Authored by Rodney Southern in Parenting
Published on 01-07-2009
One year olds are a very scrappy bunch. This is the age when they seem to think that they know how to do things but their bodies do not seem to agree. For this reason, it is one of the most entertaining ages that a parent gets to enjoy. There are a million activities that you might try with you one year old to try to expand his or her view of the world, and what they can do within it.
The kitchen is one of the most exciting places in the world to a one year old. Not only is it a place where they get yummy stuff, but there are all types of spinning, noises, and exciting things in the kitchen. From the dinging microwave to the whirling blender, a one year old is fascinated by the kitchen and everything in it.
For some entertainment and practice, you might let you one year old have some fun in the kitchen. One of the best things that you can let them do for entertainment is to bang some pots and pans together. This simple activity can help them to learn hand eye coordination, and also provide great practice at using both hands together. There are a million variations on this fun activity for a one year old.
Another popular activity for one year olds is to let them investigate some different sizes of cups. Putting them into and pulling them out of each other is great fun to a one year old, and it is good for their skills as well. Anything new is stimulating to a one year old, so let them dive into those plastic measuring cups and spoons.
The kitchen is not the only source of activities for one year olds. The living room floor is another wonderful place to learn. Teach your one year old the concept of big and small and other adjectives by getting visual with them. Grab a shirt of theirs and a shirt of yours. Hold yours up and say “Big” and then “small” with theirs. You will be amazed at how quickly they begin to grasp these simple concepts when you take the time to do this. This works equally well for any opposite adjectives.
Another great activity for one year olds is to have a puppet party. Set up a nice little shelf that can block their view of you. Then take a simple sock, or a puppet and put on a show for them. The baby will enjoy this to no end, and will also begin to try to mimic the puppet. You may even let them try to do a show for you, though it may not make any sense to you. That is half the fun with a one year old. Learning how to understand them, while they learn to understand you.
Just keep in mind that anything that stretches the imagination or shows them the basics of learning is a great activity for a one year old. The world is one big interesting place to a one year old, and you are coloring the pages for them. Make them vivid and bright, and your one year old will be off and running towards a very bright future.
