Hello!

How do you keep your one year old entertained all day, all week. It’s only Monday morning and my little one is so bored. I rotate his toys and he has a good collection of books, we sing songs and are out usually all week end. What do you do?


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  • A structured day routine can help. Implement structured play and activities at certain times. For example, puzzles, lego 15 minutes television, imaginary play, reading, bath, play ground, shopping, catching up with friends who’ve children, playgroups, etc.


  • Sorry I have to laugh as I still don’t know and my daughter is 3 and a half now. She just wanted me all the time!!


  • Home made toys are always a hit and help with developing fine motor skills :) ie glitter shaker bottle made with a recycled plastic bottle (with or without water)


  • I don’t know how a one year old could be bored! mine is nearly one and likes water play, and plastic container
    try playgroup?


  • Going outside for some fresh air and exploring the neighbourhood is great. Stop at the park, chase some pigeons, just the little things.


  • My little one loves being outside! Makes his day. Crawling around touching the grass etc. he loves watching me mow, water the garden he will even just play in the car pretends his driving touching buttons. If it’s raining we like to visit the library where they do a free story time on certain days. There’s only so much we can do as mothers though. And kids will still get bored :)


  • I find a little structure actually helps, kids seem to like to know what to expect too. We normall no school run for the big kids then an activity out like playgroup, swimming or even just a trip to the local park, we then go home for moring tea/ lunch depending on the time. then fit a prefered activity like painting, aim for the midday sleep (mummy time!) then just pottering around the house as I try and tidy up so the kids can trash it when they get home! All a one year old really wants is attention, but remember they are only little for such a short time! you’ll soon be chasing them around trying to get them to play with you!


  • Spend as much time outside as possible. Go for a walk if they’re happy to be in the pram. It’s good down time for you as they don’t have to be entertained and talked to while you walk (generally!).
    Libraries have great programs for mums and babies.
    Check out Pinterest for some great ideas for activities for 1 year olds
    Give them a cloth to ‘help’ while you do a few jobs.
    Put some music on and provide a few things they can play with – scarves, shakers, clave sticks, streamers – and let them be free to play and dance to the music etc. You might be able to get a little time to yourself during this time.


  • Mother’s group, go for a walk and talk to them, libraries often have a group for kids – rock and rhyme time or story time with singing and stories, beach/sandpit, play centre or playgroup, music and hand actions, find a duck pond, see relatives. Last resort tv


  • Go for walks, draw together, build a fort


  • Make play dough together, paint with water colours, make bath crayons and colour in the tub. Go for walks and maybe even a picnic, get a kids safe knife and allow bub to help chop fruit and vegetables


  • With my son, we went for a walk everyday – talk to neighbours, look at flowers, pick up a leaf etc
    The sand pit – make sand castles then squash them, tip sand between cups, bury something and then find it
    Painting – ensure to have an art smock and a protected area, then do finger paint, or use sponges to do prints on really large bits of paper (i did this on the ground after taping newspaper to the floor to protect my tiles. But the paint is easily washable if there is a spill).
    Sort blocks into coloured piles.
    Get out the pots and pans and wooden spoons to make a drum kit (not good if you have a headache, but so much fun).
    Go to the library for story time.
    Go for a swim at the local pool.
    Read some stories with funny voices. I used to have to read the same book over and over again, it always resulted in giggles when i did voices for the characters.

    Repetition and routine are also good for children so young, so you don’t have to come up with 1000 different things, use the same toys with a different twist.
    Good luck.


  • One year olds need stimulation with lots of different experiences. I gave mine a sand pit and we would play with dry and wet sand. Put water in plastic cups have him pour it in the sand pit. Have him dig in it. Have him squash the mounded sand you make. All the time give him a clap and say encouraging things to him. We loved to walk up the road and meet our neighbours. We would do this at least once a day we would walk one way one day and the other the next. We would walk outside to get the mail together and meet the postman. I would let mine play in the bath with warm water in winter just for fun. I would make bubble baths a lot this was so much fun. Boys love blocks so build castles and knock them over. Play pick-a-boo by throwing a big king sheet over your dining table. Play on the floor at your babies level they love this!!!!!!


  • finger painting, dancing & singing, playdoh
    outside play


  • my lo has discovered the tupperware drawer while i cook kept him entertained for ages


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