13These creative activities for 1 year old come from some of our favorite moms.
Some days it is easier to figure out what to do to entertain a toddler than others which is why I love this list of activities for 1 year old!
Oh so many ways to play with baby!
I consider myself well-versed in the world of babies and development of play.
We have 6 kids, in six years – I know, we’re crazy.
Sometimes I think all I “do” is herd tots all day. I asked other moms on social media to share some of their best activities for one year olds and was astounded at the list of things I have yet to explore with my child (and the activities we did together without even knowing it).
Make Homemade Baby Toys at Home
Tag Blanket Craft
You can have an older sibling help create this homemade baby toy – it is a mini tag blanket, perfect for the diaper bag!
Baby Game
Sometimes the simple toys are the ones that best engage our kids! In this simple toddler game, grab a metal bowl and a ball (solid plastic is best for noise factor). Listen to the ball roll as your child plays and “swishes” the bowl.
So many fun ideas for 1 year olds!
Learning Games for 1 year old
Sing Your ABCs
Have fun teaching your toddler to recognize the ABCs. Start with the simple alphabet song! I know it seems simple, but it can be the foundation for learning the rest of their life.
Best Nursery Rhymes
Love nursery rhymes? I do – Here is a top ten list of Classic Childrens Nursery Rhymes.
Finger Play
Help your child learn to associate words with actions through finger plays. Little Moments has ideas on ways to enjoy “finger” games with 1 year olds.
Read Aloud
Begin encouraging literacy in your child when they are young with these tips for reading books to young children. Love the “How to read to a baby“, suggestion to re-enact portions of the stories to help your child enjoy the plot.
Play Trays for Learning
Looking for a way to keep your 1 year old occupied? This Reading Mama, has a collection of teaching trays that are perfect for the highchair. Contain and engage your child when you are doing chores in the kitchen.
Infant Massage
Baby Massage is a terrific way to connect with your infant and help them relax. Don’t know where to start? Angelique has suggestions
Tape Game
One of our favorite road trip tips with toddlers is to give them a roll of painters tape. Our one year olds could be interested for an hour with sticky fun. Child Station enjoys fun with her tots using contact paper in this sticky one year old activity.
1 year old Art Project
Art for one year olds, yup, you heard right. Even your youngest children can paint with this edible finger paint recipe. Even better, make meal time a fun experience by letting them play and paint with their food.
Container Game
A fun game for one year old is to transfer items from one container to another container. Muffin tins and other non-breakable dishes become great toys. Don’t want to use a tin? Look in your recycle bin for a box you can adapt to be a shape sorter DIY toy for your toddler.
Balloon Game
Help your child explore objects as they bat balloons. In this fun game for kids, consider taping them to the bottom of a table or to the back of the car seat in front of them for some “kicking” fun.
Shiny Paper Game
For a multi-sensory kids activity, give your child a piece of shiny paper. The thicker cellophane that is metallic is perfect. It makes a crinkle noise and is sure to get and keep your child’s attention!
More Activities for a 1 Year Old
We have a ton of resources here at Kids Activities for how to keep a 1 year old busy! <–We have been there! Believe me!
One thing we like to do is make DIY baby toys. One year olds often get bored of toys easily and store-bought ones can be expensive. So this is a fun solution.
Oh, and sleep is super important for the entire family so if your 1 year old doesn’t sleep through the night, you may want to check out that advice. You are not alone!
And if you are looking for fun ways to entertain a baby, we got you covered!
Fun Activities for Kids Ages 1-5
Like this post but are looking for activities for other age groups of kids? Check out our other age sets:
Activities for One Year Olds
Activities for Two Year Olds
Activities for Three Year Olds
Activities for Four Year Olds
Activities for Five Year Olds
