Activities for a 14-Month-Old
Activities for a 14-month-old: 55 activities in our library fit a corrected age of 14 months exactly, and 35 more that start just after it are still in the planner's mix. They are led by cognitive (8), gross motor (8) and practical life (8), last about 6 minutes, and 27 need no preparation at all.
Updated
A sample day for a 14-month-old
One plan shared by three caregivers, timed around the sample rhythm for this age. Shuffle for another day.
Thursday · 14 months
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Morning caregiver
07:00–13:00- Wake up, cuddle, diaper and dressing
- Breakfast
- Outdoors: library toddler storytime until 09:30
5-12 min · Cognitive · Fine motor
3-10 min · Language · Fine motor
- Morning snack
- Books together: look, point, name, pause
- Nap until 11:00
- Lunch
- Outdoors: walk, playground or free movement until 13:45
3-6 min · Social-emotional · Language
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Afternoon caregiver
13:00–17:00Handoff at 13:00: the morning caregiver passes on the words used so far (roll, Look!, where?, here) and how “Photo Wall Hello Kisses” went.
- Outdoors: walk, playground or free movement until 13:45
3-8 min · Gross motor · Language
- Nap until 15:30
- Afternoon snack
- A book or family-photo talk
5-10 min · Fine motor · Creativity & pretend
- Outdoors: walk, playground or free movement until 17:15
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Evening caregiver
17:00–20:00Handoff at 17:00: the afternoon caregiver passes on the words used so far (up, line, where?, here) and how “Taped-Down First Scribbles” went.
- Outdoors: walk, playground or free movement until 17:15
- Dinner
2-5 min · Practical life · Fine motor
- Calm floor play or music
3-8 min · Creativity & pretend · Social-emotional
- Two books and the bedtime routine
- Bedtime
Movement across the day: 190 minutes in short bursts, indoors and out (WHO recommends at least 180 minutes of varied physical activity a day for 1- to 4-year-olds).
Featured activities for a 14-month-old
One activity from each domain, chosen for 14 months: 15 activities in the library start at exactly 14 months. Other months feature different activities.
| Activity | Domain | Minutes | Prep | Where | Main skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Two Lumps Under the Blanket | Cognitive | 3-8 min | no prep | indoors | Finding hidden objects |
| Clear Tub Ask for Help | Language | 3-8 min | 2 min prep | indoors | Pointing to ask |
| Towel Speed-Bump Walk | Gross motor | 4-10 min | 2 min prep | indoors | Walking on their own |
| Taped-Down First Scribbles | Fine motor | 5-10 min | 2 min prep | indoors | Scribbling and early drawing |
| Two-Basket Copy Playdate | Social-emotional | 5-15 min | 2 min prep | indoors | Copying other children |
| Peekaboo Sleeve Push | Practical life | 2-5 min | no prep | indoors | Helping with dressing |
| Stir the Pretend Soup | Creativity & pretend | 5-10 min | no prep | indoors | Simple pretend play |
| Two of a Kind Kitchen Match | Early concepts | 5-8 min | 2 min prep | indoors | Matching |
Why these fit at 14 months
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Two Lumps Under the Blanket
Hide a ball under one of two lumps in a blanket while your child watches, then let them search; tracking which lump hides it builds memory for locations. Why now: its band (14-22 months) starts at exactly 14 months. Model "under" while you play; if it is too hard, make just one lump, so there is only one place to look.
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Clear Tub Ask for Help
Put a favorite toy inside a clear container your child cannot open, then wait for a point, look or sound asking for help before you step in. Why now: its band (14-22 months) starts at exactly 14 months. Model "help" while you play; if it is too hard, treat any reach or fuss as a request and name it for your child: "Help! Open!"
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Towel Speed-Bump Walk
The child walks down a hallway with rolled towels laid across it like speed bumps, lifting each foot higher to step over them without stopping. Why now: its band (14-22 months) starts at exactly 14 months. Model "big step" while you play; if it is too hard, use one folded towel laid flat so it is just a change of surface to walk across.
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Taped-Down First Scribbles
A big sheet taped to the floor or table stays put while your child grips a jumbo crayon and makes first marks, building grasp and intentional movement. Why now: its band (14-24 months) starts at exactly 14 months. Model "line" while you play; if it is too hard, hold the crayon together with your child for one mark, then let go and watch.
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Two-Basket Copy Playdate
Two toddlers each get an identical container of the same few toys, which makes it easy for one to notice and copy what the other child does. Why now: its band (14-24 months) starts at exactly 14 months. Model "same" while you play; if it is too hard, be the other player yourself first: empty your own container slowly while your child watches theirs.
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Peekaboo Sleeve Push
Hold a sleeve open like a tunnel and wait for your child to push their arm through, turning everyday dressing into a peekaboo game they help with. Why now: its band (14-24 months) starts at exactly 14 months. Model "arm" while you play; if it is too hard, feed their hand into the sleeve yourself and let them do only the final push out.
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Stir the Pretend Soup
While you cook or clean up the kitchen, your child stirs pretend soup in a cold pot, then offers you a taste, practicing an early pretend action. Why now: its band (14-24 months) starts at exactly 14 months. Model "stir" while you play; if it is too hard, skip the tasting; just stir together and say "stir" each time they move the spoon.
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Two of a Kind Kitchen Match
Your toddler pairs identical kitchen objects, cup with cup and spoon with spoon, practicing the idea of 'same' that later supports sorting and colors. Why now: its band (14-24 months) starts at exactly 14 months. Model "same" while you play; if it is too hard, use just one pair plus one different object, so there is only one right place to look.
Activities for a 14-month-old by domain
Counted by each activity's main domain: 8 cognitive, 8 gross motor, 8 practical life, 7 pretend and creative, 7 language, 6 fine motor, 6 social-emotional and 5 early concepts.
Cognitive: 8 at 14 months
Gross motor: 8 at 14 months
Practical life: 8 at 14 months
Creativity & pretend: 7 at 14 months
Language: 7 at 14 months
Fine motor: 6 at 14 months
Social-emotional: 6 at 14 months
Early concepts: 5 at 14 months
No-prep menu for a 14-month-old
On a chaotic day pick any two. 27 of the 55 activities that fit at 14 months need nothing set up and last 10 minutes or less; here are 6.
- In and Out Basket Climb (5-10 min, indoors): materials: an empty, sturdy, low laundry basket and a large soft ball; it practices spatial words.
- Pull the Blanket, Reach the Toy (3-6 min, indoors): materials: a small blanket or large towel and a favorite soft toy; it practices problem solving.
- Two-Block Tower Trade (3-8 min, indoors): materials: 4-6 large toddler blocks; it practices stacking blocks.
- High-Chair Tray Wipe-Down (2-5 min, indoors): materials: two small damp sponges, squeezed out and the high-chair tray or a low table; it practices tidying up.
- Two-Hands Open Cup Sip (2-5 min, indoors): materials: a small unbreakable open cup (no lid) and about two tablespoons of water; it practices drinking from an open cup.
- Copy My Box Moves (3-8 min, indoors): materials: two empty cardboard boxes of similar size and two matching large blocks or soft toys; it practices imitating actions.
What is emerging at 14 months
Between checklist ages CDC uses the earlier one, so at 14 months the 12-month checklist (10 milestones) still applies, 2 months after it. The next checklist comes at 15 months, 1 month away; 4 of its items, each with a matching activity:
- Copies what other children do in play, such as tipping toys out of a box after another child does. At 14 months you can practice it with Stir the Pretend Soup (5-10 min).
- Looks toward a familiar object when you say its name. At 14 months you can practice it with Photo Wall Hello Kisses (3-6 min).
- Feeds themselves some food with their fingers. At 14 months you can practice it with Blanket Picnic Finger Lunch (10-20 min).
- Shows excitement by clapping. No single activity drills this; notice it in everyday play and routines at 14 months.
Indoor and outdoor play at 14 months
| Indoors only | 47 activities, e.g. Walk-to-Me Hallway Steps |
|---|---|
| Outdoors only | 3 activities, e.g. Water Painting Walls and Steps |
| Either | 5 activities, e.g. Squat-and-Collect Bucket Walk |
| Active vs calm | 14 active, 41 calm |
| Typical length | about 6 minutes (middle of each activity's range) |
| Ready in under 5 minutes | 51 of 55 |
A 7-day sample week for a 14-month-old
Two short focus activities a day, rotating domains the way our evidence-based program does, plus one practical-life moment and a few words to model. Everything else is free play, meals, outdoor time, books and sleep.
| Day | Morning focus | Afternoon focus | Helping moment | Words to model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Copy My Box Moves | Walk-to-Me Hallway Steps | High-Chair Tray Wipe-Down | my turn, your turn, walk to me |
| Tuesday | Snack Signs: More and All Done | Two-Block Tower Trade | Pre-Loaded Spoon Hand-Off | more, all done, on |
| Wednesday | Teddy's Blanket Ride | Kitchen Pot Band | Two-Hands Open Cup Sip | pull, ride, bang |
| Thursday | Tap Test: Pot, Box or Towel | Tissue Box Scarf Pull and Stuff | Two-Choice Snack Pick | loud, quiet, out |
| Friday | Two of a Kind Kitchen Match | Water Painting Walls and Steps | Cleanup Song Bucket Drop | same, cup with cup, paint |
| Saturday | Lap Book Point and Pause | Scarf Float Up-and-Down Song | Peekaboo Sleeve Push | Look!, duck, up |
| Sunday | Photo Wall Hello Kisses | Clear Tub Ask for Help | Toe-Tug Sock Off | hello, kiss, help |
Growing into next: 15 to 17 months
35 activities start in the next 3 months. Offer them once and watch; if they do not click yet, put them away for a few weeks.
- Baking Sheet Finger Painting: from 15 months (1 ahead), pretend and creative, practices painting.
- Blanket Picnic Playdate: from 15 months (1 ahead), social-emotional, practices playing alongside others.
- Colander Rain Shower: from 15 months (1 ahead), fine motor, practices pouring.
- Count-Along Picture Book: from 15 months (1 ahead), early concepts, practices counting.
- Does It Roll? Ramp Test: from 15 months (1 ahead), early concepts, practices colors and shapes.
More for 14 months
Same age
Frequently asked questions
How should a 14-month-old play?
Mostly through short, hands-on play with you nearby: 55 library activities fit 14 months, led by cognitive (8), gross motor (8) and practical life (8). Each lasts about 6 minutes; follow your child's lead, model a word, pause and let them try.
How do I entertain a 14-month-old on a busy day?
Pick two from the no-prep menu: In and Out Basket Climb, Pull the Blanket, Reach the Toy and Two-Block Tower Trade. 27 activities at this age need no setup and take 10 minutes or less.
How much should a 14-month-old talk?
The CDC 12-month checklist lists: waves to say goodbye; uses "mama", "dada" or another special name for a parent; understands "no": stops or pauses for a moment when you say it. By 15 months it adds: attempts one or two words besides "mama" or "dada", even partial ones like "wa" for water; looks toward a familiar object when you say its name. If you are concerned, talk to your pediatrician; in the U.S. you can also contact Early Intervention directly.
How long should activities last at 14 months?
About 6 minutes: that is the middle of the typical activity length for the 55 activities that fit 14 months. Stop while it is still fun and repeat favorites often.
Related
Monitoring, not medical advice. Talk to your pediatrician about any concern. Our sources and method.