Have a 2 or 3 year old? – You need these toddler activities!
I have three boys, and these toddler activities helped us all enjoy our days more. We went from walking in circles all day to enjoying our time together without me hovering.
Inside you will find toddler activities for:
- Toddler activities at home
- Sensory play for toddlers
- Painting with two and three year olds
I Know. Having a toddler can be a lot like having the cutest companion turn on you at a moment’s notice.
Hand a two-year-old the green cup when they silently asked for red? – you’ll hear about it.
Try and help your three-year-old brush their teeth? Nope. They’ve got this one. Sucking on the bristles is way more effective.
Or perhaps you have a two-year-old that has decided he no longer needs a nap?! GASP!
Like you, I have had joy and challenging times with my toddlers. These 40 fun and easy toddler ideas helped bring more joy to our days and even a chance for me to unload the dishwasher as they played.
Two and three year olds need activities that encourage:
- problem solving and taking ownership in how the play progresses
- moving and transporting objects
- making predictions
- having conversations
- listening to new sounds
- touching new textures
- exploring how markers and crayons work
- small fine motor movements
- encourage dumping
- discovering new colors with paints
- twisting and rotating objects
- climbing
- pretending
- throwing
- grasping objects
- stacking and watching what and when objects fall
- sorting by size and color
I know it. This is a big list of toddler activity ideas!
This is where I come in. I understand child development and how to take the big ideas and bring them into your home to help your toddler explore play.
Let’s Create an Environment You and Your Kids are Excited to Wake up to
Learn what to do and what to say so you can drink your coffee HOT while your kids play independently.
What activities are good for toddlers?
Here’s what I consider with toddler activities:
- Will your toddler put the objects into the mouth?
- Is it taste safe?
- Can my toddler touch the objects?
- Is the activity allowing my two and three-year-old to explore his senses?
Once you answer these preliminary questions, you are ready to pick the best activity for you and your little one. I stay close and supervise at all times.
RELATED: Looking for birthday themes? Here are adorable party ideas for a 2nd birthday party!
What can you do with your toddlers indoors?
It turns out, a lot! As the weather gets cooler, let’s gear up for indoor play. These toddler activities at home will allow children to explore fine and gross motor skills.
25+ Ideas for Toddler Indoor Play
- Kitchen Match Up – Days with Grey
- Clothespin Pull – Days with Grey
- Drive and Drop – Days with Grey
- Breakfast Invitations – Days with Grey
- Seeing Two – Toddler Approved
- Toddler Tape Roads – Days with Grey
- Pick a Color – Days with Grey
- Duplo Color Match – Happy Tot Shelf
- Toddler Sock Match – Days with Grey
- Wash the Socks – Days with Grey
- Sticker Pairs – Days with Grey
- Size Sorting Box – Busy Toddler
- Sticky Pumpkin – Days with Grey
- Tape, Toddlers, and Toys – Days with Grey
- Indoor Painting with Two-Year-Olds – Days with Grey
- Move and Learn Shapes – Hands on as We Grow
- Oball Push – Busy Toddler
- Color Caves – Days with Grey
- Snowflake Crafts – No Time for Flashcards
- Fly in Your Shapes – Days with Grey
- Bears on a Ladder (contains small parts) – Days with Grey
- Primary Color Hunt – Days with Grey
- Primary Color Match (contains small parts) – Days with Grey
- The Best Toys for Two-Year-Olds – Days with Grey
- Shape People – Days with Grey
25+ Ideas for Toddler Sensory Play
How do you encourage sensory play with a two-year-old?
Let’s begin by learning what a buffer zone is and how to redirect your opinionated toddler back to the sensory bin. Read: How to Introduce Sensory Play
Next, let’s dive into finding your tot best way to play!
Here are my favorite toddler sensory play ideas.
- How to Introduce Sensory Play – Days with Grey
- Sand Sensory Play – Days with Grey
- 15 Bubble Activities – No Time for Flashcards
- Playing with Gears – Hello Wonderful
- Baby Sensory Blocks – A Crafty Living
- Rainbow Oobleck – Toddler Approved
- Dry Noodle Sensory Play – Days with Grey
- Cloud Dough Kitchen – Happy Toddler Playtime
- Puzzle Find and Sort – Busy Toddler
- Nature Goop Sensory Play – Happy Hooligans
- Construction Sensory Play – Fantastic Fun and Learning
- Bubble Wrap Runway – Hands on as We Grow
- Fall Bubble Foam – Happy Toddler Playtime
- Rainbow Rice – Bust Toddler
- Scoop the Limes – Days with Grey
- Finger Play Songs – No Time for Flashcards
- Fall Tree Handprint Craft – Happy Hooligans
- Rainbow Spaghetti – A Crafty Living
- Giant Water Beads – Hello Wonderful
- Filling Station – Busy Toddler
- Apple Scoop and Sort – Days with Grey
- Managing Messy Play with Toddlers – Busy Toddler
- Soap Paint – A Crafty Living
- Soap, Sponge, and Water – Days with Grey
- Halloween Water Play – Days with Grey
- Trucks and Oats – Toddler Approved
Painting Play with Two and Three Year Olds
You are about to dive into painting with your little one and need to be reassured it won’t stain your new table. Am I right?
Start here by reading, Tips and Tricks; Painting with your Two-Year-Old. Inside this post, you will see how to begin art projects in a controlled area that we can wash away with no trouble.
- How to Paint with your 2-Year-Old – Days with Grey
- No-Fuss Outdoor Painting – Days with Grey
- Painting with Trucks – Hands-on as Wee Grow
- Sponge Paint – Busy Toddler
- Block Painting – Teach Preschool
- Painting with Carrots – Fantastic Fun and Learning
- Painting in a Ziploc Bag – Happy Tot Shelf
- 20+ Startup Supplies for Toddler Art – Days with Grey
- Fireworks Painting – Learning 4 Kids
- Freezer Bag Art Painting – Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds
- Giant Cardboard Doughnuts – Art Bar
- Bath Tub Art – Busy Toddler
- The Best Ways to Store Your Child’s Art – Art Bar
RELATED: Let’s get reading! Here are the best toddler books for toddlers.
Phew! You are now ready to tackle the day with your toddler!
Challenge accepted. You’ve got this.