Fun Activities Ideas for 1 Year Old Babies and Above
As a mother, you know your little one’s first year of life has been full of milestones and new experiences. Mothers are often concerned about engaging their one-year-old in activities to support their child’s development and provide them with a stimulating and enriching environment.
Children are rapidly growing and developing at the age of one, and engaging them in appropriate activities can help their physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development.
Many mothers worry their child is not reaching developmental milestones as quickly as they should be. Mothers like me are always in search of engaging in age-appropriate activities that are not too challenging or dangerous but also help their child reach their full potential and build a strong foundation for a lifetime of learning and growth.
Indoor Creative And Fun Activity Ideas For 1 Year Old
As a mother, you know your little one’s first year of life has been full of new experiences and learning. Now that your baby is one year old, you may wonder what activities you can do together to keep them entertained and motivated.
Let me share some exciting ideas.
Puzzles and Stacking Toys:
Puzzles are a fun activity for your little one as it encourages problem-solving and learning. You can introduce your child to age-appropriate puzzles, stacking toys, and shape-sorting games. These toys will help develop their cognitive abilities and fine motor skills.
Stacking toys are great for developing fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
Provide your child with different types of blocks and toys to stack and build towers. You can also knock down the towers and encourage your child to build them again. Check it out here for a more idea of how it looks.
You can do this activity with paper or plastic cups too.
Click here to see how you can make it without buying any specific toys.
You can check this (here) if you are a creative mom like me; I loved this DIY idea for shape sorting; you can do the same with animals, fruits, or vegetables:
Painting Fun:
Finger painting is a fun and messy activity that 1-year-olds can do on a high chair tray.
You can make edible paints with yogurt and food coloring. Please provide your child with a large sheet of paper or cardboard, and encourage them to use their fingers to make marks on the paper. You can also offer different objects, such as a toy car or a fork, to create different textures and patterns.
Water painting is also one of the most fantastic ideas for mess-free painting.
Sensory Bins:
Sensory bins are a great way to engage 1-year-olds and help them develop their senses.
Fill a plastic container with rice, beans, or sand, and provide your child with spoons, cups, or other toys to play with in the bin. You can also add different textures or objects, such as pom-poms or rubber balls, to make the sensory experience more varied.
Check this for a more precise idea
Sensory Bottles:
Sensory play is a great way to engage 1-year-olds and help them develop their senses. You can create a sensory bottle filled with different materials like water, sand, or rice.
Fill a clear plastic bottle with water, glitter, and small toys like beads or buttons. Seal the bottle tightly, let your child shake, and watch the objects move around.
Check this out
Sensory Zip lock bags:
You can fill a zip lock bag with hair gel or paint and tape it to a window or a highchair tray for your child to explore.
I found these very interesting, and my little one loves them. You can give it a try. Check it out here:
Pom Poms Drop Activity:
Dropping pom poms is ideal for your toddlers as it helps them develop their fine motor skills and eye coordination. They will learn about cause-and-effect relationships by watching pom poms fall through the tubes.
This activity is effortless to set up! You only need some cardboard paper tissue tubes, which you can easily collect from your household’s recyclables. With some creativity and imagination, you can create a great play environment for your toddler that’s both educational and engaging.
You can also try the pom poms drop activity to teach colors. Make the colored monster cups with a plastic bag attached to them.
Check this out for a more precise idea.
So, if you are looking for a fun and stimulating activity to help your child develop critical skills, give the pom-pom drop a try! Your toddler will have a blast while learning at the same time.
Pipe Cleaning Activity:
Pipe cleaning activities can be fun and educational to keep toddlers engaged and entertained.
The pipe cleaner craft activity is great for toddlers’ fine motor skills. It helps them improve their hand-eye coordination. Also, focusing on the task and completing a craft project can help toddlers improve their concentration and attention span.
Completing a pipe-cleaning activity gives them a sense of accomplishment and boosts their self-esteem.
Check this activity here:
Empty Tissue Box Activity:
Tissue box sensory activities are a fun and educational way for toddlers to explore their senses and develop essential skills.
They can touch, feel and manipulate different materials and textures, which helps to develop their tactical sense. These kinds of activities promote curiosity and a love of learning.
You can fill the tissue box with different fabric materials, or you can also use different colors and use this opportunity to introduce new vocabulary and engage in conversations with their toddlers.
Tissue box sensory activities can be calming and soothing for toddlers, helping them to regulate their emotions and manage stress.
You can search for more ideas on Pinterest or check here:
Peeling Tape Activity:
Tape peeling activity is a simple and effective way to help your toddler develop their fine motor skills and cognitive abilities while having fun. With a few strips of tape, you can provide your child with an engaging and educational activity that will keep them entertained for hours.
Here is how to set up a tape-peeling activity for your toddler:
Material
- Tape (masking tape or painter’s tape works well)
- A flat surface ( high chair, floor, or table)
- A pair of child-friendly scissors (optional)
Instructions
Cut a few tape strips and place them on the table or floor.
Show your toddler how to peel off the tape by starting at one end and pulling it gently.
Encourage your toddler to peel off the tape by themselves. If they are having difficulty, you can help them get started by lifting the edge of the tape.
Once the tape is peeled off, your toddler can stick it back on the table or floor.
Here is a link to check the activity:
Cardboard Bead Threading:
Threading cardboard beads is an excellent activity for toddlers to develop their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. It is also fun for them to engage in creative play and explore different colors and shapes.
To start, you will need some tissue cardboard rolls, cut them into 2 -3 inch rolls, and paint them in different colors.
Next, give your toddler a piece of string or a shoelace to thread the bead onto. A shoelace can be easier for little hands to handle than a piece of string.
Encourage your toddler to pick up the bead and thread them onto the string or shoelace, one at a time. You can identify different colors of the beads as they play.
Threading cardboard beads is an inexpensive way to create unique beads that your child can enjoy playing with repeatedly.
Check this out
Catching The Worms:
Catching worms with a lint roller is a great and simple activity that toddlers will enjoy. It’s a great way to encourage curiosity, hand-eye coordination, and sensory exploration.
To start the activity, you will need a lint roller and colored pipe cleaners, which can be cut into small pieces to look like worms. You can also use other small objects such as pom poms or tiny beads.
Once it’s all setup, give the lint roller to your toddler and show them how to use it to catch the worms. Encourage your toddler to roll the lint roller over the worms and watch as they stick to the adhesive surface.
To make the activity more interesting, you can scatter the worms further apart or hide them under objects for your toddler to find. Use different colors and sizes of worms to make them more visually attractive.
Check this out
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Note:
Praise effort and hard work, not just achievements. This helps to reinforce the idea that success is not just about natural abilities but also persistence and dedication.
Also, remember every child is unique, so tailor these activities to your child’s personality and interests. With a bit of creativity and lots of love, you can create a fun and meaningful experience for your child that will benefit them for years.
The best activity you can do with your little ones is to spend quality time together. Whether you are playing together, snuggling, or just chatting, your time with your child is invaluable. It helps to build a strong bond and lays the foundation for a lifetime of love and support.
Have Fun Learning!