Best Activities For 11 Month Old Baby
In this Article
An 11 month-old baby is probably a wandering, adventurous, wobbly toddler full of curiosity and wanting to explore things on its own. A few playing blocks, a toy car or a ball are all they require to have some fun. But it is strongly recommended that parents take a proactive interest at this stage to spend quality time with their toddlers to enhance their developmental skills by involving them in age-appropriate fun activities. In this article, we have covered development at this age and things to do with 11 month old babies. These things and activities will help kids develop various skill sets. Let’s take a look at these engaging activities.
What Development You May See in Eleven Month-Old Baby?
If you are wondering what should my 11 month old be doing at this age, here are some developments that can be seen in children at this age.
- He may try to get up by taking the support of probably the furniture around the house and take a few cautious steps all by himself.
- By now your baby may love to experiment with cutlery and attempt feeding himself or sip from a cup.
- Your baby may be ready to explore different flavours as his sense of taste is quite developed by this time.
- Babies at this age develop a feisty sense of likes, and They may throw temper tantrums to get their way through.
- They may try and say words like no, dada, mama.
Easy Learning Activities for Your 11 Month Baby
Here is a list of few easy, fun 11-month baby activities that can be a means of learning too:
1. Food Faces
Babies are a natural when it comes to playing with food. So, you can put the mealtimes to good use by teaching them some patterns.
Skills Developed: Hand-eye coordination, recognition of patterns
What You Need: An assortment of food items
How to Play
While fixing a meal for your baby, select those food items that he can easily pick up like sweetcorn, peas, halved cherry tomatoes, cooked cubed carrots, noodles, grated cheese. Put them in different plastic bowls and lay them in front of your baby. Encourage your baby to choose some food items and help him to design a face. You can use tomato for the nose, cheese or noodles for the hair, carrot pieces as eyes. You may have to guide your baby’s hands to put things in their correct places. Once the face is complete, your baby can eat it!
Recommended Week: First week
2. Stacking Blocks
A simple task of arranging building blocks can teach your baby several developmental skills.
Skills Developed: Thinking, concentration, fine motor skills
What You Need: Building blocks or stacking cubes
How to Play
At first, you can help your baby build up a tower with blocks and then let him knock it down. Eventually, you can take turns to stack the cubes and then, of course, let him demolish it all over again.
Recommended Week: First week
3. Tiny Trampoline
Toddlers of this age are energetic and enjoy bouncing on beds. It is also helps babies build their body strength and spend some of their energy.
Skills Developed: Walking, standing
What You Need: A bouncy mattress
How to Play
Help your baby stand in the centre of the bed providing support with your hands. Then enable him to bounce off the bed by lifting him and then landing him on the bed in an upright position. If your baby is walking by now, he may start bouncing by himself. You can hold his hands to stable him while he bounces away.
Recommended Week: First week
4. Musical Rhymes
The catchy poems and songs can not only be great entertainment for your baby but may also become useful tools for teaching important skills.
Skills Developed: Language, music, motor skills, rhythm
What You Need: CD of nursery rhymes or your own voice
How to Play
You can play a CD of musical rhymes while doing the actions yourself. Alternatively, you can sing some popular rhymes to your baby along with simple actions. Encourage him to participate by helping him do the actions while you sing.
Recommended WeekP First week
5. Tube Tunnel
Once your baby is comfortable holding objects, he may have great fun playing with a ball.
Skills Developed: Fine motor skills, the judgment of cause and effect
What You Need: Small balls, long cardboard rolls
How to Play
Hold the cardboard roll at an angle with the floor. Put a ball into the roll from the top end and ask the baby to watch it roll out from the bottom end. Your baby may get excited to see the ball rolling out like that. You can then ask your baby to try and put the ball into the cardboard roll himself.
Recommended Week: Second week
6. Crack the Nut
Activities for 11-month-old baby boy can include this fun game which can be a great workout for your baby.
Skills Developed: Gross motor skills
What You Need: Two persons
How to Play
Sit down with your back-to-back with your partner. Then challenge your baby to try and get between both of you. You can show your baby how to do it by first sitting in a similar manner (back to back) with your baby and ask the other person to get amid two of you.
Recommended Week: Second week
7. Little Steamroller
This amusing game can be a wonderful bonding game as well a good learning experience for your baby.
Skills Developed: Gross motor skills
What You Need: Another adult to assist you
How to Play
Lie down side by side with another person on the floor at some distance. Then allow your baby to first crawl on top of you and then the other person.
Recommended Week: Second week
8. Water Colouring
Your baby can have a blast with different colours and also learn about the basic colours.
Skills Developed: Recognition of colours, hand-eye coordination
What You Need: Different colours, paint brushes, a container
How to Play
Fill a container with water and provide your baby with colours and paint brushes. You can set him up in front of a wall, a garden gate, a piece of furniture and then allow him a free hand to paint the way he wishes to.
Recommended Week: Third week
9. Climb Cushions
Toddlers of this age are usually fond of climbing over things. This wonderful activity can be very entertaining for your baby.
Skills Developed: Gross motor skills
What You Need: Several cushions
How to Play
You can arrange the pillows in a manner to create an obstacle course for your baby. Then again you can simply stack the pillows one over the other by placing the steadiest one at the bottom and help him climb over them.
Recommended Week: Third week
10. String Along
As your baby is learning to master the use of his little fingers to pick, hold, grasp objects, this game can be very thrilling for him.
Skills Developed: Fine motor skills, eye-hand coordination
What You Need: A string, 0-shaped cereals
How to Play
You can provide your baby with any cereals which have large holes. Take a string and knot it at one end so that the cereals don’t slip off. Show your baby how to pass the thread through the cereals. After he is done, he can eat off from the necklace of cereals.
Recommended Week: Third week
11. Homemade Playdough
A simple homemade playdough made using a food item can provide a great tactile activity for your baby.
Skills Developed: Fine motor skills, tactile skills
What You Need: Flour, warm water, vegetable oil, and salt
How to Play
Make your child sit on a chair and show them how to knead or roll the playdough with their hands. The little kids will also enjoy making hands or footprints.
Recommended Week: Last Week
12. Roll the Ball
All babies love to play with a ball. So, do try this ball-rolling activity with your baby.
Skills Developed: Fine and gross motor skills, social skills
What You Need: A ball
How to Play
Sit opposite to your baby and show them how to take turns and roll a ball. Once they learn to do so, start rolling the ball slightly off to one side.
Recommended Week: Second week
13. Copycat Toys
At this age, children generally tend to copy their elders. So, make mimicking a part of their learning.
Skills Developed: Speech and language skills
What You Need: Toy version of daily life things you use
How to Play
Give your child a toy version of things you are using, like a play phone if you are talking on a phone. Let them copy you while you do that.
Recommended Week: Second week
14. I Spy
A 11-month-old baby won’t be able to reply back to your questions, but this classic game will still engage them in a conversation.
Skills Developed: Language skills, cognitive critical thinking skills, motor skills
What You Need: A book
How to Play
Sit with your child on a play mat and start reading to your baby from a book. Explain to your child what is written in the book, and then ask them to find the same image in the book. At first, they might not respond, but encourage them to answer.
Recommended Week: All weeks
Tips to Consider
- Keep in mind to remove any sharp-edged furniture from the play area
- It is advisable not to leave your baby unattended
- Cover electrical sockets
- If your baby is already up and walking, get them a pair of socks with grips to prevent slippage and falls.
FAQs
1. What Words Can 11 Month Old Say?
When babies are 11 month old, they are still mainly babbling. But they might try out 1-2 words they understand, like ‘dada’ or ‘mama.
2. How to Entertain an 11 Month Old?
You can entertain an 11 month old baby by engaging them in different activities that can help them develop various skills.
When your baby turns 11 months old, you can have an awesome time teaching him new things or simply playing with him. Join him in his playful activities as it can be a wonderful bonding time. Avoid forcing your baby to do something he may not be willing to do.
References/Resources:
1. Infant development: Milestones from 10 to 12 months; mayoclinic.org; https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/infant-and-toddler-health/in-depth/infant-development/art-20047380
2. Your baby’s growth and development — 11 months old; pregnancybirthbaby.org.au; https://www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au/babys-growth-and-development-11-months-old
3. Developmental Milestones: 10 to 12 Month Baby; choc.org; https://www.choc.org/primary-care/ages-stages/10-to-12-months/
4. Growth & Development: 9-11 Months; rileychildrens.org; https://www.rileychildrens.org/health-info/growth-development-9-11-months
5. Play Activities for Birth to 12 Months; zerotothree.org; https://www.zerotothree.org/resource/play-activities-for-birth-to-12-months/
Also Read:
11 Months Old Baby Milestones
Feeding Schedule for 11 Month Old Baby
Sample Schedule for Your 11-12 Months Old Baby
