Games 12 - 18 month olds

Your baby at 12 months has come a long way from that helpless bundle you welcomed into the world. You are probably finding that he is starting to learn new and exciting things each day.

So how can you help your little one enjoy his playtime…and perhaps learn a thing or two along the way?

Play Ball!

An exciting game for your young toddler is a simple game of ball. Sit opposite one another and roll the ball back and forth between you. When you start playing your child probably won’t be able to roll the ball back to you but as you show and encourage her she will slowly get the idea and will be able roll it back to you. This game is good for developing motor skills and coordination. Toddlers love any game that involves moving, shouting, clapping or anything noisy in any way shape or form so remember to clap madly whenever you little ones catches (or comes near to catching!) the ball.

Bubbles

Just as your little one enjoyed watching bubbles as a younger baby…she will love them as a toddler! Depending on her age and mobility she will enjoy chasing them and watching them pop. Bubbles are a good way to improve hand- eye coordination it could also improve her language skills if you tell her about the bubble you are blowing (e.g. high, low, big, small etc). 

Obstacle Courses

Set up your miniature obstacle course by placing pillows at various points around the room. For the younger toddler hold his hands as you navigate around the cushions stepping over (or on) them. This will help his body awareness and balance and is a good way to keep your toddler active on a rainy day!  If you have older children they can play this one too in a bit more of an adventure with things to find, clues to follow or puzzles to solve, with a small prize at the end the older version is the perfect game for pre schoolers and their friends, while your younger toddler is busy climbing a pillow mountain.

Kitchen Band

All toddlers love to make noise so a kitchen band made up of pots pans and wooden spoons will delight him. For an extra twist you could put his favourite CD on in the background and ask him to play along. Another way to use your kitchen equipment to keep your child entertained is to put a few bits and bobs that it is safe for him to play with into a tupperware box or a basket. He will love exploring the contents and will have fun just taking them out and putting them back in again.

Jars of Fun!

A Large plastic jar of toys or other fun things will help your child’s fine motor skills and also language development as you describe the things he finds inside.