Whether you are a parent, guardian, or caregiver in search of an engaging and fun activity to do for one-year-olds, this article can greatly help. Just like other parents and guardians, it is highly likely that you like to spend time with your little one.
However, it is also kind of challenging to think of new ideas for the most entertaining and stimulating indoor activities for a 1-year-old. Fortunately, it is not necessary for you to spend several hours just to prepare elaborate activities. With proper research, you can get no-prep and low-prep ideas that are perfect for your one-year-old.
No to Low-Preparation Activities for Your 1-Year-Old
If you are aiming to find the best indoor activities for your toddler, then the following activities that do not require preparation or only require a bit of it can be of great help:
#1 – Hide-and-Seek using toys
In this fun and engaging activity, you can hide some of your toddler’s toys around the room. Offer help as your child starts looking for them. Expect them to feel really happy once they see their toys in the hiding places.
#2 – Busy bag/sensory bag
You can also make your toddler explore freely with the help of a sensory bag. If your toddler does not have this type of bag yet, then make it a point to spend some time creating one for your little one as one-year-old is the moment when they will really get curious and enjoy this item.
To create one, prepare a zip-loc bag then have it filled up using various materials, like pom-poms or pasta. This is just one simple version of the busy or sensory bag but it can help a lot in your child’s learning and exploration. With this busy bag, your child will get the chance to explore and familiarize themselves with the textures of the items inside.
#3 – Storytime
A prime and significant indoor activity that you can do with your 1-year-old toddler is scheduled story time. Telling your toddler stories can give them a fun and exciting experience. Start reading adventurous stories and fairytales to them as early as when they are still one year old.
The good news is that you also have the option of using modern technology in case you run out of stories to tell. In this case, you can take advantage of audio stories that can help improve the imagination of your child. This is also a huge help in honing their listening, creativity, imagination, and thinking skills even if they are just at home.
#4 – Drawing or painting
You can also entertain your one-year-old indoors through drawing or painting activities. Just give them a drawing paper where they can paint or draw anything. Hand them things that they can use for this activity, too, like sketch pens, pencil colors, watercolors, and pastels.
Look at what they paint or draw. You may find their drawings insignificant at first but it is actually proof that they are harnessing their creative skills and learning new skills. Hone their skills in this area even further by making this a daily or weekly activity.
#5 – Bubble foam
It is also possible to excite and entertain your one-year-old through bubble foam. It is a great activity to try, especially if you find it hard and challenging to give your toddler a shower. Make this activity more enjoyable for your child by blowing bubbles.
Aside from that, you also have the option to take advantage of the bubble bath with water as your toddler takes a shower. You only have to ensure that you stick to the ratio of 2:1 for the bubble bath and the water. This can give your toddler a playful and exciting time every time they take a bath.
#6 – Playing with sand
Another activity that’s so popular among toddlers is playing with sand. Note, though, that there is no need for you to visit a playground or a beach to let them play with sand. You can actually make a similar vibe in the comforts of your own home.
Just bring home a big bucket filled with water and sand then use it in arranging a playful scene that your toddler will surely love. It can give your toddler lots of fun as they can use this activity to form mini sand castles. They can also utilize their creativity here since this will encourage them to create various objects using water and sand.
#7 – Ping pong balls
You can also let your child play with any kind of sports ball as it can help improve their level of fitness. It is also a big help in facilitating the level of blood circulation and reducing stress.
However, since your kid is still one year old, you can’t expect them to be able to play with basketball or soccer balls yet. In this case, you can use ping pong or table tennis balls. These balls are not too small, so you don’t have to worry about your toddler choking, though, you still have to exercise caution once you let them play with it.
#8 – Leaf painting
Toddlers are really fond of drawing and painting, so you can level up this experience for them by letting them paint and draw on other things aside from eggs, drawing books, and cardboard. In this case, you can give them some leaves to paint.
Ensure that you properly clean the leaves before giving those to your toddler, though. Encourage them to use their creativity once you give them the leaves. You can also demonstrate this activity by painting a leaf yourself, allowing them to follow your lead, which will also eventually hone their thinking and creative skills.
#9 – Complete puzzles
All forms of puzzles, including those for babies and toddlers, may look simple but they actually serve plenty of purposes. They may just be large and chunky pieces but letting your toddler complete them can contribute a lot to boosting their cognitive reasoning and motor skills. It also makes your toddler understand parts and wholes.
#10 – Tunnel maze
You can also make a tunnel maze for your toddler. This is something that a lot of kids love. Crawling in and out of a tube is very appealing to them, so creating a tunnel maze is definitely an incredible idea. What’s great about this indoor activity for one-year-olds is that it can boost their cognitive reasoning skills plus it encourages proper exercise.
You even have the option to make a tunnel out of the things you have at home. Create a DIY tunnel maze with your oversized diaper boxes. You may also divide some parts of your child’s toy set or a few pieces of a puzzle into a couple of piles.
Place a pile at both ends of the play tunnel, giving your toddler the chance to complete the task by commuting through it. This activity can teach them a lot of things – among which are sustained attention and better sensory processing. You can also use this activity to help them learn how to finish sequences with multiple steps.
Conclusion
With the many indoor activities for 1-year-old indicated in this article, you now have a few ideas on how to entertain your toddler. Also, while it looks like your toddler requires plenty of attention, there is no need to spend too much money to entertain them. The only thing you have to do is to be innovative, creative, and inventive.