Educational activities for one year olds

25 Fun and Engaging Activities for 1-Year-Olds

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Medically reviewed by Kristen M. Moyer, MD, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Hospice and Palliative Medicine — By Kimberly Zapata on September 23, 2020

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Create a sensory station

From the moment children are born, they use their five senses to learn about the world. Why? Our senses help us make sense of things in varying ways.

Creating a sensory basket, or sensory station, will give your child the opportunity to explore new objects in a safe and creative way. And bonus: Sensory play supports cognitive development and the development of fine motor skills.

You can fill a bin with rice, blocks, pasta, fabric, water, or dish soap bubbles and drop in toys or other items. Provide cups or scoops. Allow your little one to explore, digging through the materials and discovering items. An important note: Always supervise during these activities and don’t provide any items that could pose a choking hazard.

Build a busy board

From zippers and latches to snaps, buckles, and knobs, busy boards are a great way to encourage exploration, creativity, and promote muscle dexterity. Not sure where to start? Check out this beautiful board by Something Turquoise.

Count on fingers and toes

Toddlers love to count things, so show your little one how to count by touching each of their fingers and toes as you recite the numbers.

Write in sand or rice

Looking for a creative way to engage your 12-month-old? Try filling a shallow container with rice or sand and letting your little one draw in it. The feel of each material is extremely appealing and will allow your child to learn, grow, and explore.

You can also try this with yogurt or food purées if your little one insists on putting everything into their mouth.

Play with blocks

From brand-name plastic bricks to simple wooden stacking blocks and other construction-based toys, block building can help your child develop their fine motor skills and enhance their hand-eye coordination.

Shop toddler-friendly blocks online.

Sort toys by color

There are countless color-matching toys on the market — and for good reason. Color matching helps children develop their cognitive skills. Grab your favorite color-matching game or toy or make your own, using construction paper, paint, pom-poms, and/or popsicle sticks.

Complete puzzles

Puzzles, particularly baby and toddler puzzles, appear deceptively simple. After all, most contain only a few, large, chunky pieces. However, completing puzzles with your little one will help improve their motor and cognitive reasoning skills. It will also help them understand the concept of a whole and parts.

Shop toddler-friendly puzzles online.

Make a discovery basket

Much like a sensory bin, station, or basket, a discovery basket will give your child the chance to explore unique objects and items. Simply fill a basket with child-safe things you have around the house. Your child can then explore and experiment to better understand the contents.

What to include? Consider a basket of kitchen tools — from dish towels and spoons to colanders and plastic lids. Or, create a musical basket with items that rattle, bang, and clang. You can even theme by color, collecting various red, blue, green, or even rainbow-colored items.

Stack ’em up

From blocks and rings to Tupperware and cups, stacking toys is a great way to help your child develop dexterity and grasp the concept of “big” and “little.”

Shop stacking toys online.

Have your child fetch objects

Asking your child to collect objects around the house isn’t just helpful, fetching objects — like a bottle, cup, or ball — will help your little one learn to listen and follow directions. It will also foster independence and an overall sense of pride.

Make music

Children love music — and for good reason. Music can be light and lively or super soothing, and kids feel this. They sing. They dance. Music helps children, young and old, sleep and relax. It can also help them develop socially, emotionally, and linguistically.

So play music. Make music, and find creative ways to incorporate both song and dance into their daily lives. Whether this means a dinner playlist or dance parties during bath time is up to you.

Shop toddler-friendly musical instruments online.

Play house

From building forts with cardboard boxes to caring for dolls or pretending to grocery shop, playing house is a great way to expand your child’s imagination and foster creativity.

Go ‘fishing’

Fishing games are relatively common — from board games to bathtub toys. So catch your child’s interest with a pretend fishing set and watch them improve their motor skills as they have fun playing.

Shop fishing games online.

Make a DIY ball pit

Babies love ball pits, but most parents don’t. Public pits tend to be dirty and unclean. However, you can make your own ball pit with plastic balls and a playard or plastic pool. Cheap and easy entertainment!

Shop ball pits online.

Build a fort

Whether you’re 12 months old or 12 years old, forts are fun. Drape some blankets over your furniture, hang sheets from the ceiling, or set up pillows or cardboard boxes for a cool, creative playspace.

Play with puppets

From finger and hand puppets to sock puppets, puppet play will encourage creativity and help foster your child’s social and emotional development. No strings attached!

Shop puppets online.

Create a tunnel maze

Children love tunnels. After all, there’s something about crawling into — and out of — a tube that’s very appealing. Making a tunnel maze will encourage exercise and help your child use cognitive reasoning skills. And bonus: If you opt to DIY it will give you something to do with all of those oversized diaper boxes.

Run outside

While there is a lot to be said about creative play, the benefits of basic play — like walking, running, jumping, and dancing — cannot be overstated. So go outside. Run. Play tag. Jump. Spin around. And work up a sweat.

Ride a tricycle or push car

Twelve-month-olds likely cannot ride tricycles — at least not yet — but many can and do before their second birthday so don’t be afraid to explore this and other outside activities. Some models come with push handles for parents to allow trike fun before your little one has mastered riding on their own.

Shop tricycles and push cars online.

Turn on the sprinklers

You don’t need a pool or even a water table for outdoor water play. A simple sprinkler that your child can run through can provide plenty of entertainment. Bring along some cups to catch the water and a towel for drying off and snuggles once the fun is done.

Paint with water

If you’re looking for a creative way to let your little one paint, look no further than water. With some colored construction paper and a paintbrush, your child can create a mess-free masterpiece.

Play with play dough

Whether you make your own modeling clay, salt dough, or buy a pack of Play-Doh doesn’t matter, what matters is that your little one is exploring their world with a new and creative medium. Bonus: Playing with dough helps your child develop dexterity and fine motor skills.

Color

Little ones love doodling and scribbling. My 18-month-old regularly draws on scraps of paper, and my kitchen wall. And while I wish his artwork wasn’t so predominant, I happily engage his creativity. Why? Because it helps him focus, it encourages self-expression, and coloring improves muscle dexterity.

Finger paint

Finger painting is fun for children of all ages, but it can be messy. Try giving your 1-year-old a pile of paint and you’ll see what I mean. However, it doesn’t have to be messy. Simply put a sheet of paper and a few drops of acrylic paint in a Ziploc bag and voila! Your little one can squish and spread the paint through the plastic bag. You have tons of mess-free fun.

Shop finger paints online.

Paint in the bathtub

Looking for another mess-free way to let your little one play? Consider letting your child paint in the bathtub using finger paints.

While it may seem like your toddler needs a lot of attention, you do not need to invest a lot of money to keep them entertained. Rather, you just need to be inventive, innovative, and creative. Play will happen. Fun will follow. We promise.

Last medically reviewed on September 23, 2020

Parenthood
Toddler

How we reviewed this article:

Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Bento G, et al. (2017). The importance of outdoor play for young children's healthy development. DOI:
10.1016/j.pbj.2017.03.003
Murray J. (2018). The play's the thing. DOI:
10.1080/09669760.2018.1527278
Yogman M, et al. (2018). The power of play: A pediatric role in enhancing development in young children. DOI:
10.1542/peds.2018-2058

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Current Version

Sep 23, 2020

Written By

Kimberly Zapata

Edited By

Sara McTigue

Medically Reviewed By

Kristen M. Moyer, MD

Copy Edited By

Kara Williams

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Medically reviewed by Kristen M. Moyer, MD, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Hospice and Palliative Medicine — By Kimberly Zapata on September 23, 2020

16+ Fun and Learning Activities for 1 Year Olds

Is your child around the age of one? This age is an interesting phase for a child’s growth and development and can invite panic and confusion into homes as parents contemplate how to best support and nurture their child’s growth and development.

Is it too early for games? Should I hold off on trying to get my child to start speaking? Parents may have countless other questions about kicking off with age-appropriate activities for 1 year olds to engage and support their child’s sensory stimulation.

18 Fun & Learning Activities for 1-Year-Olds

As a parent, you should be relieved to know that you’re not alone in navigating these concerns. At this critical age, it is natural for 1 year olds to grab, touch, and graze on everything within their grasp as they learn to make sense of the world.

There are plenty of learning activities for 1 year olds that recognize this truth and are shaped around this behavior to ensure they naturally support your child’s growth and development. Let’s find out what they are!

1.

Playing with Building Blocks

What you will need:

Larger-sized building blocks would be ideal

What to do:

Chances are that you have a bucket of building blocks lying around somewhere. Legos may be too small for a 1 year old, so try to ensure they have access to some of the larger, age-appropriate ones they can use to build and destroy towers and buildings.

What your child will learn:

Playing with building blocks offers a great way to develop your child’s fine motor skills while nurturing their creativity and offering a tactile, sensory experience.

2.

Tickling

What you will need:

Just your child, and maybe some feathers, ribbons, or cloth

What to do:

Try tickling your child and see how they respond. Infants react positively to being tickled and have a great time with it. They won’t stop giggling, whether you use ribbons, a piece of cloth, or your hands. When it comes to activities for 12 month olds, tickling is hard to beat.

What your child will learn:

Being tickled should develop your child’s sensory awareness.

3.

Playing with Rice

What you will need:

A large bowl filled with dry rice grains and a small cup

What to do:

Here’s one of the most fun activities for 1 year olds. All you have to do is set a bowl full of dry rice grains and a small cup in front of your child. Your child can enjoy scooping up the rice in their palms and feeling the grains of rice slip between their fingers. You can help them get creative with a cup and watch the rice grains fall from it and into the bowl. Scooping rice or plunging your hand into a bowlful of rice is always great fun.

What your child will learn:

Playing with rice should be a great tactile and sensory experience for your child.

4.

Solving Puzzles

What you will need:

An age-appropriate puzzle set

What to do:

When it comes to indoor activities for 1 year olds, puzzles are a great way to engage. Unbox and set out the pieces of an age-appropriate puzzle in front of your child. Feel free to give them a hand to ensure they don’t get frustrated or overwhelmed as they figure out how the pieces fit into one another.

Solving puzzles is the perfect way to spend time at home with your little one, but if you’re interested in checking out other fantastic indoor activities for 1 year olds, we’ve curated a list of some of the best for you to check out.

What your child will learn:

Age-appropriate puzzles offer a fun way to challenge your child’s motor skills and problem-solving ability.

5.

Playing Hide and Seek

What you will need:

Just your child and the comfort of your home

What to do:

It’s never too early for a game of hide and seek, so go ahead and introduce your child to this perfect pastime. There is no better (or safer) place to get started with hide and seek than the comfort of your own home.

What your child will learn:

Regular games of hide and seek can improve your child’s perception of object permanence.

6.

Playing Simon Says

What you will need:

Just your child and the comfort of your home

What to do:

When it comes to educational activities for 1 year olds, Simon Says is tough to beat, so get started on a game of Simon Says today. Take turns with your child as you help them develop an understanding of the game.

You can have friends and family join in for a friendly game and see how it unfolds. You can even take the fun outdoors. For other great outdoor activities for 1 year olds, head on over to this SplashLearn post that walks you through some of the best.

What your child will learn:

A game of Simon Says should help your child develop their cognitive skills while offering a way to get some fun exercise in.

Related Reading: Best Outdoor Games for Kids of All Ages

7.

Playing with Playdough

What you will need:

A comfortable space and some age-appropriate playdough

What to do:

Consider using edible playdough to keep this activity safe. Your child is sure to learn a lot as they engage with new shapes and textures. Help them nurture their creativity by making things yourself and allowing them to understand the possibilities of this material.

What your child will learn:

Playdough offers a great sensory experience for your child to experiment with new shapes and designs.

8.

Playing with Food

What you will need:

Puree, dough, any batter based-food, and your child’s eating utensils

What to do:

Does your child give you a hard time when you’re trying to feed them, only to end up playing with their food? Well, why not just use food to offer them something to play with? Purees, dough, and batters promise a sensory-rich experience. Let your child use their fingers and mess about as they please.

What your child will learn:

Playing with food can help a child develop their fine motor skills while encouraging creative play.

9.

Corn Flour Fun

What you will need:

A kiddie pool and corn flour

What to do:

When it comes to food related activities for 1 year olds, cornmeal is hard to beat and has to be mentioned. Get started by filling up a kiddie pool with cornmeal then tell your child to dive and start playing around with the cornmeal. Cornmeal is similar to sand in its materiality, but is also edible in case your young one gets extra curious while no one is looking.

What your child will learn:

The texture of corn flour should provide your child with tactile stimulation.

10.

Crawling Around

What you will need:

Just the comfort of your home and your child

What to do:

Encourage your child to crawl or move around the house. Request them to follow you around as you move about. Keep them engaged with verbal and physical cues to ensure that their curiosity compels them to keep moving.

What your child will learn:

Encouraging your child to crawl or move around the house can be a stimulating exercise that not only develops their spatial awareness but also keeps them active.

Related Reading: Co-curricular Activities and its Benefits for Students

11.

Finger and Hand Painting

What you will need:

Any non-toxic, child-friendly paint, a shirt for your child that you don’t mind getting dirty

What to do:

Your 1 year old may need some practice to get a hold of this craft, so make sure to take precautions and cover up your painting area to avoid accidents. You can start by showing your child how to work with the paint and encourage them to follow along. Activities for 1 year olds may be aplenty, but finger and hand painting is just one of those classics that one can’t go wrong with.

What your child will learn:

Finger or hand painting is a great tactile activity that allows your child to stimulate their senses.

12.

Coloring

What you will need:

Any set of non-toxic or age-appropriate crayons or colored pencils, and a coloring book

What to do:

Sit down with your child and open up a coloring book. Pick up a colored pencil or crayon and start coloring away. Your child should be able to watch you and follow along on their own. This can be a great alternative to finger and hand painting if you’re looking to avoid a mess.

What your child will learn:

Holding crayons and colored pencils should improve your child’s fine motor skills.

13.

Playing with Stickers

What you will need:

Any surface you don’t mind getting sticky, along with some peelable stickers

What to do:

You can start by lifting a little portion of a sticker to make it easier for your child to peel off the rest. After your child has removed the sticker, guide them towards the surface on which you’d like them to apply it. Show it to your child with another sticker, and watch them follow suit.

What your child will learn:

Peeling a sticker off a sheet and applying it on a surface involves motor skills and an improved understanding of cause and effect.

14.

Making a Collage

What you will need:

A thick piece of paper, cotton balls, colored pieces of paper, dry macaroni, and any other material that can safely be glued on to paper

What to do:

Using glue to stick things like cotton balls, pieces of paper, dry macaroni, or leaves on a piece of paper to create a collage is a fun activity that your child can lead. Don’t tell them where the cotton skies or the grass goes. Let them decide.

What your child will learn:

This activity should develop your child’s fine motor skills and promote their sense of creativity.

15.

Doodling with Chalk

What you will need:

A chalkboard (or a safe sidewalk outside your home) and some chalk

What to do:

All you need for this activity is some chalk and a sidewalk to get started! If you can get hold of a chalkboard, even better. Allowing your child to make patterns, shapes, and designs, or just doodle away can be a fun activity for your child.

If you’re a teacher looking for daycare activities for 1 year olds, it doesn’t get better than some playful doodling with chalk.

What your child will learn:

Doodling with pieces of chalk is a great way to support their fine motor skills. This activity should develop your child’s fine motor skills, and promote their sense of creativity.

16.

Painting with a Sponge

What you will need:

A sponge, some thick paper, and non-toxic paint

What to do:

Lay out a large, thick piece of paper in front of your child, along with some paint, a bowl of water, and of course, a sponge. Guide your child to dip the sponge in the paint and move it around the piece of paper before them to see the shapes and patterns they can come up with. Try to make sure the sponges don’t soak too much paint to avoid making a mess.

What your child will learn:

Painting with a sponge is not only a fun way for your child to draw but also offers a sensory experience, unlike any other art activity.

17.

Painting with Food

What you will need:

A large piece of paper and some applesauce

What to do:

Ever consider using applesauce as paint and letting your child paint and nibble away at the same time? This is a combination that screams fun and delicious. Try to make sure there’s some applesauce still left by the time your child is done with their masterpiece.

You can even blend a handful of spinach, half a cup of baby cereal, and some almond milk to create a safe and edible green paint that your child can use alongside the applesauce. For purple, blend five blueberries, half a cup of baby cereal and some almond milk.

What your child will learn:

Using applesauce to paint should be a tactile experience that encourages the development of your child’s fine motor skills.

18.

Painting on Foil

What you will need:

Non-toxic acrylic paint, some aluminum foil, a piece of cardboard, and some clean cotton buds

What to do:

To get started, cover a piece of cardboard with aluminum foil. This will be your child’s canvas. Introduce them to a cotton bud, and demonstrate how it’ll work as their paintbrush. This should offer a unique painting experience for kids because the cotton buds will slide across easily over the foil, allowing your child to blend colors and create new patterns.

What your child will learn:

Using a thin cotton bud should test your child’s fine motor skills.

Related Reading: Easy Activities for Preschoolers

Importance of Education Through Activities for Kids

Learning through activities is an important part of a child’s holistic development. Allowing children to play encourages them to better understand themselves, their preferences, while releasing extra energy and staying healthy! As parents and teachers, encouraging them to play is crucial to nurture the learning potential it offers.

Time to Get Learning!

When it comes to activities for one year olds, you don’t necessarily have to choose between learning and fun. With so many great activities that combine learning and fun, you can rest assured that your little one’s playtime will also ensure the development of their cognitive, social, and motor skills, among others.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Apart from learning, what impact do these activities have on my 1 year old?

Whether you’ve pulled out a puzzle for your toddler on a rainy day or spent some time painting with your hands on the weekend, these activities can be a great bonding exercise for parents to connect with their children. Similarly, teachers will find these activities to help build a relationship with their daycare toddlers.

How many activities should I try to engage my 1 year old with throughout the day?

This is something that depends entirely on your toddler and their mileage for fun. As long as your 1 year old does not feel overwhelmed with repeated exposure to new experiences and enjoys their time wherever they are, you shouldn’t have to worry about an upper or lower limit.

Educational activities for kids.

Are you playing correctly with your child? "What a strange question!" - the majority of adults will exclaim, - "How can you play right or wrong?". That's the thing, it's possible! Let's take an ordinary pyramid. Playing with it, the kid alternately strings the elements onto the base and, usually, he quickly gets bored with this activity. And you explained to the baby that all the details are different in color and size, that you can assemble the pyramid on the contrary, that this ring is red like a mother’s dress, and this one is green like grass, etc. Yes, 50% of parents do not even imagine that that with a simple pyramid you can come up with many games. And all of them will belong to the category "Educational games for kids."

Dear parents and grandparents, remember the main thing - your children learn when they play. Try to help them! Undoubtedly, you can take your child to kindergarten, as well as to additional classes in a children's developing club, where there are ready-made programs and algorithms. But there is another alternative, to compose a complex of educational games on your own and train at home. Trust me, it's fun!

Educational activities for one-year-olds

By the first year of life, the child already tries to speak, understands what is being explained to him, is able to recognize and memorize objects. The task of the mother is to interest the baby, to concentrate his attention on the main thing. As for classes, you can use any bright objects at hand: mittens, pictures, toys, plastic containers and other items.

Find the item. Hide a toy nearby and invite the baby to find it, while telling what color, size, shape it is. Invite the baby to repeat the name of the hidden toy with you. This game develops memory and imagination.
Gymnastics for fingers. Develops fine motor skills well. Try to pick up verses in advance, so it will be more interesting for the child to depict with pens what is said in funny verses.
Ball games. Even if the baby has not yet learned to walk, he will be happy to crawl after the ball and roll it. For classes, you can turn on fun music.
Dancing. All children love to dance. Turn on the music, make movements and be sure to repeat everything aloud: “Right hand forward ...”. Such developmental activities for kids improve coordination of movements, form a spatial perception of the world.

Educational activities for children from 1 to 3 years old

Children from one year old love to repeat everything after adults. It's amazing how much they notice their parents. Use children's curiosity for educational activities.

Role play. Invite the child to take on the responsibilities of an adult: put the bear to bed, wash clothes for the doll, wash the dishes, fix the typewriter ... Be prepared to learn a lot about yourself that you didn’t notice before.
The ratio of shapes, colors and sizes of objects. You can buy the appropriate games in the store, but practice has shown that it is sometimes more interesting for a child to deal with familiar things. Invite the baby to put large toys in the box first, then soft ones, then green ones, then round ones, etc. Oh, look, there are no more toys scattered around the room!
Modeling. Modeling classes can start from 1.5 years. And optionally, run after plasticine. Make cookie dough and sculpt various shapes together. Teach your baby to make a sausage, a ball, a cake, and when he masters the simplest figures, move on to complex ones.
Drawing. Do not rush to give the baby a pencil! Practice finger painting. To do this, use old wallpaper and special finger paints that are safe even if the baby puts his hands in his mouth.
Outdoor activities. Walks in the fresh air can be combined with developing activities about the world around. There are so many interesting things around, pay the child's attention to all the details, talk about nature, people, houses, cars.

Educational activities for children from 3 to 5 years old

Three-year-old children usually speak well, are able to remember a lot of information, and begin to comprehend the alphabet and numbers. For parents, the main thing now is not to force the child to sit and tediously memorize rhymes and show you the necessary pictures in educational books. Don't forget the game, and only the game!

Development of memory. Learn poems with your child - they are remembered faster. Play the game "Remember More Items": first lay out 3 items, let the child look, and then cover with a handkerchief and ask for a list. Gradually increase the number of items. Offer to switch roles, and try to deliberately make a mistake, let the baby tell you what is hidden under the scarf.
Tell us about the properties and characteristics of objects. For example, that ice is cold and hard, a cow is a pet and loves hay, candy is sweet, and fish lives only in water, etc.
Make riddles. Easy at first, then more difficult. Let the kid learn to think logically and compare facts.
Read books. If the kid can already retell the entire content of the fairy tale, invite him to dream up: “What will happen if the fox did not eat the bun?”
Teach your child the etiquette of communication. He must know and be able to operate with such concepts as "thank you", "good morning", "goodbye". For these purposes, transfer all life situations to the game: put the doll to sleep, feed the bunny, receive guests.

Educational activities for children from 5 to 6 years old

Children 5-6 years old are ready to start getting ready for school. Developing classes at this age should lay the foundation for further successful studies. Here, the main thing is not to upset the fine line of balance and not cause aversion in the child to study. The baggage of knowledge of a five-year-old kid is no longer small, and also, he knows how to fantasize, defend his opinion, realizes what responsibility is. Use fun puzzles, puzzles, rebuses. Don't forget to encourage your child, and never yell if something doesn't work out. Along with intellectual developmental activities, do not forget about physical development. Chase a ball with your child in the yard, teach him to skate, rollerblade, bicycle.

For toddlers from 0 to 6, there are many educational games and activities. The main thing is that it should be interesting. And if the parents are a little tired, take the baby to the kids club. Read more detailed information in the article "Developing clubs for kids in Moscow", and if you need a holiday and relaxation, then "Playrooms for kids in Moscow" are waiting for their little guests.

Educational games for children from 1 to 2 years old

At first glance, it seems to us that the game is synonymous with entertainment and nothing more. But, if you think about it, the game is an amazing tool for understanding the world, physical development and the development of logic. It is surprising that most of the games were played by our grandmothers and great-grandmothers, not suspecting that a huge number of books and articles on child psychology will be devoted specifically to children's games. For example, the game "Zarnitsa" is nothing more than a game for the development of communication skills and leadership qualities, and the game "Zhmurki" is used by teachers in children's groups to unite the team, as well as to remove internal clamps through tactile contacts. Naturally, there are an incredible variety of games, and they are different for each age group.

For parents of preschool children, play is a universal and unique tool for development and interaction with the child. But what educational games to choose and why are they necessary for the most tender age?

When choosing games with your baby, you should first of all take into account the age characteristics of the child. In the period up to two years, the main need is communication, as the baby learns the world through verbal (conversations, fairy tales, books, cartoons) and non-verbal (gestures, facial expressions) communication with adults. The main type of activity is object-manipulative (twist, taste, break), while thinking is visual-effective (I see an object - I take the object).

Based on this, it is obvious that educational games for children under two years of age are mainly necessary for the development of the child's horizons, the development of fine and large motor skills, the development of memory and self-service skills.

The main attention should be paid to the now popular developing games for fine motor skills. It is this type of game that also affects the development of speech and the formation of the psyche, by becoming aware of oneself at the time of receiving various tactile sensations (ice is cold, the cone is prickly, and the marshmallow is soft and pleasant). Through tactile sensation, one's opinion is formed, one's attitude to this or that object, and in the future - and attitude to actions, deeds, words.

It is worth dividing the games for children under two years of age into several groups according to the direction of development:

1. Educational games for the formation of everyday skills.

Feeding the animals . You can invite the baby to arrange lunch with his toys. Fold various items into a deep plate or container (dry pasta, dry berries, toy berries, cereal. The main thing is to fit in a spoon). And alternately naming objects, invite the baby to feed his animals. Thus, the baby will learn to hold a spoon, and over time, coordination of movements will improve.

Happy cleaning . Necessary: a bottle with a wide neck, candy wrappers, scraps of paper, caps, straws, unnecessary small items. Children are incredibly addicted to this game, their task is to put all the items in a bottle, collect garbage. Dexterity and logic are used (which side to put the object in so that it fits)

Treasure hunt . This game will also help teach your child how to hold a spoon well and bring a lot of fun. You will need: a basin of water, a spoon and, in fact, the "treasures" themselves. Treasures can be: buttons, beads, corks, any small items. I wonder if they will be from different materials (for example, some sink, others do not). The task of the baby is to catch all the "treasures" from the water with a spoon. Water can be replaced with cereals and searched with your hands.

Baseboard . The advantage of this toy is that you can make it yourself, or buy it. Busyboard is an educational toy with movable elements. With its help, the child will easily learn how to use the switch, fasten buttons, unfasten zippers and much more.

In addition to the games described above for the development of household skills for children under two years old, the simplest manipulations are also perfect: water the flowers, transfer cereals from one bowl to another, wash your plate.

2. Games for the development of fine motor skills

Maria Montessori made a huge contribution to the development of preschool pedagogy. Its main idea was that games for the development of fine motor skills can and should be made with your own hands from what is at home. Today, there are a huge number of ready-made didactic materials for classes on the market. The parent decides for himself whether to make it himself or purchase a ready-made game, this will not affect the result in any way.

Beads . String beads or pasta on a string. It also encourages the study of colors.

Various types of sorters. I contribute to the study of shapes, colors, as well as the development of logical thinking.

Mosaic . This game will remain with the kid for many years, at first it will be interesting for him to just put and pull out the details, but with age he will be able to collect pictures. The perfect game for developing fine motor skills.

Fun Clothespins . A game that you can easily make yourself. It is enough to cut out the silhouette of an animal from cardboard and buy multi-colored clothespins.

Collect egg . The first puzzle game for the baby, given that the main activity of children under two years of age is aimed at manipulating the object, this game is a godsend. It will be interesting for the child to disassemble the eggs into two parts, to study, and then, to assemble them back, choosing by color and shape.

3. Memory games

Animal hide and seek . We lay out several toys in front of the baby (it is better to start with two or three), ask him to name and remember them, then we cover the toys with a cloth and pick up one. Raise the fabric and ask the baby to name the missing toy.

Toys can be replaced with shapes or colors.

Dwarf outfit . To play, you will need a toy gnome (or any other toy), several pairs of socks, preferably multi-colored and a piece of fabric.

We tell the kid that the dwarf is going to visit, but he constantly loses his socks, let's help him collect a pair. We share socks between the parent and the child so that each has only one of the pair.

The parent takes out the sock, shows it to the baby and covers it with a cloth. The kid is looking for the second half from memory.

4. Games for the development of intelligence and creative thinking

School of the Seven Dwarfs . Colorful, interesting books with tasks, in accordance with the age, in which you can and should draw, count, study, stick.

Annual course of developmental activities for kids from one to three years old according to the method of Elena Yanushko . This is a guide for parents with a large and colorful number of activities according to age.

5. Games for the development of speech

It is worth noting that all the games listed above contribute to the development of speech in children. Indeed, during the game, you communicate, name new objects, help to learn new words. Below, we will look at games recommended by speech therapists for speech development.

Onomatopoeia . The repetition of the sounds of the train (“tu-tu”), the wind (“oo-oo-oo”), animals (“meow-meow”, “coo-coo”) and others, depending on the fantasy, after the parent.

Articulation gymnastics . Maintaining tone and strengthening the muscles of the tongue. For example, watches. The mouth is open, the tongue moves from one corner of the mouth to another, like a pendulum. Examples of such exercises are freely available on the Internet.

Logo . Speech therapy rhythm classes help the child improve articulation and learn proper speech breathing. This is a method of working with children that combines music, movement and song lyrics.

Educational activities for one year olds

25 Fun and Engaging Activities for 1-Year-Olds

Create a sensory station

Build a busy board

Count on fingers and toes

Write in sand or rice

Play with blocks

Sort toys by color

Complete puzzles

Make a discovery basket

Stack ’em up

Have your child fetch objects

Make music

Play house

Go ‘fishing’

Make a DIY ball pit

Build a fort

Play with puppets

Create a tunnel maze

Run outside

Ride a tricycle or push car

Turn on the sprinklers

Paint with water

Play with play dough

Finger paint

Paint in the bathtub

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Apart from learning, what impact do these activities have on my 1 year old?

How many activities should I try to engage my 1 year old with throughout the day?

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Educational activities for one-year-olds

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Educational games for children from 1 to 2 years old

1. Educational games for the formation of everyday skills.

2. Games for the development of fine motor skills

3. Memory games

4. Games for the development of intelligence and creative thinking

5. Games for the development of speech

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