people who have kids in the same age group. But try to limit your guests as you don't want your kid to get overwhelmed. It’s the first social gathering for your child so it’s important that she mingles and learns to make friends.

Arrange fun activities like a puppet show. Keep a play area with toys and intercative games. Dress your little one up in a beautiful dress or a costume. Don’t forget to take plenty of pictures as these are memories you will cherish all your life. There will be cake and refreshments for the guests but make sure your little one has a blast too. You can get a special cake made just for her with ingredients more suited to a baby. Commercial cakes are often laden with sugar, food colour and lots of other things you may not want her to have - make a small one or get one made for her.