14 Places to go with a 1 Year Old (Indoor & Outdoor Activities)

Below are places to go with a 1 year old or older toddler divided into two categories: Indoor Activities and Outdoor Activities.

These one year old activities were chosen due to their ability to engage and help develop gross motor skills.

This post may contain affiliate links. For my full disclosure policy click here.

What Do 1 Year Olds Like To Do?

One year olds are on the hunt for fun! They are much more mobile now and have a thirst for knowledge.

They want to touch, smell, eat, and see everything! As their parent/guardian you are their teacher, so finding engaging activities to help them learn is essential.

No need to feel the pressure though!

At twelve months and older, toddlers can be amused with almost anything with a little creativity. A grocery store trip can be just as educational as a museum.

Read on for places to go with a 1 year old that are fun for the whole family.

Parenting in Public

Taking your one year old out in public can be challenging.

Gone are the days when they could sit in their stroller peacefully for hours or nap anywhere. They want to be free to crawl, cruise or walk.

When they are hungry they need real food. Toddler tantrums are real.

It all sounds intimidating, but everything can be managed with planning and fun can be had by all (even mom!).

Tips for making your outings less stressful

Tip #1: Don’t take on more than you’re comfortable with to start.

If your toddler will only sleep at home, then choose activities that can be done before or after the nap – 1-2 hour commitment max.

Yes, you may pay to enter and it seems like a waste to only spend a few hours somewhere, BUT your one year old is being stimulated, their little brains are taking it all in, they are seeing something new – worth every penny.

If 1-2 hours sounds like too much – read on for places to go with a 1 year old that can be done in 30 minutes or less and build up to longer days out.

Tip #2: Have snacks.

Ever heard the term “hangry?” It’s a blend of anger and hungry. My one year old inherited this trait from her father. When she is hungry she gets very upset. So I always have snacks on hand.

I found this container very useful – it allows little hands to get inside to get the treat, but closes -so when they inevitably shake or throw it everything doesn’t go flying out. Put cheerios, blueberries, crackers or cut up grapes inside. Avoid any sugary snacks as they will lead to an inevitable sugar crash.

Tip #3: Don’t go alone.

Grab your partner, friend or baby’s grandparent and head out together the first few times.

Tip #4: If you’re driving, have one adult sit in the back to amuse your child.

Sing songs, bring a few toys. Make the car ride a part of the fun.

Tip #5: Don’t give up.

Every parent has a bad day or outing. Shake it off and try again next week.

Places to go with a 1 year old – Indoor Activities

These places are all indoors and are great rainy day activities for 1 year olds.

1. Aquarium

If you’re lucky to have one nearby, aquariums offer a lot of visual stimulation for your child. Blue Planet Aquarium lists the benefits of bringing children to an aquarium as follows:

1. Improves Vocabulary – You can expand your one year old’s vocabulary beyond “fish” or “fishy” by stopping to point out new aquatic life. There are also lots of opportunities to point out differences between the fish – examples: size, color, fast vs slow, etc.

2. Encourages Relaxation – Toddlers are bundles of energy sometimes. The calming nature of fish tanks has been studied by experts from the National Marine Aquarium, Plymouth University and the University of Exeter and they found that exposure to an aquarium can help reduce stress and anxiety.

3. Promotes an Appreciation for Nature – aquariums offer the opportunity to see creatures that may appear in their favorite books. They will be exposed to a world very different from what they are used to.

4. Appeals to Different Types of Learners:

Visual learners – will enjoy the colors of the fish and coral
Auditory Learners – will be captivated by the live shows and conversations around them
Tactile learners – can touch and feel at the interactive displays
Kinesthetic learners – can practice standing and walking

Tip: Before you go to the aquarium you can pick up these books from the library or Amazon to get them ready to learn about the sea and the creatures living within it.

The Rainbow Fish

The Pout-Pout Fish

Hello World! Ocean Life

2. Library

Libraries are great places for little ones rain or shine. Check your local library’s program schedule and look for toddler friendly activities – music or storytimes are favorites. If they don’t have any, your toddler will still love reading books and wandering the aisles. Some libraries may even have toys for them to play with.

3. Indoor Playground

Take your one year old to an indoor playground and get ready to tire them out!

Many indoor playgrounds have baby/toddler specific areas for kids 3 and under that are designed to keep them safe, while allowing them to explore freely. The floors are padded, there are ball pits and slides.

Bonus: they can’t get dirty like they do at the park.

Tip 1: Bring socks for everyone! Most places will not allow shoes

Tip 2: Call in advance to make sure they aren’t closed for a private birthday party.

Tip 3: Explore the whole place – toddlers are allowed to explore everywhere so head down the big slides with them, jump in the ball pits and climb, climb, climb.

4. Conservatory

Conservatories offer indoor protection from the elements and miles of nature to explore. This year we visited a Butterfly Conservatory and my son loved looking at all the colorful butterflies. It was stroller friendly for baby with family friendly washrooms.

Exposure to nature is so important for children’s well being and these beautiful greenhouse spaces are a great way for them to learn and see greenery when they can’t be outside.

In 2005 the term “Nature deficit disorde” was coined.

Childmind.org states that the average American child is said to spend 4 to 7 minutes a day in unstructured play outdoors, and over 7 hours a day in front of a screen. Conservatory’s are a great way to get your toddler “outside” without actually braving the rain or cold.

Bonus: They are often free with an option to donate.

5. Children’s Museum

If you have a children’s museum nearby these are wonderful places to take littles ones.

They are specifically designed to stimulate children and unlike standard museums, they have a hands-on policy.

Similar to aquariums – they will appeal to all types of learners.

6. YMCA/Children’s program

Early learning programs are offered for babies and up and can expose children to music and dance and help them learn skills like counting.

Some centers offer drop in programs for when you are able to attend and others have weekly programs you sign up for. These are also great to expose your child to other children and adults and help them them learn to socialize.

7. Grocery Store:

The grocery store may sound boring, but it is a great place to learn and explore.

Shopping carts allow kids to be up higher and see more and there are many stimulating activities you can do while you shop.

Check out this post for what you can do at the Grocery Store to stimulate brain connections in one year olds.

Places to go with a 1 Year Old – Outdoor Activities

If you are looking for a quick place to go before nap time or to spend a few hours somewhere, the following places can be done as slowly or as quickly as you like and some are often free.

8. Your Own Backyard

Not ready to go far from home yet?

Make your backyard a destination for fun. These toys can make your backyard just as fun as a park, while having all the comforts of home a few steps away.

Water Table

My daughter will play at her water table for a good ten minutes, which in Toddler time means a LONG time. She also loves filling it up herself with the hose.

This one is a best seller on Amazon

A Really Cool Pool

We have this dinosaur themed pool and we LOVE it (check out the photo above with our daughter in it). I say “we” because my husband and I have both sat in it with our daughter and discussed how when she naps we are going back in.

Buy it here on Amazon

Slide

I like this basic slide because it has sides at the top to prevent your little one from falling off. Toddlers love climbing things so the stairs are great and learning to slide by themselves will make them so happy.

Buy this one on Amazon

Sandbox

Sandboxes will entertain your little one for a long time. And having a sandbox at home with a lid ensures your child is playing in clean sand.

This sandbox is a classic

9. Splash Pad/Water Park

If the weather is nice pack up your little one and their swimsuit and head to a local splash pad. If they aren’t walking on their own yet then bring clothes you don’t mind getting wet and an extra towel for you too!

Introduce them to water without having to go completely in the water like a pool (which are also fun places to go with a one year old – but take a bit more planning)

10. Take your Baby to The Zoo

I love taking our kids to the zoo and have a seasons pass. My favorite time to go is winter. There aren’t any crowds and you can walk through indoor exhibits when you want to warm up and explore outside to get fresh air.

You probably won’t make it through the whole zoo in one visit, which is great because you can go a few times and have a completely different experience. Your baby will love to walk (if they can) or sit in the stroller and see the animals.

The Toronto Zoo has a kids area with tunnels to crawl through, a big sandbox and slides. Its a great place to go to for an afternoon with lots for your one year old to do.

Read my post about the zoo and some tips here.

11. The Park/Playground

This may be an obvious one, but to keep things interesting take a little drive to a park that is new for you. Ask a friend if they have a favorite local park that you can explore with your little one.

You can also bring a picnic and make a day of it.

Bring a ball, some bubbles and sand toys and you can spend a few hours at the new playground.

12. Petting Zoo

Get your toddler introduced to farm animals by taking them to a local petting zoo. They will typically have goats, cows, horses, donkeys, etc..and maybe even a few exotic animals like llamas.

Petting zoos are smaller than a typical big city zoo making them a shorter trip and are interactive with the ability to touch and feed the animals. They are also less expensive and not as crowded.

I have a whole post on Petting Zoos and how to really take advantage of them. Included is a little cheat sheet on the animals so you can tell your one year old all sorts of interesting facts about the goats, sheep and other animals.

Petting Zoos – Great Places To Go!

13. Beach

Beaches offer a lot of sensory stimulation. Placing water or sand in a bucket, making sand piles and smashing them, putting their hands in the water to splash all help their cognitive development.

Baby Beach Must-Haves: Check out our favorites on Amazon

14. Food Truck Festival

Expand your baby’s palette by going to a food truck festival. You might be surprised by what foods they enjoy. My daughter loved the fish tacos!

15. Go For A Walk in the Woods With Your Baby

“Forest School” is a European concept around early education where things you would do inside a daycare or preschool are brought outside. So you may count mushrooms or rocks, build a tower out of sticks or climb and balance on logs.

There are lots of studies to show that Forest School benefits children in lots of ways. For example it builds confidence, helps with sensory development and helps with physcial skills.

Take your 1 year old for a walk in the woods and expose them to all the new sensory play.

Add some fun to your trip out:

Drive through the car wash.
For longer car rides gift wrap a book for them. It will take them time to unwrap plus they get a new book.
Go for ice cream, a little bit of vanilla in an ice cream cup is a nice treat!

Where To Take a 1-Year-Old Near Me

Hopefully these ideas on places to go with a 1 year old gave you lots of ideas for family fun. This list can be used for a rainy day when you aren’t sure what to do or when you’re looking for an outdoor activity after a long time stuck inside.

Little kids and babies will love this list, so if you have an older sibling they will have just as much fun as the baby.

Related 1 Year Old Posts

The Ultimate List of Sensory Bins For 1 Year Olds (Taste Safe & Choking Hazard Free!)

Best Gifts for 1 Year Old Girls

Best Gifts for 1 Year Old Boys

Brain Boosting Activity: Grocery Shopping