Submarine Wooden Activity Cube

Twenty-five centimetres: the height that makes it work at twelve months

Around the first birthday most children sit steadily, many kneel or pull themselves up, and only some walk. What separates an activity cube for 1 year old play from one meant for older toddlers is therefore the height at which things happen. Here the play height is 25 cm, which puts the activities level with the chest and hands of a child sitting on the floor. Nothing has to be reached for overhead, and nothing is so low that the child folds in half to see it.

The base measures 20 x 20 cm and the toy is 37 cm tall overall, with a weight of 1.46 kg. In practice that means it does not skate away across the floor when a small hand pushes against one side, yet you can lift it with one hand to move it from the sitting room to the bedroom.

One word of experience: this is a toy to sit or kneel beside, not a support for pulling up to standing. If your child is at the cruising stage, place the cube in the middle of a rug rather than next to the sofa, so it is clearly a place to settle and play.

Five play sides, explored one at a time

The submarine has 5 play sides, each with its own activity. Together they train three things: hand-eye coordination, as the hand learns to go exactly where the eyes are looking; auditory perception, as an action produces a sound that can be made again; and visual perception, as colours, shapes and movement are followed and compared.

What you will see is less tidy and far more charming. A one-year-old settles against one side, finds something that moves, and repeats the same action twenty times with total seriousness. Then the child shuffles round the corner and the toy is new again. Five sides means five reasons to change position, and that crawling and turning around the cube is exercise in its own right.

A habit worth adopting: do not present all five sides on day one. Stand the cube near a wall so that one or two sides face the room, and turn it every few days. Each turn brings back the interest of a new toy, and your child learns each activity properly before moving on.

A submarine theme that gives you something to talk about

The underwater theme sets this model apart from the farm, garden and savannah designs elsewhere in the range. For a one-year-old the theme is mostly a matter of colour and curiosity. For you it is a ready-made conversation: naming what you both see, making the sounds of the sea, linking the toy to a picture book about the ocean or to a trip to an aquarium.

The name should not mislead, though. It is a wooden toy for dry land, and it does not go in the bath or the paddling pool.

How play changes after the first birthday

At 12 months, play is about cause and effect. The hand bats, pokes or pushes, something happens, and the child does it again to check that it happens every time.

Towards 15 to 18 months the movements become deliberate. Both hands work together, one steadying while the other acts, and the child starts to choose a favourite side and go straight to it. Many play kneeling or standing by now, and at 25 cm the activities still sit at a comfortable height.

Around two, words and stories arrive. The submarine dives, somebody is on board, a younger cousin is shown how each side works. The activities have not changed, but the child now uses them to tell a story, which is why choosing an activity cube for 1 year old children is rarely a purchase for a single year.

Submarine, triangle, hexagonal or XL: telling our cubes apart

Our range of wooden activity cubes includes several shapes, and the shape changes how the toy is used. The Triangle Wooden Activity Cube has a three-sided form, and the Spring and Savannah hexagonal cubes offer six narrower faces. The Deluxe Farm XL model, our large activity cube, comes with a stool.

The submarine keeps the classic square footprint of 20 x 20 cm. It is the compact, straightforward choice: a small floor space, sides that are easy to move around, and a theme unlike the animal designs. If you are looking more widely, the rest of our toys for 1 year olds are grouped by age.

A first birthday present that stays out on the floor

Because the recommended age is 1+, the submarine is a natural first birthday gift, and one that grandparents and godparents can choose with confidence. It is made of wood and needs very little care: wipe it with a slightly damp cloth, dry it straight away and never soak it. Like everything we sell, it carries a 2-year guarantee.

It is also the kind of toy that can live in the sitting room without being packed away each evening, which matters more than it sounds. A one-year-old plays in short bursts all day long, and a toy that stays within sight gets used. That idea of a small number of well-chosen things left within reach runs through all our Montessori teaching toys.

Submarine cube: what parents ask us

Is an activity cube good for a 1 year old?

Yes, provided the activities sit at the right height. At one, a child wants to repeat simple actions and see or hear the result, and a cube gathers several of those actions in one stable toy that can be played with sitting down.

What age is the submarine activity cube suitable for?

It is suitable from 1 year (1+). Most children go on using it well into their second year, kneeling or standing beside it as they grow.

How tall is the submarine activity cube?

It stands 37 cm tall on a base of 20 x 20 cm. The play height, where the activities are, is 25 cm.

What does a 1 year old learn from an activity cube?

The five sides of this one build hand-eye coordination and both auditory and visual perception. Along the way your child also practises concentrating on one task and moving around an object to explore it.

Specifications

• Age: 1+
• Play sides: 5
• Dimensions: 20 x 20 x 37 cm
• Play height: 25 cm
• Weight: 1.46 kg
• Material: wood
• 2-year guarantee