Caroline Kirksey

If you have a child getting close to their first birthday or are shopping for a special kid in your life, you might be looking for the perfect 1-year-old gift: somewhere between a newborn layette set and a fully functioning kid-size automobile. I’m here to help you find that happy medium with alll the suggestions we sent to relatives when asked about my daughter’s first birthday.

As a mom in Madison, I’ve accumulated some great finds when on the never-ending quest to keep my daughter busy! Here are some of my tried and true family-friendly activities in the area, organized by season.

As of June 2025 bride, here are some of the things I was so glad we put on our registry, including options at all different price points. I wasn’t even sure if we should do a registry for physical gifts, but ended up being a hit with relatives and people who wanted to send well wishes but couldn’t make it to the wedding.

Now that my daughter is a year old, I’ve been reflecting on our baby shower and the gifts she got from the baby registry! Every gift was loved and cherished, but I’ve compiled the ones that I found most useful - new parents need all the guidance we can get!