Easy Arts and Crafts for 1 Year Olds

Looking for fun and simple arts and crafts for 1 year olds? Check out these easy ideas that are perfect for little ones!

Crafts for 1 Year Olds

From puffy clouds of cotton balls to heart-shaped collages of torn red paper, I had grand projects I wanted to do with my son. The thing is, he had his own agenda. Rather than making a puffy cloud craft or a Valentine’s heart, he wanted to pull at the cotton balls or toss the red pieces in the air.

That’s when I realized that the point of these crafts isn’t so much to create a masterpiece as it is to encourage a child’s curiosity. 

Sure, this might’ve meant he ended up with blobs of random colors instead of a painting of a flower. But three kids later, I can tell you that it’s this kind of exploration that nurtures a genuine love of art over any finished project.

Below are some of the best arts and crafts for 1 year olds you can try. I hope this list inspires you and your little one, without the pressure to produce that perfect work of art. As one parent said:

“I am so glad I came across this website today… I see many activities here that I can try with her and that will also help us bond. Thank you so much.” -Emma H.

Color with crayons

Coloring with crayons is a perfect activity for any 1 year old lesson plan. They help develop fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and color recognition.

Thick toddler crayons are a must for better grip and washable ones for accidental scribbles on the wall. It also helps to tape the sheet onto the surface, whether the table or the floor, to keep it from moving too much.

If you’re worried your child is going to chew on them, offer only a few and watch her the entire time. While most child-friendly crayons are non-toxic, it’s best to catch her before she sticks the crayon in her mouth.

Free resources: Get a printable calendar of activities for your little one! Check these off as you go along, or use the blank template to add your own ideas. Join my newsletter and grab it below—at no cost to you. As one parent said:

“Thank you for these great ideas! I’m staying home this summer with my 14-month-old, and I need some fresh ideas for what we can do indoors. We’re in the middle of a heat wave, so staying outside for a long time is not an option.” -Stephanie Wu

1 year old activities

Paint with water

One of the best activities for 1 year olds that’s truly mess-free is to have your child paint with water. Yup, water!

Simply grab a few sheets of construction paper, a large paintbrush, and a bowl of water. Show her how to dip the brush in the water and “paint” the sheet. The construction paper will darken at the places she brushed with water, making for neat patterns she created herself.

Place these sheets on a surface that can take water (like a large baking sheet or towel). Experiment with different-colored paper or different-sized brushes as well. And you can also take this activity outdoors and paint on your driveway or sidewalk.

Play dough

Play dough makes for a great sensory activity for 1 year olds, as the limits truly are endless. Whether homemade or store-bought, your child can squish, roll, tear off bits, poke, and do so much.

Show him how to blend two colors to make a new one or mold simple circles and squares as a fun way to introduce shapes. Practice fine motor skills by having him push small items like beads and buttons into a ball of play dough. Shape the play dough into the letters of his name.

And avoid using play dough on the carpet—those bits get stuck pretty quickly!

Finger paint on old diaper boxes

Looking for messy play ideas for 1 year olds? Try finger painting! One of the best canvases to paint on is none other than your standard cardboard box.

Diaper companies have caught onto the fact that their boxes make for great art projects. As I was collapsing one of my kids’ boxes, I realized that they had printed pictures in black outlines, just like a coloring book.

Whether your diaper boxes have pictures or not, turn them inside out to make for a large, sturdy canvas. Finger painting works well with cardboard since the paint can get too heavy for regular paper. Simply place the flattened box on the floor and show your child how to paint the surface. This is a great opportunity to mix colors to create new ones.

To keep the messes contained, squirt some of the paint onto a paper plate that he can use as a “palette.” Dress him in a smock, large shirt, or even in diapers, and do the craft before bath time for easy cleanup.

Decorate pumpkins

A pumpkin patch is a fantastic place to take a 1 year old, and you can take a few home to decorate! Celebrate the fall season by painting or decorating a few small to medium-sized pumpkins.

For instance, combine pumpkins with painting and let your toddler color to her heart’s content. Glue pieces like pompoms and torn pieces of paper or apply festive stickers. You can also wrap them using white crepe paper streamers to make “mummies.”

Expert tip

White pumpkins work best if you’re painting the surface (the orange ones don’t show the colors as well).

Sidewalk chalk

A fantastic outdoor activity for a 1 year old that can also double as an art project is sidewalk chalk!

Grab a set of sidewalk chalk on a nice day and head outdoors to draw. This is perfect on sidewalks, driveways, or along the park.

You can even turn this into an easy gross motor activity. Draw circles on the sidewalk and have your child jump from one to the next, or draw squiggly waves that she has to walk on.

Can’t head outdoors? Sidewalk chalk works well with a chalkboard easel. The thickness of the chalk is easier to grip than traditional chalk.

Tear and glue

Show your 1 year old how to tear paper into tiny pieces and later how to glue them onto another surface. Start with one large sheet, and have her tear it into smaller and smaller pieces.

Then, practice gluing them onto another sheet to make a collage. Here are a few options to practice gluing:

  • Squeeze the glue onto the pieces and hand them to her have her glue them onto the surface.
  • Squeeze the glue onto the surface and have her place the piece on top.
  • Pour the glue into a bowl and have her dip the pieces before applying them to the surface.
  • Have her use and apply a glue stick onto the pieces.

Stickers

Encourage your 1 year old to practice removing and applying stickers. Start by lifting a small part of the sticker—just enough for him to grasp and pull the rest on his own. This is a fun way to make cards to send or a poster to hang.

You can also teach him about shapes using stickers. Take four sheets of the same color and draw a circle on one, a square on another, a triangle on the third, and a rectangle on the fourth. Then, have him stick the sticker onto the shape you say. For instance, say, “Let’s put this inside the circle!”

An alternative to stickers is taping contact paper onto a surface, wall, or window. Then, have him attach small and light objects like torn pieces of paper, cotton balls, pompoms, or string onto the sticky side.

Bathtub painting

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Since bathing is already part of a typical daily routine for a 1 year old, turn it into a fun art experience!

Whether using a brush or her finger, your toddler can “paint” the sides of the tub during bath time using these finger paint soaps. They simply wash off after she’s done.

She can also use these bathtub crayons and drops—the crayons color the sides of the tub while you can use the drops to color her bath water.

Decorate mini tote bags

A creative gift idea is to make mini tote bags that your 1 year old can decorate. You can use fabric paint, rubber stamps, or markers. Then, fill with these with fun items like small toys, art supplies, or cookies.

These tote bags are perfect as party favors for a birthday party or as holiday giveaways to friends, family, or community members.

Paint wooden ornaments

Want to create keepsakes for friends and family? Have your toddler paint unfinished ornaments! Whether with his fingers, a brush, or even his fingerprints or hand prints, these special ornaments make fantastic gifts.

Besides paint, you can also use a variety of art supplies for 1 year olds, like crayons, markers, and stickers to decorate. On the back, write a greeting to mark the occasion (don’t forget to include his name and the year!).

The bottom line

As you can see, your 1 year old can start doing arts and crafts with easy projects found right within your home. At this age, simple is better. Sometimes all they need are the right tools, a quick “how to,” and plenty of time and space to create.

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1 year old activities

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2 Comments

  1. Emma Hammonds says:

    I am so glad I came across this website today. I have been crying A LOT lately. I had some stuff going on before baby arrived, but now she’s almost 1 and it’s taken a real toll on our relationship and I worry that she will continue to pull away if I don’t do something. I see many activities here that I can try with her and that will also help us bond. Thank you so much. <3

    1. Nina Garcia says:

      Glad you’re here, Emma!