What to buy a one-year-old

At one, the toys that hold attention are the ones that do something — something to stack, something to send rolling across the floor, something satisfying to chew while the back teeth arrive. Parents tend to hope for something beautiful, natural and quiet enough to live in the sitting room. This page is aimed squarely at both.

Natural rubber, from Oli & Carol

The Oli & Carol toys are made from 100% natural rubber tapped from Hevea trees, hand painted with safe natural dyes and certified by Bureau Veritas. There are no holes anywhere in the range, which is the clever part — nothing can get inside them, so nothing grows inside them either. The rattles have upcycled cherry seeds in them rather than plastic beads, which is why they sound like a maraca made of wood. They came out of a family house in Barcelona and they have the charm of something drawn rather than designed: a radish, a cauliflower, a very cheerful banana.

The keepsake

A personalised knitted blanket with a name embroidered on it is the gift that survives the birthday. The bonniemob blankets are 75 x 95cm, GOTS certified organic cotton, machine washable, and they get handed down. If you want the present that is still in the house in ten years, it is this one.

Sensory playmats

Etta Loves scale their prints to what a baby can actually focus on, which is why the mats hold attention for longer. The reversible ones give you two prints and a clean surface for tummy time; the Liberty outdoor mats are 1.2 metres square, padded, waterproof underneath, and fold into their own canvas carry bag — which makes them a picnic rug for years after the rolling-about stage is over.

Gift boxing and cards

Add a gift box with a handwritten card at checkout, and send it straight to the birthday address if that is easier.

First birthday gifts that get played with, and one or two that get kept.