What to Teach Your One Year Old

Your little baby has turned one. The birthday party is over, the balloons have been popped (and thrown away, they are a choking hazard) and the cake has been eaten and smeared. He is officially a toddler now. He may even be walking. It's hard to go from having a cuddly little baby whose needs were equal to their wants to raising a toddler who has to learn limits, and noes, and boundaries. This year from 12-24 months is a time of accelerated learning. Your baby will go from a dependent, mostly compliant baby to a toddler with words, mobility and a mind and will of his own.
At the beginning of this year, there are some milestones to look for, and ways to help your young toddler reach them.

Let him explore. One year olds are curious and learn from the world around them. Look for ways to babyproof his play areas. Let him explore low kitchen cabinets that have safe things like plastic bowls, spoons, or pots and pans.

Let her use her sense of touch. Fill a box with things your one year old can feel: sticky tape; soft felt; rough sandpaper; wadded waxpaper; or nylon scrubbers. Let her use her hands, feet, or mouth to explore touch.

Practice working switches and buttons. One year olds like cause and effect toys. They also like to turn light switches off and on, and off and on, and off and on. Point out the light to them when it goes off and on. You won't really have to teach your one year old to turn the TV off and on once they figure it out. You will probably want to buy a clear plastic guard sold at Babies R Us to protect it.

Find hidden objects. A one year old should be good at this by now. Practice hiding a toy under a blanket, or behind the chair, and letting him find it. Toddlers like to do things over and over, so stack up blocks or lightweight boxes for him to knock over time after time, as well. Put a toy under the bottom box for your one year old to find.

Sort shapes. There are a lot of shape sorters out there. Get one that is simple with big pieces and only a few shapes because a one year old can easily get frustrated. Show her how to fit a round shape into a round hole.

Imitate you using objects. By now, your toddler probably tries to hold a phone like you do, or use a pen like he sees you doing. Talk to him about the objects you are using. Let your one year old experiment with them as long as they are safe and you are with him. Give him a crayon instead of a pen, for instance.

She can follow a few commands. Tell her simple things to do, like "wave bye-bye"; "roll ball to Momma"; or "bring me the book". Your one year old won't always follow the instructions, but praise her when she does. A one year old can respond to "No!" sometimes, too, but your best response is distraction along with the "no".

Your one year old loves to learn new words. Help her by saying nursery rhymes, singing songs, and reading simple books. Toddlers love repetition, so say the rhymes two or three times. She will let you know her favorites by her response. Many one year olds enjoy pointing to pictures in a bright colored picture book as you read the word. Point to and name objects around the house.

A one year old wants to be near you all the time, so include him in your chores. Tell him about what you are doing, and why. Let him throw clothes in a basket, or pick up some toys. Give him a washcloth to "dust" with.

Clap when your one year old does something you like. Hug her and tell her she is special. Show your delight when she says a new word. Call her by her name and use it frequently.

Keep him safe. Cover electrical outlets if you haven't already; get a safety latch for cabinets that contain glass items or cleaning supplies; stay close to your one year old near stairs, and let them practice climbing with you nearby; make sure you have his hand, or he is being held, or in a carrier when you are outside and near a street; make sure your one year old is in the proper car seat for his size and that you know the correct way for him to be in it.

Enjoy this year! It will go by so fast, and you will have a two year old on your hands in no time. But that's a whole other subject.