Finding activities for 1-year-olds might be challenging. It’s wonderful to observe how their minds grow as they engage with the world with increasing frequency, but it may be challenging to come up with enjoyable, simple, and engaging activities that strike the right balance between what they would like to do and what they are capable of. 💓
And while it may be easy to believe the hype that pricey toys are necessary to advance your child’s cognitive as well as physical development, the reality is that you can do a lot with only a few basic home items.
One-year-old activities for your kid
These wonderful activities for one-year-olds will keep their brains occupied and help them develop their skills without the use of expensive materials.🎈
Sensory Bin
Simple is the idea: Toys or other items can be concealed inside a container that has been filled with a compound, such as sand or rice. 🧤
Scoopers, tweezers, and other instruments can then be given to children, and they can go digging, scooping, and pouring!
It’s beneficial if they put their hands inside the sensory bin as well because the purpose of one is to expose them to various textures and sensations.🏆
Pom pom whisk
Even though this one is straightforward, their hands will work hard! See whether your child can get the pom poms out of a big kitchen whisk once you’ve put them in there.
It’s an excellent activity to give your toddler while the table for dinner is being set.👑
Peek-a-boo Board
Reuse the lids to make baby-wipe containers for an activity that encourages kids to explore various textures.
Glue down various items, such as dry spaghetti, felt, pom-poms, etc., under each lid, and see the look of astonishment on their faces as they open as well as feel each one.🧤
Jumbo a puzzle
Actually, this task is a two-for-one deal: You can first get your infant to color in an image after you’ve drawn a rough outline of it in thick, black lines.
Then, cut it in half to create a puzzle that is ideal for young children’s hands and minds.🧩
Fabric Mystery Box
Filling a vacant wipes box with fabric scraps of all lengths, widths, textures, hues, and patterns is another thing you may do with it.
Your child will enjoy reaching in, pulling out, and exploring each one, which promotes fine motor coordination.♥️
Rubber duck painting
With this art exercise, let their imaginations go wild: Simply get a marker pen and a rubber duck to serve as a stamp. (If the duck squeaks, it provides them added excitement.)
If you’re feeling very ambitious, you could cut out and attach various paper shapes to the bottoms of various ducks, but the duck’s bottom functions just fine on its own.👒
Busy Board
Have you ever noticed that 1-year-olds always end up messing with knobs on doors or drawer knobs even though there is a room packed with toys?
Offer them what they desire: To a board, you can maintain at a child’s level, attach locks, handles, controls, bells, flaps, zips, and any other equipment.🔴
D.I.Y. Coin box
Simply cutting a slot in a jar’s lid and providing colored tokens for insertion and ejection looks so straightforward.
However, it is constantly fun and helps with fine motor coordination to put the coins within the slot, hear the gratifying clunk when they strike the bottom, and then dig them back out again.🎉
Duplo wash sensory Bin
Toddlers would play in the bathtub all day if they could. If it is not possible, gather some scoops, some bubbles, a brush, and some Duplo blocks, and place everything in a water-filled bin. (Always have towels handy.) Then observe as they pour, scrub, and wash their toys!🎎
Play Dough
Play-Doh is available for purchase, or you can manufacture your own. In either case, working with the dough can strengthen the children’s hand muscles.
If you can also persuade them to roll a ball using their pointer or thumb, you can practice your pincer grasp.
D.I.Y. felt board
A homemade felt board allows infants to take simple shapes as well as combine and recombine them to create patterns and pictures, much like the Colorforms of old.
One can add more complicated shapes with both numbers and letters as they get younger.
Pipe Cleaner Lacing activity
Take a lot of pipe cleaners and run them through a dining area strainer, being careful not to let the ends get too pointed.
Pipe cleaners assist in strengthening hands and practicing the pincer grasp, and your child will enjoy pulling them out and attempting to lace them through once more. 🕶
Another way to complete this task is to make holes in a used egg carton.
Sound sensory jars 🫙
Old jars and containers can be filled with various things, such as coins, popcorn kernels, grain, cereal, etc., sealed tightly, and then toddlers can shake them to hear the various noises they create.
When your child is older, you can put the matches in pairs of jars and give them a search task.🧩
Contact paper 📃 ✨️ collage
Sticky side out, attach a bit of clear contact sheet to the wall. Give your child some pom poms, construction paper forms, and other doodads.
You’re going to have a collage pretty soon that doesn’t need any school glue.🌿
Ball Scoop
All you need is a container, some ball-pit balls, as well as a sieve for hours of scooping pleasure.
Encourage your youngster to pick only red balls or try to scoop two at once to help him develop his gross motor skills.🍃
No mess finger painting
Little hands are exercised while having fun with colors and textures while finger painting. To prevent a mess, squeeze some paint into a plastic container with some paper.
Calling it a “tummy time” activity, if you’re willing to go the extra mile, gets more of those muscles active while they generate.💓
Pom pom drop
Tape cardboard tubes of various diameters to a wall using painter’s tape. Give your toddler a bunch of pom-poms to fall into tubes next; she’ll be astonished to watch how they emerge from the opposite end again. Make sure you position some tubes so that your child must reach them in order to access them. 💮
Standing tall and then bending over in order to pick up the pom-poms again will help your child develop the muscles of the legs they need to walk.❤️
Rainbow Spaghetti
Another enjoyable experience for one-year-olds? Placing their hands or feet within a bowl of wet spaghetti. Even better, you may bury toys beneath the strands and let the kids search for them.
D.I.Y. Shakers
Save those paper towel tubes made of cardboard! You may make a shaker for your toddler to practice percussion with a few simple tweaks.
Let your 1-year-olds play with the various noises they produce by filling some with various items, such as dried beans or grains. They could even assist in tube decoration!🎎
Spray Board
Cleaning and pretend cleaning are fascinating to toddlers. (If only they had maintained that curiosity into adolescence!) Accept it: Allow them to use a spray bottle to mist water at you; it will help strengthen your hands.🧤
Pasta Lacing
Give your young child some yarn and large forms of pasta, and have her try to thread the spaghetti through like she’s building a necklace. They have to perfect their pincer hold to get the fiber through.🧩
Egg carton poke
Toddlers enjoy exploring at this age. Attach items with different finishes to the bottom of a vacant egg box with glue.
After that, allow them to get to and from the container and explore it to experience the various textures.🔴
Sponge Squeeze 🧽
Give your kid a sponge when it’s time to take a bath and demonstrate to them how it fills with water when squeezed, dips when it’s full, or drips water when it’s removed from the bath. 🎁
Their hand muscles will be strengthened as they squeeze the sponge. Additionally, you may talk about the various forms as you use the sponge by cutting it into various shapes (using a smaller sponge makes it easier to squeeze with one hand).♥️
Ball Roll
A tried-and-true method is to sit on the ground with your legs spread out in a “V” form, facing your toddler and having them do the same. 🔴
Check to see whether they can pick up and return a large rubber ball to you after you have rolled it to them.
This game encourages siblings to play together and improves their gross motor coordination.🎭
Wobble Board
However, once they are able to stand unassisted, around the age of 18 months, you may utilize a wobbly board to provide them with a variety of gross motor tasks.
By rocking back as well as forth on its U-shape or flipping it over, children may practice their balance.🎯
Stepping Stones
Similarly to that, when they turn 18 months old, you can construct a route made of “stepping stones” in a rainbow of colors and issue them a challenge not to fall to the ground. They can use these as a stacking activity once they’re finished. ☀️
You have two options: make your own using cardboard (or even using painter’s tape on the floor), or buy a pre-made set.
Stacking and nesting
Children can learn about basic construction principles and the notions of “big” or “little” by playing with toys that are stacked on top of one another or nest inside one another.
Purchase a pre-made stacked cup toy or collect various-sized cups and containers (empty yogurt cups, snack-sized Tupperware) that are lying around the house.🏅
Color sorting
Time to put your matching abilities to the test! If you don’t want to spend money on a color-sorting as well as shape-sorting toy.
You may make one yourself by having your child sort colored pom poms in a muffin tin made of different colored construction paper circles, or you can buy a number of brightly colored plastic bins and have them sort toys by color.🎨
Cardboard box tunnel
The cardboard containers from your large deliveries should be saved! Creating a tunnel for yourself to crawl through trains those tiny muscles.🎯
Ball pit ball hunt
Who says going on a hunt has to wait until Easter? Hide colorful ball pit balls for indoor/outdoor play, then direct your youngster to look for them.
Depending on your toddler’s level of development, you can modify the challenge, but the colors usually make them simple to identify.🔋
Count on fingers and toes
Toddlers enjoy counting objects, so teach your child how to add up by touching every single of their fingers as well as toes while you say the numbers.🎭
Write in sand or rice
Are you looking for a fun method to entertain your 12-month-old? Try putting some rice or sand in a small container and letting your child sketch in it.
Each item has a very appealing feel and will encourage learning, development, and exploration in your child.☀️
Sort toys by color
There is a tonne of toys available that match colors and for a valid reason. Children’s cognitive skills are developed through color matching.
A color-matching toy or game can be purchased, or you can make your own with construction paper, color, pom-poms, as well as popsicle sticks.🎀
Make music 🎶
Children have a natural love of music. Children can tell whether music is upbeat and energetic, or incredibly calming. They hum. They waltz.
Play some music. Make music and come up with inventive methods to include dancing and singing in their daily activities. You decide if this entails a dinner soundtrack or a party in the tub.⚽️
Playhouse 🏠
Playing house is a terrific method to develop your child’s imagination and creativity, whether it be by creating cardboard box forts, taking care of dolls, or pretending to go grocery shopping.
Make Fishing 🎣
From card games to bath toys, fishing games are rather prevalent. Therefore, pique your child’s attention with a fake fishing kit and watch as they enjoy themselves while developing their motor abilities.🧸
Play with puppets
Playing with puppets, whether they be finger, hand, or sock puppets, will inspire creativity and support your child’s social and emotional growth. No conditions are attached.💓
Run outside
While there is much to be said regarding creative play, it is impossible to emphasize the advantages of simple play, such as walking, running, jumping, and dancing. Go outdoors now. Run. Be tagged. Jump. Rotate around. And make yourself sweat.🎈
Ride a tricycle 🚲
Tricycle riding is probably not possible for 12-month-olds, at least not yet, but many are capable of doing so before turning two, so don’t be hesitant to try this as well as other outside activities. 🧩
Some trike types allow parents to have tricycle fun before their child has mastered pedaling on their own, thanks to push handles.
Outdoor play
For outdoor water play, you don’t even need a pool or a water table. Your child can have a lot of fun by running through a low-tech sprinkler.
Bring some containers to collect the water as well as a towel for snuggling after the fun is over.♠️
Paint with water
Look no further than water if you’re seeking an imaginative approach to let your child paint. Your child may make a mess-free masterpiece with a paintbrush and some colored construction paper.🀄
Baby play station
With toilet paper rolls, create a play area for babies. It’s the ideal game for infants! It moves, produces noise, and has many textures and hues.
Tickling activity
With this tickling activity from Adventures at Home with Mum, the baby won’t stop giggling! As you engage with this wonderful toy, all the threads and fabric will tickle you.✨️
Snowflake ❄️ drop Activity
Utilise Elsa-approved snowflake fall to create your own baby toy! The only thing you require is an old jar with a mouth large enough to accommodate “snowflakes.” Children under 1 find the concept of item permanence to be fascinating.
Bouncy balls and muffin tin activity 😋
For this infant play that develops brain function, get some bouncing balls as well as a muffin pan from Sugar Aunts. This will maintain the balls bouncing around and keep them running after them. 🏅
Additionally, if your one-year-old is not yet walking, it can prevent YOU from following balls around. ✨️
Clothespin Drop Activity
Use an old container to create a clothespin drop in this entertaining, educational game from I Am Able to Teach My Child.
This one requires hand-eye coordination and is an excellent way to practice motor skills with small hands, which are crucial for a 1-year-old’s growth.🔋
Play with a blanket
Put your toddler on the floor and have her hold the ends of a little blanket. Take hold of the other end while seated in front of her. Move the blanket up and down to create waves.😄
Play musical 🎼 instruments
Kids like using all kinds of instruments, including xylophones, drums, and maracas. Both acoustic as well as battery-operated toys have been used by my kids, but I greatly favored the acoustic ones.🤗
If you get a collection of instruments, you could even offer a single instrument per day or per week so that your one-year-old may thoroughly investigate the sounds and sensations of each one.🥳
Blow bubbles
Bubble popping is the best thing for 1-year-olds. Use plain bubble bottles like this one or a small bubble maker to produce lots of bubbles. For a long period, a machine creates amazing bubbles.😎
Play with a balloon 🎈
Like a tennis ball, a balloon is entertaining to play with. Adding a weight to the rope will help the balloon float to your child’s head level if it still has helium. He’ll like striking the balloon and watching it immediately return.
Cut the string from the balloon if it is deflated, then have him throw it into the air to catch it. He will fall more slowly and will be easier to catch because of the air inside the balloon.🎈
Looks photos and painting
It’s possible that you have artwork and picture frames adorning your walls and other surfaces.
Take the many pictures around your home with you or show them to your kid. Describe the subjects of the images or the theme of the artwork.🍁
Water the plants
Show your youngster how to nourish plants by filling a tiny cup or purchasing a watering can that is suitable for children. Keep your plants low to the ground or ones you can move to improve access.🃏
Apply Stickers
Stickers aid in the development of your child’s “pincer grasp,” which is the fine motor skill that allows her to pick up objects with her thumb as well as pointer finger. Have her take the rest of the sticker off the sheet after lifting the first one.🏆
Give her a piece of paper or other suitable surfaces to adhere the stickers on last. Old bits of paper can be reused, or you can even make a “card” that she can personalize and mail to a friend or relative.🧿
Pour water into another container
Learning to pour water was one of the first things my kids did during their Montessori preschool. Use a big, covered baking sheet to absorb spills, a tiny container to pour water into, plus a plastic measuring glass with a handle to replicate the activity at home.🕶
Show your youngster how to grasp the handle of the measuring cup and pour a small amount of water into the container.☀️
Conclusion
All these activities are totally perfect for your little one. Try all of these and have fun in your spare time ⏲️. These activities will also 👍 help your child to hold a grip over various aspects of day-to-day life.
I’m a former teacher (and mother of Two Childs) with a background in child development. Here to help you with play-based learning activities for kids. ( Check my Next startup Cledemy.Com)