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Playing with Toddlers from 12 Months

Some babies have started to walk around twelve months so much of their attention will be spent on trying to stay upright. Taking baby to the swimming pool can help baby develop stronger muscles and stimulate muscular co-ordination.

Playing with Toddlers from 12 Months – Building and Stacking Toys

At twelve months your toddler will be interested in spending time with you, perhaps reading or sitting together building creative art using Lego or Stickle Blocks. She will enjoy stacking toys like ones from the Early Learning Centre.

Playing with Toddlers from 12 Months – Ride-on Toys and Walkers

A new discovery will be the ride-on toys where she will discover wooden toys like trikes or coupe cars like the ones from Little Tikes.

Learning to use a trike or a coupe car is quite a skill to master as baby has to understand that she has to use her legs to make it move. Initially you will be roped in to push baby wherever she wants to go, making suitable beeping noises.

After a few months she will have built up enough strength to motor around herself. She still won't get the concept of stopping though so will crash into you, other babies or the wall when she wants to stop.

The “Toddle and Ride” from Tomy starts life as a sturdy walker but soon turns into a three wheel sit and ride trike with a horn and a trailer.

Mischief at John Lewis makes a lovely traditional wooden walker and you can buy alphabet blocks too

Chad Valley at Woolworths also makes a traditional wooden baby walker.

Once baby starts to walk with more confidence, the walkers are used more to store the wooden blocks rather than be pushed around.

Playing with Toddlers from 12 Months – Other Toys

She'll love playing with rocking toys like the Ladybird Rocker or the Dino Rocker from Mamas and Papas.

Baby will also enjoy bead puzzles now and will sit for a while trying to push the beads around a wire. Mothercare has a lovely wooden cube with a wooden bead sorter on top that is good for more than one baby to play with so they can learn to share.

Your baby is now beginning to walk, understands much of what she hears and can even say a few words herself. She'll have favourite books, toys and perhaps special characters she sees on TV or DVD.

Keep playing with baby and gradually introduce her to art, musical instruments and nature. You are going to see even more amazing changes between now and about 18 months.

The wooden puzzles and shape sorters she couldn't do will become child's play and she'll want to learn more about building with blocks, imaginative play and kicking balls around the garden. She'll enjoy making sand castles, playing in her paddling pool and learning to play with other children. Enjoy!

To find out more about what to look out for when choosing and buying nursery toys visit our How to Choose and Buy a Baby Toy for Different Ages section and our Brands section.

To find out more about the different types of nursery toy that are available for each age group visit our Types of Nursery Toy section.

To find out more about the different online baby and nursery toy shops and stores visit our Top Sites section.

You can also find out more in our How to Choose and Buy a Baby Toy for Helping to Develop Different Skills section.