Between the ages of 1 and 2, children make enormous developmental leaps—in motor skills, language, cognition, and social-emotional skills. They become more agile, independent, and curious about the world around them.

Motor development
At this age, children learn to walk, run, climb, and discover how to use their hands and fingers more effectively. Their fine motor skills are refined, allowing them to pick up small objects more effectively.

1. Push and pull toys
   This allows children to practice walking and improve their balance. Think of a wooden walker or a pull-along toy.
   Gift tips: Grimm's - tractor truck
2. Stacking toys and blocks
   These stimulate fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination and the ability to manipulate objects.
   Gift tips: Wooden Story - wooden blocks , Grimm's - blocks , Mushie - stacking cups , Wooden story - stacking game , Chack Chack Cube - Magnetic blocks
3. Activity tables
   Tables with knobs, slides and turns help to improve fine motor skills and keep children busy.
4. Climbing equipment and furniture
   Under supervision, young children can use a climbing frame or other climbing equipment to practice standing up, holding on, and climbing carefully. These movements improve balance, strength, and coordination.
   Soft, modular play furniture also offers a safe and homely way to move, build, and explore. Children can climb, stack, or simply lounge on it. It stimulates both gross and fine motor skills and encourages open-ended play.
   Gift tips: Present Stories - Play furniture
   

Cognitive development
Toddlers are beginning to understand how the world around them works. They discover cause-and-effect relationships, for example, that a ball rolls when you push it. They also begin to use their memory and can follow simple instructions.

• Shape sorter
  Helps children recognize and sort shapes, which boosts their problem-solving skills.
  Gift tips: Wooden story - shape sorter , Mushie - Sorting box
• (Color) sorting toys
  From about 1.5 years old, children can start with simple color recognition and sorting, for example by sorting colored rings or blocks.
  Gift tips: Grimm's - wooden sorting tree , Grimm's - 7 rainbow friends in containers , Mushie - Sorting Box
• Simple puzzles
  Large pieces that fit into the shapes of a picture stimulate spatial insight and fine motor skills.
  Gift tips: Wooden story - wooden shape puzzle
• Moving toys
  For example, when children roll a ball or drive a car, they discover the concept of cause and effect. This kind of action-reaction play is essential for cognitive development in this phase.
  Gift tips: Grimm's - large wooden balls, Grimm's - wooden cars
• Assemble and disassemble toys
  By assembling and disassembling the parts, children discover the concept of cause and effect: when they connect a piece correctly, something happens. This fosters understanding of how actions influence outcomes, a fundamental principle of learning.
  Gift tips: SmartMax - my first , Grimm's - 7 rainbow friends in boxes

Language development
At this stage, children begin to babble, learn words, and form simple sentences. They understand more words than they can say and begin to understand simple instructions.

1. Picture books
   Books with simple pictures and short stories stimulate language development and the ability to associate words with objects.
   Gift tips: Books
2. Singing and talking toys
   Toys that sing or pronounce words encourage children to imitate sounds and expand their vocabulary.
   
3. Cuddly toys or dolls
   This allows them to practice expressing emotions and role-playing.
   Gift tips: Moonie - The Humming Bear/ Bunny/Seal, Mini Moonie - Sensory little teddy

Social-emotional development
Toddlers begin to recognize emotions in themselves and others. They also develop a will of their own and can become frustrated when something doesn't work out. This stage marks the beginning of their independence and social interactions.

1. Role-playing toys
   Think of kitchen sets, telephones or doctor's sets with which children can recreate situations from everyday life.
   Gift tips: Tré Timber Toys - wooden kitchen box , Tré Timber Toys - wooden workbench box
2. Cuddly toys : These help with comfort and can be a friend, which is important for developing social skills and empathy.
   Gift tips: Moonie - The Humming Bear/ Bunny/Seal, Mini Moonie - Sensory little teddy
3. Co-play Toys : Simple toys like a ball or building blocks can be used with an adult or another child, which helps learn to share and play together.
   Gift tips: Grimm's - Large Wooden Balls, Wooden Story - Wooden Blocks , Grimm's - Blocks, Chack Chack Cube - Magnetic Blocks

Sensory development
Children between 1 and 2 years old are curious about different textures, sounds, and materials. They want to feel, hear, and smell to understand their environment.

1. Toys with different textures
   Soft, hard, rough and smooth surfaces give them sensory experiences.
   Gift tips: Sarah's Silks - play silk
2. Musical toys
   Rattles, drums, xylophones and other simple musical instruments stimulate their hearing and sense of rhythm.
   Gift tips: Wooden story - rattles
3. Sensory Balls : Soft balls with different textures and colors stimulate the sense of touch and are fun to throw and catch.
   Gift tips: Natruba - sensory balls
   

One beautiful, shared gift
Children are often showered with gifts, both on their birthdays and during the holidays. But eventually, one gift will become their favorite, and the rest will prove unnecessary. Save up all your money and opt for one beautiful gift that will be enjoyed for years to come.
Quality over quantity. Open-ended toys are the answer. They have a long lifespan because they grow with your child, fostering ingenuity, creativity, and imagination. And siblings can play with them too. But toys that you can expand and collect are also valuable.
Investment gift tips: Grimm's - large pyramid block set , Madoti - pikler triangle or climbing arch, Present Stories - Play furniture