Fun with no prep needed! Indoor activities perfect for 1-year-old classes
Children in the one-year-old class are starting to walk, learning to jump, and becoming more and more active.
Even when you suddenly have to switch to indoor play, you’ll want to make sure they can still move their bodies a lot.
Sometimes the weather or staff scheduling forces an unexpected change to indoor play, leaving you unprepared or unsure what activities to do.
For teachers in that situation, here are indoor activities you can do even without any preparation.
We’ve gathered ideas that are perfect for one-year-olds, so please try incorporating them.
Let’s spend a fun time with the children through a variety of activities.
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Play Without Preparation! Recommended Indoor Activities for 1-Year-Old Classes (11–20)
Cardboard play
Do you have cardboard boxes from deliveries that pile up unused? Cardboard lets children freely create what they like, adapts to their flexible movements, and is perfect for active play.
So this time, we’d like to introduce some fun indoor cardboard activities.
Roll cardboard into a tube and crawl inside to play pill bug, rock and sway, or build a bridge with cardboard—there are all kinds of games to enjoy.
Through playing with cardboard, children can nurture their imagination and discover the joy of making things.
big ball
Make balls using large plastic bags and incorporate them into indoor play.
They’re light and durable, so they won’t break even if children throw or hit them.
Adjust the number of balls you make to match the number of children in the class.
If you draw on the bags with a pen before making the balls, the colorful designs will get the kids super excited! The larger size encourages great physical activity as children stretch their arms wide and chase the balls far.
Another plus is that you can deflate them after use and store them, helping you take good care of your equipment.
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.
Eurhythmics play
Why not try incorporating eurhythmics play to nurture children’s sensitivity and expressive skills through music? Since the goal of this activity is to move the whole body in time with the music, another perk is that it requires very little preparation! Try adding a variety of movements to different kinds of music, such as walking normally, speed walking, or walking backward.
You can also freely customize it by stopping the music mid-way for a pose, or by speeding up the tempo of the song.
If you’re ever short on ideas for indoor activities, be sure to enjoy eurhythmics with the children!
Five Gymnastics Exercises
Many children probably enjoy gymnastics danced to rhythmic music, which they’ve seen on kids’ TV shows.
Teachers likely research trends every day to keep up.
What matters most in gymnastics is that the teacher participates energetically and with joy.
Children will discover the fun of moving their bodies by imitating the teacher.
When you introduce a new song, the children may be confused at first, but as they get used to it, they’ll start expressing their individuality more and more.
Let’s hold hands
Games where friends hold hands and sing together are really fun, aren’t they? By holding hands, children learn about their roles and develop social skills.
The activity I’m introducing today has children join hands to form a circle.
While singing songs like “Let’s All Hold Hands” or the lullaby “Nen-neko,” they stand up and sit down, enjoying a rhythmic play where they can watch each other’s expressions.
It’s especially recommended for days when it’s raining and outdoor play is difficult.
Singing naturally helps develop a sense of pitch and rhythm, making indoor play even more enjoyable.
Play Anytime, No Prep! Indoor Activities Recommended for 1-Year-Old Classes (21–30)
Jump play
@kukuru2021 I flew really well❣️Rhythmic#HulaHoopPianotranslationchild#Nursery school3 years old, 2 years old1 year oldRhythmic Piano
♪ Original Song – kukuru2021 – KUKURU International Preschool
I think children love movements like jumping and hopping on one foot.
By incorporating jumping and one-foot hopping into play, it naturally helps develop their motor skills.
The activity I’m introducing this time is a physical game where children aim for the goal by jumping one by one through hula hoops in time with the piano’s sound and tempo.
Moving your body and jumping in sync with the piano feels very pleasant, doesn’t it? It also seems fun to try speeding up the piano, slowing it down, and adding expressive changes to the music while doing the activity.