Activities for a 22-Month-Old

Featured activities for a 22-month-old

One activity from each domain, chosen for 22 months: 8 activities in the library start at exactly 22 months and 15 reach the end of their band. Other months feature different activities.

Why these fit at 22 months

• Egg Carton Latch Surprise

  A sock waits inside a closed egg carton; working out how to pop the latch open builds patience and two-handed problem-solving. Why now: 22 months sits mid-band (17-25 months). Model "open" while you play; if it is too hard, rest the lid shut without fastening the latch.

• Shopping Cart Spotter

  During a grocery trip your seated child points at foods, you name each one and pause, turning a routine errand into back-and-forth talk. Why now: 22 months sits mid-band (17-28 months). Model "bananas" while you play; if it is too hard, stay in the produce section and name only foods your child already eats at home.

• Kick It Back to Me

  You and your child stand a few steps apart and kick a big soft ball back and forth, taking turns and stopping a ball that comes toward them. Why now: its band (22-36 months) starts at exactly 22 months. Model "my turn" while you play; if it is too hard, sit facing each other and roll the ball instead of kicking, then try one kick at the end.

• Bubble Jar Twist and Blow

  Your child twists the lid off a small bottle of bubble liquid so you can blow bubbles together, a lid-twisting job with an instant, floating reward. Why now: its band (22-36 months) starts at exactly 22 months. Model "open" while you play; if it is too hard, hold the bottle steady for your child so they only need to turn the lid.

• Teddy Is Sad: Comfort Game

  A stuffed animal pretends to bump its knee and cry, and your child notices the sad toy and comforts it with a hug, a pat or a blanket. Why now: its band (22-32 months) starts at exactly 22 months. Model "sad" while you play; if it is too hard, model the hug first, then hand teddy to your child for their turn.

• Pour-and-Rub Garden Hand-Wash

  After outdoor play, one person pours clean water from a measuring cup while the other rubs, then you swap, washing grubby hands over a basin. Why now: its 20-32-month band started 2 months ago, so it is still fresh. Model "pour" while you play; if it is too hard, do all the pouring yourself and let your child only rub and rinse.

• Blanket Wave Teddy Bounce

  You and your child hold a blanket and wave it high, low and fast while singing, making a teddy bounce, then freeze together on "stop". Why now: 22 months sits mid-band (17-28 months). Model "up" while you play; if it is too hard, hold the blanket yourself and wave it gently while your child pats teddy at each stop.

• Sock Pair Detective

  Your toddler hunts through a small spread of clean socks to find matching pairs, starting with very different socks and moving on to closer lookalikes. Why now: its band (22-34 months) starts at exactly 22 months. Model "same" while you play; if it is too hard, use two pairs that look completely different, so there are only four socks to choose from.

Activities for a 22-month-old by domain

Counted by each activity's main domain: 17 fine motor, 17 gross motor, 15 early concepts, 14 social-emotional, 13 pretend and creative, 13 language, 13 practical life and 10 cognitive.

No-prep menu for a 22-month-old

On a chaotic day pick any two. 37 of the 112 activities that fit at 22 months need nothing set up and last 10 minutes or less; here are 6.

• Nature Jar Lid Twist (3-8 min, outdoors): materials: a wide plastic jar with a screw lid and a large pinecone, leaf or stick found on a walk; it practices twisting lids and knobs.
• Sofa Climb, Feet-First Down (3-8 min, indoors): materials: a low, stable sofa or armchair and a cushion on the floor in front; it practices climbing on and off furniture.
• Cars Here, Blocks There Tidy-Up (3-8 min, indoors): materials: toy cars and large blocks already out on the floor and a laundry basket; it practices sorting.
• Pot Drum Echo Turns (4-8 min, indoors): materials: 2 small pots or plastic bowls, upturned and 2 wooden spoons; it practices taking turns.
• Kick It Back to Me (5-10 min, outdoors): materials: a large, light soft ball; it practices kicking a ball.
• Tap Test: Pot, Box or Towel (3-8 min, indoors): materials: a wooden spoon and a pot or saucepan; it practices cause and effect.

What is emerging at 22 months

Between checklist ages CDC uses the earlier one, so at 22 months the 18-month checklist (15 milestones) still applies, 4 months after it. The next checklist comes at 24 months, 2 months away; 4 of its items, each with a matching activity:

• Gives a ball a kick. At 22 months you can practice it with Kick It Back to Me (5-10 min).
• Uses gestures beyond waving and pointing, such as nodding for yes or blowing a kiss. At 22 months you can practice it with Snack Signs: More and All Done (5-15 min).
• Runs, not only walks. At 22 months you can practice it with Bubble Chase on the Grass (5-12 min).
• Feeds themselves with a spoon. At 22 months you can practice it with Stir the Big Pot (5-10 min).

Indoor and outdoor play at 22 months

A 7-day sample week for a 22-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: 23 to 25 months

29 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.

• Clothespin-Knob Box Puzzle: from 23 months (1 ahead), fine motor, practices knob puzzles.
• Animal Moves Action Song: from 24 months (2 ahead), pretend and creative, practices action songs.
• Box Drum Copy-the-Beat: from 24 months (2 ahead), pretend and creative, practices making music.
• Copy-My-Bridge Block Build: from 24 months (2 ahead), fine motor, practices stacking blocks.
• Copy My Crayon Line: from 24 months (2 ahead), fine motor, practices scribbling and early drawing.

More for 22 months