40+ Activities For One Year Olds For Crafting Adventures for Tiny Tots

I agree that the moment you celebrate your child’s first birthday 🎂 comes after a delightful journey of learning how to change diapers, make a perfect bottle of milk 🍼 , engage in playful activities with your baby, and support your child through developmental milestones.

By the time your child becomes a one-year-old, he/she spends a lot of time engaging in playful activities. One-year-olds rarely stick to one activity for a long time. 

My toddler is always engrossed 🤓 in a new activity every now and then.

As a responsible parent, monitoring your child’s activities is one of your gravest concerns.

I remember 🤔 enjoying a ton of activities with my son when he was a one-year-old energetic toddler.

Best Activities for a One-year-Old

As a parent, did you feel a rush of happiness whenever you noticed your child smile👶 while enjoying an activity?

Did you just grab your camera or smartphone to capture that smile in a photograph 📸 as a cherished memory?

I have numerous such photographs of my son smiling ear-to-ear.

Read on to discover 🔎 many such activities for your child that will make them smile so many times that you will get tired of capturing them in photographs.

Activities not only play a massive role in making your child happy but also influence the physical 💪 and cognitive 🧠 developmental stages of your child. 

Your child develops several skills through these ⤵️ day-to-day activities.

Adding to this, there is a piece of good news too- most of the activities don’t require you to buy all kinds of expensive 🧸 toys.

Counting on Fingers and Toes

I have a very fond memory of learning how to count one to ten on our fingers 👐 or toes. One-year-olds find it very fascinating to count things. This simple activity will definitely make them smile 😄 ear-to-ear and keep them engaged, improving their counting abilities.

I recall unending smiling moments 😇 when I used to spend time with my son doing this activity, and now I have the privilege of enjoying it with my daughter.

Collecting Colorful Things in a Box

Spread some colorful toys all over the carpet or the floor. Following this, ask your adorable little one to pick them up and drop them in a 📦 box. You can easily teach them how to do it by doing it yourself once or twice along with them.

Pro Tip

Toddlers have a very risky habit 😔 of putting every item into their mouths. I advise you to use items or toys that are large enough in size to prevent being gulped down by your little one.

Playing with Sensory Bin

Take a bin🗑 and add sand or rice grains into it. Grab a bunch of your child’s favorite toys ⚽️ and hide them inside the compound you have filled the bin with.

The exposure to different kinds of sensations and textures, when your little one digs in their hand to find their favorite toy 🏓, is going to put a big smile on their face.

The Cute Pom-Pom Whisk

Want to use your whisk in a smart way? Place a few colorful pom poms inside it and encourage your little one to take them out one by one.

This simple activity 🧶 is going to keep them engaged for a long time.

Hidden Treasure Boxes

I remember I used to be so confused thinking about how to recycle the empty baby wipe boxes 📦. I had plenty of them 😵 as a mother of two children.

I ended up creating tiny treasure boxes 🎁 out of them.

Just take a used empty box and glue colorful pom poms, tiny legos, dried pasta, or other similar items 🎀 inside it. Make sure every box contains a different item.

Put six to seven such boxes together and let them open those boxes to discover a new colorful delight 🎊 every time.

Interesting Jumbo Puzzles

Take a printout of a large, colorful image of a butterfly or a 🦁 lion.

Cut the image into big pieces and let your toddler spend time joining them 🧩 to get the big picture. This tiny conquest of creating a complete image out of all those pieces will be an absolute delight 😉 boosting the imagination and creativity of your little one.

Pro Tip

My son used to chew up 🙃 all the pieces of paper before he could use them to create the whole picture. I advise you to keep your child under your supervision to prevent them from eating items that aren’t edible.

Tunnel for Pom Poms or Balls

If you have pieces of cardboard pipes at home, use them to make a zig-zag pattern of tunnels. Just tape it to the walls in a zig-zag fashion. Take a ball or pom-pom and ask your little one to drop the ball into the mouth of the tunnel placed at the highest position.

Notice the surprised smile 🤩 on your kid’s face when the ball passes through the chain of tunnels to come out from the last one.

Rainbow Noodles

I use long strands of colorful 🌈 threads to make a basket of colorful noodles🍝 for my kid. I hide their toys inside the bundle of threads and let my toddler find them.

This activity keeps them engaged for a long time.

Try it with your kids because I am sure they are going to love it.

Exploring a Fabric Mystery Box

As mothers, we all have many small fabric pieces 👗 lying in our closets. Put them inside a box and encourage your little one to pull out one of the pieces.

One-year-olds find those diverse textures on different pieces very 🤯intriguing.

Ask the Rubber Duck to Paint

Most of us have a yellow rubber duck 🐤 at home who was our little one’s bathing buddy. This little duck can also help your toddler paint an adorable masterpiece.

Just take a palette 🎨 with different colors and encourage your little one to use the rubber duck as a stamper.

The end result of this activity is a cute little painting created by your child and his duck buddy.

Pro Tip

Every child has his/her own preferences. My son always used his rubber duck during this activity, while my daughter prefers to use her 🦄 rubber pony. 

Let them choose to enjoy themselves with their favorite rubber buddy.

The Busy Board

One-year-olds cannot be left unsupervised because they are always pulling door knobs 🚪 or fidgeting with switchboards around the house.

A solution to this problem is creating an activity board by sticking fake door knobs, bells, and switches to the 📋 board.

Your little one will keep fidgeting with the busy board safely.

The Puppets

Take a sock 🧦 and stitch two eyes and a nose on it with the help of a needle. Wear it on your hand and interact with your toddler using it. Make several puppets for your adorable kids and have a delightful interaction with them.

I am sure these puppets will make an interaction with your little one hilarious 😂 as well as engaging.

Dance Battle

If you’re playing outdoors with your child, then turn on the music and match steps 💃 with them. This activity will improve their muscle coordination. Alternate between slow and fast music so that your kid starts getting acquainted with different rhythms eventually.

Obviously, the laughter and energetic dance moves 👯‍♀️ of your toddler are going to be a bonus treat for you.

Keynote

I would like to highlight the fact that mindfully engaging in simple activities like dancing, singing, or even walking with your toddlers leads to developmental benefits🧠 for your child.

Sprinkler Shower

If you have a lawn with sprinklers 🚿 , turn them on and let the party begin. It will be a wonderful experience to dance 🕺 and play with your toddlers under the showers of water droplets.

Pro Tip

You can also use water balloons🎈, but never forget to keep your cute little toddler under your supervision.

The Coin Collecting Game

Colorful plastic coins are easily available in the market. Take a box, make a slit on the lid, and ask your toddler to put coins 🪙 through the slit into the box.

This can also transform into a counting activity by making your little one count the number of coins he/she put inside.

Important Note

I advise you to buy coins of a bigger size so that there are no chances for your toddler to gulp down one 🥺 by mistake.

Bubble Bucket

Mix soap with water to make a tub 🛁 of cute bubbles. Place your kid’s favorite toys 🧸 inside.

Let them find and scrub them 🫧 while enjoying themselves to the fullest.

Make a Dough

You can easily buy colorful dough from the market, but I remember making dough for my son at home. He absolutely loved ❣️ it.

Whenever the adorable little one is playing with dough 🎨 , it helps them form a firmer grasp whenever they squeeze the dough with their fingers.

Important Note

Make sure your toddler does not ☠️ put his/her finger covered with dough into their mouth.

Musical Jars

Fill up tiny jars with different grains, cereals, or coins. Close it tightly and shake it to produce a wonderful musical treat 🎶 to the ears.

Your kid is going to love it while giggling and dancing to the sounds 🎵 merrily.

You can also grab the pots, pans, and spoons 🍳 from your kitchen to bang them against each other to create a piece of music to dance on.

Important Note

Make sure to close the lids tightly so that the coins inside the box don’t fall out. Children tend to put things into their mouths, especially coins. Avoid such accidents by taking precautions 📝 beforehand.

Scoop the Balls

This is a favorite childhood game of many. Fill up a tub of water and place some plastic balls 🥎 in it. Give your child a sieve and ask them to scoop out all the balls.

Your toddler will love 😎 this game. You can also make your toddler count the number of balls he/she has scooped out to improve their counting abilities.

Painting Without Mess

Toddlers tend to land up in a colorful mess whenever they paint. To avoid it, I used to squeeze the tubes of paint 🎨 on a piece of paper and place it inside a zip-lock bag or a plastic bag.

Your little ones can run their cute little fingers all over the plastic bag without getting paint on their hands.

Jewelry Making

Give your little one a piece of thread and ask them to thread pieces of dried pasta to make a 💎 necklace.

They will love making it as well as wearing it too. This activity will improve their focus, creativity skills, and hand-to-eye coordination. 

Important Note

Please be careful if you are using beads instead of dried pasta. Make sure 😌 your little one doesn’t gulp down one.

Egg Carton and Bubble Wraps

Don’t throw away the cardboard egg 🥚 cartons after using them. You can make a sensory box with it by sticking different types of materials like dried pasta or fabrics inside it. Your child will spend a lot of time feeling these materials.

You can also use bubble wrap as a sensory toy for your kid. Who doesn’t like popping the bubbles on the wrap?

Important Note

Do not ☠️ stick any materials that may be harmful to your little one, like sharp objects. Always keep them under your supervision.

Squeeze the Sponge

While bathing or playing in the tub, hand over a piece of sponge 🧽 soaked in water to your kid. One-year-olds love squeezing the sponge over and over again.

Sponges come in diverse colors. Your child is going to be fascinated 😋 by them.

Classic Ball Game

Want to improve the gross motor skills of your little one?

I used to play this game with my son numerous times throughout the day. Now, my daughter has joined us 🥎 to add to all the giggles and laughter.

Just sit with your legs in a V-shape and ask your one-year-old to imitate you. Roll a ball towards them and ask them to get a hold of it.

All of us have played this game in our childhood with our parents. It will bring back a lot of memories ❣️ when you play this game with your child.

Stacking of Toys

This is a simple yet engaging activity for a one-year-old. Ask them to stack blocks, paper cups, or toys 🧸 one upon another.

The tower of stacked toys may fall down several times, but your adorable one will most probably respond with a giggle 😄 and get back to building it again.

Important Note

Transform it into a counting game, but make your little one count the number of blocks or paper cups 🧠 they have placed one upon another.

Tunnel Game

Take several cardboard boxes 📦 and open them from both sides. Place them in a line to form a tunnel. Let your little one crawl into the tunnel from one side and come out of the other.

This game is nothing less than an adventure for your kid, who is going to burst into a smile of wonder and joy 😄 every time he/she peeks at you from inside the tunnel.

This activity also helps to strengthen the muscles of your child.

Draw With the Piping Bag

Fill up a piping bag with cream 🍦 or any edible material, and encourage your little one to draw with it. You don’t have to worry if your kid gives you a notorious smile before quickly putting the cream into his/her mouth.

One-year-olds are really quick 🤪 when they are doing something that they aren’t supposed to do. 

Match the Color

I recommend making toddlers engage in activities that require matching the same colors 🎨 . It is extremely beneficial for their cognitive 🧠 skills.

This activity comes with a lot of options. You can encourage your kid to sort the different colored balls into baskets🗑 of matching colors, or you can do the same with other materials too.

Play Fetch

This is a favorite all over the globe. Asking your one-year-old to fetch a certain object 🧸 while cheering for them is a cherished memory for many parents.

The moment your kid fetches the correct item and turns to smile back at you will definitely make your heart melt.

Keynote

Many parents love playing fetch or ‘catch-catch’ with a 🏐 volleyball. Your little one might not be able to catch the ball every time, but you can always cheer for them when they are chasing 🏃‍♂️ after it.

Let’s Build Our Fort

This activity is a favorite 🏰 for one-year-olds as well as eleven-year-olds. Some of us might like it even after we turn 18.

Building a fort out of cardboard boxes, bedsheets, and stools for their one-year-old is a cherished experience ❤️ for most parents.

The joy of playing in the fort with your little one makes it even more priceless. My son and I still love building forts and having snacks 😃 🍡 inside them.

Finger Painting

Create a masterpiece painting by engaging in a finger-painting activity with your little one. Encourage your one-year-old to use their tiny fingers to paint 🎨 using different colors.

Instead of fingers, you can also use cotton balls for this activity.

Important note

I highly recommend using colors that do not contain harmful chemicals. This activity should be performed under the supervision ⛑️ of the guardian.

Hide-and-seek

Hide some of your one-year-old’s toys around the house and ask him/her to look for them.

Your heart is going to melt when you see your child fidgeting with almost everything around the room to find their favorite 🤧 ❤️ toy buddies.

Pop the Bubble

Bubble blowers have been a popular favorite for many decades.

Use the ones that form bigger bubbles. Your adorable one will giggle merrily while jumping around chasing the bubbles. You hear a louder giggle 😉 when they win at popping one of those bubbles.

Join the Parade

Take all the stuffed toys and arrange them in a straight line. Tie them up to one another using a thread (or you can even tie the tail of a stuffed monkey 🐵 to the tail of a stuffed lion 🦁 ) to keep them together.

March around the whole house 🏃‍♂️ with your toddler leading this parade of stuffed toys while you merrily join them.

I love marching around the house with my son, daughter, and their lovely toys.

Play with the Mirror

One-year-olds love making hilarious faces in the mirror. Join them in this funny 🤪 activity.

Make smiley faces 🙂 , frown 🤨 , or dance 🕺 with your adorable one in front of the mirror. Copy each other’s moves. This will help the parent and the child to form a strong bond.

And the memories of this activity will make you smile even years after.

I recall those memories of making weird faces with my kids, and it makes me smile every single time.

Peek-a-boo

Use your hands to hide your face and say ‘peek-a-boo’ while revealing your face to your toddler. This works like magic to make your adorable one burst into giggles.

Very soon, your toddler will start imitating you 😝 making this peek-a-boo activity even more priceless. 

Story Time

Toddlers love exploring books with three-dimensional colorful prints of fruits 🍎 , animals 🦧 , and vegetables.

These days, you can also find storybooks with such features. Engage in a delightful storytime activity using these with your toddler.

If fairy tales are what your little one loves- I recommend getting your hands on the Disney Pop-Up Books Set– it is a delight for children. 

Important Note

You can also make a three-dimensional storybook at home. Take a colorful printout of the fruits 🍓 or vegetables 🥕 your toddler likes. Cut out the shapes of different fruits from the printout.

Make an outline of the shapes on cardboard pieces and cut them out accordingly. Attach two to three such cardboard pieces to the backside of the printout you have cut out.

Your three-dimensional piece is ready 🎊 for your toddler to play with. Attach it to a notebook to create a whole book.

The Obstacle Course

Create a whole course with pillows, stools 🪑 , and other items (that are not harmful). Race with your child and encourage them to finish first by climbing, crawling, or jumping 🏃‍♂️ to overcome the obstacles.

The Colorful Scavenger Hunt

This is a great activity to help your little one get acquainted with the names of colors.

Show them a certain color and ask them to locate items 🧸 of the same color all around the house.

Imitate the Animal

Meow like a cat 🐱 or quack like a duck 🐤 in front of your kid. Soon, your kid will start imitating you and, thereby, learn the sounds of different animals.

Fun with the Shadows

Take a flashlight and point it toward the wall. Use your hand or objects to make fascinating shadows on the wall (a deer🫎, a rabbit🐰, or a rock). Encourage your little one to do the same.

This activity will boost the imagination of your kid 🤗 along with his creativity skills.

Stickers and Collage

Use different types of stickers to make a collage on a piece of paper with your one-year-old.

When my son was a year old, I remember using dried leaves 🍃 or flower petals 🌺 to make a collage instead of stickers. I still have the adorable masterpiece we created together safely in my closet.

Restaurant Play

You can arrange the utensils 🍽 🥄 from your kitchen on the tea table and pretend to be in a restaurant. Alternate between being the cook and the customer with your kid.

And yes, don’t forget to praise 🫡 his cooking skills.

Explore Nature Together

Nothing feels better than playing in a beautiful park 🍃 with your little one. Starting from the flowers 🌹 to rocks, your little one is going to find everything interesting.

I always make it a point to go on a walk with my children once in a while.

Running around in a park is very beneficial for your kid’s health. Point out the beautiful flowers or the birds 🦜 perched on the branches of a tree.

Tap the Balloons

Is there any kid on this planet who doesn’t love balloons🎈 ?

Colorful balloons or dotted balloons have always been a favorite. Play 😁 with your one-year-old by throwing the balloons in the air and constantly tapping them upwards whenever they start falling towards the ground.

Pro tip

My son and I used to draw two eyes 👀 and a nose 🐽 on balloons and play with them. It used to result in a funny interactive game of puppets made up of balloons.

Conclusion

The number of activities you can enjoy 🥹 with your kid is countless.

What is the best part?

You can create a new activity according to your little one’s preferences every day. The precious moments 🥰 you spend with your kid are extremely important for his/her development.

I have thoroughly enjoyed these activities with my son and daughter. I hope it will help you to make your precious moments ❤️ even more memorable. 

Let me know in the comments which activity you liked 😇 the most.