Free and Fun Activities To Do With Your One Year Old

In today's hectic world, we’re all crazy busy. Because of this nonstop world we live in, you’re probably super tired (I know I am) but as a mother, you know you can’t let this exhaustion hold you from creating memories with your children.

You want to provide the best childhood for them. But it’s not just about them, it’s about you as well. You want memories to look back on to relive those moments, and to love yourself as a mom.

Your only wish: That there were some easier activities to do with your toddler. 

You want to bundle less mess with more fun.

Here are a few activities that will allow you to indulge in free play without thinking of the costs and time involved. And you can do them any time of the day

Sing nursery rhymes 

Every mom wants to see her little one laughing and giggling. Why don’t you try singing nursery rhymes to them? They'll love listening to all those soft tunes, they may even sing with you. Moreover, now that your little munchkin is growing, they’ll probably dance around to these rhymes.

Even if they are not able to walk yet, you can hold them in your arms and dance with them. Have a little mother-child dance party and let them enjoy the learning process. You do not have to spend any money, but you can still enjoy some great moments with your child.

Blow some bubbles!

Nothing makes a one-year-old happier than popping some bubbles or chasing them around. Those loud giggles will make your day. If you’re worried about making a mess, go outside and blow bubbles with your child. No mess out there! If you’re restricted by weather, blowing bubbles inside isn’t a huge problem. Just wipe the bubbles up at the end of playtime, now you have a clean floor and a happy child! Win Win!!

Enjoy your Sunday evening blowing bubbles with your little one. Nothing is more precious than having a good time and a bunch of happy moments with your little kid. Get a bubble blowing machine, that can do the same job if you do not want to do it yourself.

Play with blocks

We all have played with blocks. Some part of our childhood memories consists of stacking blocks. You enjoyed it, there's a good chance your children will enjoy it as well, grab some blocks and help them get those creative juices flowing. There are various types and materials of blocks in the market. If noisy toys are an issue, you can buy foam blocks instead of the plastic or wooden blocks.

Building blocks are more than just a fun activity for your children. It’s also a learning experience, the process of using building blocks will help develop problem solving and creative thought.

This will keep your child engaged for some time, while you can sit back and see how fast they are growing and learning.

Read books

Some of us aren’t fans of reading, and that’s ok. For you, as an adult. But for our children, reading is a crucially important aspect of life. Most parents nowadays seemingly neglect the importance of reading to our children. Try to make it a point to read to your child every night before putting them to sleep. Reading help your children in many ways, it reinforces a better imagination, helps to grow their vocabulary, and it allows them to think more open and freely.

Reading should be more than just an activity; it should be a habit. Children learn what they see. When our little ones see us learning, reading and becoming a better human, they will eventually want to follow in our steps. Make a visit to the library every once in a while, give them books to read, read for them. If your library has it, let them sit for story time.

Water plants / Plant a plant

The process of growth is fascinating, be it your child or a plant. Planting and watering the plants is another activity that you can do with your little munchkin.

You can make this session of watering the plants interesting, by involving your child in the planting process. You don’t have to start big, try this on some small pot plants, water it daily and chat with your little one about how it is growing. 

Your one year old may be too young to understand all of it, but it will help them in becoming a great human with a wonderful personality.

Finger paints

A reason to get messy and make a mess at the same time! Did someone say a child's dream come true? Children love to play bright colors. It makes everything a lot more interesting and engaging for their active minds. 

Crafty moms love to do this activity with their kids. It is fun to play around with colors with your little one. All you need to do is to spread out the card sheet and get some paints. Let your kids dip their hands and create their art pieces on the papers. Save these pieces of art as the first art memory of your little one.

Putting the toys away

As parents most of us probably dread the moment we have to clean up our children's toys. If you agree, there may be a way to make cleanup a little less of a hassle and still keep your children engaged.

Make it a competition, tell your child it’s a race to see who can clean up the toys the fastest. The other option is to count all of the pieces to toys as they are put away, legos, cars, blocks. There should be plenty of things to count. If all goes well, your child will not only move faster so they can beat you, but this will also enforce the importance of cleaning up after themselves.

Look at photos

Most of us probably have a gallery wall in our house. It can be full of intimate, happy, and incredible family moments. 

Show your child all the photos. You should also tell them all the funny, wonderful, and amazing memories you have about that particular event.

You can also bring out your old albums, containing all the glorious childhood photos of you. Tell your little one about the funny stories of your childhood. 

Visit a park

Now that your child is learning to walk, they're probably running all over the place. Why don’t you take them to a park? Enjoy a mini picnic at the park, with other moms and children of the same age. 

They’ll enjoy meeting new people, playing and making friends. Meanwhile you can enjoy a small chitchat session with other moms over a sandwich and coffee. 

Children love going to parks, the freedom, sounds and sights captivate them. Our children love to see and experience new things. Besides, a little exposure to nature is a good thing for children.

Take Away

Every parent tries their best to make their child content and enjoy some quality time with them. However, most parents overlook the idea of skills, etiquette, and mannerisms building from an early age. While you spend time with your child, try an activity that can keep them engaged, and that they can learn something from.

Make sure you create a list of activities with your little one, that can make them happy. Enjoy the perks of living with your little human and cherish every moment, while they are still your tiny little munchkin.

Are you looking to build other life long habits for your children? Habits that will help them to have a happy and healthy life? Fill out the form below to see how the Envisage Growth Academy can help you with this!