Active Activities for 1 Year Olds

Stack cushions into a soft mountain for climbing and sliding practice.

Fill a cardboard box with soft toys and let your early walker push it across the room — a walking support that builds confidence and strength.

Drop a ball down a ramp or slope and let your early walker chase after it — a high-energy game that combines cause and effect with walking practice.

A gentle chasing game where parent and toddler take turns pursuing each other.

Blow bubbles outdoors and let your early walker chase, pop, and reach for them — combining walking practice with whole-body coordination.

Kick a soft ball back and forth for early coordination and big-body movement.

Walk up gentle grassy slopes to build leg strength and walking confidence.

Splash, pour, and scoop at an outdoor water station with cups and containers.

Lay cushions and pillows on the floor for your early walker to step over, around, and across — building balance on uneven surfaces.

Combine a safe chewy item with a physical obstacle course so toddlers get oral and full-body sensory input at once.

Channel biting and hitting urges into a structured sequence of stomping, clapping, squeezing, and safe biting.

Redirect jaw tension into rhythmic drumming, giving the whole body an outlet for the energy behind biting.