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Day in the Life
This is just a simple and quick day in the life of my one-year-old.
- Wake Up 7:50
- Nurse 7:55
- Breakfast 8:35
- Play
- Nap 10:15-11:45
- Nurse 11:45
- Lunch 12:30
- Play
- Nap 3-4:30
- Nurse 5:15
- Play
- Dinner 6:15
- Play
- Nurse 7:30
- Bedtime 8:00
Activities to do with Your 1-Year-Old
You can do a variety of activities with your one-year-old. Some of these are going to be educational, some are about establishing good routines and habits, and some are about building strong bonds and relationships.
Not everything is about learning and making your baby a little genius.
Yes, we are concerned about helping along their cognitive development, but there is so much more to your baby.
Have Little Conversations
Your one-year-old may be saying a few words. Some early words include: mom, dad, hi, bye, out, no, more, and dog.
Your baby may know two or three of these words.
Engage your baby in little conversations when they start to babble talk about them. Say, “Oh really?!” “How did you know that?” “Oh, my goodness, that is crazy!”
Show your baby expressions and have fun with them. This can turn into a back-and-forth conversation.
It is so fun and so sweet. This is a fun and gentle way to encourage their language development.
Pass Toys Back and Forth
Grab a few toys and try giving them to your baby. See if they pass the items back.
Depending on how you play this little game you can incorporate words. You could say “thank you” each time they had you a toy. You could also look at a pile of toys and say “more”.
It is up to your and your baby how the game goes.
You could look at this as an early form of sharing.
If your baby is capable you could practice throwing a small toy to each other. That can be fun too. Find a soft one for this!
Get Meals in Order
If your one-year-old isn’t drinking out of a cup it is most definitely time to get that going. Some babies get it much more quickly than others.
Model this for your baby if they are struggling. Drink similarly to their cup.
Other things to start working on include forming good mealtime habits.
To read more on this check out, Drastically Improve Your Toddler’s Table Manners with these 5 Tips.
If your baby constantly drops or throws down their cup, start gently correcting them.
I will sit beside my baby and when they start getting crazy with their cup or holding it over the edge I will tap the table or high chair tray.
I am just tapping and giving a gentle direct “Put the cup here please”.
We want to start forming good habits that make for an enjoyable meal.
Another thing I want to start breaking myself of doing is getting up frequently to gather them more food.
The reason I do this is I want to first present healthy options. Example, green beans, blueberries, and safely chopped-up meat goes first.
Once they are done with that I will jump up and get them crackers or something easy out of the pantry.
I want to break this habit because I don’t want to end up with a toddler that is constantly asking me to get various items out of the pantry.
In our home, I would like to establish that we all sit and enjoy our dinner.
This may not be a priority in your home but think about what priorities you do have that maybe I do not.
Tailor this to your home and your life!
Physical Development
At 12 months old your baby may be running across a house, they may also still be crawling.
There is a wide range of physical abilities during this phase of life.
If your baby is already running, just let them do their thing.
If they may be a bit behind, consider providing them with opportunities for advancement.
Gather items that they can easily pull up on.
They could use small boxes if your furniture is too high.
If you have a small step stool that is stable, bring that out.
Even soft items like pillows. Your baby may find it frustrating to climb over a pillow, but it also might be a nice challenge.
Some other small physical acts your baby may be doing include: waving, blow kisses, high five, and peek-a-boo.
These are simply fun little things to do with your baby.
Read Books
Start building the habit of reading books to your one-year-old.
This habit is important for you to establish. Your baby can’t do it without you.
If you already read books, great! If you don’t this is your sign to start!
Your baby will probably love it. Make sure to start with very simple short books if they struggle to sit with you.
A lot of babies are going to enjoy that one-on-one full attention.
Give Them Your Attention
This is just a friendly reminder to put the phone down. Look at your baby, give them your attention.
I used to always be on my phone while nursing. My baby has recently started kicking my phone away.
After a moment of frustration, I realized they just want my attention.
I am working to do better at putting the phone down.
My baby wants to see my face, not the back of my phone.
We are hitting a year. How fast has the time gone, and how fast will it continue to go?
I don’t want to look back and not remember these phases because I was preoccupied with my phone.
Enjoy your baby, play little games, make each other laugh, and enjoy the little moments in life. Keep building that bond with your baby.
Routines
If there is any particular area you find yourself struggling, I recommend you set up a routine. Routines make your day easier because you don’t have to think.
Do you have difficulty finding time to read books to your baby? Put reading into one of your already established parts of the day.
Maybe you read while they are sitting in the high chair or after every diaper change you read a book. Of course, the typical time is before bed, but maybe instead you read books in the morning.
Find what works for you, but make it a part of a routine to keep yourself accountable and consistent.
Routines have so many benefits.
Here are a few:
- Benefits of Routine
- Consistency
- Calming
- No Drama or Tantrums
- Peaceful Home
- No Anxiety
- No Hassle
- No Stress
- Consistency
- Gaining Independence
Don’t overthink routines. You do not need to write out this elaborate list of what to do.
A routine is something you do on repeat.
In the morning, you likely have a routine already. You don’t need a checklist for how you dress your baby, but you likely do it in a similar fashion each morning.
Some other routines you may have include:
Morning
Mealtime
Nap Time
Bedtime
Going Outside to Play
Preparing for an Outing
Conclusion
I hope you found something here helpful or interesting for your needs. Remember every baby develops differently and every household has its own rhythm.
Take what works for you and leave the rest.
Don’t try to tackle everything, instead pick a few things and do them well for a season.
Over time evaluate what is working in your home and what is not. You can alter habits and rhythms as your baby grows.
Congratulations on surviving this first year of parenthood. Remember to enjoy the little moments because it does go by quickly!
Check Out My Articles
The Ultimate Guide to Finding the Best Gifts for a One Year Old
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10 Simple but Effective Tips for a Fun and Stress-Free Baby Bath Time
