13 Interesting Activities for a 1-Year-Old Baby

Every child is curious and the main intention of all their activities is the exploration of the world around them. Why is the period after celebrating the first birthday is so peculiar? Because your child is not strong enough to be independent, however, the aspirations are quite high. That is why it is so important to direct all the energy in the correct direction. In such a way, your 15-month-old baby won’t be bored and won’t cause your stress. Before we proceed to the suggested activities to do with a one-year-old, let us list the abilities and achievements of your little one.

Milestones Reached by a 15-Month-Old Child

It seems that you have just been interested in the first birthday party ideas but now your child looks much more grown and is becoming more and more active. Here is the list of the most significant achievements.

• Walk and run: Depending on the age when they learn walking, by 15 months, some of them may be quite confident in this skill and are hard to catch.
• Climb and jump: These are the activities most parents are afraid of. Undeniably, climbing a ladder imposes danger to a child who has recently turned 1.
• Push and pull different objects: Sometimes, toddlers can push even something heavy like a chair.

• New words start appearing in the vocabulary of your child aside from mommy and daddy. You begin mastering verbal communication with your baby.
• Your little one can now listen, understand, and fulfill uncomplicated requests, for example, to pick up a ball and give it to you.
• The active world cognition is continuing non-stop. Most new objects are likely to be taken to the mouth for investigation.

• Your child understands what you are saying and asking;
• They know most of the body parts;
• Babies become a bit more concentrated after 15 months;
• Imagination is actively developing.

Above are just the general abilities. However, there is no certain response to a question, “What should a 15-month-old be doing?” Some kids can even talk by 18 months, while others will remain almost silent until they reach 3 years old. Both of these examples are completely ok. That is why do not refer to the above list as to something that your little one has to definitely master by 15 months, this is not a checklist of 15-months baby development.

When it comes to the choice of fun things to do with 1-year-olds, the most important is to let your child spend the energy that seems endless. Of course, it is also necessary to motivate them to develop their imagination and other cognitive skills with games. That is why we will begin the list of suggestions with active outdoor pastimes.

Additional tip: before you choose what to do in the morning or evening, analyze the behavior of your baby in the evening. In the majority of cases, after the afternoon nap, most kids are active and are not glad to go to bed. That is why we suggest planning games intended to develop new skills in the morning when your baby is attentive enough, while active outdoor activities can be scheduled for the evening to make your active toddler tired and hungry.

What Activities Can You Do With a 1-Year-old Outside

If your 15-months old child is a non-stop source of energy, ensuring active pastimes is your key to 12 hours of the night sleep. Make use of every possibility that may help your little one spend energy. Here is what we suggest.

1. Tossing the Ball

For such kids, it is better to opt for soft beach balls that won’t hurt them. Look for the places with grass where your toddler can run and crawl pushing the ball. Your active participation can be also needed: roll the ball for your little one to chase it. Suggest your baby throw a ball to you and vice versa, this will help develop the motor skills.

It is important to check the surface of the meadow where you are going to play to avoid scratches and injuries. If you have got several balls, you can take them and learn their colors in the process of the game. This is a much more effective approach than sitting and showing cards with different colors.

2. Learning a Game of Tag

If you are searching for what activities you can do with a 1-year-old, running and chasing each other are among the most beloved ones. If you are outside, encourage your child to run from you and then change your roles. It is better to learn your child run better and faster. Regardless of anything, they will run and it is better if they do this confidently.

This game is even suitable as one of the ideas for indoor activities. The only thing is to make sure that the area where you are going to run is free from potentially dangerous obstacles. When you catch your little one, do not forget about hugs and kisses. Have fun together at any time as this activity requires no preparation at all. Just make sure that the area is safe.

3. Blowing Bubbles

Of course, this can be done at home, however, this activity is more suitable as an outdoor pastime. You can buy either regular bubbles or even huge ones. There are two options for a play. You give your toddler the bubble toy to blow and let your little explorer create bubbles and get excited about how they float away by the wind and burst. Another option is when you are blowing bubbles, while your child is running around and catches them. Most kids enjoy the second option, of course. For this reason, we think it is one of the outside learning activities for a 1-year-old.

4. Getting a Push Ride-on Toy for Your Toddler

This can be confidently called the best toy for 15-month-old. If you haven’t got it yet, do not waste your time to acquire one. First of all, your child who has recently learned walking will be able to practice in keeping balance. Make sure that the handle for pushing is placed conveniently for your baby to push it while walking. In such a way, you won’t be so afraid for your toddler while you are on a stroll thanks to the handle that helps keep balance.

Another option is to ride the toy. While sitting on it, your baby will need to push away with legs and feet. This is a great exercise for strengthening legs. Make sure that the toy is stable and won’t turn. Besides, riding on it, the movement of your baby won’t be chaotic and unpredictable. In this way, you can keep your active son or daughter under control.

In general, the more time you manage to spend outside, the better it is for the health and proper physical and cognitive development of your baby. No book about animals will substitute the nature your child can observe around in the park. Whenever there is the possibility to go out, do not hesitate. What is more, after one year, your child is ready to begin interacting with other children. If you have been invited to a kids’ party or a baby shower where other toddlers will be, take your little one and go to get acquainted with new friends. Socializing is an integral and inevitable part of their development.

1-Year-Old Babies Crafts Ideas

It is clear that you cannot spend all day long outside. The weather can be unpredictable while there are also some routines you need to do at home. That is why we have also collected some babies’ crafts ideas. Some of them can even spare you some time to do chores.

5. Using Finger Paints

This is a great discovery of recent years. No need to teach your little one how to handle pencils or brushes. Let the paint with their fingers. First, before you buy them, check the content. It has to be safe. Nowadays, there are even paints that won’t hurt your little one if they take their painted fingers in the mouth. If your kid has got an extreme interest in placing everything in the mouth, it is even possible to make edible paints from different fruits and vegetables.

If you are worried about the mess your toddler can create around while painting, you may sit her in the bathtub. When the activity is over, it will be quick and easy to wash the paint off your little artist, as well as to clean the tub.

6. Creating Doodles With Your Baby

The arrangement of this activity depends on the area of your dwelling and the way walls and floors are covered. You can fix thick paper sheets to the floor, give your little one crayons and let her create. This is one of the beloved toddler painting game because it foresees less order. Though you’d rather stay near to make sure the floor or walls are not becoming the next art object. In the process, learn the colors of crayons with your little one, and do not forget to appraise and boast to daddy the art of your little one.

Additional tip: if you are not sure that your child will properly understand the difference between painting paper sheets on the floor and painting floors, be sure to hide crayons reliably. After all, it is you who have shown your curious toddler how to create doodles on the floor.

7. Making Hand- and Footprints

Prints of hands and feet are always a great gift idea for parents of newborns and toddlers alike. However, you can also do this on your own. Pour some paint on a tray, place hands (or feet) in it, and print them on a thick paper or card. Then, hide them to get dried for your little one not to finish the piece of art with doodles and fingerprints. Let your little one create on another sheet of paper.

After the prints dry, you can draw them around with a black pen and hang in the frame on the wall. Your baby will adore this art that has been made together. Do not forget to repeat the colors and identify a favorite one of your toddler.

8. Playing with Dough

There are two options. You can either get a set of multi-color playdough or use the one you bake for playing. At the age of 15 months, you will unlikely need to form something exquisite from the dough, however, you can begin practicing for the future. In a year, your child will ask for an elephant or crocodile.

While now, let your child squeeze and mold the dough with hands. This is a great activity for the development of fine motor skills, as well as to learn how to concentrate for a longer time. Learn colors and forms in the process. A set of special forms of letters and shapes can help you make this game educational as well. Why not use the moment when your toddler is so attentive and concentrated?

Other Creative Ideas to Spend Time with a 1-Year-Old

The period after 1 year is the period when your child investigates and discovers not only the world around them but also themselves. Parents are an integral part of this process. Even if you have acquired interesting toys for 15-month-old, be ready to get involved in the game. The time for independent plays will come a bit later.

9. Reading and Watching Books

The choice of activity depends on your baby. Some kids love listening to fairy-tales and different stories read by parents. While others cannot concentrate on listening but adore looking at pictures and pointing at objects. Decide based on the preferences of your little one. You will be either reading or talking, thus, developing the speech skills of your baby. It is a great ritual before going to bed as it helps your child calm down and get ready for the night’s sleep.

10. Fun Dancing

Switch on the music your little one likes and dance together. There are also special videos for children with a set of uncomplicated moves to learn. You can master some of them and learn more every time you start a dancing session. It is also possible to use diverse accessories and additional props for dancing. Change music and also join the dance. This is not about professional dance but about having fun together.

11. Playing with Laundry/Toys’ Basket

Among favorite activities is throwing objects in baskets or boxes and then turning them upside down. This can be not so fun with a basket of toys as your child sees it every day. While the laundry basket can raise a real interest. You can either let your little one play as they want or suggest placing certain toys or objects in the basket. In this way, you will develop hand and eye coordination, as well as fine motor skills. Show how to throw things from a distance and let your baby practice in this.

12. Learning and Singing Catchy Rhymes

Rhymes are associated with childhood. Most probably, you also remember several rhymes your mom used to sing with you. This is a fun way to develop language skills and memory of your baby. Lots of songs suggest certain hand or leg movements, include them, and have fun together. Encourage your little one to repeat these short songs together with you. It is one of the most cheerful pastimes among 13 interesting activities we have collected for you.

13. Playing with Food

Take some rice, cereals, and other small edible products, please them in different containers, and let your baby grab them and place them in other empty containers. This is a great activity for the development of a pincer grip, as well as fine motor skills. Give your child a spoon and let her practice with it. This is going to be a rehearsal in independent eating.

Final Words

For a baby who has recently turned 1, games and entertainment are the way they investigate the world. The concentration and ability to sit are not yet developed so, do not expect to begin learning anything. The only possibility to help your child develop new skills is to make use of the above activities and babies’ art ideas we have listed for you, as well as to add something of your own.

Some proposed activities require some preparation and so-called props, however, there is always something you can think of without getting ready. For instance, if you have planned to check outfits in the drawer and sort them, suggest your little one throw all of them out of the drawer and bring them to you afterward. You are going to find some indoor activity for your little one and do one of the chores at the same time. Be creative and soon your toddler will grow up and play independently.