How do you entertain your one year old?

[ToHellinahandbasket]

So far today he has played in the play pen, scampered about the living room, driven around in his car Walker, we’ve read some books and sung some songs. He’s been for a walk.

He’s had a nap and a snack and lunch will be in a little while.

I’m going to put him in his bouncer for a bit in the kitchen while I prep his lunch but then I’m stuck!

I’m trying to avoid too much screen time even though he loves baby club and little baby bum (kill me now)

Going to take him on another walk later on his trike if it stops raining. Our play areas and baby groups are closed.

He’s quite close to walking but doesn’t like any help 😂 he gets very grumpy if you try to guide him or walk with him but will occasionally take a few steps on his own so I’ve scrapped trying to practise with him.

It’s not so bad when the weather isn’t bad but it’s grim today and I’m struggling.

I’m also feeling like I’m not giving him enough stimulation or learning entertainment but I find it hard to come up with ideas

I’ve ordered some crayons for him to have a go with. And my friend has sent him a pop up tunnel to crawl through which arrives this week which will be something different but the days feel so long at the moment!

[mrsed1987]

Wow he has done a that already. My lo is nearly 2 and he has just gone for a nap. We have littrally just played and had the TV on all morning. A mixture of being in his bedroom and downstairs. Sounds like your doing a fab job, don't put too much pressure on yourself.

[katmarie]

We have books, colouring stuff, lots of toys (thanks to generous grandparents) and basically plenty to play with. Dd 15 mo is most happy playing with a cardboard box. Sometimes I put toys out and let her just explore them. Sometimes she comes along with me while I do laundry or housework or whatever. I don't really set out to entertain her as such, just to get the things done I need to, and keep her safe and happy along the way.

[ToHellinahandbasket]

When you do laundry or housework @katmarie do you just let her crawl about etc or do you put her in something?

[katmarie]

Mostly I just let her potter about, I close the door or the baby gate for the room we're in so she can't go far, and I've gradually childproofed most of the house by letting her come round with me and keeping a sharp eye on her. I try and get her to 'help' put things in the washing machine etc, and push the buttons. She seems to like that.

[SquigglePigs]

Sounds like you're doing fantastically well but here are some things DD really enjoyed at that age:

Playing in her little ball pool.
Musical instruments to shake around.
We also got a little disco light projector that was great fun with the curtains closed - a bit like a sensory room.
The washing up bowl with a little water in and then ice cubes floating in it (we had fun with giant ones) - messy but lots of fun.
We did bath time during the day rather than as part of the bedtime routine so that could easily fill an hour or so with lots of playing with bath toys.
A bun tin or muffin tin and then balls/toys/dried pasta etc. to move around the holes.

[DreamingInColours]

Your day sounds similar to mine OP, except we watch Mr Tumble!

I have a 13mo who is walking and half the time I'm stopping him grabbing the toilet brush, jumping off the sofa or grabbing things off the table.
Raining today so we've been inside and I'm running out of ideas too. We've done reading time, songs, climbing up and down stairs (with me holding!), Skype call to nana, shape sorter, hide and seek/chasing, snack time and he is now napping.
No idea what to do this afternoon and DH isn't home till 6pm

[Caspianberg]

8 month old here, but he’s crawling speedily and cruising furniture confidently already so I can’t leave him a second.

He’s already banged his chin trying to swing off the Dining room table! ( literally crawled up to it, stood up and used it like monkey bars to swing off!)

We tend to do a mixture of walks outdoors, walks around house, chores, toys, books, some kind of indoor climbing

This morning:
Woke and played on our bed a while. Breakfast
Read some books
He crawled through rooms with me following, then up and down stairs a few times
Hung laundry up in room upstairs whilst he pulled everything out basket and off rack I was trying to use
FaceTimed granny whilst semi playing with him on floor
Napped 10.30-11.30
Played again with toys, chased cat, tried to climb out cat flap
Lunch
Crawled around house again.
Books
Set up a pile of cushions for him to climb on

It’s only 14.15pm here.... he should nap again soon. It’s raining outside so no walk today.

[Lullaby88]

You've done loads, are ur activities fairly short? My walk with my 1 year old would last around 45 minutes. Id do similar things to you but spread them across the day book reading would be a big activity, play dough, id open up the toy box and we would paint, do aqua doodles, shape sorters play with blocks and build towers. It is quite hard as at the moment cant get out to playgroups but id do that. Id give half an hr screen time. We would look out of the window aswel just to see nature sometimes? It is tough filling up a full day. My 1 year old would nap for 2 hrs straight so id have that split in my day. Now she is 3 and a live wire who naps for 40 minutes hehe..

[Lullaby88]

Just to add i had that tunnel aswel its quite good, she wasnt walking much so id also have a bounceroo thatd give her some time to jump and an indoor swing to hav some fun with when it was gloomy outside.

[Same4Walls]

I send sympathy. I have an almost waking 13 month old who hates being out in the rain despite appropriate clothing so on very wet days it definitely seems to drag.

We do all the things you've suggested including some tv time (dont feel guilty).

My DS also enjoys trashing the nursery, playing with pots and pans and chewing the tv remote. (Not much help activity wise but hopefully knowing others are in the same situation is helpful).

You've done loads, are ur activities fairly short?

If the OPs child is anything like mine then unfortunately any activity is shortlived due to an incredibly small attention span. Unleas of course it involves anything that isn't what he shouldn't be doing in which case his attention span grows miraculously...

[Caspianberg]

@Same4Walls - same here. Looking at books is 5 mins max, before he’s climbing away.. but he is never board of climbing where he shouldn’t be.

[TimeIhadaNameChange]

Re the walking - I've just bought a harness for my dd. She's just 10 months and only just standing (with support) but, like your ds, hates help. This lets me hold her up without obviously supporting her.

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B086S327P3/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?psc=1&ie=UTF8&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[sparklingstars12]

We did sing and sign at home during the last lockdown and we really loved it. It is 30mins of screen time but it teaches them the sing language to communicate as well as entertaining them for a little bit!

[Cattenberg]

Lots of nursery rhymes. Sometimes we’d act them out, or use props (I had a set of bath ducks for “three little ducks went swimming one day”). We also used baby shakers and experimented with playing loudly, quietly, fast and slow.

Painting with water and a paintbrush. We enjoyed painting large pebbles with water to bring out their colours.

Blowing bubbles.

[Forevercurious]

Sounds like a fairly typical day for a one year old tbh. My DS is 13 months and this morning has had the tele on whilst he played for half an hour ish, been out for a walk, played with vehicles in cereal for messy play, looked at books, climbed in and out of his tunnel. He’s walking but is reluctant to walk outside and some days do feel very very long!

I try and do a messy play or creative activity once a day and get out at least once for a walk / to the play area. I have a little routine which I find definitely helps!

[Same4Walls]

[quote Caspianberg]@Same4Walls - same here. Looking at books is 5 mins max, before he’s climbing away.. but he is never board of climbing where he shouldn’t be.[/quote]
So glad it's not just my little terror that behaves like this.

Some of these suggestions are good but I think how effective they will be at filling time is very dependent on whether your 1 year old is 12 months or 23 months.

[Vivenne]

I'm finding it difficult to entertain my one year old too. Shes an only child so no other siblings to keep her entertained. Pretty much all her life we've been in lockdown which is worrying for her social skills. We have lots of toys, TV, go for a walk in the stroller (can't walk independently yet) only when its not raining! I feel really sad that I can't take her to playgroups, all the playgroups that were on a few months ago were fully booked within minutes. I've took her to the park to play on the swings, she laughs for a minute but it really is too cold for the park or walks. I also made some non toxic paint, absolute disaster as its stained my kitchen floor and her new clothes! I'm following this thread as I am in need for inspiration.

[weepingwillow22]

My 14 month old has just started with the childminder 14 hours a week and I am praying she is not made to close. I found the days very long, his favourite activities are climbing, pulling things out of cupboards and throwing things down the stairs. I tried to engage him in housework but he tends to gravitate to the most dangerous thing in the room.

[ToHellinahandbasket]

I WISH I could drag out the activities he gets bored after a short time and starts trying to climb me/the playpen/the furniture/ opening the cupboards etc etc so I find I have to do a rotation of different things

I am always amazed when people say they let their babies potter around while they are doing housework, if I try and let him sit while I do something he will be climbing/ speedily crawling towards hazards in seconds and I’d get nothing done 😂 he usually has to be contained in playpen/travel cot/bouncer etc if I need to do anything like that otherwise i don’t get anything done

It’s a struggle isn’t it?

I’ve got some messy play lined up this week but he’s still at the stage he just wants to put everything in his mouth.

[Same4Walls]

I’ve got some messy play lined up this week but he’s still at the stage he just wants to put everything in his mouth.

I've just given in and accepted it will go in his mouth no matter what we do so I try very hard to use things that are edible when doing any kind of messy play. Im always in awe at people who have 1 year olds who don't try and cram everything into their mouths.

[Forevercurious]

Yep DS puts everything in his mouth too but we use edible stuff for messy play: jelly, spaghetti, porridge oats, different cereals. You can make edible paint using yoghurt and food colouring although we do just use normal kid paint.

[katmarie]

You can make edible paint and playdough, and do sensory play with things like porridge oats and cereals, or dry pasta. A tray of porridge oats with some toys hidden in it is very entertaining. There are lots of ideas on Pinterest for that kind of thing.

Tbh our whole house is pretty much baby proofed after my older one who is a bit of a danger magnet. So having the little one potter around with me there isn't much she can get at that is dangerous.