
Check out parent reviews for the all-time best gifts for 2-year-olds, and weigh in with your own toddler picks!
There are so many unique toys for 2-year-olds to help develop language skills, coordination and growing imaginations for open-ended play. This is also a great year to add to your collection of picture books.
Suggest your favorite fun or practical gifts for 2-year-olds to help fellow parents, and check out ideas for 1-year-olds and 3-year-olds for more inspiration.
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Micro Mini Scooter
Age 2-5
Kelly R.: The 3-wheel design of this scooter is perfect for younger kids who are still working on balance. No turning required - just lean the handles to steer.
Step2 Water Play Table
Age 1+
Erin P.: This toy is such a hit during the summer months! We usually set ours up next to the kiddie pool and the kids enjoy hours of outdoor fun!
Step2 Up & Down Roller Coaster
Age 2-5
Molly Weber: This product snaps together fairly easily to create a mini 'roller coaster' for kids. My daughter has played on one of these at a friend's house and absolutely loved it. She's not quite two yet so she needed some assistance but I will definitely be putting this on her birthday list. This is great for young toddlers who love a thrill (and one they can repeat over and over......and over and over....all on their own).
PlanToys Vegetable Playset
Age 18+ months
Kelly R.: This open-ended toy set includes a cutting board, knife, and veggies that can be sliced and reassembled over and over again. My kids loved this at age 2 and it still gets played with a few years later. Great for developing fine motor skills.
Bubble 'N' Go Mower
Age 2+
Vanessa M.: This is a great toy for 2-year-olds! This bubble mower makes realistic lawnmower noises when pushed, and has the option to blow bubbles as your little one mows the grass, making it even more fun! We use ours indoors sans bubbles in the wintertime, and outdoors with full bubble action when it is nice outside.
Radio Flyer 3-in-1 EZ Folding Wagon
18+ months
Molly Weber: Getting a two year old to stay in a stroller can prove to be a challenge. This wagon is a very helpful gift for days that require some extra walking (trips to the zoo, theme park, festivals, or even a stroll to the park). Assembly is a breeze and I was surprised how very easy it is to fold and unfold. My daughter lasts much longer in this wagon with a few toys than she does in the stroller.
Radio Flyer Interactive Riding Horse
Age 2-6
Kristy Pepping: My mom bought this horse for our first daughter's birthday and all three kids have used it since. This classic toy provides hours of bouncing fun!
Step2 Grocery Cart
Age 2+
Erin P.: This is a great toy for 2-year-olds who like to mimic their grown-ups. Our kids shop for all sorts of things in our house! I will also give them empty cereal, oatmeal and other similar boxes to use to help stimulate their imaginations when using their shopping cart.
Bouncy Boing Bizzi
18+ months
Erin P.: My 2-year-old received this as a "big sister gift," and she is in love! She brings it with her all over the house, stops and bounces on it, and then continues bringing it along with her. She is having so much fun with it.
Hape Wooden Play Kitchen
Age 3+
Erin P.: Our kids really enjoy pretend play! Our son will "take orders" and get to work in our play kitchen, and our daughter is now engaging in some independent play frequently at the kitchen.
Melissa & Doug Dust! Sweep! Mop! Pretend Play Set
Age 3+
Erin P.: 2-year-olds love to mimic what they see their grown-ups doing, and while I wish that I could say that my two-year old witnessed me using my grown-up versions of these a bit more often for household chores, these toys are a hit with her and with her older brother! ;)
Little Partners Learning Tower
Erin P.: The toddler tower is a fantastic tool for letting your little one help in the kitchen. It's a great way to keep your curious toddler contained while letting him or her safely watch (or help!) during meal preparation time. We frequently use ours to let our kids help make cookies!
Skip Hop Toddler Backpack
Kelly R.: These little backpacks come in variety of animal options, and are perfectly-sized gifts for 2-year-olds to hold their treasures. My daughter loved hers to carry toys for road trips, to church, and elsewhere.
Play Tent and Ball Pit
Molly Weber: Give the gift of their very own play place! This item will keep a 2 year old occupied and active with the tent, tunnel, and ball pit!
ALEX Discover My First Scribble
Age 2+
Kelly R.: A sturdy activity book with simple pictures that inspire the youngest artists to get creative.
Green Toys Tea Set
Age 2+
A perfect first tea set! The Green Toys set is made out of recycled materials, it is non-toxic (does not contain BPA, phthalates, or lead paint), meets FDA food contact standards and is dishwasher friendly.
Melissa & Doug Cube Puzzle
Age 3+
Lisa R: Cube puzzles, which can be put together to reveal six different pictures, can be found in a wide variety of sizes, styles, and prices. I like sets that come with a wooden box or frame, as it's fun for toddlers to take the blocks in and out while they grow into doing the puzzles.
Tickle Monster Laughter Kit
Kelly R.:
We read this cute book so many times when my daughter was little! Parents don tickle mitts and tickle along to the story of a lovable blue monster. Playful and silly and a perfect gift for a 2-year-old (and beyond). It's adorable to watch a reading-age sibling read this to a younger child as well.
Mahalo Ukulele
Jennie Utsinger: Expand your musical instrument collection with a ukulele for your tot. Music loving kids will enjoy strumming and singing and can even learn to play when they're older! Our ukulele has been a favorite in our house for years.
Little Tikes Picnic Table
Age 2+
Amanda Banta: If your kids are like mine, they barely stop playing to eat a meal and having a picnic in the backyard was the only way I can get them to eat some days. We got this Little Tikes picnic table when my son was 2 because of this and years later it still has a prominent spot on our deck.
The table is set at a great height for toddlers and young kids and the umbrella provides decent shade for those sunny noontime lunches. The table cleans up easily, making it a great place for outdoor coloring and crafts as well. The table can fold up easily, allowing it to be stored or moved flat.
Uncle Goose Classic ABC Blocks
Age 2+
Laila Talley: Promote creative play and learning with these quality alphabet blocks! Each unique block is hand-crafted from basswood, featuring letters, numbers, math symbols and pictures. Our older son loves building houses with blocks. He also enjoys balancing them, one on top of another.
Hape Art Easel
Age 3+
christadiserio: If you have a blooming Picasso in your household, this gift will be a hit! This easel has a chalkboard, paper roll and magnetic whiteboard, so your 2-year-old will get to experience different mediums of art. Also, no need to worry about your child reaching the easel, as the height is adjustable.
Boon Jellies Bath Toys
Jennie Utsinger: These bright plastic "jellyfish" attach to bathtub walls (and each other) with suction cups and are fun bath toys for creative play. Since they're open on the bottom, they don't mold easily as long as you drain them, and ours have maintained their suction for over two years now. My boys have figured out that they also stick to foreheads and bellies!
Melissa & Doug Jumbo Coloring Pad
Age 3+
Kristy Pepping: My nephew just had his 2-year-old birthday and I bought one of these for him. My sister-in-law said he likes to color. I thought this was a great idea because it is larger than most coloring books. That way it is a lot easier for little ones to use and not color off the page.
BRIO World Deluxe Railway Set
Age 3+
Sarah Calamita: A train set is the perfect gift! Your 2 year old will spend hours connecting trains, putting pieces together, learning colors and shapes and just amazed at everything that comes with a train set!
Prextex Remote Control Cars
Kristy Pepping: My sister has twin boys who are two. She said at this age they are both into knowing how things work and remote control cars are a good toy for them to see cause and effect. I like that these cars come in a set of two so whether you are buying for toddler twins or for siblings, they can each have a car.
American Girl Bitty Baby
18+ months
Sarah Calamita: We gifted our 2 year old her first Bitty Baby on her 2nd birthday. She loved playing with it then and it is still her favorite doll! The store is magical for kids!
Musical Piano Mat
Age 2+
Kristy Pepping: I just bought this for my nephew who is turning two. My sister-in-law said he is into music and dancing so I thought this would be perfect. We also had one when my kids were little and they really liked dancing on it and making music. I also like that it is flexible and can be stored away when not in use.
Melissa & Doug Sound Puzzle
Age 2+
Stephanie W.: These wooden puzzles are fun gifts for 2-year-olds, since there are sound effects for each piece!
Petit Collage Ferris Wheel
Age 3+
Jennie Utsinger: My almost 2 year old loves this colorful wooden toy and so do I. Turn the handle to spin the ferris wheel or simply give it a push. It comes with three solid beech wood little animals that can ride in the carts. Even my older sons have enjoyed giving their Legos a ride.
Toddler Backpack
Alexandra F.: My sister got this adorable dinosaur back pack for my 2-year-old and it has been a hit like you wouldn't believe. He loves wearing it to the park, to the zoo, to drop off his siblings at school - pretty much anywhere he goes. And, once he started preschool, it was perfect for carrying his snack and water bottle. We've gotten so many compliments on this one, which is so cute for dinosaur-loving kids, but there are plenty of mini backpacks out there to suit any toddler's interests!
Melissa & Doug Deluxe Pounding Bench
Age 2+
Kelly R.: My toddlers got a LOT of use out of this classic toy. It's an upgrade from the one I used a child, because as each peg is hammered down, its neighbor will seesaw up.
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