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Outdoor activities for 12–18 months

5 simple play ideas for little ones aged 12–18 months.

Always supervise play. These are play ideas, not developmental or medical advice.

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Bubble chase

  • 6–36 months
  • 10 min
  • Outdoors
  • Indoors
  • Low mess

Blow bubbles for your little one to watch, reach and pop.

  • Moving
  • Senses

You’ll need

  • Bubbles
How to play
  1. Blow a few bubbles above your baby.
  2. Let them reach, clap or chase.
  3. Count the pops together.

Play safely: Keep the bubble mix out of reach.

Name that sound

  • 12–36 months
  • 10 min
  • Indoors
  • Outdoors
  • Low mess

Listen for sounds and guess what made them.

  • Words & sounds

You’ll need

Nothing but you

How to play
  1. Sit quietly for a moment together.
  2. Ask “What can you hear?”
  3. Name the sounds: birds, cars, the kettle, footsteps.

Splashy water play

  • 6–36 months
  • 15 min
  • Indoors
  • Outdoors
  • Messy

Pouring and splashing with a few cups in shallow water.

  • Senses
  • Hands

You’ll need

  • Tub or bowl of water
  • Plastic cups
How to play
  1. Put a few centimetres of water in a tub or bowl.
  2. Add cups for pouring and scooping.
  3. Show how to fill and pour, then let them explore.

Play safely: Stay within arm’s reach around any water, and empty the tub straight after.

Leaf collecting walk

  • 12–36 months
  • 30 min
  • Outdoors
  • Some mess

Gather leaves, sticks and pebbles and talk about what you find.

  • Senses
  • Words & sounds

You’ll need

Nothing but you

How to play
  1. Take a bag on your walk.
  2. Pick up leaves of different shapes and colours.
  3. At home, sort them by size or colour.

Play safely: Check that little finds don’t go in mouths.

Narrated walk

  • 0–36 months
  • 30 min
  • Outdoors
  • Low mess

Talk through everything you see on a walk around the block.

  • Words & sounds
  • Senses

You’ll need

Nothing but you

How to play
  1. Head out with the stroller or carrier.
  2. Name what you see: trees, dogs, cars, clouds.
  3. Pause to let them look, touch a leaf or listen to a bird.
Get 3 ideas for your baby

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