Activities for 11-Month-Olds
Eleven months is the edge of toddlerhood. Your baby walks with help (or maybe solo), says a few real words, and understands far more than they can express. They're imitating everything you do — talking on the phone, sweeping the floor, stirring a pot — because they want to be just like you. The transition from baby to toddler is happening in real time, and it's equal parts thrilling and bittersweet.
What's Happening Right Now
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Cognitive
Your baby follows simple directions, points to body parts when named, and uses objects functionally (a comb on hair, a phone on ear). They problem-solve with increasing sophistication — using a stick to reach a toy, pulling a tablecloth to bring something closer. They understand the meaning of many words and respond appropriately to questions like 'Where's the dog?' Memory is strong; they remember games from days ago.
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Physical
Walking with one hand held is typical, and some babies are walking independently. They climb onto low furniture, go up stairs on hands and knees, and stand up from the middle of the floor without pulling on anything. They use a controlled release — placing objects carefully instead of just dropping them. They can hold a crayon and make scribbling marks, though the grip is a whole-fist approach.
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Social & Emotional
Imitation of household activities is your baby's primary form of pretend play. They stir pots, sweep floors, type on keyboards, and talk on phones — watching you has been their full-time job, and they've been taking notes. They show strong attachment to comfort objects (a specific blanket, a stuffed animal) and may become distressed if it's unavailable. Separation anxiety may intensify briefly before improving.
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What's Coming Next
The first birthday marks the symbolic transition to toddlerhood, but the real changes are already underway. Expect independent walking (if not already), a vocabulary explosion over the coming months, and the emergence of true pretend play. Tantrums will arrive as your toddler's emotions grow bigger than their ability to manage them. Toddler life is about to begin in full force.
Activities by Category
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Learning
These activities build receptive language comprehension, develop the ability to follow one-step directions, and strengthen the working memory that supports all learning.
🏃Physical / Motor
These activities develop assisted walking confidence, strengthen climbing skills safely, and build the balance reactions that make independent walking possible.
🎨Creative / Art
These creative activities develop intentional mark-making, encourage multi-material exploration, and build the sensory tolerance for messy art that supports creative freedom.
🧩Sensory
These activities provide calming proprioceptive input, build advanced tactile exploration skills, and support the emotional regulation that helps your baby manage the intensity of this developmental stage.
👫Social
These activities develop imitative play, build role understanding, and encourage the representational thinking that bridges concrete actions and abstract ideas.
💬Language
These activities encourage word production, support gesture-speech integration, and build the vocabulary foundation that will expand rapidly in the months ahead.
🎵Music
These musical activities develop vocal imitation of melody, encourage musical expression, and build the auditory processing skills that support both music appreciation and language.
🌿Nature / Outdoor
These outdoor experiences develop mobility on natural surfaces, build environmental confidence, and provide the sensory variety that supports healthy development.
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A Note for Parents
As your baby approaches their first birthday, you might feel pressure to hit certain milestones by the one-year mark. Let that go. Development isn't a race, and the range of normal is wider than any milestone chart suggests. Some babies walk at 9 months, others at 15. Some say 10 words by their birthday, others say 2. What matters is the trajectory, not the timeline.
What to Expect at This Age
Eleven-month-olds are on the verge of walking, using a few words, and following simple instructions. They enjoy imitating household tasks. Activities focus on pre-walking balance, vocabulary expansion, and pretend play foundations.
Curated Activities
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