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.
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5 Montessori Toys for 2-Year-Olds
Montessori toys are designed with open-ended, independent play in mind. 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
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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. Melissa & Doug Let’s Play House Dust! Sweep! Mop! Toy Cleaning Set
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There’s no doubt that 2-year-olds love to help and be involved in important tasks. This realistic pretend play cleaning set includes a wooden broom, mop, and duster, as well as a dustpan, brush, and organizing stand. It’ll build toddlers’ confidence and sense of responsibility as they practice coordination, fine motor skills, and everyday chores.
3. Wobble/Balance Board
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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
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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. Hape Counting Stacker
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This counting stacker allows children to practice counting to 10, basic color recognition, and fine motor development through stacking. It includes red, yellow, orange, blue, and green wooden stacking blocks and a stacking stand — all made from child-safe, non-toxic materials. An excellent activity for your 2-year-old’s playroom or the kitchen table.
4 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. Lily & River Little Climber XL
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This top-rated Pikler Triangle is built for ages 2-8. It’s perfect for strengthening your little climber’s self-confidence, balance, gross motor skills, muscle growth, and creative/strategy play. This climber is made from natural birch and premium bamboo, durable enough for years. For added climbing fun, you can choose to add on a reversible ladder/slide or reversible rockwall/slide.
2. Lily & River Little Dome
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Another beautifully-made toy from Lily & River, this 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. Choose from natural, white-sealed, rainbow-sealed, or other bold color finishes. For additional peace of mind, you can add on beautiful safety mat sets.
3. Avenlur Magnolia Indoor Playground
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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
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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.
5 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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
3 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
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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 My First Minnie Plane
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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
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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.
5 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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
3 Other 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. Turtle Balance Stepping Stones
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Honing coordination and balance is an important everyday task for 2-year-olds. These bright-colored, non-slip stepping stones are an incredible tool for doing just that. They’re durable (supporting up to 265 pounds each), stackable for quick storage, and perfect for creating endless obstacle courses. Plus, your toddler can use them indoors or outside. These will be an instant hit for your kiddo.
2. Hape Play Kitchen
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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, cabinet, and spice shelf, as well as clickable, turnable knobs.
3. Green Toys Construction Trucks
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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.
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!
