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.

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

1. Kitchen Match Up – Days with Grey
2. Clothespin Pull – Days with Grey
3. Drive and Drop – Days with Grey
4. Breakfast Invitations – Days with Grey
5. Seeing Two – Toddler Approved
6. Toddler Tape Roads – Days with Grey
7. Pick a Color – Days with Grey
8. Duplo Color Match – Happy Tot Shelf
9. Toddler Sock Match – Days with Grey
10. Wash the Socks – Days with Grey
11. Sticker Pairs – Days with Grey
12. Size Sorting Box – Busy Toddler
13. Sticky Pumpkin – Days with Grey
14. Tape, Toddlers, and Toys – Days with Grey
15. Indoor Painting with Two-Year-Olds – Days with Grey
16. Move and Learn Shapes – Hands on as We Grow
17. Oball Push – Busy Toddler
18. Color Caves – Days with Grey
19. Snowflake Crafts – No Time for Flashcards
20. Fly in Your Shapes – Days with Grey
21. Bears on a Ladder (contains small parts) – Days with Grey
22. Primary Color Hunt – Days with Grey
23. Primary Color Match (contains small parts) – Days with Grey
24. The Best Toys for Two-Year-Olds – Days with Grey
25. 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.

1. How to Introduce Sensory Play – Days with Grey
2. Sand Sensory Play – Days with Grey
3. 15 Bubble Activities – No Time for Flashcards
4. Playing with Gears – Hello Wonderful
5. Baby Sensory Blocks – A Crafty Living
6. Rainbow Oobleck – Toddler Approved
7. Dry Noodle Sensory Play – Days with Grey
8. Cloud Dough Kitchen – Happy Toddler Playtime
9. Puzzle Find and Sort – Busy Toddler
10. Nature Goop Sensory Play – Happy Hooligans
11. Construction Sensory Play – Fantastic Fun and Learning
12. Bubble Wrap Runway – Hands on as We Grow
13. Fall Bubble Foam – Happy Toddler Playtime
14. Rainbow Rice – Bust Toddler
15. Scoop the Limes – Days with Grey
16. Finger Play Songs – No Time for Flashcards
17. Fall Tree Handprint Craft – Happy Hooligans
18. Rainbow Spaghetti – A Crafty Living
19. Giant Water Beads – Hello Wonderful
20. Filling Station – Busy Toddler
21. Apple Scoop and Sort – Days with Grey
22. Managing Messy Play with Toddlers – Busy Toddler
23. Soap Paint – A Crafty Living
24. Soap, Sponge, and Water – Days with Grey
25. Halloween Water Play – Days with Grey
26. 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.

1. How to Paint with your 2-Year-Old – Days with Grey
2. No-Fuss Outdoor Painting – Days with Grey
3. Painting with Trucks – Hands-on as Wee Grow
4. Sponge Paint – Busy Toddler
5. Block Painting – Teach Preschool
6. Painting with Carrots – Fantastic Fun and Learning
7. Painting in a Ziploc Bag – Happy Tot Shelf
8. 20+ Startup Supplies for Toddler Art – Days with Grey
9. Fireworks Painting – Learning 4 Kids
10. Freezer Bag Art Painting – Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds
11. Giant Cardboard Doughnuts – Art Bar
12. Bath Tub Art – Busy Toddler
13. 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.