One-year-olds are natural explorers. They learn by touching, tasting, dropping, and imitating the people around them. As a parent or caregiver, you can turn everyday moments into rich learning experiences right at home. Simple, playful activities that match your child’s growing abilities help build language, movement, thinking, and social skills without any need for special equipment or screens.
What to expect from your one-year-old’s development
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers milestone checklists for 1 year and 18 months that cover social, language, cognitive, and movement skills. These milestones are things most children (75% or more) can do by a certain age. The CDC’s positive parenting tips for toddlers 1 to 2 years old describe how during the second year, children are moving around more, exploring new objects, and becoming more aware of themselves and their surroundings. They tend to imitate the actions of adults and older children, show greater independence, and may recognize themselves in pictures or a mirror. Toddlers also begin to recognize the names of familiar people and objects, form simple phrases, and follow simple instructions.
Every child develops at their own pace. The activities below are designed to support the skills that typically emerge between 12 and 24 months. They are not a checklist of what your child must do, but rather invitations to play together in ways that encourage learning.
Simple learning activities for your one-year-old
These activities use safe, everyday items and focus on one or two learning goals at a time. Always stay close and supervise your child during play.
Sing and bounce together
Learning goal: Bonding, rhythm awareness, and early language.
Materials: Your voice and a favorite song; no special items needed.
Head Start’s research brief on music with infants and toddlers explains that singing engages babies more effectively than just speech. When you sing, you naturally use facial expressions, exaggerate words, and add playful movements. Bouncing your baby gently on your lap or patting them to the rhythm of the music helps them become familiar with musical patterns before they can move independently. The CDC also suggests talking or singing to your baby about what you are doing, such as “Mommy is washing your hands.” Sing in whatever language feels comfortable at home; Head Start encourages families to sing in their home languages as a culturally sustaining practice.
Safety note: Always support your baby securely during bouncing. Never shake a baby.
Water play exploration
Learning goal: Sensory exploration and cause and effect.
Materials: A shallow plastic container, a small amount of water, plastic cups, spoons, and a towel for spills.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) notes that play is how toddlers explore and learn about the world. The AAP encourages giving your child lots of time to explore with things like water, sand, boxes, or any other safe item that your child finds interesting. Pouring, splashing, and scooping help your child understand how materials behave and build hand-eye coordination. Describe what you see: “You filled the cup. Now it’s empty.”
Safety note: Never leave your child unattended near water, even for a moment. The CDC warns that drowning is a leading cause of injury and death among this age group. Empty the water container immediately after play and store it out of reach.
Book sharing and picture talk
Learning goal: Language development and bonding.
Materials: Board books with flaps or textures that are safe for mouthing.
The CDC recommends “reading” books with your baby by talking about the pictures. Babies this age often enjoy books with things they can feel or flaps they can lift. The CDC’s 18-month tips add that you can read books and talk about the pictures using simple words. Let your child turn the pages and point. If they say “dog,” you can respond, “Yes, that’s a dog. Dogs say ‘woof, woof.'” This builds on what your child tries to say, a strategy the CDC highlights for both 1-year-olds and 18-month-olds.
Safety note: Check that the book has no small or detachable parts that could become a choking hazard. The AAP advises keeping toys with small parts away from infants and young children.
Pretend play with a spoon and stuffed animal
Learning goal: Social and imaginative skills.
Materials: A safe spoon and a stuffed animal or doll.
The CDC’s tips for 18-month-olds encourage “pretend” play. Give your child a spoon so she can pretend to feed her stuffed animal. Take turns pretending. This kind of play helps children learn about others’ feelings and about positive ways to react, as the CDC notes. The AAP also describes pretend play as one way children learn about difficult feelings like anger and fear.
Safety note: Use a spoon that is not sharp and has no small parts. Supervise to prevent your child from putting small objects in their mouth.
Push and pull for walking practice
Learning goal: Gross motor skills and walking practice.
Materials: An empty cardboard box or a sturdy push toy (not a baby walker).
The CDC suggests letting your baby push things around, such as empty boxes, a “kiddie chair,” or push toys, so he can practice walking. Baby walkers are not recommended. Pushing a box across the floor helps your child build strength and balance. You can also encourage your baby to practice walking by holding your hands or holding onto safe furniture.
Safety note: Make sure the box has no sharp edges, staples, or loose tape. Stay close to prevent tipping. The CDC also recommends blocking off stairs with a small gate and locking doors to dangerous places.
Name body parts
Learning goal: Language and self-awareness.
Materials: None.
The CDC’s 18-month tips suggest starting to teach your child the names for body parts by pointing them out and saying things like “Here’s your nose, here’s my nose,” while pointing to her nose and your own. This simple game can happen during dressing, bath time, or while looking in a mirror. It helps your child connect words to their own body and to you.
Safety note: Use gentle touch and follow your child’s cues. Stop if they seem uncomfortable.
Pots and pans music
Learning goal: Cause and effect and sound exploration.
Materials: Pots, pans, and a wooden spoon.
The CDC recommends giving your baby pots and pans or a small musical instrument like a drum or cymbals and encouraging your baby to make noise. Banging on different surfaces produces different sounds, which teaches cause and effect. Head Start notes that using instruments like shakers and bells helps young children build fine and gross motor skills as they move and make music along to the beat.
Safety note: Avoid pots with sharp edges or loose handles. Supervise to prevent pinched fingers.
Safety first: choking hazards and supervision
As your child moves around more, they will encounter more dangers. The AAP warns that choking is a leading cause of death for infants and children, with most deaths occurring in children under age 5. Balloons, balls, marbles, pieces of toys, and certain foods cause the most choking deaths. The AAP advises keeping high-risk foods from children until 4 years of age or older, depending on the child’s development. Round, firm foods like hot dogs or grapes can be served only if completely chopped into tiny pieces. Cut food for infants and young children into pieces no larger than one-half inch, and teach them to chew well. Always insist that children sit down while eating.
Household items that pose choking risks include coins, small balls, pen caps, and small button-type batteries or lithium coin batteries. The AAP notes that button batteries can also cause internal burns if swallowed. Keep these items out of reach. The CDC adds that you should lock away medicines, chemicals, and cleaning products, and save the Poison Help Line number (800-222-1222) in all phones. Use plug covers on unused electrical outlets, and keep sharp objects such as scissors and knives in a safe place.
Screen time guidance for one-year-olds
The CDC states that screen time is not recommended for children younger than 2 years of age, except for video calling with loved ones. Babies learn by talking, playing, and interacting with others. The AAP recommends that for children younger than 18 months, it is best if toddlers do not use any screen media other than video chatting. Limiting your own screen time when you are with your child helps you stay responsive to their words and actions.
When to talk to your pediatrician
The CDC encourages parents to share any concerns about their child’s development with the doctor. You know your child best. If your child is not meeting one or more milestones, has lost skills they once had, or you have other concerns, do not wait. Talk with your child’s doctor, share your concerns, and ask about developmental screening. If you or the doctor are still concerned, ask for a referral to a specialist and call your state or territory’s early intervention program to find out if your child can get services to help. The CDC provides a finder at cdc.gov/FindEI.
Frequently asked questions
What are some safe activities for a one-year-old at home?
Safe, simple activities include singing and bouncing to music, supervised water play with shallow containers, sharing board books and talking about pictures, pretend play with a spoon and stuffed animal, pushing empty boxes, naming body parts, and making noise with pots and pans. Always stay close and remove any small objects that could be a choking hazard. For more ideas, explore our 1-Year-Old Activities page.
How can I tell if my one-year-old is developing on track?
The CDC offers free milestone checklists for 1 year and 18 months through its Milestone Tracker app and printable formats. These checklists describe things most children (75% or more) can do by a certain age. They are not a test, but a way to monitor your child’s progress. If you have any concerns, talk with your pediatrician and ask about developmental screening.
What foods should I avoid giving my one-year-old to prevent choking?
The AAP recommends keeping high-risk foods away from children until age 4 or older. Foods to avoid or modify include hot dogs, whole grapes, nuts and seeds, popcorn, raw vegetable sticks, raw fruit chunks, thick chunks of peanut butter, marshmallows, meat sticks, and chunks of cheese or meat. Always cut food into pieces no larger than one-half inch and have your child sit down while eating.
For more activity ideas tailored to your child’s age, visit our 1-Year-Old Activities page. You can also browse our Learning by Age section for activities for older toddlers and preschoolers, or see our Learning Activities by Age guide for a broader overview. If you are interested in more sensory play ideas, check out Sensory Play. For music and movement inspiration, visit Music and Movement.
