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!
- Ideas for indoor play and physical activities recommended for 1-year-olds
- Fun with no prep needed! Indoor activities perfect for 1-year-old classes
- [For 0-year-olds] Fun indoor play ideas using raffia tape (suzuran tape)
- [Childcare] Full of energy! Indoor activity ideas to get kids moving
- [Childcare] Have fun even on rainy days! Indoor play ideas
- Let’s play at home with a one-year-old! Activity ideas using things you already have at home
- [Childcare] Perfect Indoor Play Ideas for 0-Year-Olds!
- Recommended for 1-year-olds! Craft play ideas and fun crafting techniques
- No prep needed! Indoor play and game ideas that 2-year-olds will enjoy
- [Childcare / Physical Play] Fun Activities to Get Moving
- [Childcare] Recommended play ideas for caring for 2-year-olds
- Get excited! A list of popular and fun hand games that captivate children
- Ideas for indoor play, physical activities, and games suited to the development of 2-year-olds
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!
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!
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.
potato starch clay
All you need is potato starch and water! Let’s have some fun indoors with potato starch dough.
Unlike wheat flour, potato starch tends to cause fewer allergies, making it an easy and welcome choice for childcare settings.
Start by putting just the potato starch into a bowl and enjoy its silky, slightly squeaky texture.
Then gradually add water, mixing, squeezing, and rolling it as you go.
You and the children can experience the fascinating, ever-changing properties of the potato starch dough together.
To let kids play freely and wholeheartedly, it’s best to change them into clothes that can get messy and prepare the room by laying down a plastic sheet or newspapers before you start.
gymnastics
Gymnastics that nurture children’s sense of rhythm and physical abilities are great not only as indoor play but also as active play, since they let kids move their bodies to the fullest! For two-year-olds, many will try to imitate, so definitely consider incorporating them into your childcare activities.
There are plenty of exercise songs for toddlers, but if you want songs the children already know, it’s best to use the exercise songs from NHK’s “Okaasan to Issho” or classic favorites that have been around for years.
For 1-year-olds! Indoor play ideas that are fun even on rainy days (21–30)
Copycat game
Let’s have fun with body mimicry! Here are some ideas for a copycat game that’s sure to make everyone smile.
While copying the teacher’s movements, strike unique poses like animals or heroes and play together.
You’ll find yourselves laughing and saying, “What is this?!” as you move your bodies.
While playing, kids build flexibility and balance, and the best part is learning through fun—“Can you really do this pose?” You might even discover some unexpected moves!