Trying to figure out things to do with someone who can’t communicate what they want can be difficult. Thankfully, they can show you their laughter and happiness! Here is my list of 50 cheap things to do with a 1-year-old. Most of them are free and the others cost very little.
Outside Activities
1. Go for a walk. Around the block or on a trail!
2. Birdwatch. Point out the different birds in your yard/park.
3. Go on a hike. Good for you and baby!
4. Visit a park. Lilly loves to swing.
5. Go to the lake. Just play in the sand, or take a swim!
6. Blow bubbles. Buy a small container or make your own!
7. Go swimming. Find a pool, or just play in the sprinklers.
8. Go for a bike ride. Get a trailer or a bike carrier and get some fresh air!
9. Play in the sand, or the mud. Let them get messy and explore!
10. Pick flowers. Find some dandelions or other wildflowers to gather. Lilly loves big leaves!
11. Water sensory. Fill up a bucket with water and add some toys. Take it outside and let them experiment!
Inside Activities
12. Sing Songs. If your happy and you know it…
13. Build a fort. All you need are some chairs and blankets!
14. Read books. Really good for speech development.
15. Play hide and seek. If you still have a crawler, this one could last you a long time!
16. Play knock over. Build up some blocks or cups and let them knock it down!
17. Have a dance party. Put on your jam and party it out!
18. Play with letter magnets on a cookie sheet. Let them stick them on the sheet or just use the fridge.
19. Play with pans or Tupperware. Let them pull them out or let them on the ground and start a band!
20. Have friends over. Offer to babysit and help your baby develop social skills!
21. Play catch, or roll. Throw a ball back and forth or roll it on the ground.
22. Crawling tag. Get down on your knees and let your little one chase you then chase them! Lots of laughs ahead!
23. Play follow the leader. Mimic them, crawl behind them, clap your hands, even make silly noises!
24. Play cars. Lilly’s favorite game is pushing toy cars around the house!
25. Make shadow puppets. Perfect to slow the energy down but still entertain your little one.
26. Pasta scoop. Put some uncooked pasta in a pan and give them a ladle to try to scoop out the pasta!
27. Play with bubble wrap. Just got a package? Let them stomp or crawl on the bubble wrap. I remember loving this as a kid.
28. Build a tunnel. Use chairs in a row, boxes, or your legs!
Craft Activities
29. Make a banner out of their painting. Have them paint and cut a shape to hang as a banner like this one.
30. Make instruments. Rice in a sippy cup, or rubber bands around a cake pan!
31. Play pull along. Use an old box and some string or a belt to pull your little one around the house!
32. Make an obstacle course. Perfect if they are still crawling or climbing!
33. Make a sensory board. Grab your spare craft supplies and create a fun sensory board or a permanent one like ours.
34. Create bath games. Make colorful shaving cream or just have some splashing fun!
35. Make a footprint shirt. We’ve made several over the years for different holidays.
36. Paint with water. Get a brush and let them paint on plain or colored paper with water! No mess! TIP: tape it down to the table first.
37. No-mess window paint. Place some paint inside ziplock bags and tape to the window! They will be able to smoosh it around with no mess!
38. Make baby finger paint. This is best done outside near an inflatable pool.
39. Make a pom-pom tunnel drop. Tape an empty paper towel roll vertically to the wall and show them how to drop the pom-pom through.
40. Make a webbed basket. Using a laundry basket, make a web using yarn and place toys in the bottom! Watch them learn how to get the toys out through the web!
41. Make a color book. Grab free paint color samples from the hardware store and Make your own color book!
42. Develop motor skills. Show them how to stick Q-tips in the holes of an empty parmesan container!
43. Make a texture book. Grab free flooring samples from the hardware store, popcorn wrappers, and tin foil to make a texture book!
44. Make a sensory bottle. Use a Voss water bottle, glitter, oil, and food coloring.
45. Make a photo book of family members. I made one and it’s Lilly’s favorite book.
Go Somewhere
46. Visit a cat cafe. Go pet some cats who need love.
47. Go to the library. Some libraries have little toy tables for them to play with while you read! Then check out a few new books or a class.
48. Go to a museum. There are lots of free or cheap museums. Many of them have programs for babies and toddlers as well.
49. Walk around Target/window shop. Pack a snack and walk around the store! You can even play with a few toys.
50. Visit a friend. Go visit that friend or relative you haven’t seen in a while.
This was a surprisingly easy list to make but it seems hard to think of at the moment! That’s why I created a printable you can put on your fridge for a quick reference. Click here for the free printable. Let me know what your favorite things to do with a 1-year-old are.
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