When choosing wooden toys as gifts or presents for a 1 year old, it is important to keep in mind the following developmental milestones:

LEARNING

• Stacks objects (Plan Toys Stacking Rings or the Pintoy Happy Stacker).
• Places objects inside one another.
• Tries to put on or take off lids.
• Manages to place circle into a shape sorter (Shape Sorting Cube).
• Drops toys or objects intentionally and repeats and watches where they go (wooden blocks are perfect).
• Enjoys listening to stories and turning pages, often in random order or a few at a time.
• Enjoys music, rhythm and rhymes. 
• Explores new objects by transferring from hand to hand, feeling or poking with one finger.
• Notices colour (Wonderworld Rainbow Sound Blocks)

LANGUAGE

• Shows definite understanding of words
• Will use a mixture of speech sounds, real words and gestures to get and hold attention.
• First spoken words are usually a person or well known object such as mum-mum/dad-dad/shoe/milk. 
• Knows own name.
• Understands simple instructions such as "clap hands."
• Names prominent body parts such as nose, eyes, toes, belly button.
• Attends to pictures when named.

IMAGINATION

• Shows affection by hugging people or a doll or a Teddy.
• Begins to mimic actions such as covering eyes while playing "Peek-a boo." 
• Plays fetching games with adults.
• Offers food to other people or toys. 
• Understands the use of objects and can pretend to use them, such as wash face with a washer or brush hair with a hairbrush.

PHYSICAL

• Pulls to stand up, crawls rapidly, walks around furniture or walks alone with an unsteady gait.
• Crawls up stairs. With an increase in mobility it is important to "child proof" the house to minimise accidents.
• Points with the index finger.
• Has a precise pincher grip to pick up small objects or food.
• Can stir a spoon in a cup.
• Will drink from a cup and feed themselves, even if it is very messily.
• Co-operates during dressing by staying still or holding out an arm or a leg for the clothes or shoe. 
• Can roll a ball. 
• Starts to put marks on paper with a crayon.

SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL

• Is developing bonds of love and trust with family members .
• Can be apprehensive with strangers.
• With some children separation from a parent can cause anxiety and they can appear "clamped to a leg." 
• Starts to show independent behaviour and understands that the meaning of "NO" is a prohibition. 
• Waves goodbye.
• Begins to imitate activities like nodding the head or tapping with a hand.
• Begins to respond to requests such as "Come here."
• Gives toys to other people on request.
• Uses gestures to convey meaning such as raising arm to be picked up.

This article was written by the Wooden Toy Store Team. Please feel free to use it in it's entirety with the inclusion of the Wooden Toy Store as the author and a link to www.woodentoystore.co.nz