When it comes to selecting toys for 2-year-olds, you might find yourself wondering what will keep a kiddo who is in the prime of their toddlerhood engaged and interested. Narrowing down the best of the best toys for ever-curious, constantly-growing tiny humans can be daunting. Especially when those little humans tend to be interested in anything and everything. To simplify your search, we’re sharing 25 of our favorite toys for 2-year-olds. We think these are some of the best toddler toys out there.
Montessori Toys for 2-Year-Olds
Montessori toys are designed for open-ended, independent play. They’re an excellent tool for encouraging 2-year-olds to build real-life skills while promoting creative thinking and problem-solving. Here are our favorite Montessori toys for 2-year-olds.
1. Lovevery Block Set
This beautiful, high-quality block set has everything your 2-year-old could need to build, sort, and thread, among other possibilities. Featuring a solid wood design and vibrant rainbow colors, it comes with 70 blocks plus additional tools, a storage bag and storage box, and an activity guide. Perfect for building spatial, language, and problem-solving skills.
2. Toy Cleaning Set
There’s no doubt that 2-year-olds love to help and be involved in important tasks. This realistic play cleaning set includes a pretend broom, dustpan, mop, and cloth, as well as a mini broom and mini dustpan. It’ll build toddlers’ confidence and sense of responsibility as they practice coordination, fine motor skills, and everyday chores.
3. Wobble/Balance Board
A wobble balance board is an irresistible, multipurpose toy for 2-year-olds. It stimulates the vestibular system, promotes balance and coordination, and can be used for wobbling, lounging, climbing, etc. This one is made from heirloom quality wood and supports up to 480 pounds, making it possible for everyone in the family to enjoy the fun.
4. Ramp Race Track
A car ramp racer allows kiddos to explore motion, direction, and cause and effect while practicing focusing and enjoying imaginative play. This ramp racer features five levels and comes with four wooden cars and two balls in primary colors. It’s made from durable, child-friendly wood, so it’s practical and aesthetically pleasing.
5. Wooden Sorting and Stacking Toy
This counting stacker allows children to practice counting, learn basic color recognition, and develop their fine motor skills through stacking. It includes red, yellow, orange, blue, and green wooden stacking blocks and a stacking stand — made from non-toxic paint. It’s an excellent activity for your 2-year-old’s playroom or the kitchen table.
6. Tiny Land Balance Beam
Perfect for developing motor skills, this wooden balance beam is double-sided and lets your little one practice balancing in a fun and safe way. Kids can move around and organize the beams however they’d like, allowing them to exercise their creativity and their bodies. It also comes with stepping stones! Plus, your child will still be able to use it as they grow older.
7. Lovevery The Helper Play Kit
Here’s another set that we like from Lovevery! Children love to mimic their caregivers, and this kit allows them to practice some activities they’ve probably watched you do — planting flowers and doing the dishes. It also comes with routine cards to help your little one map out their daily schedule, teaching them organizational skills that will help them in the future!
Climbing Toys for 2-Year-Olds
Toddlers are busy people. They’re constantly on the go, exploring their surroundings and testing physical limits and boundaries. If you have a 2-year-old at home, you’ll want to invest in safe, toddler-approved climbing toys made to support gross motor development and foster independence. Here are some of our favorites.
1. BlueWood Pikler Triangle Set
This highly rated Pikler Triangle is built for ages 2-6. It’s perfect for strengthening your little climber’s self-confidence, balance, gross motor skills, muscle growth, and creative/strategy play. This toy is made from natural solid wood, durable enough to last for years. And the rainbow colors make it visually appealing for your little one!
2. Lily & River Little Climbing Dome
A beautifully-made toy from Lily & River, this indoor climbing dome allows kiddos to climb, hang, and play to their heart’s desire. With a bit of imagination, it can become a mountain, cave, or monkey bar set. It’s perfect for ages 2 to 6, so your little one will get several years of play with it.
3. Avenlur Magnolia Indoor Playground
If you really want to take your playroom up a notch for your 2-year-old, an indoor playground is the way to go. Avenlur’s Magnolia Indoor Playground is a seven-in-one jungle gym featuring a slide, a climbing wall, a rope wall climber, monkey bars, a swing, and ladder climbers. It will provide hours of fun while seamlessly supporting gross motor development.
4. The Original Nugget Play Couch
A fan favorite for many reasons! The Nugget consists of four foam pieces (a base, a cushion, and two triangles) and can be set up in many configurations. The options for play, climbing, crashing, and lounging are endless here. It comes in various appealing colors and fabrics, including microsuede, double-brushed, and corduroy, and it is Greenguard Gold Certified to ensure all materials are child-safe. We think it’s worth the investment over competing play couches.
Outdoor Toys for 2-Year-Olds
What 2-year-old doesn’t love being outside? When given the choice, we’re willing to bet most toddlers would gladly choose the outdoors over being cooped up inside. Sometimes, you just need a toddler-approved outdoor toy or two to make backyard playtime favorable for everyone in the family. Here are some of our favorites.
1. Step2 Rain Showers Splash Pond Water Table
A little bit of water play can reset almost any toddler’s day. That’s why a water table is a must for every 2-year-old. This one boasts 13 fun accessories, including maze-like spinners, ramps, and buckets, as well as a waterfall tray for a fun rainfall effect. Age-appropriate STEM play has never been easier to come by.
2. Little Tikes Easy Score Soccer Set
Group sports like soccer are an excellent way to build social skills, cooperation, and focus. Not to mention gross motor skills. Whether or not your tiny tot is on a team, this soccer set will quickly become a family favorite. It includes an easy-to-assemble kid-sized net, ball, and air pump.
3. Little Tikes Easy Score Basketball Set
Another must-have Little Tikes outdoor (or indoor) toy, this basketball set includes an adjustable basketball hoop and stand and three small soft basketballs. It features an oversized rim for simpler scoring (and increased confidence). Plus, you can choose from six heights — so it’ll grow with your kiddo.
4. Little Tikes First Slide
A go-to beginner’s slide! This one is suitable for use inside or out, folds up for easy storage, and doesn’t require any tools for setup. It promotes balance, fitness, and coordination — not to mention fun for your 2-year-old (or any child up to 60 pounds).
5. Step2 Naturally Playful Sand Table
Digging in sand (and dirt) is a rite of passage for toddlers, right? With a solid sand table, your kiddo can enjoy hours of structured sensory play — without all the mess. This one is raised to a height just right for standing and can hold up to 80 pounds of sand, soil, or any other sensory material. It comes with five accessories. It also features molded-in roadways on the lid, which can be used as a race track when covered.
Ride-On Toys for 2-Year-Olds
Being a toddler means constantly being on the move. In particular, 2-year-olds never seem to slow down. Because of this, ride-on toys are a must at this age. Here are some we think your child will love to take a spin on.
1. Step2 Up and Down Roller Coaster Toy for Kids
This kid’s roller coaster will bring the action into your home (or yard) with its 9-foot track and ATV-inspired car. It features a high back, a handrail, and footrests for maximum comfort and easily comes apart for convenient storage. While the included steps are helpful for the youngest riders, the coaster holds children up to 50 pounds.
2. Disney Minnie Activity Plane
This ride-on plane is for toddlers 1-3 years old, so it’s just right for 2-year-olds. It features rotating propellers with alternating light-up patterns, 360-degree steering ability, realistic lift-off and landing sounds, and a steering wheel and honking horn. It doesn’t get much more adorable!
3. Little Tikes Cozy Coupe Ice Cream Truck
A reimagined take on the iconic Little Tikes Cozy Coupe! Mom or Dad can push this ice cream truck ride-on car, or your toddler can do it themselves with its detachable floorboard. It comes loaded with fun accessories and specs, including play ice cream cones, a credit card reader, and even an ice cream cone speaker that plays modern ice cream truck music.
Educational Toys for 2-Year-Olds
Toddler toys come in all forms. When they’re intended to be equal parts fun and educational, you can’t lose. Check out our favorite learning-inspired toys for 2-year-olds.
1. Learning Resources Farmer’s Market Color Sorting Set
This 30-piece color sorting set aims to develop color recognition and sorting skills. It offers realistic-looking red, orange, yellow, purple, and green fruits and vegetables, as well as five sorting baskets with labels and an activity guide. It’s an excellent toy for pretend play, language development, and vocabulary acquisition.
2. VTech Alphabet Apple
This learning toy introduces not only the alphabet but phonics, words, time concepts, music, and more — so it’ll easily grow with your child as they develop new skills. Apart from featuring the obvious (all 26 letters and sounds), it boasts 29 songs and melodies. We also love this pick’s carry handle.
3. Melissa & Doug Shapes Wooden Chunky Puzzle
Melissa & Doug offers a wide choice of wooden puzzles for toddlers. When it comes to learning shapes, this one is a must. With its eight chunky, easy-to-manipulate pieces (circle, square, diamond, rectangle, triangle, heart, star, and oval) and bright colors, your kiddo won’t even realize they’re learning.
4. Melissa & Doug Rainbow Caterpillar Gear Toy
Color recognition is an important skill for children to work toward in toddlerhood. This gear toy offers plenty of opportunities for color learning and reinforcement. It also promotes hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. It’s a simple pick to occupy and engage your 2-year-old.
5. Learning Resources Primary Science Sensory Tubes
These sensory tubes are highly versatile and made to encourage science exploration, curiosity, and development of the senses. The four durable tubes have dual openings with two solid lids for each, and you can fill and refill them with your choice of objects. The kit includes four vented lids for exploring smells.
6. The Original PocketSpeech
If you want to help build your child’s vocabulary, this PocketSpeech toy is a great option! The tablet reads aloud the inserted flashcards to help your child learn over 200 words, including the names of different animals, food, colors, and more. It can be an excellent way for kids to hear word pronunciation and improve their speech development.
More Toys for 2-Year-Olds
Whether you’re shopping for toys for toddler boys or girls, we could go on and on with exceptional options for 2-year-olds. Here are a few more of our favorite picks for this age. You won’t want to miss out on any of them.
1. Step2 Play Kitchen
A play kitchen is a wonderful addition to any child’s room. This one will surely promote creative thinking, imagination, and real-life skills practice all at once. It features a realistic-looking sink, stove, oven, and cabinet, as well as clickable, turnable knobs and pots and pans.
2. Green Toys Construction Trucks
This set of three toddler-sized construction trucks is an excellent pick for any car-, truck-, or construction-loving 2-year-old. The trucks are made from 100% recycled plastic and meet all international safety standards. You can’t go wrong with anything from Green Toys, as these items are ideal for indoor or outdoor use and can help develop imagination, motor skills, pretend play, language, and cause-and-effect reasoning. They’re even dishwasher-safe.
3. SpillAgain
Here’s a fun take on a classic ball drop toy! Have your child fill the top with all the colorful balls and press down on the green button. Then, wait and watch as the dispenser spills the balls on the ground to chase after and pick up. It’s even more fun with multiple children — they can race to see who picks up the most balls or who can gather them the fastest!
Toddlers aren’t always picky with their toys, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be. If you’re not selective, toddler toys can end up taking up a lot of space and sitting idle. Quality and longevity are essential when shopping for toys for a 2-year-old. We think you’ll love the items we’ve recommended here!
