Being a stay-at-home mom can be ultra hectic. It can also be really tough to come up with new activities and fun things to do with a one year old every single day. You don’t need to buy new toys or sign up for a bunch of different classes and activities. This is a simple and fun go-to list of things to do with your one year old every day that will keep your day entertaining and sane for both of you!
15 things to do with your one year old every day
As a one year old, if Jackson isn’t entertained, he entertains himself by getting into things he shouldn’t be like the toilet bowl water, cat litter and so on. With taking only one nap a day, that leaves a lot of time to fill up the day, and that can be a challenging and daunting task! These 15 things to do with your one year old every day will keep baby happy and your mama brain sane!
| Read Books|
Reading is such a great way to tell stories, introduce words, bond and create long-lasting educational habits. Reading doesn’t always have to mean reading. You can look at the pictures, point and name things, or make up a totally new story. Find new And free books by visiting the local library weekly.
| Discovery Basket|
This sensory and fine motor activity will keep your one year old entertained for a long time! Grab a container or bag baby can’t see through and put in one item at a time for him to feel, take out and discover. It’s all stuff you already have, but the discovery and mystery make it fun!
| Go Outside|
Try to get outside every single day, even if it’s for just a little bit. Dress for the weather and go to the park, for a walk, kick a ball, discover leaves and sticks, and draw with chalk. The fresh air and sunshine is so good for everyone!
| Sensory Bin|
Use a tray or bin and fill it with various sensory things for baby to play and discover, like: rice, different types of noodles, pom poms, cotton balls, ripped up paper, packing peanuts, you name it! Use scoops, teaspoons, spoons and cups for added fun! Every few days or each week, swap out what the sensory item is to keep the sensory bin fun and new. Keep the fillers in a gallon bag and reuse them!
| Sing-a-longs|
Super Simple Songs are really fun and you can find educational songs on any topic! Don’t forget the classics like patty cake, the itsy bitsy spider, the wheels on the bus, down by the bay and all of those fun kid’s songs. They are perfect for teaching one year olds the motions and dances to go with them.
| Play Catch |
Playing catch or rolling a ball to one another is fun. Kids at this age will even play catch with themselves, which is more like fetch! You can also set out different bins or buckets to try to throw the balls in.
| Build Blocks|
Practice fine motor skills and hand eye coordination by building and knocking down blocks.
| Leave the House|
Pending terrible weather, try to leave the house everyday. It doesn’t matter where you go or if you have something specific to do, but it’s so important to get out. Go to the pet store and look at the pets, grocery shopping, the acquiring, museum, etc.
| Popsicle Stick Drop|
Carefully cut a hole in an old bread crumbs container and use popsicle sticks to practice hand-eye coordination by dropping the sticks down the hole.
| Color|
Coloring and seeing a crayon or pencil make a mark is fun. We especially love those special mess-free markers that only work on the special paper! These are great to take on air plane and car rides too!
| Open the Mail|
This might sound silly, but opening and playing with the mail is really fun! Give your baby the junk mail and envelopes and for him to rip, spread them across the floor and play.
|Bath Tub Match Box Cars|
In a dry tub, put a couple of match box cars for baby to play with. It’s fun watching how fast they go and how they go in a circle around the bath.
| Ball Pit|
This is a fun activity to get out energy and crawl around exploring!
|New Activity|
Search Pinterest for new activities or use an old one you haven’t done in a while to keep the day fun. This indoor activity list is great for keeping things fun and entertaining with your little one!
|Watch TV|
I thought I’d be one of those moms who never let their kid watch TV. But sometimes I am out of ideas, Jackson is super fussy, I need to make dinner, etc. So I try to limit it to once a day, but I will turn on the TV! No mama guilt here, and you shouldn’t have any either! In fact, it’s on of my secret weapons for being a productive stay at home mama.
It’s hard to be creative and come up with fun, new activities for you and your one year old. These are great activities and things you can do with your one year old every day to keep the day fun, keep your mama brain sane and keep your one year old entertained. If you are looking for more simple activities, check out these 15 indoor activities that you can easily DIY!
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This is a great post! My children are grown with children of their own and I find parenting to be very different today. I watch my grandchildren whenever needed and I’m available and I find our time together to be so much fun especially when I keep things simple such as singing, kicking a ball or just running around the yard. I like your suggestion about the discovery bag:)
Have a great day!!!
I’m sure parenting is worlds different! I love keeping things simple! It helps their minds and it is easier stuff to come up with! Have a great day!