First birthday present

We learnt this at a healthy cookery course I attended last year: Teaspoons of sugar in a pack of haribos...nine! So my advice would be avoid haribos to avoid a lifetime of dental work.

NoonaW they have some great gifts on zulilly at really good prices.

Wow, what a lot to think about. Books were always a possibility knowing how much our 18month old grandson loves his. No worries, I wouldn't buy sweets of any kind. The drun is tempting, but his parents are favourites of mine. Still .......

Drum, not drun

I will never forget that my son on his first birthday was more interested in the wrappings rather than the presents.

Introductory box of Brio train set that everyone can add to in years to come?

Haribos for a one year old! Never!

Duplo .... All kids love it

I agree with omajane about the Brio trains. They are wonderful. A huge choice of track and rolling stock. Add to them for birthdays and other Christmases. John Lewis also do a wooden train set that is compatible with Brio. I would add that Brio do other wooden toys too - we bought GS a pull along duck which moved its wings and head and made a quacking noise. He loved it. They also do other pull along toys.

Some sort of keepsake or mememto - a first is such a memorable milestone that maybe to start some sort of collection that you/other family members/the child himself can gradually add to and while may be relatively cheap now, with careful thought could eventually become valuable.

How about a personalised book like 'the boy who lost his name' my GC love theirs. The company do a similar one for the child's address as well.

I appreciate all couples with young children aren't struggling financially but, if they are, how about a voucher so that they can buy the little ones something for his winter wardrobe. I know my grandson has just celebrated his birthday and he has so many toys so my mum gave my daughter money to buy his winter coat

introductory box of Brio train set that everyone can add to in years to come?

My girls still played with theirs well into primary school and even asked santa for extensions/garages/extra bits!

One of the best value toys ever in terms of play hours!

Best thing is, it doesn't even matter if someone else got it too, because it' just means more track!

No book vouchers/gift cards - they can be surprizingly hard to spend (some major chains with online shops don't accept vouchers online) and even if you do make it to a branch, you usually end up with odd £2s unspent on them. Many do go un-used!

Books are good

You CAN have too much lego, contrary to a previous post , but that's from a parent's perspective, I conceed that the kids love it!

Money towards swim lessons?

Clothes are always good

Don't feel you need to spend to much, at 1 the cheepest stuff is usually the best hit, Wilkinsons has a great range for that age

John Lewis also do a wooden train set that is compatible with Brio as do ikea and wilkos www.wilko.com/baby+pre-school-toys/wilko-play-wooden-train-set/invt/0320534

Wilkinsons also do a cheap version of lego which is good

Play food is another set that provided not only days, but YEARS of play in our house, and can be built up:

www.wilko.com/make-believe/wilko-grocery-set/invt/0438481

NonnaW Lidl is getting wooden role play toys in on the 17th - any of them would be perfect

i would definitely play safe and give a cheque to add to his savings. They have so much bought them these days, you might be buying a duplicate item.

When i asked DD if there was anything in particular she'd like me to get DGD for her first birthday, she said it would be lovely to have a keepsake because DGD had lots of toys.

i'm not a great crafter but I made a 'quiet book' out of felt (if you google quiet books and click on images, you'll get the idea. They cost a fortune to buy but not much to make. I also got 2 books 'Guess How Much I Love You' and "On The Night You Were Born' and wrote a little message inside each for DGD. DD was v v happy and although DGD is a bit too rough and ready to look at her busy book, she does like the two 'real' books at bedtime.