Activities for a 12-Month-Old

Featured activities for a 12-month-old

One activity from each domain, chosen for 12 months: 27 activities in the library start at exactly 12 months. Other months feature different activities.

Why these fit at 12 months

• Colander Cage Peekaboo

  A toy sits under an upturned colander where your child can still see it through the holes; lifting the colander to free it builds object search and simple problem-solving. Why now: its band (12-17 months) starts at exactly 12 months. Model "where's the ball?" while you play; if it is too hard, leave part of the ball sticking out from under the colander's rim.

• Sock Puppet Hello

  A plain sock on your hand peeks out, waves and says hello, then waits, so your child practices waving, babbling and taking turns in a tiny conversation. Why now: its band (12-20 months) starts at exactly 12 months. Model "Hi!" while you play; if it is too hard, keep the puppet in view the whole time and have it wave and say "Hi" whenever your child looks at it.

• Push-the-Box Train

  The child pushes a sturdy cardboard box carrying a stuffed animal across the floor, practicing steady walking, pushing with the whole body and steering. Why now: its band (12-20 months) starts at exactly 12 months. Model "push" while you play; if it is too hard, push an empty box on a smooth floor so it slides with almost no effort.

• Tissue Box Scarf Pull and Stuff

  Your child pulls light fabric squares out of an empty tissue box and pushes them back in, practising a pinch grip, pulling and posting through a slot. Why now: its band (12-18 months) starts at exactly 12 months. Model "out" while you play; if it is too hard, leave a long corner of every square sticking out so it is easy to grab.

• Photo Wall Hello Kisses

  Your child greets low-hung photos of family members with waves, pats and blown kisses, practicing affection and learning the names of the people they love. Why now: its band (12-20 months) starts at exactly 12 months. Model "hello" while you play; if it is too hard, use only two photos of the people your child sees most, and count a look as a full turn.

• Two-Hands Open Cup Sip

  With a tiny amount of water in a small open cup, your child holds it with both hands and learns to tilt, sip and set it down. Why now: its band (12-20 months) starts at exactly 12 months. Model "cup" while you play; if it is too hard, put your hands over theirs on the cup and tilt it together.

• Teddy's Snack Time

  Your child copies one pretend action, feeding a stuffed animal with a real spoon and bowl, the first step from using objects to pretending with them. Why now: its band (12-20 months) starts at exactly 12 months. Model "eat" while you play; if it is too hard, skip the spoon: hold teddy close and let your child hug or pat it while you say "Hug teddy."

• In and Out Basket Climb

  Your toddler climbs into and out of an empty laundry basket and drops a ball in and out, hearing 'in' and 'out' tied to their own body. Why now: its band (12-20 months) starts at exactly 12 months. Model "in" while you play; if it is too hard, skip the climbing and just take turns dropping the ball into the basket and tipping it out.

Activities for a 12-month-old by domain

Counted by each activity's main domain: 4 cognitive, 4 pretend and creative, 4 gross motor, 4 practical life, 4 social-emotional, 3 fine motor, 3 language and 1 early concepts.

No-prep menu for a 12-month-old

On a chaotic day pick any two. 16 of the 27 activities that fit at 12 months need nothing set up and last 10 minutes or less; here are 6.

• Toe-Tug Sock Off (2-5 min, indoors): materials: the socks your child is wearing and a low laundry basket; it practices helping with dressing.
• In and Out Basket Climb (5-10 min, indoors): materials: an empty, sturdy, low laundry basket and a large soft ball; it practices spatial words.
• Colander Cage Peekaboo (3-6 min, indoors): materials: a plastic colander with smooth edges and a soft ball or favorite toy; it practices finding hidden objects.
• Kitchen Pot Band (3-8 min, indoors): materials: 2 cold, empty pots or saucepans and a wooden spoon; it practices making music.
• Walk-to-Me Hallway Steps (3-8 min, indoors): materials: a clear stretch of hallway or floor and a sofa edge to start from; it practices walking on their own.
• Two-Hands Open Cup Sip (2-5 min, indoors): materials: a small unbreakable open cup (no lid) and about two tablespoons of water; it practices drinking from an open cup.

What is emerging at 12 months

12 months is a CDC checklist age: the 12-month checklist (10 paraphrased milestones) describes what most children (75% or more) do by now. The next checklist comes at 15 months, 3 months away; 4 of its items, each with a matching activity:

• Gives a doll or stuffed animal a hug. At 12 months you can practice it with Photo Wall Hello Kisses (3-6 min).
• Follows a direction when you use words and a gesture together, like handing over a toy when you hold out your hand and ask for it. At 12 months you can practice it with Walk-to-Me Hallway Steps (3-8 min).
• Holds up or brings an object they like to show you. At 12 months you can practice it with Lap Book Point and Pause (3-10 min).
• Builds a stack of two or more small objects, such as blocks. At 12 months you can practice it with Big Box Tower Topple (3-8 min).

Indoor and outdoor play at 12 months

A 7-day sample week for a 12-month-old

Two short focus activities a day, rotating domains the way our evidence-based program does, plus one practical-life moment and a few words to model. Everything else is free play, meals, outdoor time, books and sleep.

Growing into next: 13 to 15 months

39 activities start in the next 3 months. Offer them once and watch; if they do not click yet, put them away for a few weeks.

• Copy My Box Moves: from 13 months (1 ahead), cognitive, practices imitating actions.
• High-Chair Tray Wipe-Down: from 13 months (1 ahead), practical life, practices tidying up.
• Lid Slot Posting Tub: from 13 months (1 ahead), fine motor, practices posting objects.
• One Sock Ball per Cup: from 13 months (1 ahead), early concepts, practices counting.
• Photo Wall Flap Hunt: from 13 months (1 ahead), language, practices understanding names of things.

More for 12 months