For 1-year-olds! Indoor play ideas that make rainy days fun
Curious and full of energy, one-year-olds are always on the move.
On rainy days or when you can’t go outside, many teachers might find themselves wondering, “What can we play indoors with the children?”
So this time, we’re sharing plenty of ideas for activities that will captivate one-year-olds and keep them happily engaged indoors.
From energetic gross-motor play and eurhythmics to activities that make the most of different textures and ones that encourage lots of finger movement, we’ve gathered a wide range of play ideas that stimulate all five senses.
We’ve also included some activities that require no preparation, so you can start right away.
Find the perfect activities for your children and have fun together!
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For 1-year-olds! Indoor play ideas that are fun even on rainy days (11–20)
Phone Game
Let’s make a phone and play with our curious one-year-olds.
Cut cardboard into a size that’s easy for children to hold, paste colored paper on it, and cover it with clear tape.
Then let them decorate it with their favorite stickers.
Having number stickers ready will make it feel more like a real phone.
It’s also a great idea to prepare animal pictures or similar so the children can color them and stick them on, helping them recognize which phone is theirs.
It’ll be fun to see what kinds of play the children come up with as they say “Hello?” to each other.
Color water play using tissue paper
Let’s have fun with colored water play using tissue paper for crafts! When making colored water, people often use food coloring or paint, right? Actually, you can color water with craft tissue paper too! It’s very simple: fill a plastic bottle or an empty bottle with water, tear the tissue paper into pieces, and put them in.
Close the cap and shake it—the tissue paper will dissolve into the water and add color.
It’s great because 1-year-olds can enjoy the tearing motion and the shaking motion! Try mixing different colors of tissue paper to see what changes happen!
Balloon Basketball
Basketball with fluffy balloons!? Here’s a balloon-basketball idea.
When you think of balloons, you probably imagine them popping up and then drifting down slowly.
But apparently, with just a simple wrap of something, a balloon can transform into a ball.
All you need is a balloon, vinyl tape, and a pool noodle.
Inflate the balloon and wrap it with vinyl tape, and your ball is ready! Cut a pool noodle in half to make a hoop, and you can enjoy basketball at home.
It’s a fun idea that even infants can play with!
Have fun at home with plenty of room, even in a rental!
@rita_babylove The merch is saving me 🫰🏻❣️
♬ Athletic Meet “Heaven and Hell” (No Introduction) – Shinonome
Noise complaints and the difficulty of restoring a rental to its original condition are surprisingly common.
But asking kids to be quiet and not draw on the walls is tough, isn’t it? And of course, we still want them to have as much fun as possible indoors.
So this time, we’re introducing activities that kids can fully enjoy even in a rental.
It’s packed with handy items and eye-opening ideas, so feel free to use it as a reference.
Cushion-style trampolines and wall-mounted whiteboards can be found at online shops.
Secret Base Dome
https://www.tiktok.com/@mami_asobi/video/7397396632746183944Let’s secretly play in your very own room! Here are some ideas for a secret-base dome.
For children, a secret base is a special place that sparks their sense of adventure and imagination.
It’s an appealing space they can use freely—as their personal hideout or a place to invite trusted friends to play together.
This time, let’s make a secret-base dome using materials you already have at home.
You’ll need newspaper, plastic bags, and duct tape.
After making the walls and roof with the newspaper and plastic bags, blow air in through the entrance using a fan.
It will puff up softly and it’s really fun!
wheat flour clay
A huge hit for indoor play! Here’s how to make wheat flour playdough.
Prepare flour, oil, salt, food coloring, and water.
Put the flour, salt, and oil into a bowl in that order and knead them together.
Let your child choose the food coloring, add their favorite color, and tint the dough.
After adding the food coloring, knead while adding water a little at a time.
If you add too much water, the dough will become too soft, so add it gradually while checking the texture.
When it’s about as firm as an earlobe, your wheat flour playdough is ready.
Once it’s done, try making all kinds of things with your playdough!
For 1-year-olds! Indoor play ideas that are fun even on rainy days (21–30)
Playing in the Spring Rain
Shall we try a sensory play activity using glass noodles (harusame)? First, let’s enjoy the texture of the dry noodles as they are.
It will be fun to hear what the children say when they touch the noodles.
Once they’ve had plenty of time to explore, keep an eye on things and start boiling the noodles.
If you want to make colored noodles, add food coloring to the boiling water.
The noodles that were hard just a moment ago—like magic!—become soft and colorful.
It will be exciting to see the children’s reactions! Since glass noodles are a food ingredient, it’s okay if they put them in their mouths, but please make sure to play safely.