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Our top pick for the best 1-year-old toy. Photo by Hide N' Side


The one-year-old brain is a hubbub of developmental activity. It has much to accomplish -- the least of which are visual and motion processes. “I see a bunch of things on the coffee table,” says the one-year-old brain, “but something is telling me they aren’t all connected. Ah, I know what that moving thing is!” referring to the already much maligned cat, whose tail is never safe while both baby and feline are breathing the same air.

Choosing toys to help with these developments makes sense. One in particular that we’d like to discuss is the Hide N Side Crawl Tunnel.

First, the dimensions, for those of you with bulging closets and stuffed toy chests: It has a nearly 20-inch diameter and six feet of crawl space. Red, green, and blue panels -- and one clear one -- are made from a soft polyester fabric. It weighs less than 1.5 pounds and, when collapsed, ties easily.

As for the fun and learning parts: This colorful tunnel lets your child develop spatial awareness -- knowing what to avoid when moving or when to interact with what is around him -- and to understand that even though he might not see it, the tunnel will still exist. And of course the more baby moves and crawls, the better her motor skills become. And as for peek-a-boo, that game is a given.

This toy passes all Consumer Product Safety Commission’s toy standards.

The tunnel holds a 4.5/5 star rating on Amazon, alongside rave reviews. One parent wrote that it was incredibly helpful with her child’s play therapy, while another said her daughter loves playing with it. Another wrote that her child even prefers sleeping in it while another praised it for pricing, high-quality and durability.

For these reasons, the Hide N Side Crawl Tunnel is the ideal toy we recommend for your one year old.

Article medically reviewed by Yvonne Stolworthy, MSN, RN
If you're interested in reading how Medical Daily reaches its Top Pick conclusions, please click here.