What was their/your fav. first birthday present?

Hi! I'm not normally on this forum yet, but my girls are turning 1 next month, and DH and I are making them each a wooden toy box that can later be used as a hope chest or memory box (if they make it that long). That covers their gift from us. We have lots of clothes, toys, and books from my 3 yr old, and from 4 (yes 4) people who have saved things from their girls, so they really don't need anything. We are very lucky in that regard. We even already have a wagon, a swing set, and a baby pool. My parents, sisters, SIL, ... are asking what to get for the girls, and since they don't need anything, I am at a loss and am looking for ideas. I'm probably going to tell them clothes and books, but wanted to see if you had some other ideas.

So, what was the best thing your twins got for their first birthday or what thing did they like best?
Thanks!
Em

 

They loved their Leap Frog Activity Table. That was around for a while. They also got a ride on pony that can be used as a rocking horse or with wheels. That's actually still in their room. They also got keepsake gifts (bracelets etc) and personalized cd's.

 

Their fav gift was the box their Step 2 Fire Truck came in... they played in it for hours......

if they have everything they need maybe suggest putting whatever they were going to spend on a gift into a savings account for them?

 

Our kids birthday is in January, so they were still coming off a Christmas high We asked everyone to bring one dollar for each girl for their college fund. Some of the guests didn't seem to like not being able to buy baby stuff, but it was what we wanted and EVERYONE except for my MIL and GrandMIL respected our wishes...they just couldn't stand it...anyways...not one guest brought as little as a dollar...they all gave much more and the girls got about $250 each to start their funds with. I was glad we did it, but for their 2nd party we will do a traditional thing as they will be old enough to kinda have an idea of what is going on.

 

Hard to pick just one...these have been their favorite items since turning one:

*Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Home
*Step 2 Water Table (don't bother with a sand-water combo...you'll regret it)!
*Wagon
*Flip Open Sofa
*Ride-on Toys
*Walk-behind toys
*Fisher Price Corn Popper

 

They got all kinds of stuff last week...their favorite (still) is the Cookie Monster that you sort of shake and he talks (I got it mainly for me I LOVE COOKIE MONSTER) and an empty box with a handle on it that something else came it. Emily walks around and around the kitchen island with the box by the handle.

The college loot is a good idea! My parents started one the day they were born, I keep telling them to turn it into a 529 for tax purposes...keep that in mind once the balance gets up there...

alexis

 

Whenever anyone would ask what the girls needed I always said nothing. Believe me you would think with the clothes and toys I had - I had 6 kids. So everyone started getting them bonds, that might be an idea.

 

Laugh & Learn Home, Leap Frog Table were 2 of their favorites at that age!

 

Their wagon is a big favorite. Also (it wasn't a birthday gift) but my uncle just made them each a rocking chair and they love sitting in those and watching Elmo's World.

 

Ooh - college funds - cool idea, especially since we'll have 3 in college for 2 years, then 2 for the other 2 years.

Thanks for all the ideas!

 

Laugh and Learn Learning Home and they LOVE it! They laugh and play with it. What fun!

 

There were 3 toys that they particularly liked:
- Parents Magazine Mirror Pound a Ball (that's a weird name, but if you google it, you'll find a listing on Amazon or Toys R Us or something, and you can see what it is)
- Melissa & Doug wooden shape sorter
- LeapFrog Magnetic Farm (a toy that you stick on your fridge)

Of the 3, the farm was the most immediate hit. DH is convinced that it taught Sarah to stand unassisted, because she stood at the fridge for hours playing with this thing.

They didn't figure out the Pound a Ball until more like 16 months (I had put it away and brought it out again at that point), but it is now Sarah's favorite toy.

And they still don't really "get" the shape sorter, but from the beginning, they have liked to dump out all the shapes and put them back in the box (if not through the appropriate holes).

Don't forget that you can get toys for ages 1-2 -- they don't all have to be things they'll use right now.

They also love all their riding toys, but none of those were birthday gifts -- we have 4, and I got them all at yard sales.

 

We had the FP house too but not for the bday, but they did love it. Hours (okay maybe it just seemed like hours) of play. But the best was their wagon. We went on sooooo many walks that first Summer/fall. It was the first thing they would "say" every morning. "GO, Go"

Good luck, have fun.

 

Tabitha's favorate:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?p...rentPage=search

Something like the ride-on push cars they STILL play with:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?p...rentPage=search
Ours does not make noise or songs and bells and whistles.

Still Ainsley favorate:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?p...rentPage=search

Madison's favorate:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?p...rentPage=search

Nothing at all expensive, but toys they still love and play with.

 

I bought my girls name bracelets from Bracelets By Lisa. P and P wear their bracelets every day and we are always getting nice comments about them!
Also, the fold out Dora couch is a big hit at our house. Another thing my girls really like are the Magna Doodle kids doodle boards.

 

My boys favorite thing is their Step 2 water/sand table- they love it- we are outside with it nearly everyday -
we put water in both sides and the umbrella is a nice feature...
Other than that, I would've liked some bathtub toys for them or sand toys for the beach and those are not nearly as expensive...
They love anything they can hit each other with! <_<
Lanie

 

My fave/ and their's was the radio flyer rockin bounce pony... they still play with it and they are over the age limit on it!! I don't think I will ever get rid of it! granted, they do still play with all their Little people that they got too!