So looking forward to my son turning one and walking and talking and being able to do fun things with him. But now that I think about it, I can't think of any. What are some things that one year old boys would enjoy doing. My son is tuffy, get's sick of things real quick but getting better with age.
Here is a website/newsletter I love. It lists local kid and family friendly events for all ages in Stone Oak/North Central SA:
www.stoneoak.macaronikid.com
Don't underestimate the fun of observation. When my son was that age, I would take him to a playground or to McDonald's and let him people watch. He LOVED watching kids older than him running around and playing. He was also really into vehicles, and he liked sitting by a window next to a busy street and watching the traffic go by. He is a very active child, but it always amazed me how much he just liked to watch and observe. Don't think that just because he's not doing something active, he's not getting something out of it.
Also, I second the recommendation for library storytime. We started going to the San Antonio downtown library when he was a baby. We made some very good friends in that group that we are still in contact. Ms Rachel is the storytime leader at the downtown library, and she is very good with little kids.
Join a play group for his age appropriate. There will be plenty of activities that I'm sure will come up to go and do and also you will get to socialize him with other boys and girls his age. Gets you time to socialize with other moms and you can find out what they are doing with their children and get some really good ideas.
Boys LOVE to go exploring. Just take him to the park or a nature center and let him loose. With a watchful eye, let him just explore and go to what he likes. My boys also loved to play with water at this age. Paintbrushes (large and small) on the back porch with the water hose or a small bowl and let him paint water everywhere- no cleanup :) Sidewalk chalk, finger paints (or pudding).
The important thing is to expose him to anything and everything and let him lead. So what if he is "Short Attention Span Theater"
Have fun!
Explore the backyard/front yard and find everything (like ants, flowers and sticks) really interesting by being over dramatic. ("Wow!! Look at this!!)
Do pudding paint (make a box of pudding, sit in high chair with bib on and a dollop of pudding -- and go at it!)
Enroll in Gymboree or a 'little gym"
Play music in the house and dance, bang pots with spoons, wave around scarves.
And remember, he's only one. His attention span will be about 10 minutes anyway.
Many libraries have a mother goose time or reading time for young children.
They like to play games, in the sand, sprinkler, maybe a little plastic wading pool. Doing blocks, playing with cars. Read to him every day. Give him a square of foil to crumble in shapes, or play-doh (just make sure he doesn't put them in his mouth).
Finger or water paint (with your help), blow bubbles for him to watch and pop.
At this age they enjoy picking up items, putting them in a basket and dumping them out. Sorting objects, stacking objects, banging pots and pans...
good ideas here for his development:
http://www.babycenter.com/0_your-12-month-olds-developmen...
On Monday's at 9:30-11 or so the Children's museum is for 3 and I think. So you don't have to worry about all the order kids running around knocking kids over. It's not that much to get in...but parking is not easy though.
Playdates, playgrounds, Storytime @ your local liberary, once he gets pretty good at walking, you can try a local bounce house (check it out first, and go during a weekday, when it's slower) Swiming classes at the Y, Little Kickers Soccer @ 18 months.
Keep researching, its a real exciting time, once they start walking they want to explore wand learn all they can! Enjoy!
fun answers already. ALSO:
- animal shelter (pet a kitty!)
- pet store (look at the fish, mice, birds)
- feed the ducks (the one in SA by the zoo is good. They also have a playground with baby swings)
- blow bubbles! Get an automatic bubble gun. They'll save your breath!
Look into gymboree or somthing similar, water parks, regular parks, and all great activities for outdoors. Inside start art projects (non toxic finger paint, edible play doh, non toxic crayons, etc). They are so fun at this age. Mine just turn 18 months today and starting at 1 is when she really starting enjoying things more. =) Have fun
Try gardening and more activity ideas can be found at the link below:
http://blogs.goddardsystems.com/Cedar-Park-TX/2010/03/11/...
Children are fascinated by nature and the simple pleasures of smelling flowers, picking vegetables and studying insects. Gardening provides family fun, teaches patience and responsibility and builds self-esteem.
Pique your child’s curiosity:
* Plant things your children like to eat – such as veggies they like on a pizza or in a salad or create your own salsa using tomatoes you’ve grown.
* Make a scarecrow to deter pests or plant daisies and petunias to attract butterflies.
My son just turned one so cute at this age....Going to the park he'll prob love swinging and swimming!!
I was just thinking back to what my husband and I did with our little guys. We would take them to the botanical gardens (lots to see and places to run around), apple orchard for pick-your-own apples, having them "help" us make cookies, local festivals or fairs that were outdoors and free, teaching them to ride small ride-on toys (a fire truck was an absolute favorite!), training them to respond to us so when they were too far they would come back right away (that was a LONG process), climbing cushion "mountains" and using kitchen chairs to make forts...
Wow! It looks like my kids were always doing something! It certainly didn't feel that way, but we tried our best to keep them engaged.
We also recently discovered that they love to help water plants in the garden, pull weeds (they need to be in an area that is mostly weeds or they pull every plant they can see!), and like to talk about the different insects they find. Great fun!
Library story times and playgroups, most have songs, crafts, games...Time for you to meet other moms too.
water play w/cups and kitchen tools
finger paint w/shaving cream and food coloring on a cookie sheet
playdough, blocks, small matching puzzles...
Some play area's have those small balls in a netted area that can be used to walk in jump in etc., These balls can be found if you want to buy them at Wal Mart along with a small blow up pool ideal for in the house on rainey days.
