Easy Gross Motor Activities for 1 Year Olds

Check out these gross motor activities for 1 year olds! Using simple toys and household items, these activities are perfect for toddlers.

Gross Motor Activities for 1 Year OldsAfter having three kids (including twins), I can tell you that kids do develop at their own pace.

One of them walked at 10 months, while another wasn’t even interested in crawling until after turning a year old. I worried (unnecessarily) when one couldn’t jump for the longest time. Meanwhile, another was dribbling a soccer ball across the living room early on.

Still, if you’re a first-time mom with no other kids to compare to, missed milestones can feel overwhelming. Or you do have other kids, and notice a stark difference with the gross motor skills with one of them. Maybe you want to nurture these skills in your child, even if she is hitting all her milestones.

If you’re truly concerned, the resource I always point parents to is their pediatrician. While most issues work out on their own, sometimes early intervention is needed—and the earlier, the better.

In the meantime, rest assured that kids develop differently, and the window of “normal” can be quite wide. And sometimes, a delay in gross motor skills can be due to temperament—after all, some kids like to sit, observe, or do crafts.

That said, having a list of gross motor activities for 1 year olds can be a fun way to encourage your toddler’s skills. Below are several activities you can do with her, often with items you already have at home. Nearly all of these can be done indoors, and a few also offer sensory experiences.

These activities also cater to different stages. Some 1 year olds might already be walking, while others still need help making that first crawl. Do the activities that best apply to your child’s stage.

So, take a look at some of our favorite activities to get your little one moving:

1. Push a wheeled toy

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Right about the time my son started taking his first steps, I bought him a wheeled toy. This allowed him to continue taking those precarious steps and keep moving forward. He was also able to lean on the toy for balance, making him less likely to fall.

That said, kids might still fall, so have her push the toy either on carpet or outdoors on the grass. That way, your child is cushioned if she happens to fall.

Pushing a wheeled toy can encourage her to move on her own. In fact, lessen the time she’s in a car seat, swing, stroller, or exersaucer. The more she’s able to move freely, the more effective her gross motor development can be.

Free printables: Want more ideas on what to do with your little one? Grab your printable calendar of fun and simple play activities! Check them off as you go along, or use the blank template to add your own ideas. Grab it below—at no cost to you. You’ll also get my newsletters, which parents say they LOVE:

“Hi Nina, Thank you very much for the printable! I’ve just found your blog. It’s really awesome, I love it! The information there is so useful. Your blog has come in handy as it has lesson plans for 1 year olds and recommended books and activities.”  -Iryna

1 year old activities

2. Pull a wheeled toy

Similarly, pulling a wheeled toy can also encourage your child to keep moving. Whether he’s crawling or walking, tugging a toy behind him can motivate him to keep taking those steps.

A friend of mine gifted my kids this alligator pull toy, which would also make clacking sounds as they tugged it behind them.

3. Use “ride on” toys

Want to encourage your toddler to use her legs? Put her on a “ride on” toy that allows her to scoot herself around:

Make sure that her feet can still touch the ground and that she’s the one moving herself (instead of you pushing her). Think of it as an early introduction to using a tricycle or scooter.

4. Play with a ball

Encourage gross motor skills by playing with a large rubber ball! You won’t run out of ideas to play with a ball, especially with toddlers. For instance, you can:

  • Roll the ball back and forth to each other. Sit a few feet apart and have your child practice rolling it your way and catching it when it comes to him.
  • Kick the ball. Show him how to use his feet to kick the ball away.
  • Throw the ball. Encourage him to throw the ball.
  • Catch the ball. Once he has a grasp of throwing and kicking, see if he can also catch the ball. Larger and lighter balls work best.
  • Toss a basketball into a hoop. Get him moving by encouraging him to toss a ball into a basketball hoop. Don’t have one handy? Practice tossing a ball into an empty laundry basket.

5. Play with a balloon

One of my twins loved batting at balloons. I would weigh it down to the floor so that it stood at about his height. Then, he would bat at the balloon, which of course, would spring right back up.

Another way to play with a balloon is to wait for one to lose its helium (or you can blow air into a balloon). That way, the balloon doesn’t float to the ceiling. Then, show your child how to toss it in the air. The best part is that the balloon will take longer to float back down, giving her plenty of time to catch it.

6. Play with a cardboard box

Save empty cardboard boxes—large ones that your child can sit in—for him to play with. Encourage him to climb in and out of the box and play with the flaps. You can even turn it into a tunnel to crawl through, transform it into a “house,” or use it as a basket for him to throw items into.

Later, you might flatten the box and encourage him to crawl or dance on it. I still remember when my twins first discovered the pleasure of “tap dancing” barefoot on a flattened cardboard box. They loved the sensory experience and kept moving and taking steps. (Playing music to dance to can also help!)

Another option besides cardboard boxes are laundry hampers. He can climb in and out of it and use it as a basket, just as he would a cardboard box.

7. Place toys out of reach

One of the simplest gross motor activities is to place a toy out of your child’s reach.

If you want to encourage her to crawl, place a favorite toy a few inches away and allow her to struggle a bit to reach it. Do the same if she’s cruising or learning to walk.

Want to encourage her to pull herself up? One trick is to hang curious items on the fridge with magnets. Place them above crawl-level so that she can try to pull herself up and reach the item.

Give her a few moments before “saving the day.” Slight discomfort, even annoyance, is okay for her to experience.

8. Crawl on different surfaces

Does your 1 year old refuse to crawl? See if he can be motivated to crawl when you place him on different surfaces he’s not used to. Sometimes, the novelty of the surface is enough to get him curious. Other times, he won’t like being on that surface and might be motivated to get moving.

A few surfaces to try include:

  • Grass
  • Dirt
  • Carpet
  • Tile
  • Wood
  • Bubble wrap

You can make crawling fun by getting a mesh tunnel like this one to go through. Another option is to create a simple “obstacle course” by placing a pillow, blanket, bean bag, or hula hoop on the floor. And encourage her to climb up a flight of stairs with your supervision.

You can also do more outdoor activities at a park, on the playground equipment, or right in your backyard to encourage movement.

And lastly, it might also help if you model how to crawl as well. As silly as it might seem, he might take to it if he sees you doing the same.

9. Dance to nursery rhymes

Encourage coordination and the use of your child’s large muscles by dancing to nursery rhymes! Many even have “follow along” actions and steps to keep your toddler active, like:

  • Wheels on the Bus
  • Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes
  • Hokey Pokey
  • If You’re Happy and You Know It

Or simply have her move her entire body by playing music and having a dance party!

Conclusion

Practice these gross motor skill activities, all while having fun, too. Encourage your child to get moving with wheeled toys, whether the ones she pushes, pulls, or rides on. Play with a ball in a variety of ways, from rolling to throwing. Toss a balloon in the air, or have her punch one weighed to the ground.

Use cardboard boxes to encourage her to climb in and out of them, or even to dance on a flattened one. Place toys a little out of reach to motivate her to reach for them. And finally, place her on different surfaces to crawl on—the novelty (or the discomfort) could push her to move.

Kids do develop at different paces during their early childhood. From the baby who isn’t interested in crawling to the one already dribbling a soccer ball across the room.

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1 year old activities

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