Five Artistic and Bonding Activities to Do With Children Under One Year Old

Spending quality time with your child is important, as bonding activities can help you grow closer to your baby. Children's characters and abilities are beginning to form long before their first birthday, and it is your job to help stimulate new discoveries while having fun together.

Believe us, it is a fun job! There are many artistic activities that even young children can easily pick up with a little help. Not only will you be able to encourage artistry at a young age, you will also be able to develop a special relationship with your child.

Below are five fun ideas to get you started.

1. Playdough or modeling clay

You can never go wrong with playdough. This is a fantastic option for a child who is just learning how to use his or her hands. It provides minutes of fun and engages your child in a sensory experience.

The more your child experiments with playdough or clay, the more they will learn to craft it into new things. You can show your child how to roll it into a snake, squish it into a pancake, or press it into a handprint. They may not pick it up right away, but they will always be ready to try!

2. Water "paint"

This is a great way to help your less-than-one-year-old child learn basic motor skills and develop artistry with no real paint (and minimum cost) involved. Provide old scrap paper, a paintbrush and a small cup of water. Guide your child in learning how to hold the paint brush, dip it into the water and brush it onto the piece of paper.

You will be surprised at how quickly they will catch on, and how much they will enjoy it, especially if they have seen others paint. You may have to wipe up some spilled water, but other than that, this activity is mess free.

3. Finger paints

This option definitely requires some major parental involvement. But isn't that what you want anyway? This is quality time for you and your child, and it is okay to make a mess every now and then!

On a side note, though, it might be a good idea to let your child go naked for this one. You'll be better off not having to get paint stains out of baby clothes later. That being said, finger painting is a great way to get children under one introduced to different colors and learning how to use their hands.

4. Stickers

There is almost nothing a young child likes more (or can do better) than sticking stickers all over the place. This can be another rather cheap option, and never fails to bring delight. Get a large, inexpensive sticker book and pull out some old scrap paper. Then sit down with your young one and sticker away!

They will probably need your help pulling the stickers off the sheet. Get them going by pulling a sticker off just enough for them to grab, and they will learn to rip it off the rest of the way themselves in no time.

5. Chalk

Hooray for an outdoor option! Chalk is something that you don't even have to worry about cleaning up afterwards. Simply bring a bucket of chalk out to the driveway or sidewalk and let the fun begin! Take your child's hand and help him or her trace simple patterns on the concrete. Or let them draw their own happy scribbles while you draw yours. Just keep an eye out for stray pieces of chalk making their way into your child's mouth!

Inspiring artistry and creating a special relationship are both things that you don't have to wait for. Get started making those fun memories while your child is still young!

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