Montessori is more than the common stereotype of wooden toys and muted colors. It’s a practice that has so many incredible benefits from a more peaceful and cooperative home to a more curious and confident child.
Who wouldn’t want that?
In this article, I’ll give you 22 Montessori toys and activities for one year olds that you can easily do at home. We’ve cover a variety of activities, from toys you can buy to DIY activities with things already in your home.
If you want to learn more about Montesorri practices and how to incorporate them into your home with your little one, check out my book review of The Montessori Toddler here.
Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Affiliate, I may earn a small commission if you purchase using these links at no additional cost to you.
Components of Montessori Activities for One Year Olds
Montessori activities can be started from an early and are so easy to set up in your home. Before we dive into the awesome list of activities I have for you, I wanted to quick talk about what makes a successful Montessori activity.
According to the book The Montessori Toddler: A Parents Guide to Raising a Curious and Responsible Human Being, there are a couple things you need to keep in mind for a successful experience.
Prepared Environment
This doesn’t have to be anything fancy. It simply means preparing the space where we plan to interact with the child. This could be cleaning it up of distractions and clutter, setting materials within reach of the child, making sure all tools are ready to go, or protecting any spaces if you’re doing something messy. Whatever activity you’re doing, just make sure the environment is conducive and you have everything you need before you start.
Target One Skill
Especially for one year olds, you want to make sure the activity is set up to have a more limited focus so you don’t overwhelm them. Try to target just one skill during one wake window.
Repetition Makes a Master
It can be mind-boggling to watch your child repeat the same small thing over and over (and over and over) again, but this is exactly how they learn! While many of these activities could be done back-to-back, try to limit the activities to just the one you start with so that they can focus on mastering that skill.
If you give them too many activities in a day it can be overwhelming and even discouraging. Their little brains are learning too many things too quickly and they aren’t getting the opportunity to become good at them.
Model
Babies watch everything we do. We can be amazing teachers to our children simply by modeling what they should be doing. If your child is struggling with an activity, model what they should try. For example, if my baby is struggling to put a toy in the shape sorter, I can model putting it in or even guide her hand.
Sit Back and Watch
Montessori activities are about the kiddos, not the adults. This means we are giving them the freedom and space to play and explore how they see fit without a whole lot of instruction from us.
Some parents are natural rockstars at this while others (hi, its me) sometimes have a harder time not jumping in to solve a problem or help a child do it the “right” way.
If you’ve prepared the environment appropriately, your child is safe, and they’re not struggling too much, sit back and watch. It’s amazing what they can learn and figure out for themselves if we give them the chance.
22 Montessori Toys & Activities for One Year Olds
There can be a huge difference between a brand new one year old and a one year old that’s about to turn two. Every activity in this article is appropriate for a child 12 months and up who is typically developing and most activities include ideas for how to “level up” for older or advanced one years.
Okay, let’s get to the good stuff of why you really came to this article – the Montessori activities for one year olds!
1. Flashcards
Flashcards are a great way to start introducing language to your child. You can make or buy your own flashcards. You want to be sure that they have a real life picture of the item, not a cartoon, and have the word clearly printed on it.
My favorite flashcards are from a mom-owned small business with awesome products! These flashcards are thick and durable and are separated into themed sets on their own adjustable O-ring to stay organized.
Tips & Tricks:
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Start with one category and a few cards at a time (ex. farm animals and just do a cow, chicken, and duck at first)
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Follow your child’s interest – my baby is obsessed with animals, so we started there and incorporated the animal noises and she loved it
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Reference the cards regularly so the repetition can help solidify the word and picture into their memory
2. Books
This is another awesome way to help your child’s language as well as tactile development. Just like with the flashcards, try to have books that have real life pictures in them to help the child identify the pictures in their every day life.
Tips & Tricks:
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Have a few different kinds of books available including regular board books, lift the flap, and touch and feel
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For younger babes, start with books that have only have one picture and a couple words per page. My favorite place to start is the First 100 Words Book Set because it has real pictures and has been indestructible (so far)
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Do a combination of reading with your child and letting them explore the books on their own while you watch close by
3. Scribble
Practice creativity and fine motor skills by giving your child any drawing tool that’s easy to grab with their little, not-quite-coordinated hands. This could be sidewalk chalk, chunky crayons or pencils, or even a shorter (washable) marker.
Tips & Tricks:
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Protect the surface! Cover your whole table in butcher paper, put down a disposable table cloth, whatever you need to keep the scribbles from where the shouldn’t be.
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Start with one color and white paper and then introduce more slowly as your child does the activity more and more
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Vary the experience each time with different colored tools, papers, textures, etc.
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Supervise your babe so that they don’t accidentally chew or color on anything they shouldn’t
4. Finger Paint
If you want to have an adorably fun and messy time with your babe, let them go crazy with some finger paints. It’s a great way to help them explore colors, textures, and fine motor skills.
Tips & Tricks:
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Protect the surface! Plastic disposable table clothes and butcher paper are both great canvases and a great protectors
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Put your child in their high chair or a booster chair where they are more secure the first few times you try this. Trust me from experience, its way less overwhelming this way and will prevent little paint handprints ending up places you might not want them
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Start with one or two colors and work your way up
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Incorporate some outside time and do this in the yard where its okay if paint gets everywhere and there’s easy access to a hose to wash off
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Take it up a notch for older one year olds by adding in a chunky paint brush and model dipping it into the paint and painting with it
5. Ring Stacker
A wooden ring stacker is the traditional Montessori way, but any ring stacking toy that has gradually changing sizes and differing colors will work. This helps with hand-eye coordination, color identification, and understanding language like “on”, “off”, “big” and “small.”
This bear and rainbow ring stacker is a great wooden option. It’s adorable, has solid colored rings to help teach colors, and is small enough for little hands while still big enough to not be a major choking hazard if you’re still in the “everyone in the mouth” stage. As always, supervision is keep to keep your little one safe!
Tips & Tricks:
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Let your child explore it on their own first before you intervene and show them how to do it
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Its okay if all they want to do is take it off but not put it back on, or vice versa. Just model putting it one or off to finish the activity and they will get it eventually.
6. Laundry
Hear me out, this is actually a great activity and you get one of your chores done, too. Doing laundry with your toddler teachers independent life skills, responsibility, and all kinds of words and actions like “take it out” and “wet” versus “dry.” My babe has been helping with the laundry since she could stand and she loves it. Now that she’s been doing it for a while, she gets upset when I do laundry without her!
Tips & Tricks:
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Get a medium sized woven basket with handles that your child can use as a laundry basket. The handles make it easier to drag across the ground and since its woven it won’t hurt your child or your floors.
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Do laundry when your child is around and model actions like putting clothes in the basket, taking them out, putting them in the washer, pouring the soap, and putting them in the dryer
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Let your child come and go as they please. Don’t make them participate. With time, they’ll see you do this enough (because, hello, laundry is never ending) and they will want to do it, too. They like being with you and doing what you do.
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Prepare the environment for messes and prepare yourself for it to be a less than efficient process, especially in the beginning. With time, they’ll get the hang of it and you’ll appreciate the help!
7. Cleaning
Like laundry, this is also a great activity for your little one and lets you get some chores done. Doing chores with your child will almost always take longer, but it teaches them such awesome practical life and motor skills.
Everything is play to them at this age, so embrace it and let them be a functional part of the family.
Tips & Tricks:
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Get them their own child-sized cleaning supplies that are functional so they can actually help. I found a toy broom and dust pan at my Dollar Tree, but there are some great cleaning toys out there, too. Melissa & Doug for the win again with this awesome wooden toy cleaning set. Dyson also makes a toy cordless vacuum that actually vacuums and would be a great option for when your babe is walking well.
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Model cleaning around your child so they can see how everything works. Show them how to dust, sweep, mop, vacuum, wipe things up, you name it! The more they see you do it, the better they’ll learn how to do it, too.
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Be prepared for it to take longer than normal to get your chores done, or to even have to do them over because they made a mess. We’re playing the long game here! The goal is we teach them these skills now so that they can gain confidence, responsibility, and coordination as they grow.
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Make sure you’re supervising them closely if they’re walking around with the bigger items. We don’t want anyone getting hurt!
8. Music
Sing, dance, play instruments, bang drums. Anything to get your babe’s creative and musical juices flowing! Music is so great for their brain development, plus dancing and instruments help with motor skills.
Tips & Tricks:
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Embrace the kiddie music. Children’s songs are designed to help stimulate and engage little ones, plus they can be really fun once you let go and get into it. Your child will appreciate it, too.
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Incorporate instruments and beats like clapping to teach rhythm. You can buy actual instruments or just use pots and pans or a light pat on your child’s back.
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Set time to listen to classical or instrumental music without lyrics without doing anything else but just listening and enjoying. This will stimulate your child’s brain development, can help calm them, and gives you an opportunity to point out different instrument sounds to begin identifying.
9. Caring for Plants
This is a great way to incorporate motor skills with care for a living thing. I was shocked when my 12 month old picked up the watering can in the yard one day and walked to a plant like she was watering it. We’d been in the yard together countless times while I watered the plants but I’d never involved her or taught her to. Thankfully, she was watching and took initiative herself!
Tips and Tricks:
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Have a small watering can or jug for your child so its easier for them to join in. This child’s watering can is great because it has two handles for carrying and even comes with a couple gardening tools.
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Be prepared for things to get wet and messy! Have a towel and change of clothes ready outside or just inside the door. Messes will happen if you give a child water and tools to dig in the dirt but they have such a cute, fun time doing it!
10. Climbing
This is a great way to let kiddos learn balance, coordination, confidence, and practical life skills. We started our baby off with a small foamnasium when she started crawling and its still one of her favorite things to do. Lots of Montessori schools and families love the wooden Pikler gyms, too!
Tips & Tricks:
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Supervise, supervise, supervise! Safety is always a priority so make sure you’re close by to help catch any big tumbles.
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With that said, let your child test boundaries a bit. It helps them gain confidence to do hard things and know that you believe in them enough to not stop them. It can be so, so hard to not jump in when your child is doing something slightly risky but it will truly do them a world of good if you’re not cautioning them constantly.
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Prepare the environment by playing on carpet or on other padded surface. We have this foam mat in our playroom and it’s padded enough to cushion a big blow without being so squishy that its hard for toddlers to walk on.
11. Playdough, Kinetic Sand, or Clay
This is great for sensory play and building motor skills. We often forget that before a child can learn to hold a pencil and write, that they first need to have strong hand muscles. Playing with dough is a great way to get a new sensory experience while also working those muscles in ways they aren’t normally exercised.
Tips & Tricks:
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Whether you make your own or buy some, make sure that your dough is taste-safe! Curious little ones who haven’t quite left the put-everything-in-my-mouth stage will do best with something that is okay if they do, in fact, put it in their mouth.
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Prepare the environment so the dough can stay contained and won’t ruin your play surface. They stuff is rock solid glue once it dries.
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Provide tools (toy cutters or safe kitchen utensils you already have) once they’ve gotten confident playing with just the dough and are ready to level up.
12. Fastenings
Velcro, zippers, snaps, buckles, anything you would typically find on children’s clothing! This is a great way to practice practical life and fine motor skills and kids find it fascinating. I cannot tell you how many times I have been shocked to see how engrossed my child is undoing and redoing velcro snaps!
Tips & Tricks:
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Start with one kind of fastener and work your way up. Velcro is usually a good place to start because it doesn’t require as much strength or coordination as some of the others.
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Use things you already have like kids shoes, jackets, pjs, so your child gets used to applying the skill in real life scenarios.
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Level up with a busy board book, which is great for traveling or older littles who have mastered several skills and want to practice all in one space.
13. Tupperware Bonanza
If you’re anything like me, you have acquired entirely too much tupperware over the years. Put it to good use and turn it into an activity for your little one!
Let them practice putting things in and out, shaking its contents, see how things fit(or don’t), taking lids on and off, and stacking or nesting them. Endless possibilities with just a few items!
Tips & Tricks:
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Use plastic tupperware, not glass! While plastic is not technically a preferred Montessori “natural material,” its definitely a safer (and less noisy) alternative.
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Start with just one or two tupperware containers with lids and then increase as your child is ready for more.
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Give a few objectives of various sizes or various materials so they can explore if things fit, make noise, or not. Obviously, make sure they’re not choking size though!
14. Puzzles
Puzzles are a great way to help your child develop motor skills and spatial awareness. There are so many great options out there, but the Montessori preference is for ones that are wooden, have real pictures, and knobs for easy grabbing.
Again, I’m going to recommend a Melissa & Doug toy– no I’m not a spokesperson, they’re just that great! This puzzle is great for teaching farm animals.
Tips & Tricks:
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Start off with a chunky four-piece puzzle that has individual slots of each piece to fit. Level up to interlocking puzzles or more pieces as your child gets older.
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Let your child have space to figure it out on their own, even if that means they get a bit frustrated. Frustration often fuels breakthroughs, so we want to walk the fine line between enough frustration to motivate them but not so much that they give up. Once it getting to be too much, help them by modeling where the piece goes.
15. Flower Arranging
This is a classic Montessori activity that helps with hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, practical life skills, and creativity. Ideally, you would use real flowers (bonus if your child picked them, too) but you can also buy a toy set or purchase a couple silk flowers and a non-breakable vase from a craft store. My babe loved this activity starting around 14 months old.
Tips & Tricks:
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Start with a couple flowers of the same kind and a jar. Level up by providing different colored, textured, and sized flowers and a few different vases for your child to explore
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Let them explore the materials and process before you jump in and show them how. After a few solo experiences, model putting a flower in the vase right side up and then step back again to see how they do.
16. Giant Nuts and Bolts
Practicing screwing nuts and bolts together are great for fine motor skills, hand eye-coordination, and being exposed to newer concepts like “twisting.” Your child will be endlessly entertained with this wooden twisting block set that has so many combinations to grow with your child as their skill level increases.
Tips & Tricks
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Buy or make your own from the hardware store. Just make sure the pieces are big enough so that they aren’t a choking hazard!
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Start with just one of each and then level up by adding more nuts and bolts to give more combinations.
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Start with the parts screwed together and let them practice spinning in the beginning. Then start the activity with the pieces separated the next time.
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As always, sit back and let your child explore first before you jump in and model. Its amazing what they figure out when we give them the space to!
17. Hand Washing
This can be such a fun activity for kids all while teaching them a practical life skill through sensory play. This has also saved is from the dreaded high chair wipe-down battles by turning clean up into a fun activity.
Tips & Tricks:
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Use a toddler tower or step stool if you have one and have soap and towels within the child’s (and your) reach so they can be as involved as possible. Let the squirt the soap, turn the water on, scrub their hands, whatever they’re interested in and ready for.
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Be okay if things get wet and messy. Move anything you don’t want getting wet out of the way and have extra towels on hand.
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Make it fun with different colored soaps, gel vs foaming, different smells, whatever varies the experience in a fun, new way.
18. Peg Board
This is a fun way to develop fine motor skills and spatial awareness. You can make one at home with a cardboard box and whatever you have available for pegs, or check out this awesome wooden pop up peg board that has an added cause-and-effect learning factor.
Tips & Tricks:
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If you’re DIYing, painted popsicle sticks and old fashioned clothes pins are a great option for pegs.
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Sit back and watch the magic as they explore and learn before intervening to help or model.
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Once they get the hang of it, narrate the actions by saying “in” or “out” to help them associate words with what they’re doing.
19. Matching Card Games
This is a great way to boost vocabulary and cognitive development, and can be done in so many ways! Make your own on card stock or with a laminator or buy a set with real life pictures, like these from First 100 Words.
Tips & Tricks
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Start with just a few identical matching cards face up and paired together.
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As your child starts understanding “sameness” you can start adding more and mixing them up a bit.
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Level up by doing similar but not identical cards, like a two different colored or sized balls.
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Practice matching 2-D and 3-D with cards and toy figurines to vary the experience. This set is great option for animals!
20. Water Station
Get ready to get messy with a water station or table that provides a super fun sensory learning experience. I started my 13 month old out with some cups in a shallow storage bin in the yard and this quickly escalated into a soaking wet babe sitting in the bin, but she had so much fun. We also really learned the concept of “wet” that day.
Tips & Tricks:
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Prepare for the mess! Start outside, in the bathtub, or in an area with surfaces you don’t mind getting wet.
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Supervise closely! Wet=slippery and little wobbly toddler legs are not always so balanced.
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Give a variety of cups and things to pour from and into. You can use what you have at home or buy a set of beach or bath toys.
21. Shape Sorter
This was a favorite activity fall through the one year old phase and beyond. It keeps her entertained long enough for me to finish cooking or doing dishes uninterrupted.
There are a lot of different options (and we’ve tried lots), but this wooden shape sorting cube is the winner. The shapes rattle and it has varying difficulties, so it grows with your child as their motor skills advance.
Tips & Tricks:
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Start easy and work your way up. If your toy has string options, start with the easier side. If your toy just has specific shaped holes, start with the circle since it doesnt have to be placed just so to fit.
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Assist when your child needs or asks for a little help, just don’t jump in too quickly if they’re still working to figure it out.
22. Sensory Bins
These are a popular toddler activity for a reason! There are so many ways to do it, which means so many ways to gain new sensory experiences, motor skills, and even practical life skills.
Tips & Tricks:
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Use natural materials or things your child would come into contact with in regular life as often as possible. Using rice, cotton, nature materials, and things like that makes it even more Montessori-inspired.
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Make it taste safe and choking hazard free so that it can be the best learning experience without the worry.
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Start open-ended by letting your child explore one material before you give tools or other activities to do with the materials.
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Level up with “recipe” cards or other instructions for fun games.
There are so many different ways to incorporate Montessori toys and activities into your one year olds day! They offer a rich and engaging foundation for them by fostering their development through hands-on, sensory-rich experiences.
By focusing on simple, purposeful activities and promoting independence, you’ll not only captivate their young minds but also support their growth in motor skills, cognitive abilities, and problem-solving.
As you introduce these thoughtfully crafted toys and activities into your child’s playtime, you’ll be nurturing a love for learning and exploration that can set the stage for their lifelong educational journey!
