15+ Best Water Toys for 1-Year-Olds (Outside & Bath Ideas!)

Looking for safe and fun water toys for your little one? Check out our top picks for the best water toys for 1-year-olds! As always, prioritize safety and supervise your child at all times while they are playing in the water.

In a few short months, my third baby will turn 1. With summer coming up, it has me thinking about our favorite water toys at this stage. I’ve been through it twice before, so today I’m sharing all about our favorite water toys for toddlers.

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Best Outdoor Water Toys for 1-Year-Olds

1. Water Table

A water table is my absolute FAVORITE must-have water toy for a 1-Year-Old. While you still supervise your 1-year-old anytime they are playing with water, I love that they aren’t actually sitting in water like they are in a wading pool. Plus, it provides the child with a fun sensory experience that can help with their development and does not use endless gallons of water!

My first 2 kiddos LOVED this water table at age 1, and my 9-month-old already enjoys standing at it and playing.

The only thing I would do over is possibly buying an even bigger or nicer one like this because of how much they love it. But our super simple one proves it doesn’t have to be fancy to get lots of use!

2. Water Table Toys

Having some fun water table toys is a great way to make the experience even more fun for your kids. We have this fishing set at Grandma’s house with her water table, and my kids have a blast with it. Here are some other favorite great table toys:

• Duck Dive Water Table Accessory
• Munchkin Bath Cups
• Munchkin Baby Boat Train

3. Inflatable Kiddie Pool

Last year we wound up with a cheap kiddie wading pool, and the kids had a blast with it! This year, I’m buying one of these small inflatable baby pools. Of course, with needing to supervise a 1-year-old closely, it’s probably easiest to get in the pool yourself, but I’m not complaining about that on a hot summer day.

Throw in some bath toys for extra fun for your little one, and let them splash and cool off!

4. Kids Running Water Sink

My kids LOVE this sink. My daughter got it when she was 1 and was OBSESSED. We loved it so much that they wore it out (after a couple of summers), so I bought a new one this year and fully expect my kids (almost 1 year old, 3 years old, and 5 years old) to all spend time playing with it.

5. Splash Pad

Splash pads can help a 1-year-old cool down on a hot summer day while also providing a fun sensory experience for a toddler. Plus, I love that splash pads only contain shallow water or no standing water at all, making them safer to have with a busy 1-year-old around. We don’t have a splash pad yet, but I’ve got this one on our Amazon list.

6. Water Sprinkler

Again, similar to the splash pad, this adorable water sprinkler is great for little kids because there is no standing water. I couldn’t find our exact sprinkler, but it’s very similar to this (just not quite as cute.) And while I like a water sprinkler for my little kids, it’s fantastic because even big kids can have fun with it.

7. Water Wheel

I remember playing with a water/sand wheel at the beach as a kid. It’s perfect for summer beach days because it works for sand or water. (So it could be an excellent sand toy as well…by the way, check out our other favorite outdoor toys for 1-year-olds here.)

8. Watering Can

A watering can is a simple idea, but it could very well be the best outdoor water toy for your 1-year-old. My kids LOVE to water flowers. This is a “toy” that will definitely grow with your child. We bought indoor watering cans for our kids, but this watering can has 2 handles and would probably work better for a 1-year-old.

9. Baby Float for Pool Days

If you’re headed to the pool, bringing a float like this for your baby can be fun. This is the one we had for our kiddos, and they loved it! Again, you still have to directly supervise by holding the float, but it is easier than holding a squirming 1-year-old, and it’s fun to be able to walk them around in the float.

Best Bathtub Water Toys for 1-Year-Olds

10. No Hole Rubber Animals (Dinosaurs, Ocean, Wild Animals, etc!)

Rubber animals in bright colors are always our baby/1-year old’s favorite toys.

Learn from our mistake and buy rubber animals without a hole to prevent the growth of mold. It’s no fun to squeeze water out of toys every night, and you certainly don’t want to introduce mold in your little one’s bath time. These sets come in a variety of themes: Ocean Animals, Dinosaurs, Wild Animals

11. Skip Hop Bath Cup Toys

These Skip Hop Bath Cup toys are my kids’ favorite at Grandma’s House. I recommend this set as it is not only a fun water toy for the bath but could also be used in a water table.

12. Foam Letters

While your 1 year old won’t be spelling their name yet, you can start showing them foam letters and arranging their name for them to start recognizing their name and certain letters in the alphabet. We love this basic set of foam letters. Plus, it comes with numbers which you can start introducing as well.

13. Munchkin Bath Bobbers

I just ordered these Munchkin Bath Bobbers for my little one. They are the perfect toy for little hands to work on motor skills as they try to grab them while they bob in the water.

14. Watering Can Bath Toy

I find young toddlers love to pour, and they love watering cans! This adorable watering can is perfect for a bathtub or water table.

15. Wind Up Bath Toys

Our kids have also been fond of wind-up bath toys at age 1. My son had this Hape Wind-up Bear, but this wind-up Penguin is also cute and does get better reviews.

Benefits of Water Play for 1-Year-Olds

Water play can be an excellent activity for 1-year-olds as it offers many benefits for physical, cognitive, and even social-emotional development. So whether your toddler is playing with water outside or simply in the bath, know that it is entertaining and provides various benefits.

Here are some of the benefits of water play for 1-year-olds:

1. Sensory stimulation: Water play provides a range of sensory experiences that can help to stimulate a child’s senses.
   
2. Gross motor development: Playing in the water can help to develop a child’s gross motor skills, such as balance, coordination, and even strength when moving through a pool.
   
3. Fine motor development: Activities such as pouring, squeezing, and moving objects in the water can help to develop a child’s fine motor skills, including hand-eye coordination and finger dexterity.
   
4. Social-emotional development: Water play can help to promote social-emotional development by providing opportunities for children to take turns, share toys, and develop their communication skills.
   
5. Creativity and imagination: Playing with open-ended water toys can boost a small child’s creativity and imagination.
   
6. Cognitive development: Water play, especially with toys such as a water wheel, can help boost your child’s understanding and brain development.

Overall, water play can be a fun and engaging activity for 1-year-olds that offers a range of developmental benefits. Plus, getting outside is healthy for kids, providing fresh air and vitamin D from sunshine.

Other Activities & Toys for 1-Year-Olds

If you are looking for other activities for 1-Year-Olds, be sure to check out these helpful articles:

41+ Best Outdoor Toys for 1-Year-Olds – My kiddos are in the best mood if we spend a good chunk of time outdoors daily. Check out this post if you’re looking for more ways to keep toddlers entertained with our favorite outdoor toddler toys.

18 Practical Gifts for 1-Year-Olds – Whether it’s birthdays, Christmas, or just because, here are some great practical (including non-toy) gifts for 1-year-olds.

23 Best Books for 1-Year-Olds

Please feel free to drop your 1-year-old’s favorite water toys in the comment section below!

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