Let’s play at home with a one-year-old! Activity ideas using things you already have at home
On rainy days or when your child isn’t feeling well and you’re staying home, you might find yourself wondering, “What should we play today?” As children reach around one year old, they start walking, their horizons expand, and their curiosity about the things around them grows even stronger.
As they can do more, the range of play widens too, so let’s stimulate their five senses by incorporating a variety of activities.
In this article, we’ll introduce ideas for at-home play recommended for one-year-olds.
From active play and bonding games to sensory play and simple crafts, we’ve gathered activities that one-year-olds will be completely absorbed in! Best of all, they’re all things you can do with items you already have at home—so please use this as a reference.
- For 1-year-olds! Indoor play ideas that make rainy days fun
- Make it with everyday materials! A collection of DIY toy ideas recommended for 1-year-olds
- Ideas for indoor play and physical activities recommended for 1-year-olds
- [For 0-year-olds] Fun indoor play ideas using raffia tape (suzuran tape)
- Recommended for 1-year-olds! Craft play ideas and fun crafting techniques
- Indoor activities that 2-year-olds can enjoy. Recommended at-home games that will keep them engaged.
- Fun with no prep needed! Indoor activities perfect for 1-year-old classes
- A collection of ideas for infant/toddler play, recreation, and games
- For 2-year-olds! Fun craft activities and indoor play ideas
- Childcare: Fun February craft ideas to make with 1-year-olds
- Indoor games for parents and children: fun activities that use the body and the mind
- Fun activities with newspaper! Recreation games kids will love
- A toddler sports day that gets everyone excited! A collection of fun parent-child game ideas
Let’s Play at Home with Your 1-Year-Old! Play Ideas Using Things You Have at Home (21–30)
smooch smooch cluck cluck
“Chuchu-Kokko” is a game where you sway a soft cloth like a scarf up and down to the rhythm of a song, then toss it up at the end and try to catch it.
Will the children be able to catch the gently floating cloth? They can throw it themselves and play, or they can catch a scarf tossed by an adult—either is fine.
It might be fun for preschoolers to increase the number of scarves and try catching two at once.
For infants, lightly draping the scarf over their head so it floats down softly will likely delight them.
Agar play
Let’s try playing with kanten (gelatin) for a fun jiggly, wobbly feel when you touch it! To make it, just pour hot water and gelatin into any container you like and let it set.
If you add food coloring after the gelatin, you can make colored gelatin—so be sure to try adding your favorite colors.
If you want it cold, put it in the refrigerator after it has set.
Once it’s firm, take it out of the container and squish it up, mix different colors together, or put it into other containers and play pretend as a jelly shop or juice stand.
It’s easy to do, so give it a try!
Janjan GuruguruTsubasa Suzuki · Hitomi Kudo
Let’s have fun with various movements to a bright, tropical-sounding song.
Although the activity involves pairing up and holding hands, one-year-olds can’t yet control their strength and it could lead to unexpected accidents, so let’s have them enjoy it individually.
Teachers, please demonstrate the movements as a model for the children.
It’s a lively activity that will have the kids cheering.
Once they get used to it, adding your own original elements is recommended.
It also provides a full-body workout, so why not try it on days when outdoor activities aren’t possible?
Towel play
Actions like tracking a towel with their eyes or trying to grab it are perfectly valid play for one-year-olds.
A compact, long towel like a sports towel works well.
Also, placing towels on the floor for free play can be dangerous because they might wrap around a child’s body, so make sure a teacher is always the one handling the towels.
Kids are thrilled if you put a towel on them like a cape! If possible, try to gather towels in various colors and patterns.
Tambourine made from everyday items
Here are some ideas for making a tambourine from everyday items.
A tambourine is an instrument with bells or small cymbals attached around a metal rim, with skin stretched over one side.
How about making a tambourine using familiar materials found at home or in a preschool? You can substitute the skin with plastic sheeting or construction paper, and use a ring toss hoop or a cut-out paper plate for the rim.
If you brainstorm with the children, you’ll likely come up with lots of fun ideas! Give it a try.