33 Easy & engaging activities for 10 month olds

When your baby turns 10 months old, they’re beginning the transition from infant to toddler, and it’s so much fun! They’re becoming more mobile, more interactive, more perceptive, and more curious.

Their capabilities are rapidly increasing as they grow, which makes life much more fun.  Having activities for your 10 month old up your sleeve is always a good idea, to keep them busy and entertained in a way that encourages development.

In this post, we will briefly cover your 10 month old’s development and new abilities and provide you with easy, at home activities for your 10 month old.  

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YOUR BABY’S DEVELOPMENT AND MILESTONES AT 10 MONTHS

At 10 months old, your baby is beginning to become more mobile. You may notice that they’re: 

  • Crawling
  • Pulling Up
  • Standing
  • Balancing 
  • Experimenting with Walking

developmental activities for 10 month old

At this age, babies can point at things they want or see. They experiment with early language concepts by babbling.

Your 10 month old will love to imitate others; imitation is a major component in their learning.  Around this time, they also learn to clap.

It’s important to remember that every baby develops at their own pace, and developmental milestones are not perfectly set in stone! It’s most helpful to not compare your baby’s growth pace to others, as everyone is different.

My twins are 10 months old and it’s natural to compare and contrast them.  While my baby boy twin is crawling and babbling two sounds, “bah dah”,his twin sister just sits and watches and only says “bah”.

What age do babies wave bye bye?

Babies begin to wave “hello” and “bye bye” around 9-10 months. Singing songs and reading books that mention and practice these salutations will help them mimic the behavior and eventually they’ll do it themselves in context.

What age do babies say their first word?

Babies say their first word at around approximately 12 months, but they can be younger or older than that. 

For example, my oldest said her first word at 7-8 months old and her vocabulary exploded from there, while my youngest said his first word at 11-12 months and his vocabulary has been a slower, steady process.  

We’ll just have to wait and see for the twins.

What do 10 month olds understand? 

10 month olds are beginning to understand basic commands such as, “Clap,” “Blow a kiss,” “Bye bye,” and so on. They can begin to pick up on social cues, and imitate those around them. 

This age can understand simple, repetitive conversations of their day-to-day life and routines. 

For example, from conversations about food during mealtime or talking about body parts during bathtime, your 10 month old will quickly begin to understand all the different words involved over time. 

WHAT ACTIVITIES SHOULD A 10 MONTH OLD BE DOING?

10 month olds benefit from being exposed to a variety of simple activities, such as the ones on this list.  Don’t underestimate how entertained a 10 month old will be by stacking activities (and knocking down, of course), taking objects out of a container and (sometimes) putting them back again.  

Always a favorite, is dropping something off the high chair table.  And waiting for someone to pick it up!

This list of activities for 10 month olds has many simple and easy activities that will keep them entertained while helping them develop their gross motor, fine motor and cognitive skills further.

When can I introduce crayons to my baby?

You know your child and their potential better than anyone else. Whenever you feel it’s appropriate or you believe they are ready to try using crayons, you should give it a go! Jumbo crayons and/or palm grip crayons are the preferred option for this age, as it is easier for them to grasp these types of crayons.

From what age are ride-on toys suitable?

When to introduce ride-on toys differs from child to child based on their physical development and capabilities. It’s important to consider if they can pull up and stand on their own, have strong balance and, even better, if they are exhibiting early-walking skills.

All of these abilities increase their chances of being able to catch themselves in case they fall off the ride-on toy.

open ended montessori activities for 10 months old babies 

What age are wooden blocks good for?

Any age can play with wooden blocks! Stacking is a major developmentally appropriate behavior around 10 months, and wooden blocks are a great mechanism for this. Soft blocks are also fun for them to stack (and maybe even teethe with.) Alphabet wooden blocks and shape wooden blocks are both good options for 10 month olds to play with.

Can a 10 month old watch TV?

It is not recommended for babies under 18 months/two years to have any screen time. If you must utilize the TV (life happens), try to make sure it’s educational. Baby sensory videos and baby sign language/learning videos are the best options if the TV must be used.

HOW CAN I IMPROVE MY BABY’S COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT?

The best way to improve your baby’s cognitive development is by providing engaging activities and experiences that satisfy their newly emerging curiosity. Open-ended activities promote child-led learning. They learn so much through human interaction, so the more you can interact with them, the better!

Any activity appropriate for a 10 month old, such as the ones on this list, will establish a wide-range of different skills and boost cognitive development. There’s also a specific section on activities for brain development, and these activities efficiently target and build upon cognitive ability.

What should I teach my 10 month old baby?

At this age, babies are really just learning foundational skills, such as feeding, early verbal and nonverbal communication skills, playing, etc., to build off of as they grow. Through simple conversations and imitation, they are laying the groundwork for the development of their social skills, as well as language development.

At 10 months old, it’s important to teach your baby object permanence. Don’t worry it’s very simple and you’re probably doing it without thinking.

Object permanence is knowing that something still exists even if it’s unable to be seen or heard.

For example, your baby may drop a toy and not go looking for it, as they believe it is truly gone. You know they’re beginning to understand object permanence when they look for a toy after dropping it because they know it still exists; they just can’t immediately see it.

The list includes some easy activities that’ll help your 10 month old learn object permanence.

How do you teach your baby to talk?

The best way to teach your baby to talk is through having constant conversation/dialogue, even if they’re not participating. As the parent, it’s beneficial for you to narrate everything as it happens. It may feel silly at first, but it will eventually become second nature. This is how infants are exposed to new vocabulary and how they develop their language skills. 

SENSORY ACTIVITIES FOR 10 MONTH OLDS

Sensory activities are so important for child development. Through sensory play, infants are building new brain connections as they experience different stimuli.

Sensory play is quite multifaceted as it involves one or more of the five senses.

Sensory play involves one or more of the senses. From sight, to touch, to proprioception. 

These sensory activities will help your 10 month old develop early language concepts, cognitive concepts, physical development all while keeping them highly engaged.

sensory activities for babies to encourage exploration Textured Eggs

Fill balloons with different materials, such as corn kernels, flour or dried beans, tie in a knot and let your baby play with them.  These are also enjoyed by toddlers and older kids too.  The favorite was the one with flour inside – it feels like one of those squishy stress balls!

Bubble Wrap Painting

There are many different ways you can try bubble wrap painting with your 10 month old. You can simply add paint on top of a sheet of bubble wrap and let them explore. You could also add a gross motor element to it by facilitating bubble wrap stomp painting.

For a mess free version, put a sheet of bubble wrap in a gallon freezer bag and add paint drops. You may want to tape the bag firmly shut. This method of painting will contain the paint and the mess but still provide a lovely sensory activity.

Sensory Bin

Sensory bins are the penultimate sensory activity in early childhood.  You can start as early as infancy. They are so versatile and can be as simple or as complicated as you want them to be! 

The general composition of a sensory bin is built around three main components:

  1. filler
  2. fun items
  3. tools

Some examples of each:

  • sensory bin fillers: uncooked rice/beans/noodles, fabric scraps, water, sand, water beads, cotton balls, and so on
  • fun items include animal figurines, vehicles, paper cutouts and seasonal items, like pine cones 
  • tools you could add to the bin are scoopers, handheld rakes, sifters, pinchers

The beauty of sensory bins is that you can make them however you want!

fabric sensory activities for babies to explore different textures

My favorite sensory bin for babies is a fabric sensory bin. Simply add scraps of fabrics, scarfs and ribbon to give a variety of different textures. Even without other items or tools, this kept my 10 month old girl twin engaged for quite some time.   

Another fun one to do with infants is a rainbow spaghetti sensory bin. It’s a brand new texture for them to explore, and the different colors add to the experience.

brain development activities for babies

Discovery Box

Create a discovery box of baby safe items. Place a variety of items which differ in texture, size, shape etc in box or basket, and let your 10 month old have fun pulling the items out and investigating each one.  You’ll soon learn which types of things your baby likes to play with and then you can offer more similar items.

Kinetic Sand

Kinetic sand is a play sand that’s a little different to normal sand. It can be molded when squeezed, similarly to playdough. It’s interesting for young kids to explore and play with, including your 10 month old. 

There are a few different varieties of kinetic sand. You could get natural colored kinetic sand or colorful kinetic sand. There are also versions of kinetic sand with glitter and other fun additives.

You can also try making homemade kinetic sand.

You may also wish to have some sand tools on hand. There are many different tools that your 10 month old will find interesting and will enjoy playing with through the toddler years.  

In the meantime, you could grab some silicon kitchen and baking utensils for your baby to use.

mess free sensory activities for 10 month old babies

Sensory Bottle

A more mobile, mess-free alternative to sensory bins is a sensory bottle. You can easily make sensory bottles yourself. Just find an empty plastic bottle, remove any labels, and get creating.

Fill the sensory bottle with anything you want your baby to explore. Water with added glitter is a great base for a sensory bottle, or water beads

You can add any additional toy figures, sequins or foam pieces to the bottle. You can also make your sensory bottle themed (ocean, seasonal, color themed, etc.)

Make sure to glue the cap on when you finish making the bottle to ensure it won’t leak or spill open while your child is playing with it.

Listening, Singing And Moving to Music

Put some music on and help your baby to dance or bop to the rhythm – they normally don’t need much encouragement! You can also help them clap or pat their legs to the beat.

Experiment with different types of music to find out which your 10 month old enjoys the most.

Your 10 month old will also enjoy it if you singing songs to them.  This is a great way to make basic tasks (diaper changes, getting dressed, etc.) much easier and more fun. You really can sing songs with them all throughout the day; just make them up as you go.

blobs of paint on paper for finger painting for one year olds

Finger Painting 

Finger painting is a great way for your child to tap into their self-expression, and it’s a very sensory-motivated activity. 

You don’t have to just stick to paper; you can change your painting canvas to create some unexpected variety in an otherwise simple activity. 

Check out our previous post on finger painting ideas for babies and toddlers for more detailed ideas. With a little simplification, most will work for 10 month olds.

Play with Balls

Playing with balls is a simple yet productive activity for 10 month olds and any soft, light ball will do.

Plastic ball pit balls placed in a big tub will be fun, or even in the water at bath time.

Or why not try sensory balls These are textured balls that are made up of bright, appealing colors. Some of them make speaking sounds. They’re fun to roll, bounce, and throw.

sensory activities for babies to practice fine motor skills

Playing with Food

Meal times shouldn’t be a tidy affair for babies! It’s tempting to spoon feed your baby and avoid as much mess as possible but this is depriving your baby of a great sensory experience.

Allowing babies to feed at least part of the meal themselves means they can explore the different textures of the food in their hands.  A 10 month old is likely to want to squeeze it and smush it through their fingers and palms and that’s okay.

It’s a great way for them to practice fine motor control too.

Jello Dig Activity

What’s more fun for a curious, growing infant than a hands-on activity they can eat?! This jello digging activity will provide lots of fun for you and your 10 month old together. Modern Homestead Mama has a great post on how to make and execute this activity. 

You can adapt this activity for any age by adjusting the amount and type of materials hidden in the jello. Larger objects are the safest and will be the most engaging at 10 months old.  As your baby moves into toddlerhood, you could add smaller objects for them to dig through and find.

Activities to Teach Object Permanence 

Around 10 months old, your baby may start developing separation anxiety.

Teaching object permanence is so important because it will help them understand that you still exist, even if they can’t directly see you. This should help ease their separation anxiety by strengthening their understanding and emotional coping skills.

You can teach object permanence to your child simply by playing peekaboo with them or hiding toys for them to try and find but here are some other ideas.

Play Peekaboo With A Toy

You can either act out the game of peekaboo with their stuffed animal to amuse them, or you can get a special peekaboo toy that will “play” peekaboo with your infant! Either option is very engaging for a 10 month old and will help them learn object permanence.

Playing with popup toys

Popup toys are exciting toys to play with, and they also work on cause and effect concepts as well as fine motor skill development. 

Read popup books

Popup and lift-a-flap books are another engaging way to teach object permanence to your baby! These books also aid in fine motor skill development as your baby learns to find the subjects in the book.

MONTESSORI ACTIVITIES FOR 10 MONTH OLD

The Montessori approach focuses on hands-on learning, independence and an intentional environment. An intentional environment is one where every item or activity is placed within easy access of your child; it’s deliberately planned and has a purpose in their learning.

Simplicity is key in Montessori. Ensuring learning is child-led is also of utmost importance. 

Shelf activities, which display items and activities at a child’s level in an easy to navigate way,  are highly valued under this learning method.  There are a variety of these types of activities suitable for a 10 month old, all of which will foster independence in play. 

Stacking And Nesting Cups

One of the most enriching Montessori activities for 10 month olds is stacking/nesting cups. Using stacking/nesting cups helps a child begin to understand size and order. This activity also works on their hand-eye coordination skills as well as fine motor development.

Family Faces Activity

10 month olds love to look at familiar faces. As they learn about the world around them, especially the specific people and pets exclusive to their own world, they are constantly making and refining cognitive connections.

In a familiar faces activity, your baby will observe and identify photos of the people in their world using family face cards.

It’s such a fun and engaging activity for your 10 month old.  Check this tutorial from The Kavanaugh Report  for guidance on making family face cards.

DIY music instruments as montessori activities for babies

Montessori Music Instruments

Making music with a drum, tambourine, maraca, bells, and more exposes your infant to early concepts of rhythm. It also helps them establish independence as they get to create their own beat and song themselves. 

Using musical instruments also works on hand-eye coordination as well as fine motor skills and cognitive development.

This music set would see your baby through the preschool years, but you can easily improvise with some homemade instruments. 

A homemade drum kit of upturned pots, pans and a cardboard box with wooden spoons as a drum sticks can keep a 10 month old entertained for quite some time!  

Simple Montessori Puzzle

Using a simple Montessori puzzle works on fine motor skills and is a great brain building activity too. It helps your baby develop problem solving skills and exposes them to early mathematics concepts. While figuring out a simple puzzle, they are extensively thinking through many different possibilities and testing them out as they explore.

Montessori Shape Sorter

Another fun Montessori activity for 10 month olds is a simple shape sorter. A shape sorter helps your child learn to categorize, sort, and match. It also refines fine motor skills, cause and effect, and problem solving.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES FOR 10 MONTH OLD

Outdoor play is essential in early childhood. Playing outdoors is an easy way to facilitate gross motor skill development and other activities that can get a bit messy.

Infants benefit greatly from being able to explore the world around them, and while exploring outdoors, they’re able to get some fresh air, feel and see the sunshine, and discover nature around them.

playing with bubbles for outdoor activities for 10 month old babies

Bubbles 

Bubbles are an instant mood booster!  The best option for bubble play at 10 months old is a bubble blower machine. If your child has sensitive skin, these sensitive bath time bubbles may be a better option than bubble solution. They’re also fun to use in the bathtub!

Sidewalk Chalk

It’s assumed that sidewalk chalk is only for older children to play with, but chalk play can definitely be adapted for infant/toddler age with the right supplies.

Using traditional skinny chalk will be too difficult for a 10 month old to manipulate but there are plenty of chalk products aimed at this age. 

Chunky jumbo chalk and easy grip chalk will be the easiest type of chalk for little hands to grip and color with. Egg shaped chalk and chalk brushes are fun types of chalk for 10 months old to experiment with.

Tip: make the chalk wet so it’s creamier and therefore easier to scribble with.

water play gross motor activities for babies

Water Play

I have a philosophy in parenthood that will immediately turn any situation around: Just add water! When your child is in a funk, overtired, bored, teething or just feeling low, just add water.

Put them in the bathtub, baby pool, set up a water table or tub, play with the sprinkler or inflatable splash mat, and you’ll begin to see their mood drastically improve.

In addition, water play is essential for child development at any age.

If your child is unable to stand with confidence you can use a standing water table or try this  water table option for use sitting.

Explore The Garden Or Park

Take your child around your yard or garden and narrate what you see. This will help them begin to learn how to make observations themselves. You could also collect natural objects such as pinecones, rocks, leaves, flowers, etc. for your baby to touch and observe. 

sensory and outdoor activities for 10 month old

Sit And Crawl On The Grass

Grass is a normal, everyday occurrence for us adults, but to a baby, grass is brand new and exciting!

You really don’t have to do much to facilitate playing on the grass with your baby. As they sit and crawl on the grass, they will be intrigued by the feeling of the grass under their legs, and the way it feels on their hands as they touch it.

sand play for sensory and outdoor activities for babies

Play In The Sand 

Provide a sandbox or fill a large bin with play sand, add tools and toys, and simply let your 10 month old explore. They will most likely attempt to put the sand in their mouths as a way to investigate it, so make sure to supervise them closely.

Sifters and scoopers are great sand toys for this age!

GROSS MOTOR ACTIVITIES FOR 10 MONTH OLD

Activities that promote the advancement of gross motor skills are crucial for an infant’s physical development. By experimenting with physical movement, they’re strengthening their muscles and establishing balance and stability, so they can better explore their world. 

This age loves to participate in music and movement activities! Anything with rhythm that they Dancing, aka bopping while sitting, is another new, exciting way to express themselves.

Your baby’s ability to do all of the following gross motor activities will depend on their current capabilities, whether they’re crawling or walking yet. You know your baby best! Even if they are not yet quite able to do some of these, they will be able to someday as they grow.

Push Toys 

A great way to help your 10 month old develop and establish and refine their balance is by providing them with “push toys”.

This push bubble mower will provide balance practice, while also blowing bubbles for hours of fun!

Tunnel Play

Climbing and crawling is a fun early gross motor activity for 10 month olds. Tunnel play is a great outlet for this developing skill! 

This collapsible tunnel is a staple in our household for my older two kids from crawling age all through toddlerhood.  It’s been one of their favorites for years.

Large cardboard boxes can also easily be turned into tunnels.

grasping activities for 10 month old

Balloon Batting

Set up this activity by tying a balloon to a stationary point and let them reach and grab for it and bat at it.  Avoid overfilling with too much air to avoid popping.

Another option of setting up this activity is by gently and lightly tying the balloon to your baby’s leg, and laying them on their back so they can watch the balloon move as they move their legs and kick at it. 

Alternatively, simply let your 10 month old crawl after a loose balloon.

Whatever you do with balloons and whatever the age of the child, they never fail to entertain!

Tummy Time Painting

Any type of tummy time activity is essential in infancy. 

It’s beneficial both physically and cognitively as it strengthens a baby’s neck, back, and core muscles, while simultaneously increasing connections in the brain through exploration.

This tummy time painting activity idea is very engaging for 10 month olds, and the outcome of this activity leaves a beautiful result!

gross motor activities for spatial awareness

Mini Obstacle Course

Set up a simple, developmentally-appropriate obstacle course for your baby to explore. Use soft items and items that are relatively easy for them to navigate, like pillows, stuffed animals,  and couch cushions.

This activity will strengthen your baby’s gross motor skill development, while also encouraging the development of cognitive concepts, such as cause and effect.

This activity is a really fun one to do together, making memories and strengthening your bond with your child.

BRAIN DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES FOR 10 MONTH OLD

At 10 months old, your child’s brain is booming! Appropriately catering to this explosive growth is so important for their overall development as they grow and change. Knowing what activities to facilitate will help empower you as their parent. 

montessori activities for babies to enhance fine motor skills

Pom Pom Whisk 

A pom pom whisk is simply a balloon whisk, filled with pom poms!  Your 10 month old will enjoy trying to pick the pompoms out of the whisk – just watch them for putting them in their mouth.

This activity works on fine motor skill development and helps to develop and refine a child’s cognitive ability to engage in activities, while extending their attention span.  

Discuss what your baby is doing and seeing as they explore, as this will help progress their early language skills.

Baby Ball Drop

10 month olds love to take things out, and put things in. This DIY baby ball drop activity from Busy Toddler is a great for fine motor skill development as well as beginning to understand cause and effect concepts.

Provide a canister or container of some kind and some play balls for your baby to put in and take out of the container over and over.

mirror play as brain development activities for babies

Explore with Mirrors

When you’re a baby, nearly every experience is a new experience. A mundane experience for us will be enriching for them.

Looking into mirrors is one such example.  It’s so intriguing for a 10 month old. They get to see themselves in a new way and experience the way light reflects off of the mirror as well.

Simply sit or hold your baby in front of a mirror and let them do the rest!

A tummy time peekaboo mirror is a great toy to have on hand for your 10 month old! A soft mirror toy is useful for tummy time exploration as well.

Scarf Pull Activity 

This scarf pull activity from Hands On as We Grow is ideal for 10 month olds as well as older babies and toddlers. 

Simply tape empty plastic milk bottles ,with bottoms removed, to the wall, and place scarves in the top with a little bit dangling through.  Then let your baby pull the scarves through – they probably won’t need much encouragement!

An engaging activity that works on your child’s fine motor skills and cognitive abilities.  

Are you ready to further development with these 10 month old baby activities?

Your 10 month old baby is capable of so much more than you probably realize!

There are many different enriching activities and categories for infants to explore the world around them, follow their newfound independence, and further grow their physical and cognitive development.  

Knowing how to best satisfy their emerging curiosity will ultimately equip them for productive and beneficial learning.

All of the activities for 10 month old babies listed above make for great instances of quality time for you and your baby together! We hope you enjoy facilitating your child’s discovery of their world through these activities.

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A little about me

Mom of 4 kids, baby sleep expert plus home organisation and kids activities and crafts

Hi, I'm Sarah

Mom of four outrageously gorgeous Littles.  Yup, four!  The twins are now two and that title still brings me out in a cold sweat… Yet I’m just as determined to give them the best without losing my mind.  I reckon it’s possible!  Most days.  

I love a challenge and have to find out they ‘why’, ‘what’ or ‘how to’  –  there are rather a lot of these when it comes to kids… 

I also love, love, love things to be neat and tidy and just so.   The Littles normally have other ideas!  

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